As the C. Ashton Newhall Endowed Speaker, Elon alumnus Clayton Collins ’07 returned to campus to share how strong relationships, clear goals and a willingness to take risks shaped his journey.
In a conversation hosted by the Doherty Center for Creativity, Innovation & Entrepreneurship, Clayton Collins ’07 returned to campus to discuss his journey from business student to CEO of HW Media. Held in the LaRose Digital Theatre and moderated by Dylan Ketchum ’11, the talk was part of the C. Ashton Newhall Speaker Series and gave students a firsthand look at what it takes to acquire and grow a company.
Before leading a media brand that now reaches more than 11 million readers annually, Collins was an Elon student preparing for a career in finance. “The most transformative part of my time here wasn’t just the internships or the study abroad,” said Collins. “It was the relationships. My wife, my best friends, the people who helped me open doors early in my career, all of that started here.”
Those connections led to his first job after graduation. “I told everyone I wanted to move to New York and work in financial services. Through a friend’s family connection, my resume ended up with the right person. That led to Citigroup,” he said. “I just kept sharing what I wanted to do and who I wanted to meet.”
After three years at Citi, Collins began his MBA at Duke University. A law school course on venture capital and private equity introduced him to entrepreneurship through acquisition. “That one experience told me this is something I’m clearly interested in.”
Instead of building a startup, Collins pursued acquiring and operating an existing company. He joined RBC Capital Markets to gain deal experience, launched a search fund, and acquired HousingWire in 2016.
As his team grew, he learned the value of specialization. “It’s really important to have a team that knows how to get in a lane, stay in a lane and execute,” Collins said.
When asked how students can stand out in the workplace, Collins pointed to curiosity and initiative. “The people who ask, get,” he said. “Even if they report to someone a few levels down, they’re willing to say, ‘What are you working on right now? How can I help?’”
He also emphasized adaptability. “Business priorities change. They change often,” he said. “The willingness to ask, ‘What’s the priority now? What do I need to learn to help the business get to the next level?’ is just really important.”
Reflecting on his time at Elon, Collins said, “I probably could have built stronger relationships with some of the professors. There were definitely points in the first few years out where I wish I had someone I could turn around and ask a question to.”
His advice to students was clear: “Don’t wait for anybody to give you permission,” he said. “Don’t be afraid to take a risk before it feels right. If you get down a path and realize you don’t like it, do something different. Pivot.”