CE Broker: Raising the Bar for Valuable Internships
CE Broker doesn’t hire interns to fetch coffee and make copies. When we hire an intern, we give them the opportunity to immerse themselves in the important work we do. We encourage them to add to our company and culture.
This summer, we decided to hire an intern to assist our Strategy & Business Development Manager, Shane Hall with his efforts in partnership development, market research, and web content creation.
For the past 3 months, Evan Weiner has been working as our Business Development & Marketing Intern. I had a feeling he’s done more than just teaching me how to add emojis to my BaseCamp messages. So, I sat down with Evan to to learn about what he has been up to and his future plans.
Tell us a little bit about yourself.
I’m currently a rising senior at Dickinson College in Pennsylvania. I chose Dickinson due to the opportunity to play high-level lacrosse and receive a great education. I’m originally from Baltimore, but my parents got tired of shoveling snow and moved us to Ponte Vedra when I was 8 years old.
How did you find yourself at CE Broker this summer?
I knew I wanted to work with a smaller company for the opportunity to get real world experience and add immediate value. While researching business/marketing internships in Jacksonville, CE Broker immediately stood out to me. The job description made it clear that I would be working with the head of business development to grow the company. I also liked the idea of writing strategic marketing material and blogs, as I had previous writing experience.
What piqued your interest in the marketing and business development world?
When I was in middle school, a buddy and I took off the label on a Gatorade bottle and created one that read “Terrappinade.” We were big Maryland Terrapin fans and thought it would be an interesting way to pay homage to our favorite school. We (our parents) bought the drinks for $1 each and put our new drawn on label onto the bottle. We then added a little salt and sold the drinks for $3 each around school. From that moment, I knew I was interested in business. I was never the best with math or science, but I was fascinated with English, communications, and sales. Through my college courses and past internship experiences, I came to the conclusion that business development and marketing was my ideal career path.
What have you been working on during your time with CE Broker?
Primarily, I’ve been working on sales during my time with CE Broker. I reach out to state regulating agencies about the idea of a no-cost partnership with CE Broker to streamline and digitize their continuing education processes. The goal of my email and phone outreach is to achieve interest and get to the next step of the sales process. This includes scheduling a demo, a longer call, or sending a technical proposal for the boards’ review. I’ve also written blogs about various aspects of the industry. These blogs included plugs about CE Broker and are posted on LinkedIn and other marketing outlets.
Check out the blog posts Evan contributed to about why governments should embrace technology and the secret ingredient separating CE Broker from other tracking systems.
Looking back, what is the biggest lesson or experience you will hold onto from your time here?
My biggest takeaway from this experience has been the patience needed to be successful. The sales process can take months if not years. It could be difficult at times not to get frustrated with things moving slowly or falling through. I learned over the experience of the internship that the numbers will work out and the opportunities and deals will eventually start to come. It’s important not to let the highs get you too high or the lows make you too low.
“During his internship, Evan has shown that he can ‘roll with the punches,’ which is such a foundational piece to this type of work. Despite our sales cycle and method being very unique and complex, he has been able to contribute a great deal. He has been consistent in his work, diligent and flexible. Due to his efforts, we’ve seen an increase in our pipeline and a solid increase in sales activity.”
— Shane Hall, Strategy & Business Development Manager
Did you do anything to relax or go on any adventures this summer?
I was fortunate enough to go to Alaska this summer for a week with my family. The benefit of having a flexible schedule in the internship allowed me to go without missing a beat at work. I also spent two long weekends in Maryland visiting my girlfriend.
What’s next for you?
I’m excited to stay on with CE Broker for the remainder of the summer and into the fall, working remotely 10 hours a week. I move back to school at the end of August to finish up my senior year. I am looking forward to continue adding value to the company while completing my education and my final year of lacrosse.
CE Broker looks for hardworking, passionate, and dedicated people to be part of our success story. Check out our open positions.
