In his role as Acquisitions Specialist, Evan helps to bring companies into the Tulsa ecosystem where they can thrive and succeed.
In his role as Acquisitions Specialist, Evan helps to bring companies into the Tulsa ecosystem where they can thrive and succeed.
Where did you start your career?
I graduated in 2020, just as the pandemic started. The opportunity I had to work in NYC dissolved, and I wasn’t sure what to do. At the time, I was living in Tulsa, and one of the opportunities that presented itself was the CityYear Tulsa program. I loved the idea of getting involved in the community, and I interviewed for it but didn’t get accepted.
Over the next few days, however, one of the people I interviewed with asked if I was interested in an internship at a venture capital company. I wanted to be involved in the Tulsa ecosystem anyway I could, so I interviewed and got an internship at Atento Capital. I worked in operations, economic development and project management, focused on getting any experience I could.
How did you move into the role you have now at inTulsa?
The transition was interesting! My Atento Capital internship was only three months long, so I barking up every tree, looking for an opportunity to stay in Tulsa if I could. The team at inTulsa heard my passion and brought me on as a project coordinator. I supported the organization in a lot of different ways—helping to execute projects like large scale campaigns, marketing, social media, pitch decks, and one-pagers.
I’m the first person to raise my hand for a new opportunity. In 2021, I was able to work on our CRM implementation project, which landed me in a different role. As our partner operations team has grown, the need for “front of funnel” coordination has grown too, so we can make sure we’re landing new clients and they’re being tended to. It became a passion for me to learn how to sell what we do, and that’s how Acquisitions Specialist became an opportunity for me.
What gets you excited to get up and go to work in the morning?
What inTulsa has allowed me to do is to constantly learn new things in a safe environment. In college, it felt like I had to pick the thing I was interested in and stay there for four years. But at inTulsa, I’ve had experiences in project management, talent and recruitment services, and marketing.
I’m also the host of our podcast—I created that role and responsibility. I’m glad to have the space to learn something new. There are so many things to learn in the professional world, and I feel like I’ve had the opportunity to get my feet wet in so many different things.
What do you love most about your career?
Tulsa is a community I care about deeply. That’s what I love most about my career right now. I’m able to impact a community that I not only have a stake in, but that is also a place that I know people have interacted with and come out different. That’s what I really love.
What are the most critical elements to consider when partnering with businesses or talent candidates?
From a company perspective, it’s introducing them to our city—to the ecosystem that has been carefully curated over the past few years to be more inclusive. Whether it’s a tech startup, a solo entrepreneur, a small team, or a large company that has never considered the uniqueness that is Oklahoma, we get to introduce them to Tulsa and tell our story in a way that is authentic to us.
I work primary on the company side, but I have connections with candidates who are locally based. For them, we speak to what’s been growing here that they might not know about, sharing that their interests do fit into what’s happening here. We get to tell them there is space for them in the tech industry.
What advice do you have for people early in their careers, or who are making a switch to a tech career?
Don’t put yourself in a box. Being open to opportunities is the way I’ve created an opportunity for myself. Being able to operate outside of your comfort zone can allow you to learn different things about yourself. This has allowed me to create a new identity for my working life, which has carried into my personal life, and I really value it.
If you’re switching into an unfamiliar territory, don’t count yourself out. Building confidence in yourself is the first step. Find elements of your career path or occupation that excite you and are connected to your values. You can find that, especially in the tech industry. Give yourself permission to try.
What do you love about Tulsa?
I love that my family is here. Being able to exist in an urban-like city with access to a thriving music scene and eclectic food and restaurant scene, and being able to experience with my family, is something that adds to Tulsa that other cities will never have for me.
What books, music, podcasts or other resources are you enjoying right now?
On my list to read is Atomic Habits. There are good habits I want to figure out to incorporate into my life. Another book that’s on my list is The Defining Decade, which is about how your twenties can define the way you live the rest of your life.
And of course, there’s the inTulsa podcast I do! The reason I love doing Grow with Us is that it creates a platform for Tulsans who are doing amazing work adjacent to what we’re doing at inTulsa. Please check it out. There are some really good tidbits. Hearing from folks who have tried something and succeeded at it, or tried and failed and then succeeded at something else, is really empowering.
Any final thoughts on what makes Tulsa so special?
Our ecosystem and the way we are creating opportunities for folks in Tulsa is so unique. If you have the smallest interest in anything, there are so many people in Tulsa who can help you explore that interest. It just takes the confidence to ask, and you’ll never get your hand slapped for asking. If you’re looking to be involved in something new, Tulsa can be a space where you can navigate that in an impactful way.
