ENTR Alumna Promotes Positive Growth
Positive growth sometimes comes from a change in direction, just ask Purdue College of Health and Human Sciences and ENTR alumna Darcy Ripple. At Purdue Darcy majored in Selling and Sales Management and earned a Certificate in Entrepreneurship and Innovation. Now co-owner and partner at Whole Growth Partners, LLC., Darcy works with small to medium-sized referral-driven businesses to accelerate their marketing. More specifically, she provides consulting and strategic marketing leadership to help businesses establish a marketing plan that solidly positions them in their target market and drives referrals from their best clients.
Every day at work is exciting for Darcy because she knows she is making a positive difference for businesses just like hers, the ones looking to make an impact in their communities and with their clients. She also enjoys being her own boss and part of a totally women-owned company. “My business partner is a friend and mentor, and she and I aren’t afraid to challenge each other and push one another to be better, which is invaluable to not only me, but also our clients.”
Darcy shifted her career from sales to marketing around the time she earned her MBA from the University of Wisconsin – Milwaukee. She was the Assistant Director of Field Marketing for Northwestern Mutual for five years where she led marketing training and consulting teams to empower financial sales representatives to deliver a better client experience. Prior to that, she worked in sales where she coached and trained sales associates. “I am proud of building a team that respected one another, had fun together, and held each other accountable. You’re only as good as your team, and I was proud of the culture of respect we nurtured in the face of ever-changing direction.”
After gaining industry experience, Darcy fulfilled her dream to start a business when she co-founded Whole Growth Partners, LLC. “I’ve always known it was in my cards to start a business, which is why I participated in the Certificate in Entrepreneurship and Innovation Program at Purdue. Plunging head-first into starting a business can be scary, but it’s the bravest and most rewarding move I’ve made. I have nothing but optimism when looking at the road ahead.”
Darcy Ripple is a Purdue alumna current students can look to for inspiration as they plan for their own giant leaps in the future.