Episode Transcript
00:00 Montinique Davis: I like procurement because it's based on relationship building and how to communicate with suppliers and being that go-to person in your company, to make things happen.
[music]
00:25 Kara Patterson: We're at Kennedy Coffee today, and we're getting to know Montinique Davis. She is a junior in Supply Chain Management at Walton, but she also has her associate's degree already. Montinique, I was hoping you could tell me a little bit about your associate's degree and your education journey, and your transition into Walton College and just tell us about those experiences.
00:49 Montinique Davis: Okay. Initially, I was getting my Associate's Degree in Entrepreneurship at Northwest Arkansas Community College, because I wanted my own business. I'm a hairstylist and so I wanted to go in that direction. As I started at the school, I had a professor, Jehiah Burchfield and Christopher Neyland. In their classes... Mr. Burchfield is Economics and Mr. Neyland is Intro to Supply Chain. We talked about the entrepreneurship program and what I wanted to do, and I explained to them my thoughts. Mr. Burchfield, the first one, he was like, "You should look into supply chain." I said "Okay." So, when I decided to look into supply chain, I realized that they offered it at the Walton College of Business. Actually, one of my clients, because I'm a hairstylist, she told me about the Walton College of Business and how that's an excellent school, and so when I looked into it, and then I saw Supply Chain, I was like, "Okay. Well, I'm not sure. I'll just go ahead and transition with entrepreneurship," and then my second year at NWACC, I was in Mr. Neyland's class.
01:51 Kara Patterson: Okay.
01:51 Montinique Davis: He is the one that talked about supply chain, and it interested me because of the processes, and I'm thinking, "That's kind of like what I do right now."
01:58 Kara Patterson: Yeah.
02:00 Montinique Davis: And they said "If you want to be a business owner, supply chain is the way to go," because you learn the finance side, the communication side, marketing. You learn relationships and all that tied into one.
02:09 Kara Patterson: Yeah.
02:09 Montinique Davis: Being in his class, it really intrigued my interest. Then, that's when I looked into the Walton College of Business. I was intimidated at first. We had two advisors who come from the Walton College of Business to NWACC, and he sat down and he looked at the classes that I had already taken and he said, "You've done the hard part. Once you get to the Walton College of Business, it's easy."
02:28 Kara Patterson: Yeah.
02:28 Montinique Davis: I was like, "Okay," and then we had an orientation.
02:31 Kara Patterson: Oh, yeah yeah yeah.
02:32 Montinique Davis: And so that was excellent. They had former NWACC students there to tell us about their journey and so I was convinced.
02:38 Kara Patterson: And I know that you also helped execute a very large event in Northwest Arkansas.
02:47 Montinique Davis: Yes.
02:48 Kara Patterson: An event that isn't traditionally thought of as anything supply chain related, but that you actually use your supply chain skills and concepts and knowledge to help that event be very successful.
03:00 Montinique Davis: Yes.
03:00 Kara Patterson: And I was hoping if you could tell us a little about that event and what you do with it.
03:04 Montinique Davis: Okay. It's Northwest Arkansas Fashion Week. I am the Director of Hair. I have used a lot of my supply chain skills to help me with that program. I would say the most important thing is leadership. Leadership being the one that people can talk to when they need information, but also, I'm in the mix with them. I'm helping them to better their position, to give them information on the processes of fashion week. So, for example, we just had a meeting last summer about the operations. I suggested that, back of house, the production part, we needed more structure. We needed a person to go to for the models, how the model should be set up. We need a person to go to for the hair. We need a person to go to for the make-up, and then we need that main person for everybody to connect with, to communicate with the CEO. It was all about processes.
03:55 Kara Patterson: Yeah.
03:56 Montinique Davis: Even now, I have these contact suppliers about different products for hair, different products for make-up, and make sure we build a relationship with them so they can send us things that we can use in the show. Even now, at this moment, what I'm doing is contacting other stylists throughout the whole Arkansas, to come and be a part of Fashion Week. We have to formulate the email just right. The communication and the language has to be there, to make them wanna come and even volunteer because that's a big thing, to come and give your time for something without pay.
04:25 Kara Patterson: Yeah. That's awesome, and I've attended a few times and it's an awesome event, so.
04:30 Montinique Davis: Did you? Okay.
04:31 Kara Patterson: Well done, well done.
04:32 Montinique Davis: [chuckle] Thank you.
04:33 Kara Patterson: What has been your favorite supply chain course, so far and why?
04:38 Montinique Davis: Procurement with Dr. Van Hoek. I like procurement because it's based on relationship building and how to communicate with suppliers and being that go-to person in your company to make things happen.
04:50 Kara Patterson: I also understand that you are a member of WISE?
04:54 Montinique Davis: Yes.
04:56 Kara Patterson: Women Impacting Supply Chain, the supply chain club that we have. Could you talk briefly about the benefit that you had of joining that organization?
05:05 Montinique Davis: The benefit is definitely being able to be a part of guest speakers. We went to Walmart: The Wall Street series, and I was really proud of that because I felt like they really cared about the students, and we have an example to be exposed to the industry early and then listen to people talking. Let us know what to expect once we graduate.
05:28 Kara Patterson: Awesome. My last question for you is, looking back over your journey, your education journey, what advice would you maybe have to some young, incoming freshmen?
05:40 Montinique Davis: I would say take each day for the day, do your best and don't be discouraged because each class that you're taking builds on the next class. It's the foundation from what you're gonna have in the future. Just really quick, when I was taking my first classes at NWACC, I didn't understand what they meant like accounting. I love accounting, but I see now why I took accounting. So just take it one step at a time, don't be too anxious. That's it.
06:03 Kara Patterson: Awesome. That's great advice. Well, thank you so much for joining me today. It was great to talk to you and get to know you.
06:10 Montinique: Davis: Thank you, thank you for having me.
06:10 Kara Patterson: Thank you.
06:10 Montinique Davis: Alright.
