Episode Summary

7MA’s Sydney Scadden, Nic Anderle, and Tyler Ratterree all have one significant thing in common – they sought internships to propel their careers. While in college, Nic had two internships  – one at RSM, which gave him great hands-on accounting experience, and another at Copper Run, which ultimately swayed him to pursue an investment banking career path. With a plethora of internship experiences under his belt –  in everything from commercial banks and their loan servicing departments to working in his college’s admissions department – it took Tyler more time to discover his interest in investment banking. In fact, it wasn’t until his internship at PwC during graduate school that he found his calling in deal processes. For many, like Sydney, the ultimate goal of an internship is to have the role transition into or lead to a full-time job, which is exactly what she achieved. Sydney was a summer intern analyst at 7MA before being hired as an employee. She went from setting up phone calls and meetings as an intern to leading the deals she had once watched unfold.

On this episode of Deal Talk with 7MA, host Steve Sypek talks with three of 7MA’s finest about their personal internship experiences, the benefits of internships in general, and how 7MA’s own internship program can help young professionals hoping to break into the world of investment banking. 

Featured on the Episode

Name: Steve Sypek
Organization: 7 Mile Advisors
Connect: LinkedIn
What he does: Based in Nashville, Tennessee, Steve is the Senior Vice President at 7 Mile Advisors. He has 9 years of international relationship management and business development experience.
Words of wisdom: “Don’t be afraid to speak up. Don’t be afraid to push yourself out of your comfort zone. We love when interns offer new ideas and fresh thinking.”

Name: Sydney Scadden
Organization: 7 Mile Advisors
Connect: LinkedIn  
What she does: Once an intern at 7 Mile Advisors, Sydney is now a Vice President. Sydney offers project execution, data analysis, and business development expertise and has contributed to the success of more than 25 deals within the IT Services and Tech-enabled sectors since she joined 7MA in 2018.
Words of wisdom: “It’s really great when [an intern] comes in with fresh eyes and potentially has a new idea or something that we might not have enough exposure to.”

Name: Nic Anderle
Organization: 7 Mile Advisors
Connect: LinkedIn
What he does: Nic is an Internship Program Coordinator and Associate at 7 Mile Advisors with M&A and accounting experience. Before joining the team at 7MA, Nic was an Investment Banking Analyst Intern at Copper Run Capital, which is an M&A advisory firm focused on the lower-middle market.
Words of wisdom: “Two things that are always really enjoyable is when an intern is proactive and wants to get to know us on a personal level.”

Name: Tyler Ratterree
Organization: 7 Mile Advisors
Connect: LinkedIn 
What he does: Tyler is an Internship Program Coordinator and Associate at 7 Mile Advisors with finance, accounting, and macroeconomics experience. Prior to working at 7MA, Tyler served as a deals consultant for PwC, which focuses on capital markets and accounting advisory services.
Words of wisdom: “If you make one mistake, it’s not the end of the internship. It’s not the end of the world.”

Key Points: Top takeaways from this episode

• Don’t be afraid to change paths. For many young college students and professionals, time feels of the essence. Deciding your career path dominates many thoughts and choices. At the end of the day, however, there is always time and opportunity to change your mind. Try out different internships. Take chances. Follow what you enjoy and don’t be afraid to do so. 
• Connections really are important. Both Nic and Tyler hope their young interns walk away from 7MA’s Internship Program having forged strong work connections and a sense of camaraderie with their fellow interns and supervisors. These connections will serve them well as they enter into the world of full-time employment.
  
• Making a good impression really does go a long way. Smile when you show up to work. Take a leap and provide a fresh set of eyes on a problem or deal. Don’t be afraid to ask questions. The three 7MA professionals do not hesitate to advise current and future interns on how to make strong, lasting impressions.
  

Episode Insights

[01:25] A walk down memory lane: Nic and Tyler walk listeners through their internship experiences, which eventually led them to work at 7 Mile Advisors.

[04:55] Not the end-all, be-all: Host Steve talks about the equivalent value of an internship you might love versus one you do not enjoy. 

[06:00] A straight shot: Sydney is the only one of the three guests who interned at 7MA and was then hired by the firm. In six years, she has worked her way up from an Associate Analyst to one of the firm’s Vice Presidents. 

[09:46] Tough skin: As an intern, Sydney was exposed to a lot of new experiences that she had not expected, such as getting rejected on cold calls.

[11:23] The program: As the Internship Program Coordinators, Nic and Tyler give an overview of 7MA’s internship program, its opportunities, and what they hope interns get out of it. 

[17:14] Sage wisdom: The three guests give advice on what they think makes someone a good intern, both specifically at 7MA and more broadly. 

[21:05] Young and naïve: Looking back at their college selves, Nic, Tyler, and Sydney reflect on pieces of advice they would go back and tell their younger selves about internships and breaking into the world of business. 

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Deal Talk with 7MA, a podcast by 7 Mile Advisors that aims to give listeners a look behind the curtain of the middle-market Mergers & Acquisitions world. 7 Mile Advisors is a middle-market M&A firm based out of Charlotte, NC, that provides investment banking services and advice on mergers, acquisitions, and private capital transactions around the globe.