Inside a Sales Internship: Shadowing in the Rocky Mountain Region
Amity Middleton, a Daktronics sales intern, took the opportunity to shadow our sales team in Colorado. Her experiences led to experiences involving high school customers, vendors and partners.
Daktronics Intern on 7/31/2025
Categories: High School Sports
As a sales intern at Daktronics, I’ve been fortunate to experience firsthand what goes into building and maintaining customer relationships. I recently had the opportunity to travel to Denver and shadow Michael Downs, Sales Representative out of Denver, Colorado. Throughout the week, I joined Michael and others on several customer visits and each meeting gave me a new perspective on the sales process. From introducing schools to Daktronics Sports Marketing (DSM) to walking site locations with IT and electrical teams, it was exciting to see how Daktronics builds relationships and customizes solutions for each school and partner.
Our first stop was in Colorado Springs, where I joined Michael and Ben Moen, Daktronics Sports Marketing (DSM) representative, for a meeting. We introduced the DSM program and explained how it helps schools generate revenue through local sponsorships. A point that stood out was that Daktronics doesn’t take a cut of the advertising revenue, a unique approach that resonated strongly with the school. Witnessing how Daktronics demonstrates long-term value was an incredible learning experience.
The following day, we visited another high school in the Denver area, where representatives from a new school joined us to explore their video board. This gave them a chance to visualize the size and layout for their own gym while also considering how the display could be used beyond athletics, such as for assemblies, community events and more. Having both Michael and Ben in the room created a dynamic environment where ideas could be shared and tailored directly to the school's needs.
Later in the week, we met with several local sign companies that partner with Daktronics. These conversations centered on strengthening relationships, discussing what’s working well, where improvements could be made, and how we can continue to support one another. It was valuable to see how these long-term partnerships contribute to project success. Local sign companies are critical in handling permitting, installations, and ongoing service, and by working closely with them, Daktronics helps ensure projects stay on schedule and run smoothly from start to finish.
On the final day, we met with a regional school district for a more technical site visit. Dylan Bagaus, Project Manager from Brookings, joined us for this discussion. Several IT and electrical professionals were also in attendance as we walked through their football stadium, press box, and multiple schools to review display placement and address site-specific questions. Touring gyms where new scoreboards and video displays were being planned gave me valuable insight into the technical and logistical considerations that go into each installation.
Overall, this trip gave me a well-rounded look at the sales process, from introducing new solutions to schools to collaborating with internal teams and external partners to navigating complex planning discussions. I saw firsthand how Daktronics prioritizes relationship-building and adapts conversations to meet the needs of each audience. This experience provided me with a much clearer understanding of what it takes to move a project from initial discussions to execution, and how Daktronics supports schools and partners every step of the way.