This summer, I had the chance to step into the world of sales and marketing through an internship with CSA360. From the very first week, I was learning what it takes to grow a business, connect with clients, and use the latest tools to make outreach more effective. No two days looked the same, which made the experience both challenging and exciting.
My favorite part of the internship was traveling to San Antonio for the NCS4 Sports Security Conference. All summer, I had been doing outreach online, especially with casinos, but getting to finally do it face-to-face was an amazing experience. I helped set up meetings for our boss, met with clients and vendors, and got to see firsthand what we had been working toward all summer. It was a great challenge and a highlight for me.
During the day-to-day work, I learned a lot about the sales process and the importance of staying consistent with outreach. Cold calls, emails, and follow-ups were all part of the job, and I became more confident as I went along. Apollo was the most useful tool I used, and I also spent
time with HubSpot and saw how AI can make marketing and outreach more effective. These skills are something I will continue to use as I move forward.
One of the biggest things I took away is that I enjoy sales and want to keep pursuing it. This internship pushed me to step out of my comfort zone, but it also confirmed that building relationships and working with clients is something I am passionate about.
Another valuable part of my experience was reading the book Buy Back Your Time by Dan Martell, which Tony recommended to me. I learned so much from this book, especially the concepts of the Buy Back Loop and the 4 Cs of a playbook. It gave me a new way to think about time m1anagement and building systems that free you up to focus on what matters most. This lesson will stick with me just as much as the sales and marketing work I did this summer.
I want to thank Tony and Jalen for their guidance and support, and also thank Bryce for being a great partner to work with this summer.
