Title Athletics + PT/OT Sales Intern
Reports to Business Development Director
GENERAL INFORMATION
Location: On Site - 6658 East Paris Ave, Caledonia MI 49316
Schedule: Monday through Friday (Part-Time)
Hours: TBD - Flexible (Ideally 20+ hours weekly)
COMPANY INFORMATION – WHO WE ARE
Howies Hockey is a locally owned, fast-growing business headquartered in the Grand Rapids, Michigan area since 2002, with a secondary distribution facility in Burlington, Ontario (just outside Toronto). We specialize in high-quality hockey tape, accessories, apparel, and performance products. Today, Howies works with every team in the NHL and AHL, along with nearly every junior and collegiate program across North America.
In 2015, we launched our sister company, Howies Athletics, expanding beyond hockey into all sports. Through this growth, we now supply sports medicine and performance products to MLB, NFL, MLS, and NBA teams, top Division I football programs (including the University of Michigan, Alabama, and Michigan State), and thousands of high schools nationwide. If an athlete needs tape or sports medicine products, our goal is to be their first call—and to earn lifelong loyalty to the Howies brand.
Across both brands, we take pride in delivering world-class products to pro shops, retailers, teams at every level, and international distributors. We are also rapidly growing our direct-to-consumer business through our website and Amazon. Our team-oriented culture, industry-leading customer service, and fast, accurate order fulfillment make Howies stand out.
POSITION INFORMATION
The “One Thing”: Use personability, product knowledge, and determination to hunt down new customers in the sports medicine and PT/OT market to establish lifelong Howies customers based on our quality of product and level of care.
Our company is growing exponentially on both the hockey and sports medicine side, and we are looking for awesome new interns to come in and learn more about Howies and gain valuable experience in the field. We need extremely motivated self-starters with a servant's heart mentality to support hunting down new business opportunities in the athletics and PT/OT market and provide a level of care to our customers that is unmatched anywhere else. If you’re looking to work in sports with an internationally recognized brand in a fast-paced, culture-driven environment, this role offers the opportunity to grow and make a meaningful impact
WHOLESALE ACCOUNT MANAGEMENT
- Connect with athletic trainers, athletic directors, physical therapists, and occupational therapists to understand their product needs and pricing targets
- Engage prospects quickly with immediate phone calls and email follow-ups to ensure that every customer feels valued and that they are our number 1 priority
- Create personal and meaningful connections with all contacts to earn their trust and use this relationship to lock in new customers and increase sales year over year
- Understand industry trends, stay up to date on new and revamped Howies products, and communicate within the internship program to develop tactics that lead to larger books of business
- Thoroughly maintain customer cards in our CRM software by logging detailed interactions, updating billing / shipping addresses, discussing and implementing payment terms, and maintaining a well-documented pricing history
MUST HAVES
- The "Intangibles" - We are seeking interns with a growth-minded attitude, a friendly and outgoing personality, a good fit for Howies culture, and an extreme level of motivation
- A business or sales background is preferred, but not required - the most important facet of this position will be the ability to learn and apply yourself when presented with challenges
- Hard work is a must at Howies - sales techniques and strategy can be taught, but being driven by success and having an extreme hunger to not lose cannot be
- Must be willing and able to work a minimum of 15 hours per week - we do not want to waste your time and expect the same in return, you will get what you put into this role
- This program is best suited for freshmen, sophomores, or juniors in the Grand Rapids area, as we prefer interns to work year-round, and if possible, for multiple seasons
PROGRAM AT A GLANCE
- Hands-on sales training & experience: This will include cold calls, perfecting customized sales strategies, and upholding our top-tier customer service. These are critical skills to develop for future full-time roles, and you will be learning from people who have been doing this professionally for years
- Focus on company culture: We employ many current and former athletes who are goal-driven and team-oriented, and our culture is something we are proud of. From Tuesday morning skates, to company lunches, to general office banter - we aim to make working at Howies enjoyable while still working extremely hard.
- Flexible scheduling: While we require a minimum number of hours worked per week, we try to be as flexible around your schedule as possible. We love having our interns in the office as much as possible, but we understand that classes, exams, practices, and games come first.
- Competitive pay: In this role, the harder you work and the more contacts you make, the more you get paid - simple as that. We believe in rewarding go-getters, which is reflected in our monetary policy. Interns in this program receive a base hourly pay as well as a competitive commission structure.
GENERAL – As a small business, many other tasks will be required
- Represent Howies Hockey / Athletic Tape at tournaments and tradeshows as needed
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Order fulfillment – know how to process and pack all orders that come into Howies
- Work closely with other departments to improve overall company performance
- Handle misc. administrative, IT, data entry, or clerical duties as needed
- Communication and positive relationships with the entire team – top to bottom
- Engage both the operations and sales sides of the business daily
- Anything else required from Howies to be a best-in-class business
OUR COMPANY MANTRA
At Howies, we truly believe in "Work Hard, Play Hard". When we’re not taking care of customers, we’re enjoying time together as a team. That might mean heading to the driving range on a sunny afternoon, playing pickup basketball, throwing a baseball around, throwing a cornhole tournament, or grilling out as a company.
In the winter, you’ll find us watching Red Wings games in the break room—or heading downtown to catch the Griffins game at the Van. We work hard, support one another, and strive to create an office environment people are excited to show up to every day.
If you’re looking for a place where performance, teamwork, and fun all matter, Howies is the place to be.
