OUR STORIES
Hear from last summer’s interns about
their experience with Collegiate!
I am the type of person who has very high expectations for themselves. I came into Collegiate Entrepreneurs confident that I could take on the responsibilities and handle the position easily but that changed shortly after I started. I struggled in pretty much every area - sales, job completion, hiring, customer satisfaction.
With training from Collegiate, I greatly improved my sales skills and learned a lot about the process of generating leads and converting those leads into sales. I learned to have an internal locus of control, to take responsibility and do what I could to improve situations. I did everything in my power to ensure things went right and I found that if you go all in, everything will work out. It was a lot of hard work but it was all worth it in the end. Next summer, I plan to study abroad and I know that I’ll be able to take the lessons I learned here and apply them, both in my studies and in my future career in the sales world.
Before I came to CE, I was an aspiring entrepreneur with basically no idea about the ins and outs of running a business. I had a little management experience and two years of my degree, but that was nothing compared to the education I gained from Collegiate.
Initially, I struggled with discipline, which affected everything from marketing to job completion. The biggest lesson that I learned is the necessity of organization. It is so important in keeping yourself from getting overwhelmed and making sure that you remember why you started this experience. Once I was able to make a solid plan that took into account a number of different situations, I was able to finish strong. Despite all the struggles, my time as a branch manager was an experience that I don’t think I could get anywhere else and it’s something I’ll use for the rest of my life. I plan to apply the discipline I’ve gained to swim and school and finish those out strong too!
Throughout my experience at Collegiate Entrepreneurs I found that my biggest area of growth was my confidence, which proved to be a struggle when managing my crew. I came into Collegiate unmotivated, I was that kind of person that sat at the back of class and didn't pay attention. Now I feel motivated and capable everyday. This upcoming year, I will be an operations manager. I am excited to help other Branch Managers learn from my mistakes and help guide them through their own Branch Manager experiences.
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During my own experience, I learned that things don't just happen or come your way. One lucky sale does not mean every estimate will be a winner. I needed to listen, understand their issues, and be assertive. It takes willpower and dedication to get through the many problems that are sure to come your way.
