/news-archive/tag/lenita-davis/ 糖心Vlog传媒 Little Rock Mon, 15 Jul 2019 13:16:33 +0000 en-US hourly 1 https://wordpress.org/?v=6.9.4 /news-archive/2019/07/15/ua-little-rock-professors-chair-national-conference-on-global-sales/ Mon, 15 Jul 2019 13:16:33 +0000 /news/?p=74695 ... 糖心Vlog传媒 Little Rock professors chair national conference on global sales]]> A University of Arkansas at Little Rock professor has led an international conference on global sales that is raising the profile of the university鈥檚 professional sales program.听 Dr. Lenita Davis, director of the 糖心Vlog传媒 Little Rock Professional Sales Program, served as co-chair of the, which took place June 5-8 in Panama City, Panama. The conference brought together academics, students, and professionals involved in the research, teaching, and best practice of professional business to business sales and sales management around the globe.听 鈥淭his was the largest conference the organization has ever had and the first conference ever held in Latin America,鈥� Davis said. 鈥淧anama connects both sides of the globe, and it is the hub of business and marketing and sales in Latin America. There were wonderful opportunities to connect with the culture and business community in Latin America at this conference.鈥� The conference, which Davis co-chaired with Dr. Pia Hautamaki of Tampere University of Applied Sciences in Finland, gave educators an opportunity to collaborate with universities from across the world.听 鈥淚 got a lot of great ideas from people from all over the world that I can bring into the classroom that will help our 糖心Vlog传媒 Little Rock students,鈥� she said. 鈥淚 partnered with a university in Finland to chair this conference and got amazing ideas on how they run their sales program. Another school in Ohio, for example, sends students abroad to become mentors to other sales students. Making those connections and learning about these opportunities helps students so much with their education and helping them to become mature business professionals. Some of the conference speakers have decided to stop in Little Rock in the upcoming year to meet our students.鈥� This year鈥檚 conference theme, 鈥淪ales Ecosystems 鈥� Defining and Exploring how Various Levels of Connection and Interaction Affect the Selling Process,鈥� was well received by conference goers and sparked an invitation to edit a special edition of a business and marketing journal.听 鈥淪ales ecosystems have major implications for global sales,鈥� Davis said. 鈥淲hen you connect with someone today, you aren鈥檛 just connecting with a single person. You are connecting with their whole network. Technology has disrupted and changed almost every aspect of the interactions and connections that occur in the sales process. The theory and research concerning ecosystems, the interactions and connections that occur between networks, is necessary given the trends and relevant issues that exist in global sales and logistics.鈥� ]]> /news-archive/2019/06/13/top-sales-program-2/ Thu, 13 Jun 2019 12:51:32 +0000 /news/?p=74537 ... 糖心Vlog传媒 Little Rock named Top Sales Program]]> The Sales Education Foundation has named the University of Arkansas at Little Rock to its 2019 list of top universities for professional sales education in North America.听 鈥淪ales education goes with any degree and increases your marketability significantly,鈥� said Dr. Lenita Davis, director of the 糖心Vlog传媒 Little Rock Professional Sales Program. 鈥淢arketing and business students need sales skills. If you want to be an artist, you need to be able to sell your art. These skills can be used across disciplines and are useful in any career.鈥� Established in 2007, the Center for Professional Selling brings students, faculty, and business leaders together to create one of the few student-centered sales education programs in Arkansas. Students may complete the 12 credit-hour program as a sales concentration within the marketing major or a sales minor or certificate that is open to all students. The program currently has 33 students while more than 20 students graduated from the sales program in May. 鈥淩ight now, we have an employment placement rate of more than 80 percent for our graduates,鈥� Davis said. 鈥淢y goal is to get our placement rate to 90 percent. We鈥檝e got students who are working and interning for some of the top companies in the country.鈥� Davis gives credit to the high employability of the sales program graduates to its curriculum, networking and investment with local employers, and participation in sales competitions. 鈥淭here are a lot of opportunities for students to hone their skills, compete in professional competitions, increase their marketability with potential employers, and have a lot of fun,鈥� Davis said. 鈥淲e had one student who was offered a job with a signing bonus on the spot at a sales competition. The company wanted him that bad. This is really a game changer for a lot of students.