February - August 2020 • Washington Court House, OH
What I liked
As a first-year college student, I never would have believed that I could run over a $53,000 business with no previous entrepreneurial experience. Throughout my internship with Student Painters, I grew both personally and professionally, developing valuable management and communication skills that I will take with me to future employment. I am grateful to have been given this opportunity and to have this special story to set me apart from the average college student!
What I wish was different
I do not wish anything different than what I experienced.
Advice
Take advantage of this opportunity as much as you can!
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Branch Manager
February - August 2020 • Ipswich, MA
What I liked
Gaining real-life management experience, building upon my skills as a leader in business.
What I wish was different
Creating a better life/work balance for myself.
Advice
Utilize your time management skills to the fullest extent, try not to waste any time.
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branch manager
October 2020 • Eaton Rapids, MI
What I liked
The work environment and the amount of personal growth i have gained from this experience. i learned how to not only manage my time but also manage a crew of people and customer relations.
What I wish was different
I wish i had pushed myself further and produced 100,000 this summer.
Advice
Trust the process and remember its a marathon not a sprint.
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Branch Manager
March - September 2019 • Kalamazoo, MI
What I liked
I liked the family atmosphere that is instantly created once you enter into the company. You know that everyone is trying to help you gain the most personal growth possible.
What I wish was different
I wish I could go back and work on other aspects of my company to attain better outcomes.
Advice
Don't fight the process, but also don't just accept it. Work hard to fully understand all aspects of the internship and you will experience immense growth.
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Branch Manager
February 2021 • Jackson, MI
What I liked
Over the past several months I was given the opportunity to run a $100k business and grow a lot as a person and a leader. It is a great program if you are looking to build your resume, gain a valuable network, and make good money for a college student.
What I wish was different
Advice
If you want to push your self this would be a great opportunity to put yourself out there and challenge yourself to do something most people in college are not doing.
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Branch Manager
March - August 2020 • South Bend, IN
What I liked
I liked the experience of running my own business and being able to manage my own crew of painters. It was a fun learning experience for college students to gain management experience.
What I wish was different
I wish that I was more prepared for the amount of work that this job entailed.
Advice
Just be prepared for the amount of work that you have to out into the job.
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Executive
February 2023 • Shelby Township, MI
What I liked
I was able to develop as an individual in all areas of my life. Through this internship I got experiences I would have never got anywhere else being 19 years old. The program has a great support system from the top down. You will never feel excluded or left out throughout your time with the company. The culture and drive this company has gives the tools for everyone to be successful. This is by far the best internship for students to develop and better themselves and potentially earn a lot of money doing so!
What I wish was different
Through my time here I have learned a lot. I wish I would have micro managed my time better. When you are running your business there is a lot of bumps in the road I felt I spent too much time on.
Advice
Just keep going forward and use your mentor. They will be your best friend throughout this process.
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Branch Manager
January 2024 • State College, PA
What I liked
I liked the culture and the business experience that you receive from this opportunity
What I wish was different
I wish I had a better grasp of the role earlier in the process.
Advice
Take it one day at a time but plan out your schedule two weeks in advance.
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Branch Manager
October 2020 - August 2021 • Muskegon, MI
What I liked
The networking opportunities with all the other interns. Along with learning how to run a 32K business.
What I wish was different
I wish I had more time in the preseason to market my business.
Advice
The best advice I have is to be confident in everything you do.
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Branch Manager
February - July 2021 • East Lansing, MI
What I liked
The atmosphere of working with other college students who are all trying to succeed in life.
The office staff was amazing. They would go out of their way to make sure I was helped when I needed it.
Being my own boss with guidance whenever I needed it was great.
I could not have asked for a better internship this summer!
What I wish was different
Nothing could have been different. They know what they are doing at YEAA and they do it very well.
Advice
When you come across challenges do not give up, fight through them because the experience afterwords is worth it.
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Branch Manager
November 2020 - July 2021 • Battle Creek, MI
What I liked
One of the main things that I liked was the challenge that the internship gave me. Throughout the entirety of my employment with Y.E.A.A. I experiences a ton of challenges that mad me a better business man, leader, and overall a better person. I also enjoyed the people that were apart of this internship. From the CEO all the way down to my fellow branch managers, it was awesome to meet and network with fellow college students from around the country. The culture of this company was also great to be apart of.
What I wish was different
I wish that COVID wasn't going on during my internship. I say this because COVID was a challenge I had to overcome in order for me to make a good amount of revenue and profit. I truly believe if COVID wasn't around, I would have been more successful than I am now.
Advice
I would say that if you take this internship on make sure you are a committed to the goals you set for yourself and understand that this job isn't going to be a walk in the park.
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Branch Manager
January 2021 • Leominster, MA
What I liked
Working as a Branch Manager for Student Painters (YEAA) has been one of the most challenging and rewarding experiences of my life. This internship has pushed me way out of my comfort zone - giving me opportunities to grow and develop new skills. This summer I ran a $185,000 business, completing jobs for over 60 clients. Student Painters (YEAA) provided me with all of the necessary training to succeed. What you put in is what you will get out so it was up to me to apply the knowledge I learned and push myself as much as possible. I ended up with over $200,000 in sales, managed 2 painting teams & a marketing team. Resulting in over 20 employees! My team and I ended up being a top 5 team in the country! There was many ups and downs/ obstacles and set backs, however the people around you are always there for you and push you for success. I have grown exponentially, personally and professionally, and am ready and excited to return as an Executive Regional Manager in the New England division.
