Cintas Sponsors Inaugural Sales Pitch Competition

In the finals, all six students delivered their sales pitches once again before the judging panel selected the three winners.

Before the winners were announced, Home delivered a keynote address on the topic “Sales is King.” The session offered students practical insights and tips on how to build a successful and sustainable sales career.

Cintas's leadership personnel in attendance said the event showcased the talent of the future workforce.

“I've been at Texas State recruiting since 2013, looking for Bobcats and bringing them on to the organization because we're not just hiring people for frontline positions,” Patterson said. "As we hire more of those, we have to hire leadership positions, director-level, VP-level positions to support the infrastructure."

Patterson also emphasized the polished look of Texas State sales students and their preparedness, which aligns with qualities Cintas looks for in job candidates.

"I think it's a combination of the sales faculty here preparing students for success," he said. "I also think it's the students' engagement with corporate partners like Cintas."

Pozzi, who won first place in the competition, said the win validated the months of work she had put into practicing with professors, using Second Nature — an AI-powered role-playing software, adopted by the center, that allows students to practice sales conversations with simulated buyers — and receiving feedback from family and roommates.

"I was shocked because the people who had gone before me had done such a good job," Pozzi said. “I was proud to know that they believed me to be at the center of that.”

She said that during her pitch delivery, she focused on sounding genuine rather than scripted. She also shared that including an icebreaker ("I'm Kendall Pozzi and I'm nosy") helped her connect with the judges and steady her nerves.

"I felt a little bit more like I can take a deep breath," Pozzi said. "They're just people. They're laughing along with me."

Pozzi expressed gratitude for the center’s faculty and staff, as well as the corporate-facing opportunities that have shaped her as both a student and a sales ambassador. For students participating in future competitions, she shares a tip from Dr. Linda Alkire, the center’s director and an associate professor of marketing at McCoy College: rehearse the pitch in segments rather than straight through, which keeps the delivery natural and makes it easier to recover if you slip.

From left to right: Kylie Hill, Avery Hernandez, Kendall Pozzi

Senior marketing and sales student Christian Saldana said mirror work and breathing techniques helped him manage his speech impediment and maintain his composure through the delivery of his pitch. He said that although it was challenging to fit all he wanted to say into a 90-second format, it forced him to focus only on the most important elements of the pitch.

"My focus is to show the world who I am," Saldana said. “I want to show that I'm supposed to be in this room. I want to show them why I'm here. I want to show them why I'm going to continue to be in rooms like those.”

Assistant professor of instruction Dr. Derrek Schartz, who is also the center's assistant director and head coach, said the competition was added as a class assignment, accompanied by frequent in-class preparation, practice with Second Nature, faculty mini-events, office-hour run-throughs, and improv sessions in class.

Schartz said he wants students who participate in the event to develop sharper skills and, ideally, receive job offers.

"Cintas saw 24 of our sales students who did a really good job, and they hopefully saw some talent that they'd like to add to their team," he said. "Ideally, that's the name of the game, right? Not winning the trophies, it's getting the job."

Thinking ahead, he's considering a twist in the finals of the competition, either a second pitch aimed at a customer or an extemporaneous topic. Schartz said the center hopes to continue the competition, which will depend on the interest of sponsors.

Alkire said the event supports the center's mission to bridge the gap between academia and industry. Students can apply classroom concepts to a company-specific context, while partners have the opportunity to engage with students.

She said it also helps students enhance their communication, persuasive storytelling, and consultative selling under time constraints.

"In a speed-selling format, they must quickly capture attention, tailor their message to the company's needs, and deliver a clear, value-driven pitch — all within a limited time frame," Alkire said. "This experience helps them build confidence, adaptability, and professionalism under pressure while learning to articulate their strengths and align their message with a company's goals. These are critical skills that prepare them to stand out in interviews, networking, and real-world business interactions — the same skills employers consistently tell us make our sales graduates ready to contribute from day one."

Alkire also highlighted the center’s partnership with Cintas and other corporate collaborators, whose active engagement extends across competitions, class visits, site tours, Interview Express, guest lectures, workshops, and various networking and student development events.

"Cintas has been a long-standing supporter and partner of the Center for Professional Sales," Alkire said. “They consistently hire many of our sales students, and it is always a joy to see our alumni return as professionals eager to give back to the program. Every interaction is an opportunity to extend what we do in the classroom to the real world—and that is exactly what sets our program apart.” ✯