Students engaged with alumni and industry professionals through a speaker series, panel and hands-on experiences during Sales Week.
Sales Week held March 9–13, featured a series of events designed to prepare students for careers in sales, including a speaker session, sales challenge, young alumni panel and a networking event with sales leaders. The week was hosted by the Chandler Family Professional Sales Center at the Martha and Spencer Love School of Business.
Keynote Speaker
Bert Brokaw ’13, senior director of sales development at Rippling, kicked off Sales Week as part of the Chandler Center Speaker Series with his talk, “Breaking into Venture-Backed Tech Sales.” He shared insights from his career in sales leadership and his journey from Elon to the tech industry.
“It took me a really, really long time to figure things out,” said Brokaw. “For those of you who feel like you need to have everything figured out right now, you don’t.”
Brokaw opened Sales Week by reflecting on his own path after Elon.
“I graduated without a job. I was going up and down the East Coast interviewing, and it just wasn’t what I was looking for,” he said. “So I took a risk, moved to New York City, and got a job in media sales, where I quickly realized it wasn’t the right fit.”
That experience, he explained, shaped how he now thinks about early career decisions.
“It really took me a long time to figure out what I actually wanted to do,” Brokaw said. “You’re at a point where you can take some early risk, but not all risk is created equal. Those first two years are pivotal. They can set you on a launch pad or limit your opportunities.”
When it comes to breaking into tech sales, Brokaw was direct about the realities of the job market.
“Applying online is more likely than not going to work against you,” he said. “You’re competing with hundreds of applicants.”
Instead, he encouraged students to approach the job search like a sales role itself.
“You need to sell yourself before you actually have a job,” Brokaw said. “You’re not just saying you can do the job, you’re showing it.”
That often means going beyond traditional methods and taking initiative.
“Pick up the phone. Cold call hiring managers. Try your pitch,” he said.
For Brokaw, that willingness to act is what ultimately sets candidates apart.
“Differentiation is a function of doing what others refuse to do.”
Young Alumni Panel
The week also featured a young alumni panel, moderated by Chris Nelson, associate professor of marketing and director of the Chandler Center.
The panelists included:
- Gabi Drumm-Schwartz ’23
- Cassidy Perkins ’23
- Kylee Herbert ’22
- Jack St. Pierre ’22
- Macklin Williams ’23
They shared advice on breaking into the industry and navigating early careers:
- Networking starts early. Build real relationships, not just job asks. One connection can move you from hundreds of applicants to a shortlist, and it pays off over time.
- Resilience matters early on. Entry-level sales come with rejection. Don’t take it personally. Stay consistent, learn quickly and focus on what you can control.
- Communication sets you apart. Be prepared, follow up, and make people feel heard. Strong communication and organization build trust and leave a lasting impression.
Coffee with a Sales Leader
Students also connected during Coffee with a Sales Leader on March 13, engaging with sales leaders through one-on-one and small group conversations focused on career advice and networking.
Participants included Bob Chandler and alumni Ryan Byrnes, Meg Hewitt, Dave Brown and Katie Chung, all members of the center’s advisory board.
Hands-On Sales Experience
Around 70 current students had the opportunity to put classroom knowledge and speaker feedback into practice with the Grainger Sales Challenge. Students practiced cold calling Grainger employees to sell products. The top 10 students were selected to go to Grainger headquarters in Chicago for a second round.
- Caden Cerminara ‘27
- Leah Misicko ‘26
- Colin O’Connor ‘27
- Jacob Balizer ‘27
- Ethan Perry ‘27
- Luke Prince ‘27
- Daniel Pawl ‘27
- Ridgely Bryer ‘28
- Ava Matikowski ‘27
- Coco Kouyoumjian ‘27
Additionally, students and Chandler Center partners gathered at Topgolf for a networking event, offering a more relaxed setting to connect with industry professionals.
Attending Chandler Center partners included:
- AlphaSights
- Brightly Software
- Grainger
- Group Management Services
“Sales Week represents everything I love about Elon’s culture,” said Nelson. “Students learning and growing outside the classroom while engaging with successful alumni who are passionate about investing in their success.”