Frisco, Texas entrepreneur William Stapleton is encouraging students and early-career professionals to seek meaningful experience, embrace lifelong learning, and create opportunities through hard work rather than waiting for success to arrive.

Frisco, Texas, United States — September 17, 2026 — William Stapleton, President and CEO of Iron Rock Payments, is encouraging students and young professionals to rethink how they approach the beginning of their careers. Drawing from his own journey—from an unpaid internship to leading successful businesses—Stapleton is advocating for a mindset that values experience, persistence, and continuous learning.

“I started working when I was 14 years old because I had to,” said Stapleton. “Looking back, those early jobs taught me responsibility, discipline, and how to earn opportunities instead of expecting them.”

Stapleton believes many people underestimate the long-term value of gaining real-world experience. While attending California State University, Long Beach, he spent his summer and winter breaks working as an unpaid broker’s assistant at Salomon Brothers. Although the internship offered no paycheck, it opened the door to his first full-time role after graduation.

“I treated every day like an interview,” Stapleton said. “The experience mattered more than the title. Every task was another chance to learn.”

His career later took him to Morgan Stanley Private Bank and JPMorgan Chase, where he helped build what became the Chase Private Client program. He eventually founded PayFacto, a payment processing company acquired by Visa in 2019, before launching Iron Rock Payments.

Stapleton says those milestones all trace back to one decision: choosing to invest in learning before expecting immediate rewards.

According to the National Association of Colleges and Employers (NACE), more than two-thirds of graduating seniors now complete at least one internship during college, the highest level recorded in recent years. Research also shows that internship experience improves employment outcomes, with employers increasingly using internships as a pathway to full-time hiring.

In addition, NACE reports that 81% of employers plan to maintain or increase internship hiring, reflecting continued demand for early-career talent.

For Stapleton, those numbers reinforce an important lesson.

“Experience compounds over time,” he said. “You may not see the value immediately, but every project, every conversation, and every challenge builds skills you’ll use later.”

He also encourages young professionals to think beyond credentials alone.

“My education gave me knowledge,” Stapleton said. “My work experiences taught me how to apply it. You need both if you want to keep growing.”

Stapleton hopes students will look for opportunities that stretch their abilities, even when the work is difficult or unfamiliar.

“No one starts with all the answers,” he said. “Stay curious. Ask questions. Show up prepared. People remember the person who’s willing to learn.”

What You Can Do Today

William Stapleton encourages students, graduates, and early-career professionals to take simple steps that can have a lasting impact:

  • Seek internships, volunteer projects, or part-time roles that build practical skills.

  • Treat every assignment as an opportunity to learn, regardless of the position.

  • Find mentors who can offer guidance and honest feedback.

  • Continue developing your communication and problem-solving skills.

  • Reflect on what each experience teaches you and apply those lessons to your next opportunity.

  • Stay patient and focus on consistent improvement instead of quick results.

“Big careers are built one experience at a time,” Stapleton said. “If you commit to learning every day, opportunities have a way of finding you.”

To read more, visit the website here.

About William Stapleton

William Stapleton is the President and CEO of Iron Rock Payments in Frisco, Texas. A graduate of California State University, Long Beach with degrees in Rhetorical Theory and Global Economics, he began his career as an intern at Salomon Brothers before holding leadership roles at Morgan Stanley Private Bank and JPMorgan Chase. He later founded PayFacto, which was acquired by Visa in 2019, and now leads Iron Rock Payments while advocating for continuous learning, entrepreneurship, and professional development.

Contact:

Info@william-stapleton.com

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