OUR STORY:
For more than 150 years, Southwestern Advantage has empowered college students to develop real-world skills through hands-on experience. As the founding member of the Southwestern Family of Companies—a diverse network that includes leadership training, consulting, real estate, insurance, executive search, travel, and more—we’ve built a legacy of growth and opportunity.
What began as a way for students to gain sales and leadership experience has evolved into the nation’s longest-running entrepreneurial program for university students. Many of our alumni go on to thriving careers, often within Southwestern Advantage or across our family of companies.
At the heart of our mission is a commitment to helping young people build the skills, character, and confidence they need to reach their goals—today and for the future.
OUR MISSION
BE THE BEST ORGANIZATION IN THE WORLD AT HELPING YOUNG PEOPLE DEVELOP THE SKILLS AND CHARACTHER THEY NEED TO ACHIEVE THEIR GOALS IN LIFE.
Southwestern Advantage’s summer internship offers students a unique opportunity to gain real-world experience in business, sales, and leadership by running their own business. Throughout the summer, students develop practical skills in prospecting, marketing, finance, and customer relations—while making a meaningful impact on families and communities.
Beyond professional development, participants grow personally by learning essential life principles such as financial responsibility, effective communication, and leadership. The program also fosters global connections, bringing together students from diverse cultures and backgrounds to create a dynamic environment that encourages growth, lasting friendships, and a worldwide network of peers.
By equipping students with transferable skills and real-world experience, Southwestern Advantage lays the foundation for future success and inspires a lifelong commitment to learning and development.
-WHAT YOU GET-
Money. Invaluable Lesson. An enticing Job Resume.
And so much more....
TRAVEL
Our training takes you across Europe and to the United States for the summer
ADVANCEMENT
Multi-Year Sales & Leadership Management Development Program
CHALLENGE
Our program provides the right challenges to help you build a successful career
EXPERIENCE
Experience working in a completely different business and social culture, and develop the ability to adapt to new environments.
MONEY
Your earnings in our program are entirely based on your own effort and performance.
-LOOKING FOR ADVENTURE-
A new county, a new state, a new city- A new way of life.
Every aspect of our program is an adventure.
We’ve been blessed this summer with Mike and Amanda! They’ve been amazing host family to us and we’ve truly felt like at home with them. The laughter, happiness and every day support they’ve shared with us has been an unstoppable power for these long working days. We appreciate every single minute we could stay under your wings!
Thai & Kristiyan
RELOCATE
...to a different Continent & Country. You will probably travel more than you ever did!
LIVE WITH A HOST FAMILY
You will experience a new culture and new day-to-day life with a local family
EXCHANGE
spend the summer with students from other universities and/or other countries
EXPERIENCE
Get the skills that other people learn ‘on the job’- before you even start your career
TOUR
Spend your final week of the summer traveling through the United States
-HIGHLIGHTS-
The Southwestern Advantage Program: Certification & Partnership
TOP INTERNSHIP
Recipient of 2019 Charles F. Kettering Award–The Top Rated Internship in the U.S.; WayUp Top 100 Internship in the U.S. (2019)
BEST IN BUSINESS
Twice named a “Best In Business” award winner by Nashville Business Journal for accelerated growth and community impact
PRODUCT PARTNERS
Product partners with National Geographic, Princeton Review, and McGraw-Hill; Books, websites, and apps designed by a national board of top educators to fit the needs of public, private, and homeschool curriculums
AVOID STUDENT LOAN DEBT
Each year, many students use their Southwestern Advantage experience to graduate with zero student loan debt. As of 2025, the average five-year cumulative income of US participants is $137,070- For more info: southwesternadvantage.com/disclosure
ETHICAL COMMERCE
An accredited and charter member of the Better Business Bureau of Middle Tennessee since 1961 with an A+ rating; Recipient of the BBB Torch Award for Ethical Commerce
DSA
Leading member of the Direct Selling Association, holding direct sales companies accountable to ethical business practices and DSA Code of Ethics; Past winner of the DSA Education for Life Award; Southwestern Advantage President Dan Moore elected to DSA Board of Directors
CLIENTELE
Approximately 150,000 families invest in Southwestern Advantage products each summer
-GROW WITH THE PROGRAM-
& become the person you want to be, both personally and professionally
DITA PRIKRYLOVA
Founder & Managing
Director of Czechitas
ALAN MORTON
Managing Director of SBR Consulting
JOHN WILLIS
Director at SCG Solutions
PIERS BAMBRIDGE
Co-Founder & Managing Director P&B
ED NASH
Artist & Founder of Ed Nash Art
JASON WALKINGSHAW
Co-Founder & Partner at S.G.F.E Ltd
STEPHEN FITZPATRICK
Founder & CEO
of OVO Energy
ALEX KRUSTEV
Co-Founder & Managing Director of Reputize
JOSEF DVORAK
Country Manager at
SBR Consulting
A MULTI-YEAR PROGRAM
YEAR 1 – BUILD THE FOUNDATION
Develop core skills in time management, goal setting, and problem solving while gaining sales and customer experience. This year sets the stage for personal growth and leadership.