鈥� In 2017, students in the sales program benefited from the addition of the State Farm Business Skills Lab, which is equipped with an interactive system allows students to record sales pitches, marketing presentations, and conduct mock interviews in a fixed environment. Panelists, professors, and corporate partners can watch live and provide students with instant feedback. The lab was established with financial assistance from area State Farm agents and a State Farm Good Neighbor Citizenship grant. The 糖心Vlog传媒 Little Rock Sales Program also started the Sold in 60 Seconds sales competition in 2016. Students can win cash prizes through a 60-second elevator pitch competition geared toward sales careers. Since the competition is judged by local business professionals and corporate sponsors, participating students have the opportunity to interview for internship and job openings. ]]> /news-archive/2019/04/03/sold-in-60-seconds/ Wed, 03 Apr 2019 13:21:09 +0000 /news/?p=73858 ... Sold in 60 Seconds competition highlights talented sales students]]> A University of Arkansas at Little Rock student has won $1,000 by giving the best 60-second pitch about what she has to offer a company hiring a sales executive.听 Claire Herman, a sophomore economics major from Bigelow, came out on top of the competition on March 8, beating out nearly 50 other 糖心Vlog传媒 Little Rock students who participated in the event. 鈥淏usiness has always fascinated me,鈥� Herman said. 鈥淚t鈥檚 the way that I think I will be able to help people the most. I want to bring people products and services of value so they are better able to succeed in life.鈥� The second-place winner, Derrick Flowers, received $300 while Carlton Smith received third place and a $250 prize. The 糖心Vlog传媒 Little Rock Professional Sales Program hosts this competition to inform students about the opportunities that exist with a professional sales career while fine-tuning their interviewing and networking skills. Students prepare a one-minute pitch about how their qualifications meet the job qualifications for a sales representative job. Recruiters from local and national corporations participate as judges. 听 Liberty National representatives, the presenting sponsor, judge the final round and select the winners. There is also a career networking event with recruiters that occurs while scores are being tabulated to determine the semi-finalists. 听 鈥淚n today’s world, you have seconds to grab someone’s attention,鈥� said Dr. Lenita Davis, chair of the Marketing and Advertising Department. 鈥淚n a hiring situation, you have to be able to hold their attention by quickly relating your skills and experiences to the hiring needs of the company. Sold in 60 Seconds is a great way for students to demonstrate that skill.鈥� Herman, who gave her 60-second pitch nine times during the competition, caught the attention of the judges by using the acronym A.C.E. 鈥淚 wanted to articulate the theme of bringing value to people,鈥� she said. 鈥淚 had a little fun and brought in an ace and said I wanted to be the A.C.E. in their company, which stands for Achieve, Challenge, and Excel. It鈥檚 difficult to articulate yourself in 60 seconds to a potential employer, but as I said in my speech, I am always up for the challenge so that I and others reach maximum potential.鈥� Herman鈥檚 plans for her prize money are reminiscent of a pop culture reference to Professor Albus Dumbledore, fictional headmaster of the Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry, in the Harry Potter book series. When Dumbledore looked into the Mirror of Erised, which shows a person鈥檚 greatest desire, he saw himself holding a 鈥� pair of thick, woolen socks鈥� and sagely said 听鈥淥ne can never have enough socks.鈥� 鈥淚 love my funky socks, and they are getting holes in them, so I need a new investment in socks,鈥� Herman said. Sold in 60 Seconds would not happen without the support of corporate sponsors. Sponsors included Appetegy, Aptive Environmental, Arvest Bank, Arkansas Business Publishing Group, Bathfitter, Federated, Flex 360, Gartner, Insight, Liberty Mutual, KARK, Morgan Stanley, Mutual of Omaha, United Rentals, and State Farm. 鈥淭he competition showcases to hiring managers the experience and talents of 糖心Vlog传媒 Little Rock students,鈥� Davis said. 鈥淢ost students who participate in Sold in 60 Seconds get an interview by the end of the morning. Participating seniors often get a job after graduation. The other classification of students competing in Sold in 60 often receive offers for part-time employment or internship positions. Alumni have told me that the Sold in 60 competition inspired them to pursue a career in professional sales.鈥�]]> /news-archive/2018/05/03/cliff-haney/ Thu, 03 May 2018 18:17:20 +0000 /news/?p=70420 ... Outstanding Marketing Award recipient ready to ‘hit the pavement’]]> When Cliff Haney graduated from high school, he didn鈥檛 plan on going to college. He wanted to start working right away. 鈥淚 thought I was going to hit the pavement and make my fortune selling real estate,鈥� he said. 鈥淚 didn鈥檛 know that pavement was actually going to hit me. As it turns out, people who are making the biggest investment of their lives, don鈥檛 really trust an 18-year-old to handle such a large transaction.