Hidden Gems: Meet Stacey Travis of The R.I.S.E. Method

Today we’d like to introduce you to Stacey Travis.

Hi Stacey, thanks for joining us today. We’d love for you to start by introducing yourself.
I grew up in a small town called Ringgold, GA. I was born to an immigrant mother from El Salvador and a software developer from Alabama.

My story has a long history but my journey to where I now begin in 1999 when I started working as a bartender on a Riverboat in Chattanooga. It was there that I began learning how to build a successful network of contacts. This network allowed me to enter the banking industry when my attempt at college was a complete failure. I bartended at many different venues until I decided that it was time to establish myself in the business world.

I attended Dalton State College and the University of Florida and obtained my BS in Chemistry and my MS in Soil and Water Chemistry After graduation I worked a few different high profile Chemist positions and internships. I landed a job at Volkswagen as a Chemist, worked as a researcher at Oak Ridge National Lab, turned down a role as a Weapon Analyst, AND worked for the State as a stormwater consultant. It was during this time that I was reminded of why I went back to school in the first place; to get into the Pharmaceutical Industry.

Soon after, in 2015, I entered the pharma industry as a sales representative, and I have been in that industry ever since. I split my time between Chattanooga and Nashville to cover my current territory. It was not an easy task, but utilizing a skillset I developed when interviewing for my positions in Chemistry, I was able to convince the hiring team to take a chance on me. With no prior real sales experience, I relied on a method that made me stand out as different. I currently am employed by a Fortune 100 best company to work for.

Most recently, this year, I launched a digital business that teaches graduates how to find their first job in the pharmaceutical industry. I designed a course that utilizes a proven system that I have used and others have utilized to start their career in the pharmaceutical industry. It is called THE R.I.S.E. method and I coach individuals on interview skills, making network connections, and utilizing their cultural diversity to their advantage.

Personally, I recently decided that alcohol, although a huge part of my early working life and my personal life, no longer served me. I decided to practice sobriety and through a 12-step program have successfully managed to find a life without it. I have realized I have way more things to offer when I am operating at 100%.

I am actively involved in the Hispanic Community, am a member of HACE (Hispanic Alliance for Career Enhancement), and am a huge advocate for bringing awareness to Mental Health struggles in the Hispanic community.

For fun, I am an avid runner. I participate in many races, including the RAGNAR which is the foot relay race from Chattanooga to Nashville. I also am competing in the Chattanooga 70.3 Iron Man on May 22. I also love photography and frequently do concert photography for fun. I spend a lot of time with just me, a camera and a tripod.

Would you say it’s been a smooth road, and if not what are some of the biggest challenges you’ve faced along the way?
Some of my biggest obstacles have been my own self-sabotage. I used alcohol to cope with everything in my life. I treated alcohol as a cure for anxiety and depression.

I am an advocate for mental health in Hispanic communities because as a whole we are an under-treated population. The Hispanic family unit is one that doesn’t utilize mental health treatment options as frequently as others. Roughly only 34% of Latinx adults with mental health conditions received treatment versus the average of 45% in the US.

I struggled with ADHD until I was 42 years old. It wasn’t until then that I began receiving treatment for anxiety, ADHD, and substance abuse.

We’ve been impressed with The R.I.S.E. Method, but for folks who might not be as familiar, what can you share with them about what you do and what sets you apart from others?
The R.I.S.E. Method is a digital course that will teach others how to identify and mimic industry professionals so that they can apply and interview for any sales position at an elite level.

Research, Interview, Solidify, and Elevate are the principles I teach in the course. Students are able to learn how to interview specifically for a position in a sales environment and focus on the Pharmaceutical Industry standards.

I also travel and do public speaking events for future graduates who are about to enter the workforce, businesses that are looking to develop future talent, and conferences centered around career advancement.

How can people work with you, collaborate with you, or support you?
I have collaborations with:

Samcart- e-commerce platform.

WayUp – The #1 platform for college students and recent graduates to be matched with internship and job opportunities.

Contact Info:

• Email: [email protected]
• Website: http://www.interviewing101.samcart.com/products/rise
• Instagram: instagram.com/_staceymaria_