The Sales Program hosted a university-wide Sales Pitch Competition for underclassmen and upperclassmen, with over 175 entries across both competitions.
Underclassmen Sales Pitch Competition
The underclassmen competition featured one round, scored by the Sales Ambassador team. This was the second year hosting an underclassmen competition, featuring first-year and sophomore students. The prompt was an elevator pitch to secure an interview for Bloomberg Industry Group’s B-Launch Sales & Service Internship.
Competitors were judged by Sales Program Ambassadors on criteria that included d areas of analysis in both their pitch content and delivery.
"I am very grateful for the opportunity to participate in the sales competition, and I know that my success would not be possible without the heart, drive, and faith that the professors at the Busch School put into their mentorship and teaching. As a student in both business and philosophy, I can wholeheartedly confirm that the Busch School is rooted in truth, goodness, beauty, and faith, which drives all undergraduates' efforts to excel. I look forward to more fantastic education from the world-class sales program, and appreciate the immense support they give students like me every day." - Michael Kish, Catholic ‘26
Winners
- 1st Place - $250: Michael Kish, Markets and Political Economy & Philosophy, Catholic '26
- 2nd Place - $150: Kyveli Georges, Operations Management & Sales, Catholic '26
- 3rd Place - $100: Katherine-Elizabeth Ma, Finance & Operations Management, Catholic '26
"This year I had the opportunity to not only participate in the upperclassmen sales competition, but also judge the underclassmen competition. Having the chance to give back to the younger generation of sales program students using all I have learned in the classroom, as an ambassador, and in internship experiences was a full-circle experience and made me excited to see all the great talent our program has to offer in years to come." - Mattea Del Peschio, Catholic ‘24
Upperclassmen Sales Pitch Competition
Round 1 - Benefits & Features Pitch
Upperclassmen entrants were given a scenario of recording a pitch video for Varonis’ Automated Data Security Platform. They were then judged by 38 Sales Partner Representatives, with the top-scoring pitches moving on to the Final Live Role-Play Round.
Over 75 upperclassmen students entered the competition and the finalists included:
Emily Branchide
Mattea Del Peschio
Devon Anastasio
Samuel Gutelius
Ashley Martin
Claudia DeMartino
Cormac Terry
Justin McCarthy
Owen Moynihan
Caroline Mahoubi
Emily Dee
Sarah White
Round 2 - Live Role-Play Final Round
The upperclassmen live role-play final round consisted of 12 Live Role-Play sessions hosted in the Maloney Hall Conference Room. Sales Partner Paycom came to role-play with students, and participants were assessed by a representative from Paycom, Professor Mark Weber, and Ryan Reilly, Sales Program Manager. Students were judged on the quality of their Needs Identification, Platform Demonstration, Overcoming Objections, Close & Next Steps, and more. The scenario was a Paycom introductory sales call with a small business owner.
“The Upperclassmen Sales Competition is just one of the many character-building experiences that the Busch School provides to mature and grow as an individual in the business world. The opportunity to participate in the Live Role-Play round with Paycom provided a unique platform to test my skills, forcing me to adapt and think on my feet. As a junior who is new to the Sales Program, these experiences are invaluable in the journey toward becoming a successful businessperson. I am grateful for the opportunity to push my limits in my academic and professional life, and I thank the CUA Sales Program for providing the opportunities we need to succeed!” – Emily Dee, Catholic ‘25
Winners:
- 1st Place - $1,000: Mattea Del Peschio, Operations Management & Sales '24
- 2nd Place - $500: Cormac Terry, Finance & Sales '24
- 3rd Place - $250: Emily Dee, Marketing & Sales '25
- 4th Place - $150: Ashley Martin, Marketing & Sales '24
- T-5th Place - Devon Anastasio, Marketing & Sales '24
- T-5th Place - Emily Branchide, Operations Management & Sales '24