Enzo Neri worked as a sales intern with Southern Glazer’s Wine & Spirits, learning the importance of building relationships with buyers, executing in-store merchandising, and understanding the dynamics of the wine and spirits market.
What kind of work did you do throughout your internship experience?
During my Internship, I learned all about the wine and spirits industry, especially about the sales side. I worked in an office in the Bay Area, where I was trained in the Chain Sales Merchandiser position and got exposure to other departments. I shadowed a Chain Sales Merchandiser and did much of the work that they do daily. Finally, I completed a 360 marketing plan that allowed me to utilize my marketing skills and work in a team setting.
What is unique about your situation that influenced your internship selection?
For me, it was super difficult to find an internship because the Bay Area is a competitive market and they are super selective, so it felt hard to stand out from other applicants. Finally, I found this internship and, to my surprise, I ended up getting it. While I wasn’t sure what to expect, I knew that having this internship would be helpful in my future career. I ended up loving the experience and met so many people who helped me and pushed me to be better. I am truly grateful for this whole opportunity.
What new knowledge and skills did you develop in this internship?
I learned many new skills during this internship. First, I would say relationship-building, both with colleagues and clients. This was super important because sales is all about making connections. Next, I learned a lot of specialized product knowledge about both wine and spirits. I learned about various types of wines and also market trends of which types of products are selling and which aren’t. I also learned how to be a team player and work with others whom I may not know or have a connection with right away.
What did you find most challenging about your internship? What did you learn from it?
I think the most challenging part of the internship for me was talking to people and having to be more extroverted. I am a very quiet person and I don’t enjoy talking to people too much, but this internship forced me to step out of that comfort zone. At first I wasn’t super comfortable with it, but then I realized it was for the best. It made me understand that I didn’t have to be an extrovert all the time or change my personality, but being more talkative and engaging with people opens up many opportunities that may not even have seemed possible.
If you worked on a big project, describe it.
Our big project for our internship was to create a 360 marketing campaign, or comprehensive marketing strategy, for a tequila brand called Pantalones. We had to create a presentation detailing our campaign strategy and present it to the Pantalones team, along with some of the SGWS staff. This was part of the National Intern Project and it was a big deal to us and our internship program. We didn’t end up winning, but we learned a lot and got to have a real life experience of pitching an idea to a client.
What advice do you have for other students as they search for and begin their internship?
I think the most important thing when looking for or beginning an internship is to take chances. Having an internship is a big deal, and it’s not an easy task. Take advantage of every opportunity put in front of you and make sure to meet people. Overall, I think that in this instance the saying “how much you put in is how much you’ll get out”, could not be more true.