Hi, my name is Ethan Haas, I am a sophomore at University of Maryland from Bethesda, Maryland. I am majoring in Agricultural Business Management. This past summer, I interned at Cookies By Drew, LLC, which is a nationwide company that sells and ships boutique cookies. Through this internship, I gained valuable hands-on experiences. These hands-on experiences have not only honed my business skills, but have also helped to shape my career goals.
My role at Cookies By Drew involved a variety of tasks, from rolling and baking cookies to selling them at local farmers' markets and managing shipping orders. I actively engaged with customers, utilizing social media, phone conversations, and in-person interactions to promote the brand. My favorite parts of my job were that I got to interact with customers and work with all types of people.
One of the projects that stands out most to me was collaborating with the CEO to reduce cookie production costs without compromising the overall quality of the product. Through strategic planning, we successfully increased profit margins, demonstrating the practical application of what I have learned in my UMD courses. This internship helped me to realize that I excel at sales and showed me that I could have a promising career in the field of sales.
My internship took a surprising turn when I found myself communicating with large corporations like Nabisco and Mars to secure bulk purchases of their products. I was surprised to receive a response back from these companies right away, and the next thing I knew, I was brokering bulk deals. This experience highlighted my talent for networking and sales.
Throughout the summer, I gained essential skills in marketing and interpersonal communications. I learned how to bake a really good cookie, advertise a new product, and sell this product to others. Drew, the CEO of Cookies By Drew, always told me “Those cookies don’t sell themselves.” Looking ahead, I feel more confident in pursuing a career in sales and business. I enjoy collaborating with others and working towards a common goal. This summer's internship has shown me that I want to be in the business world, combining my love for agriculture and entrepreneurship.
I am excited to apply what I have learned and continue building my career in the food industry. With the skills and experiences I have acquired, I know that I will do well in my chosen career path.
