Majors that Majorly Pay Off: Business Management

Stephen Ironside/Iron Lotus Creative

Jillian Woodruff

Jillian Woodruff is a senior at Ouachita Baptist University (OBU) in Arkadelphia, completing a bachelor’s degree in business management, with a minor in general communications. She considers herself an extrovert and a people person, so she plans on using the skills she is learning through her business classes at OBU to enter the sales field after college.

“I chose to be a business major because there are so many different fields that you can go into with this major,” Jillian said.

During her time at OBU, Jillian participated in the Governor's Cup, a program that encourages Arkansas students to be innovative and think like entrepreneurs. She presented her business plan for Waderbuddy, a safety balance stabilizer meant to give duck hunters an extra hand when taking their waders off after a long morning of hunting. Not only did she present this idea to a panel of experienced and successful entrepreneurs, but she also gave a 90-second elevator pitch to a live audience.

“I am a passionate duck hunter and love the outdoors,” Jillian said. “I hunt mainly with my father and recently he has had issues removing his waders by himself…I thought there had to be a way to fix this issue where my dad had the extra balance he needed, but also would not have to ask for help. The thought for Waderbuddy was born.”

► Career goal: "To enter the sales field."

“High school students can look for gaps in the world where products could be created. I saw a gap that Waderbuddy could fill and ran with it. It’s also a great learning experience…to create your own business and figure out how a company’s mechanics work.” - Jillian Woodruff