What I wish was different
Working for Student Painters (YEAA) is a very time-consuming internship. While this is not something that can be changed, as maximum effort and time spent is necessary for a successful business, it is something that students should be aware of.
Advice
Set big goals and give it your all to achieve them. Never set yourself short.
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Branch Manager
February 2021 • Midland, MI
What I liked
It was the best first-hand experience any business person could ask for. I had the fastest learning curve of my life and was supported by the company every step of the way. It is composed of a great family culture that isn't easily replicated in other companies.
What I wish was different
Nothing.
Advice
If you want to run your own business, this is the best opportunity for you.
1
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Branch Manager
October 2020 - August 2021 • Easthampton, MA
What I liked
I loved interacting with other motivated students, communicating with potential clients and networking with other people
What I wish was different
I wish I had taken more advantage of my time, taking advantage of your time in this internship creates more time for yourself.
Advice
Delegate your tasks to your crew as best you can
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Branch Manager
February - August 2021 • Merrimack, NH
What I liked
A lot of experience in time management, leadership, self discipline and hard work. Having the opportunity to manage a group of employees, while being in charge of my own schedule and responsibilities. Many learning opportunities and a big growth opportunity with great networking and resources. Good atmosphere.
What I wish was different
If you are to take this position you must sacrifice, essentially your entire summer and part of your spring strictly to running your branch of the business. There are a lot of things that happen you are not prepared for by the company, but it does offer a good learning opportunity. In addition, the company takes an excessive overhead fee that cuts severely into the manager's profit potential. Overall, for the amount of work needed to succeed in this role the pay does not seem fair.
Advice
Be ready to sacrifice your whole summer and life for this position while you are in it. It is a taxing job that will get in the way of any serious life activities you have planned. If you are going to go for this position seriously, then you need to go all in and be willing to do more than you plan on doing and going well above and beyond to succeed.
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Branch Manager
September 2019 • Indianapolis, IN
What I liked
Running a business at the age of 19 has been one of the most rewarding things I’ve done. YEAA has allowed me to set myself up for success by giving me the opportunity to learn all the aspects that one needs to run a successful business. Through this program, I’ve been able to gain experience in sales, recruitment, production management and much more.
What I wish was different
Everything has been great.
Advice
If you are coachable and willing to put in the effort, you'll b successful in this internship.
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Branch Manager
January - August 2024 • Indianapolis, IN
What I liked
- learned how to run my own start-up business
- made good money over the summer to help pay for tuition and have financial freedom on campus during the school year
- became a part of an elite alumni program
- everyone in YEAA is genuine from the top down. I do not know many CEOs who are as present with everyone quote on quote below them as Steve Acorn is.
What I wish was different
I wish I had listened to them more at training when they preached how important it is to begin marketing right away. I also wish I had had more interviews for marketers and painters.
Advice
One piece of advice I would share is that while I made many mistakes along the way, I have learned from them, and they have propelled me to where I am today.
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Branch Manager
January 2021 - August 2022 • Kalamazoo, MI
What I liked
I learned so much about leadership, communication, and sales through this experience. I have also grown so much as an individual in this program. The culture is amazing because the people in YEAA are all very supportive and hardworking. It was a difficult internship, but absolutely worth it
What I wish was different
I wish I had made more relationships with other managers across the country.
Advice
Be prepared to work hard and grow.
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branch manager
May - August 2022 • Grosse Pointe, MI
What I liked
Working at Young Entrepreneurs Across America allowed me to grow as a person and become a much better leader. This internship is the perfect opportunity for a hardworking student to thrive. The community of people you get to work with is like no other, you meet like minded individuals who want to succeed just as much as you do. You work with a college student who ran through the program a year before and is able to direct towards the right path. This internship is an opportunity like no other.
What I wish was different
Nothing in terms of the overall experience everything is based off what you put into it and there is an amazing executive team there to support you along the way. Throughout my whole experience I would not change a thing.
Advice
This is a once and a life time opportunity and if I were you I would at least take the time to get out of your comfort zone and learn a little more about it! This is the best opportunity for someone who wants to separate themselves from their piers and put in the extra work, but for someone who wants to just clock in clock out and work a set amount of hours this would not work.
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Branch Manager
October 2021 • New Baltimore, MI
What I liked
I loved the executive-rookie relationship, I felt that I had a mentor who really cared about my success and well-being. The whole community was filled with like minded people all pushing and supporting each-other into being and doing the best that can
What I wish was different
I wish I had stayed more consistent with the work pipelines so that I wouldn’t go through the feeling of falling off and schedule and finding it hard to get back into it
Advice
It takes grit, hard work, and honestly a competitive spirit to put yourself forward and as long as you keep pushing yourself to learn and grow, you’ll get paid out just as much, if not more especially in terms of experience
