Dr. Charisma Charleston Pryor earned her Doctor of Social Work from Capella University in 2026 while running her own financial advisory firm. Dr. Pryor approached her doctoral journey the same way she approaches business — with intention and integration. We sat down to talk about what it looks like to pursue a doctorate while building a business, and how framework-based thinking has transformed the way she advises clients and leads with intention.
What drew you to Capella, and what has it been like navigating doctoral work alongside entrepreneurship?
Dr. Charleston Pryor: What initially drew me to Capella was the alignment with how I already operate as a working professional building in real time. I wasn’t looking for a program that existed separately from my career. I was looking for one that could integrate with it. As a business owner and advisor, I’m actively making decisions that impact financial outcomes, risk exposure and long-term strategy for my clients. Capella created a structure where I could take what I was learning at the doctoral level and immediately apply it inside my firm. Navigating both entrepreneurship and doctoral work requires discipline, but more importantly, it requires clarity. Every concept I engage with academically has to translate into real-world execution. That’s what has made the experience not just manageable but valuable.
With more than twenty years of clinical experience, what are some of the most important lessons I’ve learned about providing culturally responsive care:
Dr. Charleston Pryor: With over twenty years of clinical practice, the greatest lesson I’ve learned about culturally responsive care is not a static skill—it is an ongoing practice of listening, adapting, learning, and partnering with clients as the experts of their own lives. Yet, ensuring I engage in ongoing reflection and showing up without bias, judgment or unintentional injury is a foundation of care. I recognize that clients often come to treatment with past experiences of marginalization or misunderstanding, so ensuring a safe emotional environment is essential. When I build treatment plans around who they are—their identity, values, and unique needs—clients feel heard, respected, and safe. That approach has consistently strengthened engagement and led to more meaningful healing.
How did your academic experience shape the way you think about business ownership and financial strategy?
Dr. Charleston Pryor: My academic journey shifted how I think from operating within a business to thinking about the business structurally.
Through my studies, I began to see how financial decisions are not isolated; they are interconnected. Tax strategy, entity structure, risk management, and capital positioning all work together. When one is misaligned, it creates inefficiencies across the entire business. That perspective now shows up directly in how I advise clients. I don’t approach business as a series of transactions. I approach it as a system that needs to be aligned, leveraged, and intentionally structured for growth.
How did Capella’s format work for you, and what did you take from the experience beyond the credential?
Dr. Charleston Pryor: Capella’s format worked because it mirrors the reality of leadership, where you are expected to perform and produce results while managing multiple priorities. Beyond the credential, what I gained was a deeper level of discipline in thinking and execution. It reinforced the ability to analyze, synthesize, and apply information quickly and effectively. More importantly, it strengthened my ability to lead with intention. Not just making decisions, but understanding the broader implications of those decisions across an organization.
Is there a concept or framework from your Capella journey that shows up in how you advise clients today?
Dr. Charleston Pryor: What shows up most consistently is framework-based thinking. In my advisory work, I guide business owners through what I describe as a tax leverage and financial positioning approach; where we evaluate not just what they’re earning, but how their business is structured to support, protect, and scale that income. This way of thinking is rooted in understanding that outcomes are not accidental; they are designed. The frameworks I’ve developed and applied allow my clients to move from reactive decision-making to proactive strategy.
What advice would you give to Capella alumni considering taking the next academic step?
Dr. Charleston Pryor: Be clear on why you’re doing it. If the goal is only to earn another credential, you may miss the full value of the experience. But if you approach it as an opportunity to transform how you think, lead, and execute, it becomes a powerful investment. The biggest return comes from application. Don’t wait until you finish to use what you’re learning. Apply it in real-time. Let it challenge how you operate, how you make decisions, and how you show up professionally. That’s where the true value is realized.
Are you a proud Capella graduate making an impact in your field or community?
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