Marcus Anderson, a double major in math and finance, was always interested in numbers but also wanted to fine-tune his interpersonal sales skills.
University Communication and Marketing sat down with Anderson, where he talked about how academics, guest presentations, competitions and networking made available through the Center for Sales Excellence have helped him grow.
Talk a bit about why you decided to apply to Nebraska and what drew you to your major and the Center for Sales Excellence Program.
I grew up in Nebraska and spent my childhood cheering for the Huskers. My family has a long history with the University of Nebraska–Lincoln, so I was already very inclined to attend. I chose math out of a passion for numbers, specifically metrics, efficiency and optimization. I think focusing on that is what has made vast improvements in our world, and we need to continue to do so. Finance is related to that as it deals with capital allocation and utilizes math, so there was a natural synergy there. But one of the reasons I was interested in any major at all at the College of Business was that I had heard about the Center for Sales Excellence. I knew sales and the ability to sell were important parts of the modern business world. I did not think of myself as someone who would be a good salesperson, so this was a deficiency I was interested in fixing.
You are part of the Sales Excellence Program in the College of Business. Can you describe what the program entails?
The Sales Excellence Program allows students at Nebraska, not just the College of Business, to learn various aspects of sales. Through the various classes, they teach you anything relevant to the world of sales. These classes cover sales as a function of a company, how to best reach out, make a connection and build rapport, how to run a meeting with a potential client, how to use Salesforce and other cutting-edge sales technologies and how to manage a sales team. There is a strong emphasis on building your personal brand as you go out into the world. The professors have both academic and real-world experience that they bring to help give a well-rounded education.
The Center for Sales Excellence equips students with interpersonal sales skills and knowledge through hands-on projects, certifications, competitions, guest speakers and course materials. How have these resources opened doors of opportunity and growth during your time at Nebraska?
The Center for Sales Excellence is more than just classes with lectures and tests. In class, we have access to Salesforce licenses to gain hands-on experience with the software and earn certifications while learning. In another class, students are assigned to sell sponsorships for the annual Center for Sales Excellence golf tournament. This experience allowed me to gain real sales experience: prospecting, reaching out and making the sales. I also experienced the more challenging sides of sales: being ignored, getting rejected and not making the sale. Both of these experiences are incredibly important for my growth as a salesperson. Guest speakers are also a very present feature of the classes. These are people in the industry who come in to share their unique perspectives on sales. Not only are these people giving their time to speak to students, but in my experience, they have been very willing to talk outside of class and I have gained knowledge and perspective about the world.
Last year, you won $2,500 in the team role-play competition, a tournament-style pitch competition sponsored by NRC Health. What does this win mean to you?
I was really happy to have competed and won. It let me validate my skills, knowing that the other competitors were also high-performing students in the center who have since gone on to have great starts to their careers in sales. I will also note, as a team competition, my partner was Tyler Vander Woude, without whom I might not have done as well. Beyond that, I am also grateful to NRC Health, which is a center partner company. They sponsored the competition, but have also provided a lot of knowledge, time and effort to the students. Because the products they offer are complex and important, it allows us students to get a better grasp on sales that require a longer sales cycle. Through working with an NRC Health employee via Zoom and in class, I was able to gain a better understanding of the sales paradigm they utilize, the Challenger Sale, for which I discovered I have a real passion.
As a student, you are co-founding a business called Research Golf. Can you talk about this entrepreneurial venture and how the Center for Sales Excellence gave you the tools needed to be successful?
I like to play golf and am always trying to improve my game. Golf is a game of efficiency, and my goal was to optimize efficiency through Artificial Intelligence and machine learning. This meant crunching numbers and understanding data points and statistics, which connected with my studies. Artificial learning requires a tremendous amount of data points to work with, but in golf, these data points haven’t been collected yet at the scale we need. So, the golf application is currently on the back burner until we can solve that problem. The Center for Sales Excellence has helped me develop skills that I can use now and in the future of our company. The center has given me tools on how to network and communicate my vision.
For those looking to become more involved on campus or be part of a program like the Center for Sales Excellence, what advice would you give them?
I have had some involvement in various on-campus programs or groups, but none as much as the center. The advice I have given to my sister who will be starting at the College of Business next fall semester, and that I would give to others, is to constantly be open to opportunities and involvements. You’ll never know what fits you until you try.
Is there anyone at Nebraska who has made a positive impact on you?
Many people have had a positive impact on me at Nebraska, from professors to grad students, to fellow undergrads, all in various ways. Professor Robin Garewal leads the competitive sales teams, called the Scarlet team, where we get to work together. He is someone who has been incredibly encouraging and helpful. As a professor, he also has stressed a focus on utilizing the newest technology in sales, teaching us how to use Salesforce on a professional level, using other artificial intelligence tools and generally being aware of the role of technology in business.
Using your combined academic studies and involvements, what do you hope to do after graduation?
In an ideal world, my hope is that Research Golf makes enough progress to be a real venture in hopes of making a real impact in the world. Other than that, I know the University of Nebraska–Lincoln and the Center for Sales Excellence have provided me with the knowledge, skills and confidence that whether my path takes me to a job or grad school, or whatever, I know I can be successful in anything I do.
