Notebook, financial papers, and laboratory glassware on a dark desk
A PORTFOLIO OF PURPOSE & PERSPECTIVE

Tej Patel.

Student • Business Owner • Investor • Aspiring Physician

Exploring the intersection of business, science, and service — with a commitment to thoughtful decisions and meaningful impact.

SCROLL TO EXPLORE
01 — 06
01 ABOUT ME

Curiosity across disciplines.
Purpose in every pursuit.

FINANCEBIOCHEMISTRYMEDICINE

I’ve always been interested in understanding how things work — and why one decision succeeds while another doesn’t.

That curiosity has shaped my path through business, investing, science, and medicine. At Express Stop, Convenience Plus, and The Pantry, I’ve learned that ownership means more than selling a product: it means supporting employees, understanding customers, managing costs, working with vendors, and solving problems as they arise.

Investing grew from the same desire to understand how businesses create value. Researching companies, financial performance, and industry change has taught me to evaluate risk and make decisions grounded in evidence rather than emotion.

As a Finance and Biochemistry student, I’m developing both analytical and scientific ways of thinking. My experiences in healthcare, research, volunteering, and community leadership have reinforced my long-term goal of becoming a physician — a career built on learning, responsibility, and helping others.

02 EXPERIENCE

Built through doing.

Experience across business, finance, community, healthcare, and the classroom.

01 / BUSINESS

Business Ownership & Operations

Express Stop · Convenience Plus · The Pantry

Hands-on involvement in the decisions and details that keep businesses running and growing.

  • Manage daily operations, train employees, and communicate procedures and expectations
  • Review sales, expenses, and profitability to guide pricing and purchasing
  • Oversee inventory, product selection, and vendor relationships
  • Support marketing, resolve customer concerns, and identify efficiency improvements
  • Contribute to longer-term growth decisions
THE TAKEAWAY

Leadership, communication, decision-making & problem-solving

02 / FINANCE

Investing & Financial Research

Independent Investor & Company Researcher

An evidence-first approach to understanding companies and long-term opportunity.

  • Research public companies, financial statements, and operating performance
  • Evaluate revenue growth, profitability, valuation, and financial ratios
  • Study business models, competitive advantages, earnings, and announcements
  • Analyze industry trends, risks, growth opportunities, and peer companies
THE TAKEAWAY

Financial literacy, analytical thinking & evidence-based decisions

03 / SERVICE

Community Service

Springfield & Southwest Missouri

Showing up for people through practical, person-to-person service.

Council of the Churches of the Ozarks

Supported food pantry distribution and the Reading Buddy program.

Jordan Valley

Welcomed guests in a healthcare setting and helped organize events including Spookfest and prepare goodie bags.

IISMO — International Institute of Southwest Missouri

Helped refugees create and improve resumes to support employment and community integration.

04 / LEADERSHIP

Partnership Development

Drury University + IISMO

Helped establish a relationship between Drury University and IISMO, connecting student volunteer opportunities with refugee-support programs.

  • Contributed to a grant rationale supporting the partnership
  • Worked toward a shared purpose through initiative, collaboration, and communication
  • Helped articulate opportunities for refugee programs and Drury student volunteers
THE TAKEAWAY

Initiative, collaboration & community leadership

05 / HEALTHCARE

Healthcare & Medicine

Clinical observation · Anatomy support

Learning from the people and environments at the center of patient care.

Jordan Valley Healthcare Shadowing

Observed physician-patient communication, clinical decisions, professionalism, teamwork, and patient care.

Branson Pulmonology and Sleep Clinic

Observed specialized care involving pulmonary and sleep-related conditions.

Anatomy Course Volunteer Assistant

Volunteered alongside an anatomy professor, assisted with lab activities, and helped students identify structures and reinforce concepts.

06 / ACADEMICS

Finance & Biochemistry

Two disciplines. One curious mind.

An academic foundation that brings together analytical and scientific ways of thinking.

Finance

Financial analysis, investments, valuation, risk, and business decision-making.

Biochemistry

Scientific reasoning, biological and chemical processes, research, and attention to detail.

03 SKILLS & EXPERTISE

A versatile toolkit.

Skills developed in real operations, academic work, research, and service.

01

Leadership & Employee Management

Training and managing employees while communicating clear expectations.

02

Business Operations

Pricing, inventory, purchasing, vendors, customer service, marketing, and profitability.

03

Financial Analysis & Investing

Company research, performance analysis, valuation, risk, and peer comparisons.

04

Analytical & Critical Thinking

An approach shaped by business decisions, investing, finance, and biochemistry.

05

Communication

Employee management, resume assistance, anatomy support, and healthcare volunteering.

06

Relationship Building & Collaboration

Connecting people and organizations through the Drury–IISMO partnership and community initiatives.

07

Scientific Reasoning

Biochemistry coursework, anatomy, healthcare exposure, and capstone research.

04 FEATURED WORK

Ideas made tangible.

A selection of work spanning community impact, business, and scientific inquiry.

PROJECT PREVIEW
01 / COMMUNITY

Drury University + IISMO Grant Rationale

Contributed to a grant rationale supporting refugee programs, employment preparation, English-language development, community integration, and expanded volunteer opportunities for Drury students.

LeadershipResearchProfessional WritingCollaborationCommunity EngagementInitiative
WHY IT MATTERS

Connecting organizations around a shared purpose and a meaningful community initiative.

the-pantry.shop
THE PANTRY.6 AM – 11 PM DAILY

Convenience Store & Gas Station

Fall Creek Dr, Branson, Missouri — gas, groceries, fresh food, spirits and Red Seal Pizza.

SHELL FUELGROCERIESFRESH FOODSPIRITS
WELCOME IN
THE PANTRY — LIVE SITE
02 / BUSINESS

The Pantry — Business Website

Contributed to the development of a real business website for The Pantry, a convenience store and gas station in Branson, Missouri — designed to communicate the business, its products and services, its identity, and its value to customers.

EntrepreneurshipMarketingBrandingDigital CommunicationCustomer-Focused Thinking
Visit The Pantry Website
WHY IT MATTERS

Improving how a real business presents itself to customers.

PROJECT PREVIEW
03 / RESEARCH

Biochemistry Capstone Research Proposal

“Evaluating the In Vitro Activity of Fabimycin Against Multidrug-Resistant Gram-Negative Pathogens”

Developed a scientific proposal investigating fabimycin against multidrug-resistant Gram-negative pathogens. The work covered antibiotic resistance, a literature gap, experimental design, MIC testing, time-kill analysis, biosafety, methodology, budget planning, expected outcomes, and technical writing.

Scientific ResearchExperimental DesignBiochemistryAnalytical ThinkingTechnical WritingAttention to Detail
WHY IT MATTERS

Bringing scientific rigor to the academic path toward medicine.

Project previews are placeholders; original project materials can be added here.

05 CONTACT

Let’s start a
conversation.

Open to opportunities involving business, finance, healthcare, research, and community service.

Get in touch
LOCATION

Springfield, Missouri