Getting A Career In Partnerships On Track With Trak Software

I didn’t know exactly what I wanted to do going forward. Following graduation from Virginia Tech in the spring of 2020 my upcoming “real job” offer was rescinded and I was thrust into adulthood in a world embroiled in global pandemic.

I’d bounced around the seasonal recreational industry with three summers as a whitewater rafting guide and three winters as a ski bum. I was often asked,

“So when are you gonna get a real job?”

in the same way one might’ve asked a little boy what he wanted to do when he grew up. I’m confident to answer that I now know exactly what it is I want to do.

My Sales Development internship with Trak Software has given me a guiding sense of purpose and direction that I didn’t think could be possible in such a young career. Learning the ins and outs of partnerships, how to balance the differing needs of brands, properties, and agencies, and what it takes to get a deal done with true power players in the industry are just a few of the many lessons I’ve learned over the course of my internship with Trak.

Here, my efforts are measurably felt within the small team of industry veterans who are always quick to impart wisdom, explain a term I might not understand, and just generally put myself and the other interns under their wings in order to not only get the most out of us for the duration of our internship but to truly develop us for career success going forward. 

Throughout the internship so far I’ve participated in extensive outreach and lead development with personal handwritten notes and every available form of technological communication, building valuable connections across the industry while helping Trak continue to grow its client base.

I’ve had the opportunity to sit in on and participate in calls with high level decision makers at brands and properties and to “watch the big dogs hunt” as our Chief Revenue Officer and Head of Sales expertly weave their way through the sales process.

Even after a meeting they are always ready to break down everything for my understanding and ask for my own input on ideas and strategies going forward. This has been one of the standout experiences of my young career, truly feeling listened to, valued, and significant to a team with major impacts in the industry.

I’ve had a lot of different jobs, some like working for a moving company in the winter in Colorado I could go without repeating. Others like my internship with the Utah Jazz Membership Service department were extremely valuable and instrumental to establishing my career path going forward.

It is often said that the sports business world is a competitive, cutthroat industry which can be extremely difficult to break into, but my experience thus far has been overwhelmingly positive, welcoming, and absolutely invigorating in comparison to what I was led to believe about a “real job”.

Do I sometimes wake up, look at the ceiling and wish that I were waking up on a raft with nothing but a million stars to see? Certainly, but honestly who doesn’t?

Although now, with the understanding I’ve gained of the sports and entertainment partnerships world I doubt I’ll be waking up without a sense of purpose for the rest of my career.

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