How Tyree Strengthened his Professional Skills in the SWA Summer Internship Program
Tyree Kemboi, a Top First Year in the Southwestern Advantage Summer Internship Program, lives in Coon Rapids, Minnesota. Not only has Kemboi accomplished success within our program, winning a Gold Award, a Sizzler incentive trip, a VIP incentive trip, and hitting President’s Club in sales, he is also an impressive scholar. At merely 19 years-old, Tyree is a senior in the Business and Marketing Program at the University of Minnesota-Twin Cities. He has an impressive 3.9 GPA and is an active member of is college volleyball team.
Kemboi was introduced to the program on his campus by a student leader in our summer job program. As he learned more about the internship, Tyree made the decision to dedicate his summer to working hard and developing his professional skills in Bardstown, Kentucky, over 750 miles away from his hometown. Some of the skills our program helped him learn was how to sell an idea, lead others effectively, and how to problem solve productively, even when under pressure. Kemboi also shared that the main thing that the program helped him develop is having confidence in himself. Although life can present obstacles and challenges, he is now confident in his abilities to face them head on and push through anything that comes his way.
Kemboi has big goals for the future. He wants to help his mom retire so she no longer needs to work. He also wants to get his master’s degree in Paleontology and travel to Kenya to meet his paternal family. In ten years, he hopes to live in a home in the middle of a forest surrounded by the people he cares about.
What to Look for in a Summer Job as a Business and Marketing Major
Tyree advises those who have not participated in the program to “take risks because being vulnerable and choosing to take that leap could change your life.” He said that even though it was always difficult to knock on the first door of the day, connecting with families and leaving them in a good place was well worth it.
Kemboi thought back on what a unique and fun summer job he had had. He reminisced on his favorite memory of the summer when he was delivering books to a customer at night. He recalled that the mom was kind and the kids were super excited to see him again. After showing everyone their new educational resources, the mom gave him snacks, and the kids gave him some Pokémon cards. Before he left the house, he and the kids had a cheese slice fight. They were running around, laughing throwing Kraft singles at one another. Having a lasting impact in a community and creating fun memories are some of the many reasons Tyree is participating in our summer Internship Program again.
What is Southwestern Advantage?
Southwestern Advantage is an entrepreneurial internship program where you run your own business selling educational materials through a system of referrals and cold-calls to families in their homes.
As a wholesale buyer of Southwestern Advantage educational material, your profit is the difference between the wholesale and retail price. Southwestern Advantage is a single-level marketing company that provides the training, product, and business model to help you run your business.
How to Become a Southwestern Advantage Intern
College students, all around the world, of various majors, have participated in our summer job program for over 150 years.
The first step of becoming an intern with Southwestern Advantage is to visit our website and apply for the program. Once submitted, an experienced student leader will be in contact so you can learn more about the internship program. Then you can attend an informational session where you can hear from those who have participated in the program to discover if the opportunity benefits your future.
If the program feels like it could be a good fit, you will be invited to participate in a three-day follow-up process that includes interviews and exercises to determine whether the program is a great fit for both parties.
Following selection, you will have the opportunity to join training and relationship-building meetings throughout the school year. We also host a Production Seminar where you can learn more about the products and managing a business. Parents are invited to our Parent Webinar to better understand the internship program.
You will then attend Sales School in Nashville, TN at the Southwestern Advantage Company Headquarters. While there, you will train with a team of experts and your peers with a focus on product knowledge, the cycle of selling, live role-playing, business management, safety, and ethics.
During our summer job program, you will generate your own customer base by visiting families at their home via cold-calls and referrals.
Following the summer, you will be recognized for your achievements and milestones at a regional awards ceremony. For students who qualify, you attend an all-inclusive trip five-day retreat at a warm weathered destination that includes a service project to help the local community.
