College Experiences That Helped a Director of Sales and Strategy at Draco Natural Products Succeed
Responding to the question about significant career lessons, Russell highlighted entry-level paths for undergraduates interested in the natural products industry, suggesting roles such as "food scientist intern," "marketing intern," or "customer service representative" as stepping stones to sales. These roles, Russell explained, allow a gradual transition into sales positions, potentially evolving into "technical sales roles" or "sales manager" positions.
Sales, Marketing, Entry-Level Jobs, Career Paths, Networking
Advizer Information
Name
Job Title
Company
Undergrad
Grad Programs
Majors
Industries
Job Functions
Traits
Russell Zhang
Director of Sales and Strategy
Draco Natural Products
UC Davis
UCLA MBA
Biology & Related Sciences
Food, Beverages & Alcohol
Sales and Client Management
Video Highlights
1. Entry-level positions in this field include internships as a food scientist or marketing intern, which can lead to technical sales or sales roles.
2. Gradually moving from customer service to sales representative and then sales manager is another possible career path.
3. For students interested in the technical route, internships with bigger companies are a great way to get started and potentially transition into technical sales roles. Marketing internships offer another path to a sales role.
Transcript
What entry-level positions are there in this field that an undergrad college student might consider?
For undergrads looking to enter this industry, there are a few paths. If you want to take a more technical route, there are definitely internships available. For example, someone with a nutrition major could intern as a food scientist for one of the larger companies.
After gaining experience in a technical role, you could gradually transition into a technical sales role. Another option is to do a marketing internship with one of these bigger companies. Similarly, with a marketing internship, you can gravitate towards a sales role after graduation and landing a full-time job.
The last option is to start at a lower level as a customer service representative. From there, you can work your way up to become a sales representative and eventually a sales manager.