Going above and beyond as a Business Bronco

Tyler Earnst

Tyler Earnst is all about “learning by doing,” gaining valuable skills and confidence in every experience he takes on as a Haworth College of Business student. It’s these experiences that will take him to the next level as a future professional. “Since coming to WMU, my goal has been to make the most of every opportunity, and that trend will continue into my career,” he says.

A junior majoring in sales and business marketing as well as leadership and business strategy, Earnst has an unmatched energy and passion for growing as a business professional. He has participated in an impressive three internships, serves as brand manager for the student-operated Bronconess wine, and president of the new Business Influencers Organization. He is also an active member of the Sales and Business Marketing Association and Business Association of Mentors. 

“My long-term plan is to own my own company or work as the vice president of sales in a corporate environment,” Earnst says. “I chose my majors because of my entrepreneurial background and desire to grow as a leader. I wanted to gain experience from WMU’s nationally ranked programs.” 

Like many Business Broncos, Earnst is future-focused. Determined to accomplish his career goals, he is exploring different roles and company cultures through his internships. As a sales development intern for Whirlpool, he made waves on the luxury brand team by assisting reps in the Key West and East Coast markets. At Sandler Training by EAM Consulting Group, he began to develop his own portfolio through cold outreach to small-, medium- and enterprise-sized prospects throughout the state of Michigan. And finally, as an intern at Herman Miller, he became passionate about the company’s focus on sustainability and assisted the ergonomic sales team in growing revenue in the hospitality industry. 

“I’m really looking forward to bringing what I’ve learned from my internships into a full-time role,” Earnst says. “Additionally, the Haworth College of Business is preparing me to reach my professional goals through executive mentorship, world-class professors and real-life business projects.”

Serving as the student liaison to regional businesses for Bronconess has been one of his favorite projects to date. “My responsibility is to execute various sales, marketing and partnership initiatives to ensure that the wine’s scholarship funds will be sustainable into the future,” Earnst says. “The most rewarding moment thus far was signing every Trader Joe’s store in Michigan to carry our Red Blend.”

Earnst is excited to step into his future career, but in the meantime, he looks forward to finding out what the rest of his time as a Business Bronco has in store. “Working to go above and beyond at the Haworth College of Business will open so many doors for anyone who pursues that path,” he says.