Carrie Roland ’04
Carrie Roland ‘04 didn’t always intend to open her own business, however, the education and leadership experiences she gained at Reinhardt prepared her when the opportunity arose.
“Reinhardt gave me the background and everything I needed to understand what I needed to go out and do, who to get involved with and how to reach out,” said Roland. “It was a personal experience.”
Designs on Main opened in downtown Jasper in July 2016. Earlier this year, the store moved to a bigger location and last month was named Pickens Chamber of Commerce Small Business of the Month.
As a student, Roland played four years of basketball and one year of soccer, led as an orientation leader and tutored for the Center for Student Success. Roland is an involved member of her community, serving on the Board of Directors of the Pickens Chamber of Commerce.
After working in Alpharetta full time, Roland wanted to get involved in the Jasper community and stay close to home after having her first child. She now works from home, bookkeeping for two other companies and going into the store a couple days a week.
The McCamish School of Business & Sport Studies, reports Roland, taught her to strive to be her best and to be goal-oriented.
Roland attributes her ability to succeed in accounting and business to the “one-on-one treatment” at Reinhardt she received earning her bachelor’s degree in accounting.
“[My professors] gave me real-life experience in a lot of my concentration classes which really fed me, because you need the background and knowledge to run a business,” she said.
Roland and her husband, Jeff, have two children, Canaan and Kinsley.
