What is the Southwestern Company?

Southwestern Company has a program designed specifically for college students to run their own business gaining entrepreneurial experiences that will directly apply to the “real world” and any future career path.

In brief: Students are independent contractors operating under the direct selling business model of purchasing products at wholesale and selling them at retail.

For over 140 years, thousands of students have participated, many of which have gone onto successful careers in politics, law, sales, medicine, education, business and entrepreneurship just to name a few.

How much money can you make?

The amount of money you make over the summer depends directly on your results and how well you apply the training. The money does not come easy – the most successful Southwestern Company students work more than 12 hours a day, six days a week. Does it work? In 2008, the average North American first year student dealer working all summer made over $9,000.

What’s the catch?

There is no real catch, but The Southwestern Company Summer Internship Program is not for everyone. It is designed for students who desire growth and challenge. As with other forms of entrepreneurship, there is no shortage of hours required to be successful and no guaranteed set income. It’s not exactly glamorous, either, but prestige comes in the form of experience, personal growth and unparalleled financial opportunities.

What does it take to be successful at this?

Success is directly attributable to several things. How well you prepare during training, how hard you work independently during the day and by listening to others who have been successful.

Sales is a numbers game. One measure of success is how many families you demonstrate to each day. The most successful students make 30 or more presentations per day. As with anything in life, what you gain in this program is directly proportional to your efforts.

You do not have to have prior sales experience or be exceptionally outgoing. Those are skills and personality traits that can be developed. You just may be surprised what you can do when you put your mind to it.

How does the money work?

If selected, you are an independent contractor, meaning you will be running your own business. You will be purchasing the Southwestern Company educational system at a wholesale price and selling it at retail. The difference between wholesale and retail minus business-related expenses is the net profit you make.

To make it even simpler, you do not have to purchase the products up-front, therefore there is no inventory to store. An account is opened with The Southwestern Company that allows you to sell to your customers using samples (free sample kit and supplies) and order the products you need to deliver at the end of the summer.

Is there any money upfront?

There is no charge for any of the training (over 80 hours) you would receive or any part of the sample kit (includes book samples, CD-ROM slicks, order book, other supplies and sample bag). You are advised to bring the necessary expenses for the trip to The Southwestern Company Sales School in Nashville, TN and your expenses for the week (food, gas, lodging).

This amount will vary from person to person depending on variable factors such as distance of travel, etc. The lodging is subsidized, where you only pay up to $100 and Southwestern Company covers the rest..

What if I don’t know how to sell?

You don’t have to. The summer begins with a five-day training seminar called “Sales School”. This training is designed to instruct you on how to sell as well as how to run your own business. You are taught a standardized approach as well as organized sales presentations. The training is divided between a morning of classroom instruction and an afternoon of self practice with one-on-one coaching by students who have participated in The Southwestern Company Summer Internship Program in previous summers.

What if I don’t have a car?

Although encouraged, you do not have to have a car to be successful in the Southwestern Company summer program. If your access to an automobile is limited, you will be working in an area where it may not be required – such as a more populated suburb where the homes are closer together.

Where will I be selling?

Typically, you would be working in a different area of the country from where you reside. Over the years, The Southwestern Company has found that students working away from home face fewer distractions and take their work more seriously. Additionally, future employers like the fact you relocated to run your own business, as it shows flexibility and versatility.

Where would I not work? While that is up to you, Southwestern Company student dealers typically do not work in inner cities, apartment complexes, military bases or any high-crime areas. You must be aware of your surroundings at all times and be sure to make wise decisions about what areas you venture into during the summer.

What are the daily and weekly hours?

The most successful students in The Southwestern Company Summer Internship Program start their day at 9:00 am and continue until 8:30 or 9:00 at night. This schedule continues Monday through Saturday. On Sundays, you would meet with other students selling in surrounding areas to exchange ideas and receive additional training. Most organizations take advantage of Sunday afternoons by having some fun in the new part of the country they are calling home for the summer.

Where would I live?

As an independent contractor, you are responsible for setting up your business, which also includes your headquarters, or housing. However, The Southwestern Company does have host family coordinators and a database of previous Southwestern Company alumni and host families in which we work year-round to help locate suitable housing prior to the summer.

Students often live in private housing with several other students participating in the program – and often times from the same school. Over time, The Southwestern Company has found living in a private house to be more economical and very safe. In the event housing arrangements are not finalized or fall through before you would leave after training, The Southwestern Company will pay for the first week’s lodging at an extended stay hotel which should be enough time to locate a suitable place to stay.

Who do I work with?

Generally, you would be working with a group of students from your university. Part of The Southwestern Company experience is creating new friendships with highly motivated people like you!

How does safety work?

Safety is a top priority. It is a concern of every parent and is a concern for Southwestern.

Safety issues are covered during Sales School. Specifically, a separate meeting is held for female students that discourages working after dark, only entering a home when they are invited in by the woman of the house – never when invited by the man of the house, being aware of their surroundings, door demonstrations and other such topics.