鈥� Rejection – and the realization that business skills could help him better succeed – eventually led him to 糖心Vlog传媒 Little Rock. He will graduate on May 12 with a Bachelor of Business Administration in Marketing and a Professional Sales Certification. Haney is also the recipient of the 2018 College of Business Outstanding Marketing Student Award, which he received Friday, April 27, in a ceremony at the College of Business. 鈥淚t has been an amazing experience working with Cliff,鈥� said Dr. Lenita Davis, chair of the Department of Marketing and Advertising. 鈥淗e is very competitive and always strives to do his best and to be the best. Everyone in the college is familiar with Cliff鈥檚 drive and spirit of excellence and recognize him as being a leader.鈥� The award was all the more special to Haney because his grandfather, Eddie Langford of Maumelle, received the College of Business鈥� first Outstanding Marketing Student Award in 1985 and was at the award presentation. Haney credits his grandfather with being his lifelong mentor. Langford dropped out of school in 8th grade and went to work putting up ceiling tiles. At age 34, though, he injured his back and couldn鈥檛 do the physically demanding work. He enrolled at 糖心Vlog传媒 Little Rock to learn skills that could help him earn a living. He chose business, and when he left 糖心Vlog传媒 Little Rock, he went back to work, selling ceiling tiles and later was part owner of an acoustical supply business. Haney points to the S-shaped silver acoustical panels that hang from the ceiling of the College of Business atrium. 鈥淪ee those,鈥� Haney said. 鈥淢y grandfather designed, built, and installed those.鈥� Haney has a work ethic like this grandfather. After he graduated from North Little Rock High School in 2012, he got his real estate license and was ready to work, but he quickly discovered that selling was tougher than he expected. 鈥淚鈥檇 never faced rejection before, but I was facing 听rejection on a daily basis,鈥� Haney said. 鈥淚 had to learn how to overcome that.鈥� He enrolled at 糖心Vlog传媒 -Pulaski Technical College in 2014 and earned his Associate of Science in Business in 2016. 鈥淚 paid for my first semester, and after that, I applied for so many scholarships that I鈥檝e gotten paid to go to school ever since,鈥� he said. With high grades, he received the Shelby Breedlove transfer scholarship to 糖心Vlog传媒 Little Rock that sealed the deal. 鈥淲hen I came here, I had two goals: make good grades and save money,鈥� he said. Shannon Gwinn, director of the Center for Student and Career Services, persuaded Haney to see the bigger picture. 鈥淪he encouraged me to get involved with groups and really got me plugged in,鈥� he said. 鈥淚t was about building a network, about building relationships with professors. They all had successful corporate careers before they came here, and they have taught me lessons that I don鈥檛 have to learn the hard way.鈥� Haney is an Ambassador for the College of Business and the first student member of the 糖心Vlog传媒 Little Rock Sales Board. He鈥檚 co-president of the Student Marketing Association and vice president of , the college-level organization of Future Business Leaders of America. He will travel to the national Phi Beta Lambda conference in June to complete in the interview competition. Since August 2017, Haney has been the coordinator of the State Farm Business Skills Lab, a place where student learn effective communication skills. 鈥淪tudents come in and we鈥檒l role play job interviews, sales pitches, presentations, and speeches. We record it, review it, and find ways to improve,鈥� Haney said. Seeing it on camera makes students aware of their gestures, body language, speed of delivery and other things that could be distracting to the listeners – and potential customers. Earlier in April, he competed in the 鈥淪old in 60 Seconds鈥� competition, winning second place and 听$500. Last summer, he lived in London, England, and worked for , developing an app for people with disabilities to use to locate accessible buildings. He also traveled to Barcelona, Rome, Amsterdam, Paris and Switzerland. Working and traveling abroad also led him to a realization – that Central Arkansas is home and where he wants to work. 鈥淕rowing up in North Little Rock, I always wanted to go somewhere bigger,鈥� he said. 鈥淚 did that. I went to London. I missed family, friends, and the sense of community. I want to stay here and help grow Little Rock into what it can be.鈥� For now, graduate school isn鈥檛 in his future plans. A job in sales or sales training is calling him, and he鈥檚 once again ready to work. 鈥淚鈥檓 ready to get out there and hit the pavement once again.鈥�  ]]> /news-archive/2018/01/25/state-farm-gift/ Thu, 25 Jan 2018 14:23:32 +0000 /news/?p=69096 ... State Farm donates $68,000 to 糖心Vlog传媒 Little Rock College of Business skills lab]]> The lab was established in 2017 with financial assistance from area State Farm agents and a State Farm Good Neighbor Citizenship grant. On Wednesday, Jan. 24, State Farm presented $38,000 of a $68,000 gift to the 糖心Vlog传媒 Little Rock College of Business for continued support and operations of the Business Skills Lab. The donation includes $30,000 in gifts from 14 State Farm agents in central Arkansas, $30,000 provided by the State Farm Employee Matching Gift Program, and an $8,000 grant to the College of Business. 