Taking Action to Help Others Find Their Path
For Patrick Scanlon MSEL’23, putting entrepreneurial ideas into action came early.
As a senior at North Reading (Massachusetts) High School, he revived the school’s Future Business Leaders of America club. “I took initiative because I saw an opportunity to bring people together. Through taking leadership, finding a faculty sponsor, and working as a team, we brought the club back to life,” Scanlon says. The group is still thriving today.
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As an undergraduate at UMass Amherst, he designed his own major in innovation and entrepreneurship, navigating a path that blended business classes with interdisciplinary courses.
“I’ve always been a visionary, seeing opportunities where others might not,” he recalls. When the pandemic temporarily shuttered local businesses, Scanlon became a certified personal trainer and launched his coaching business, Scanlon Fitness and Self-Leadership. “It was a pivotal moment. I started my own client base, built a brand, and within two years, generated $60,000 in revenue.”
Scanlon’s story is also about personal triumph. Diagnosed with dyslexia and an auditory processing disorder, Scanlon overcame those obstacles in his early education through action, reaching out to teachers or tutors to ensure his learning progressed.
“I’ve always kind of had that thought and action, and I wouldn’t have even gone to Babson in the first place if it wasn’t for having that drive and motivation to take self-leadership and action in the direction that I wanted to go,” Scanlon says.
Once he landed at Babson, Scanlon found a community that resonated with his entrepreneurial ethos.
“Leading includes being vulnerable, knowing your strengths and weaknesses, and surrounding yourself with people who challenge you,” Scanlon explains.
“Leading includes being vulnerable, knowing your strengths and weaknesses, and surrounding yourself with people who challenge you.”
Patrick Scanlon MSEL’23
His fitness business exemplified these principles, as he continuously sought mentors and resources to improve and grow.
His experiences seamlessly integrated into his work at Inclusive Fitness, a startup created by Babson alumni Greg and Kristina Austin, both MBA’01, that focuses on providing neuroadaptive fitness solutions. Scanlon had consulted for the couple while completing his degree and was hired shortly after graduation. Although Scanlon recently left the job, his experience in growth strategy and fundraising as a strategic projects manager gave him a solid foundation as he turns his focus to business strategy and consulting.
“I want to help startups grow and achieve their full potential,” Scanlon says. “It’s about making an impact and helping others find their path.”
Looking ahead, Scanlon seeks to inspire others, particularly those with disabilities, to embrace self-leadership and pursue their full potential.
“This is just the beginning,” Scanlon says. “If you have belief in yourself and take action, you will get something in return, whether it’s a lesson learned or a success story.”
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