While the student works independently during the day, they typically live with one to three other students of the same gender in a host home (See “Housing” section below).

Every night, each student dealer’s student manager (who is also selling as a dealer throughout the summer) speaks to them each evening to discuss their day, give advice and provide support and collect data. Note: there is no quota on sales.

While they relocate to another state, they generally work in the same community for the summer. The students become a part of the community for the summer, contributing to the local economy and opening a local bank account. Over time, they become known in the community because they meet so many families.

While student dealers can decide to work anywhere within their sales locality, Southwestern does not recommend inner cities, apartment complexes or military bases. Areas sold in are predominantly suburban and rural.

The students are advised to follow the local laws and ordinances, such as obtaining a solicitation permit if required. Southwestern has built a positive reputation in tens of thousands of towns throughout the US, Canada and the UK. To further motivate students to do the right thing, Southwestern will reimburse 50% of any permit expenses.

Students are asked in Sales School to check in with the local police and provide them with their name, contact information, host family address and show the product they will be selling to families for the summer.

A double-sided photo ID badge with lanyard is provided to each student. They are asked to wear it throughout the summer at each home. It contains a visual confirmation of the student and corporate contact information for Southwestern.

Students are encouraged to turn off their cell phones during the day while with customers, however, they do have them in case of an emergency.

The students have a support system that extends from their student manager and organizational leader on-site or nearby to their administrative assistant and Sales Manager. They can shadow an experienced student dealer and also join in on a telephone call schedule to get the support they may need.

A common question is, “Can you guarantee the safety of my child?” Unfortunately, there is no such thing as a guarantee of safety.

Unpredictable things can happen anytime, anywhere – including on the student’s own campus. In regard to safety, Southwestern focuses on training, awareness and prevention.

Are students guaranteed to bring home the $9000 summer average?

No. As tens of millions of people who run their own businesses can attest, financial success in business depends both upon sales revenues and expenses. Students are taught how to make sales, and how to manage their expenses, according to principles that have been proven for well over a century. The dealers themselves have by far the greatest control over the hours they work, the mental and physical effort they put forth, and how carefully they watch their money. If students feel they really need a guaranteed hourly wage to achieve their financial objectives for the summer, Southwestern recommends they pursue other options. On the other hand, a student who is ready for the challenge of seeing what he or she can accomplish in this kind of entrepreneurial setting will see that the lack of a guaranteed income “floor” is compensated for by the absence of an income ceiling as well.

What are the benefits in the long run?

The Southwestern Summer Program is set up to not only teach students how to sell, but also focuses on the importance of schedule and structure, success principles, ethics, motivation, dedication, confidence, positive affirmation, and many other traits to help build character that lasts a lifetime. All of the above, plus communications skills and the cycle of selling, are covered in the week long Sales School the student attends before setting foot in a prospects actual home. Every effort is made to prepare the student mentally, emotionally, and physically for what may be the most challenging summer work around.

The student will grow on a personal and professional level throughout the summer, reaching higher levels of maturity. If selected for the program for a second year, the student will be trained in management techniques and will actually mentor a team of students throughout the summer.

No matter what the career field, graduates need to be able to sell two things: themselves and their ideas. Having run their own business, generating X amount of profit in Anytown, USA (or Canada or the UK) on their resume/CV can really make anyone stand out from the crowd. Also, Southwestern offers the services of Southwestern Career Services which offers resume advice, help with interviewing skills, and placement services within the field of sales.

What do Southwestern students sell during the summer?

Selected students sell our full range of family-oriented reference books and software. Our lead products are designed for quick everyday usage, as opposed to encyclopedias and the internet which are for occasional project work. They cover a wide variety of subject matter fractions to Calculus and from Physical Science to AP Biology and include visual stimuli to aid the individual’s comprehension. The range of children’s books is designed to get younger kids excited about learning from an early age, by combining education and fun through activities, quizzes, and stories. The software available enables us to keep up-to-date with modern technological changes, while complementing the reference books.

Does every student finish the summer?

Just as some students drop out of college, some do not complete a summer of selling; approximately 3 out of 10 first year dealers do not finish the summer. The length of a “full summer” varies according to the university’s schedule, but approximately 7 out of 10 first year dealers stay at least 20 selling days. As with any challenge, students gain from the program in proportion to their efforts.

How do you stay in touch with family during the summer?

Many students have mobile phones, which is the most common way to stay in touch. Students are advised from the stage of Sales School to keep their phones with them, but in general to switch them off during the times they are making sales calls so both they and their prospective consumers can concentrate on their presentations. Southwestern encourages all students to phone home upon arrival in Nashville for Sales School, and when they arrive in their selling area and locate their accommodations for the summer so their parents will know with whom they are living, their address, and phone number on the field. Finally, parents receive letters from the District Sales Manager who is advising their student during the summer, which includes his or her contact phone numbers as well as the company’s number.