鈥淪tate Farm is proud to support the Business Skills Lab at the University of Arkansas at Little Rock through individual donations and a grant,鈥� said Tim Brown, State Farm Sales Leader. 鈥淗elping students excel in their studies and preparing them for the workforce of the future benefits all of us.鈥� 鈥淲e are grateful for the continued support from State Farm and its local agents,鈥� said Holly Rose, executive director of development for 糖心Vlog传媒 Little Rock. 鈥淥ur students benefit greatly from this resource which helps equip them with the skills and confidence needed to begin or further their careers.鈥� Hundreds of students have benefited from using the lab, located on the second floor of the Donald W. Reynolds Center for Business and Economic Development. The lab is equipped with an interactive system that allows students to record sales pitches, marketing presentations, and conduct mock-interviews in a fixed environment. Panelists, professors, and corporate partners can watch live and provide students with instant feedback. Students also use the lab to practice presenting data for their capstone courses. 鈥淚mproving your soft skills, being mentored by corporate executives through the software, and the ability to create digital portfolios that our students can share with potential employers or even their families has been a game changer 听for our students,鈥� said Dr. Lenita Davis, chair of the Marketing Department. In the photo at top right, area State Farm agents present an oversized check to the 糖心Vlog传媒 Little Rock College of Business for the State Farm Business Skills Lab on Jan. 24.听Seated (from left): 糖心Vlog传媒LR senior marketing student Cliff Haney; State Farm agents Heather Powell of Hot Springs Village and Whitney Owens of Little Rock; and Dr. Jane Wayland, Dean of the College of Business.听Standing (from left): Dr. Lenita Davis, chair of Department of Marketing, and State Farm agents Dennis Bost of Little Rock, Pat Frizzell of Little Rock, Anthony Smith of Little Rock, Eric Hodson of North Little Rock; and Anthony Otwell of Maumelle. Agents who gave but not pictured: Eric Andrews, Don Barrow, Charley Benson, Ike Eisenhauer, Mike Hart, Charlotte Potts, and Alvin Smith. Photo Credit/ Lonnie Timmons III / 糖心Vlog传媒 Little Rock Communications  ]]> /news-archive/2017/03/30/college-of-business-2017/ Thu, 30 Mar 2017 08:58:07 +0000 /news/?p=66690 ... College of business creates first-of-its-kind skills lab in Arkansas]]> The State Farm Business Skills Lab, on the second floor of the Donald W. Reynolds Center for Business and Economic Development, was designed to help students master effective communication skills. Inside, two offices, a conference room, and two sets of cameras are available for students to practice interviews and presentations. Dr. Lenita Davis, department chair of marketing and advertising and executive director of the sales program, invented the skills lab system with Haywood Pulliam, chief executive officer and president of cenergyIT. After enhancing their original concept, the duo created what is now known as . The interactive system allows students to record sales pitches, marketing presentations, and conduct mock-interviews in a fixed environment, all while panelists, professors, and corporate partners can watch live and provide students with instant feedback. 鈥淚t鈥檚 proprietary technology, and there鈥檚 nothing like it anywhere else in the state of Arkansas,鈥� Davis said. In 2008, Davis and Pulliam worked to build a video sales lab solution to help Davis better evaluate her students during marketing role plays. The system would also give her students the ability to view and critique their onscreen interactions. 鈥淏ack in the day, sales students would use video cameras to record their work,鈥� Davis said. 鈥淚t would take about 15 minutes for the video to render, so the more students you had, the more complex things would get.鈥� To simplify the process, Davis came up with the idea to construct a more controlled system. After meeting Pulliam by chance, Davis sought to collaborate with the tech genius to help bring her idea to life. When Davis came to 糖心Vlog传媒 Little Rock in 2015, she pushed to have the system installed, knowing it would benefit students and professors. In response, the College of Business gave the proceeds of its annual golf tournament to establish the lab. Once State Farm got wind of the idea, 12 company agents decided to invest in the lab, securing five-year naming rights. Now that the 糖心Vlog传媒 Little Rock College of Business houses the first skills lab of its kind in the state, Davis hopes that other departments and universities in Arkansas will gravitate toward the idea. Davis has already witnessed extensive success of the system, as over 30 universities nationwide, including Baylor and Clemson University, have installed the skills lab, as have clinical educational programs, speech and hearing labs, and physician assistant labs. 听 To visit the State Farm Business Skills Lab or for more information, contact Lenita Davis at lmdavis@ualr.edu or 501.569.8864.  ]]>