Henry Wannemuehler ’20 — Over the past several weeks, I have had the opportunity to work with Purchasing Platform. Purchasing Platform is a small e-commerce procurement company in Downtown Chicago, owned by alumnus David Bowen. While I am only working with Dave and Purchasing Platform for eight weeks, I am still extremely grateful to have received this amazing opportunity. I would like to thank Dave and the Center for Innovation, Business, & Entrepreneurship for allowing me to work with such amazing people in this amazing city. Working in a big city like Chicago was a new experience for me, and I will forever be grateful to all those who were generous enough to have given me this opportunity.
I have done many things for Purchasing Platform. I was told that I would get to do a little bit of everything during my eight weeks, and a little bit of everything, I have done. From sales to marketing to customer service to special projects, I have gotten a taste of how Purchasing Platform operates. From this, I have learned the importance of each department that comprises the company. Though I may not work alongside the same people every single day, by not having a specific title (like the sales intern or the marketing intern), I have learned how essential everyone is to the success of the company.
Finally, this internship has helped me grow my interpersonal and communication skills. Dave and his company wasted no time throwing me on the phones to call their clients, which forced me to learn very quickly. One of the best pieces of advice that I received while working here is to never assume anything. It is better to ask questions and get help if you are unsure, rather than assuming the answer and messing things up.
