‘GRAVITY’ ALLOWS PAYCOR FOUNDER to do Great Things
Less than two years ago, Bob Coughlin (MU ’83) retired as CEO of Paycor, the company he founded in 1990 and led to be one of the Tri-State’s largest private companies. Since then,
him “Gravity.” That person said to Bob, “It’s like you have gravity, meaning stuff falls at you … you just stand still and things come at you.” Bob says that when you do the right things for others, more good things follow.
he’s leveraging his experience to solve new problems and support his communities, both old and new. When Bob retired, Paycor serviced more than 40,000 small- and medium-sized businesses in 50 states with $300 million in revenue. The company continues on a positive trajectory and employs many Miami University graduates across the country.
Being a founder and CEO has its challenges, but it’s also a gift of experiences that can be used for good. Today, Bob has many new projects. In his words, “I love to tackle a new and interesting problem, put it in a box and go after it.” Bob’s talents and approach to life were evident early on. A native of Cincinnati, he chose to attend Miami University for the same reasons thousands of students do – reputation of the business school, location and relatively low cost. His high school experience in Junior Achievement strengthened his desire for a career in business, and he wanted to be close enough to home to be able to support his parents and siblings, even taking a semester off to assist when his parents were ill.
Bob’s always had a focus on customers and an eye for opportunities. “I’ve met a lot of people. If you treat them well, and you build credibility over time, good things happen. My position at Paycor gave me leverage to work with others to have an impact. I’m continuing to do that now.” He has a reputation for making things happen. He says that one of his leadership team members called
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