Meet Evan Carr

We caught up with the brilliant and insightful Evan Carr a few weeks ago and have shared our conversation below.

Hi Evan , thanks for sharing your insights with our community today. Part of your success, no doubt, is due to your work ethic and so we’d love if you could open up about where you got your work ethic from?
I get my work ethic as well as my resilience from both sides of the family. Even when times got difficult, I usually stick things out when I know the results will be worthwhile. I quit a job a little too soon one time early in my career. Although there is a time and a place for that (when you don’t have another job lined up but the environment or leadership are toxic), that instance really drove home to me the statement “it’s easier to find work when you’re working already”.

Thanks, so before we move on maybe you can share a bit more about yourself?
I’m the Volunteer Coordinator with Spartanburg Shares Medical Loan Closet. What is most exciting about us is that we are one of a few medical loan closets in the nation, with only three in the Carolinas and one in South Carolina (us!). Spartanburg is a large county in the Upstate region of South Carolina known for its bike trails, railroads (we’re called the Hub City), high school football and some other sports, the Marshall Tucker Band and some great food and drinks! Both our Downtown area and our county are growing fast, with our county bustling on the whole. I’m also excited about both the customers I get to help each time I come in, the people I meet at our office and our fundraising events, and the people I get to work with every week. We help Spartanburg County residents from all over get access to medical equipment without having to pay for it, and this helps those with little to no income, inadequate health insurance coverage or those who only need it temporarily. We have a few annual fundraising events, including a BBQ cookoff at a local axe throwing bar, a car show and a pickleball tournament. We loan equipment to Spartanburg County residents for up to 90 days with a photo ID proving their residence. This equipment includes rollators, walkers, wheelchairs, shower seats, tub transfer benches and knee scooters (which are incidentally a lot of fun to try!).

Looking back, what do you think were the three qualities, skills, or areas of knowledge that were most impactful in your journey? What advice do you have for folks who are early in their journey in terms of how they can best develop or improve on these?
My computer technology skills (I hold a B.A. in Informatics), hard and soft creative communication skills and people skills are the top three qualities that I think have made my career what it is and continues to build on it. If you’re still in college, I recommend doing at least two to three internships during the Fall and/or Spring semesters and try obtaining a Summer internship every year (hopefully paid but at least for college credit) and to also do as much part-time work or even volunteering in your desired field as you can. Also, every one of your jobs in your life will provide valuable to you and teach you what works and what doesn’t (what kind of work environment, culture and leadership you prefer, what your strengths and weaknesses are, and what to do/what not to do). Even a less than stellar experience counts. Also (and especially for the more introverted or ambiverted like myself), every time you go out is a great opportunity to learn more about people, practice your skills, network and even start creating and using an elevator pitch. You can never start doing this too early (I even recommend having some cheap but good business cards made while you’re in college). To anyone in or post-college, don’t be afraid to try new things, ask for what you desire or even try to do what you’ve always wanted and dreamed of doing but thought (or were told) was unattainable. If you don’t ask, you will wonder “what if” the rest of your life. Even if your dream wasn’t what you thought it would be (and sometimes that’s the case), you at least know. Relationships are about giving and being a gift to someone! Now is a great time to start.

How can folks who want to work with you connect?
Always! I’m looking for volunteers, donors and community partners and sponsors. We can always use help at our showrooms and front office, in our equipment repair and cleanup room and/or at our events as well as with promotion to our community. We need to raise more money as well so that we can upgrade some of our office equipment, make renovations to our space and to better market our organization and its events to the Spartanburg area. I can be reached at (864) 266-1749 or at info@spartanburgshares.org. I’m also @cevancarr on Facebook, LinkedIn, Twitter, YouTube, Instagram and Threads. I even have a TikTok page where I promote different businesses and other things happening in the community – @yourecmedia.

Contact Info:

Image Credits
Headshot: Amber McDowell Other photos: Jane Bird & Vickie Witteveen

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