Sykes College of Business - Southard Institute for Sales Excellence

At the Southard Institute for Sales Excellence, we are passionate about collaborating with companies to strengthen their employees' sales acumen through immersive and engaging experiences. Recently, we welcomed executives from Leadership Tampa Bay, where participants explored the importance of making a strong first impression—and then put their skills to the test in a hands-on exercise. We also partnered with TD SYNNEX at their National Sales Meeting, leading an interactive session focused on emerging sales trends and story-selling strategies to foster stronger customer connections. Looking to inspire and develop your team’s sales potential? Let’s connect!

We’re kicking off the semester at the Southard Institute for Sales Excellence with incredible networking events designed to connect top student talent with industry professionals: 🔑 Speed Selling - February 11: Students pitch their professional brand in a rapid-fire setting. 🎲 Casino Networking Event - April 2: Make meaningful connections fun, casual environment. 🎯 Reverse Career Fair - April 22: Discover your next great hire as students showcase their expertise. Don't miss the chance to meet your future star employees! Contact Stacey Schetzsle for more information and registration details. Let’s make this semester the best one yet!

At the Southard Institute for Sales Excellence, we pride ourselves on bringing industry experts into the classroom to enhance the real-world sales content we teach. As part of our application based sales project and internal competitions, our students were "hired" as Tampa Bay Buccaneers sales representatives. A big thank you to Damon Lange, Dave Leutwyler, and JJ Gracia for spending the day training our new reps on how to focus on B2B accounts—specifically how the Bucs help companies build stronger relationships with their customers and employees through unique entertainment options. It’s real-world experience like this that sets our program and our students apart!

Congratulations to the winners of our Fall 2024 Speed Selling internal competition.

Join us for the Open House at the new Southard Institute for Sales Excellence on October 16th from 4:30-7:00. This is your chance to explore our cutting-edge facility, meet the team, and discover our innovative sales program. Please RSVP at the link below.

Today marks the kickoff of the fall 2024 sales events with one of our most exciting activities: the Speed Selling Competition! We have 155 talented students ready to pitch their professional brand to a room full of executives. It's a high-energy, fast-paced event designed to help students make lasting first impressions that could lead to internships and full-time employment opportunities. Excited to see our students showcase their skills and take the next step in their careers! Let’s make connections that matter.

We're excited to announce that the Southard Institute for Sales Excellence has a new home in the Grand Center building! Our new space features 4 role-play rooms, 2 conference rooms, a reception area, and a co-working space—offering our students an incredible environment to apply their classroom learning and grow into the next generation of sales leaders. This semester marks the start of a new chapter for the future of sales at UTampa!

You have just 7 seconds to make a first impression—that's why we're thrilled to have Tiffany Paulk from Tom James Company lead our "Dress for Success" session to kickoff the semester. This session helps our students understand the nuances of professional attire, from differentiating between business casual and business professional to dressing appropriately for various professional interactions. It's all about equipping them with the knowledge and confidence to make the right impression from day one!

Our sales students continue to impress and win outstanding awards! Congratulations to Madelyn Hutchings on taking first place in the University of Central Oklahoma Professional Sales Speed Selling competition!