Alex Contreras

Describe your internship.

Through this internship with College Works Painting, interns have the opportunity to run their own small painting business with the backing of a large corporation.

Since March, I have taken steps to help grow my business. Through this internship, I have had hands on experience with marketing, sales, customer service, management, and hiring painters.

How has Knox helped you prepare for this opportunity?

There have been plenty of instances where I have applied what I have learned in my business classes into my internship. Knox has also taught me how to effectively communicate with others and it has helped me significantly with my sales.

One day, I hope to either own my own business or have a position in upper management. I have learned so much from running this small business and if I were to own a business down the line, I would know what to expect.

What are some of the main takeaways from your experience?

The biggest takeaway was how to interact with new people. Even when the interactions aren't positive, I've learned how to handle upset people while maintaining a sense of professionalism. Another huge takeaway was learning how to be an effective manager. Learning how to manage my employees in a positive and motivating manner will prove to be very beneficial down the line.

The last big takeaway I've had from this experience is that running your own business is tough, and sacrifices have to be made to make a successful business. Whether it was spending my entire spring break doing door-to-door sales or giving up weekends to give estimates or go out marketing, sacrifices were made to give my business the best opportunity to succeed.

Did any Knox resources help you obtain this internship?

I would really like to thank Terrie Saline from the Bastian Family Career Center for helping me establish a strong resume and for bringing the Fullbridge Program to Knox. There were many skills that I learned from that program that have helped me with this internship.