One of our past alums, Tyler Nelms, shares his unique experience as a Stax Research Associate in the latest Stax Alumni Series profile.
Tyler Nelms
Stax Research Associate, 2013-15
What was your background prior to joining Stax? My role as a Research Associate at Stax was my first job after graduating with an undergraduate degree in Entrepreneurship. Beforehand, I worked at various part-time jobs and/or paid internships, where my experience as an inside sales representative was very helpful in my role at Stax.
What was your most memorable experience at Stax? My first project at Stax involved market research for online immigration services and work visa providers. On the last day of our deliverable, I took an UberPool home from work and shared my ride with an engineering graduate in the process of having their H-1B Visa sponsored; they were so surprised with my detailed knowledge of visa requirements and inefficiencies. I was told by other Research Associates that I would find myself in random intellectual conversations based upon my work projects at Stax, but I didn’t expect it to happen on my first engagement!
What is your current position? I am currently a VP Business Intelligence Specialist in the Strategic Planning Department at TD Bank. I work closely with senior leadership on complex issues to identify and recommend opportunities for enhancing operational effectiveness and efficiency through ad-hoc reporting and analysis.
How did your time at Stax help prepare you for your current role? During my experience at Stax, I learned how to quickly consume information while critically thinking about its strategic impact on our clients’ objectives. This ability has prepared me for my current role in Strategic Planning by anticipating unwanted outcomes and pivoting into an appropriate direction.