WMU sales students land in the winner’s circle at the Desert Cup

KALAMAZOO, Mich.—Western Michigan University’s sales talent was on display at the Desert Cup, Arizona State University’s Collegiate Sales Competition, where senior Madi Miller of Goshen, Illinois, took first place in the sales role-play, and the Western team placed second overall in the competition. 

In addition to Miller, junior Sydney Kjelden of Waconia, Minnesota, senior Julio Nardinelli of Brazil and junior Jack Taylor of Canada comprised the WMU team. Mary Nielsen, faculty specialist II, coached the team.

The competition tasked students with two components: speed selling and sales role-play. During speed selling, students had to give a 90-second pitch to participating companies, including WillScot Mobile Mini, Paycom, Paradox and Unum. For the sales role-play, students acted as representatives from WillScot Mobile Mini, a portable, modular storage solution provider headquartered in Phoenix, Arizona, while WillScot employees acted as buyers for the students.

Throughout role-play rounds, students needed to build rapport and attempt to complete a signed lease agreement with their representatives from WillScot. Rounds were progressive and required student teams to adapt quickly by adjusting their approach based on interactions and requirements in each round.

WMU competed against 13 other universities including Arizona State University, Brigham Young University, California State Chico, California State Fullerton, Colorado State University, Oklahoma State University, University of Arizona, University of Missouri, University of New Mexico, University of San Diego, Utah State University and Washington State University.

To prepare for the competition, the team met twice per week to go over progress and areas for improvement. “During our team meetings, we would do the role-play multiple times with different information each time so we would be prepared for anything the judges threw at us,” says Miller.

After making it out of round two of the role-play competition, Miller’s confidence began to grow, and her nerves faded, with the competition becoming more and more fun. Knowing she was prepared was the key for her and the rest of the team. “My sales classes were the foundation for my success. The real-world experiences in our courses helped me be ready to sell anything. I have to thank our faculty, all of whom have helped me develop as a sales professional.”

Miller also credits Nielsen with getting the team ready to do their best. “Coach Nielsen was the best supporter ever. Not only was she there for us in the preparation sessions for the competition, but she was there to support us personally. She cares so much about everyone on our team and went out of her way to make sure that we were healthy and happy going into the competition. She still checks in on all of us and asks us about our lives. She is one in a million.”

Nielsen felt proud watching the students’ hard work pay off. “The students supported one another throughout the process of preparing for the competition. It was a fantastic growing and bonding experience for them to travel and compete together, as well as a great networking opportunity with potential employers,” she says. “I felt very emotional seeing how well everyone did, and I was especially gratified to see the students close their deals strong with a lot of finesse, which is what we teach in the WMU Haworth sales program.”

Nardinelli felt honored to represent WMU. “My performance throughout the competition was focused around being the best version of myself for the team,” he says. “At all times, I wanted to uphold the culture of the Haworth College of Business sales and business marketing program. I saw this as an opportunity to represent the institution that I am proud to be a part of while also supporting my teammates in applying our sales education.”

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