YEAR 2 – LEAD A TEAM
Step into leadership by recruiting, training, and guiding a team of first-year participants. Learn how to motivate, support, and hold others accountable.
YEAR 3 – DEVELOP LEADERS
Advance to managing student leaders. Mentor student managers, oversee their success, and strengthen your skills in organizational leadership and strategic planning.
YEAR 4 – LAUNCH YOUR CAREER
Join the Southwestern Graduate Program and transition into a full-time role within the Southwestern Family of Companies. Gain professional mentorship and put your leadership into practice at the next level.
-STAND OUT FROM THE CROWD-
Learn & Develop transferable communication skills to open
doors to future opportunities
NACE JOB OUTLOOK SURVEY — RESUME ATTRIBUTES
According to the National Association of Colleges & Employers (NACE) Job Outlook Survey, employers consistently rank skills like problem-solving, communication, and leadership as the most important qualities they look for in candidates. The Southwestern Advantage program is designed to strengthen these exact skills, giving participants a competitive edge that helps them stand out—not only when applying for jobs, but throughout their careers and beyond.
MONEY IS TEMPORARY—
EXPERIENCE AND SKILLS LAST A LIFETIME
Gain an experiential education—practical skills and real-world knowledge you won’t find in a classroom.
HOW ARE YOU SETTING YOURSELF APPART FROM YOUR PEERS?
Doing something different distinguishes you.
DEMONSTRATE UNIQUE EXPERIENCE & WORK ETHIC
MASTER ATTRIBUTES YOU MAY OTHERWISE NOT BE EXPOSED TO
-TRANSFERABLE COMMUNICATION SKILLS-
that you are gaining at Southwestern Advantage.
Let’s Get Specific...
VERBAL
expressing new ideas to thousands of families face-to-face
ACTIVE LISTENING
asking families questions that determine specific educational needs
IDEA EXPRESSION
explaining intangible benefits of products
FACILITATING GROUP DISCUSSION
leading meetings and training sessions
DEALING WITH DOUBT
helping both prospects and co-workers past hesitations or concerns
NEGOTIATING
finding mutually beneficial terms in a professional setting
PERCEIVING NONVERBAL SIGNALS
interpreting body language in a selling situation
EXPRESSING NONVERBAL SIGNALS
connecting with people using constructive body language
PERSUADING
successfully converting a stranger into a client within 30 minutes
EXTRACTING DETAILS
asking questions that get to the core of a prospect’s issue
PROBLEM SOLVING
independently thinking on your feet without the help of a supervisor
DEVELOPING RAPPORT
quickly building trust with a stranger
COOPERATION
achieving significant goals with people of different backgrounds & personalities
TEACHING
helping co-workers understand a new concept
DELEGATION
empowering a co-worker with new responsibility
COACHING
giving technical advice that directly improves a teammate’s performance
COLLABORATION
being involved in decisions that positively impact the growth of an organization
PLANNING AND RESEARCH
conceptualizing future needs and proactively offering solutions.
TO LIST JUST A FEW...
-CALLING ALL SELF-MOTIVATED INDIVIDUALS-
How much you make lies quarely on your shoulders
2025 average gross
income for Southwestern
Advantage participants:**
1st-time participant: $ 7,017.74
2nd–time participant*: $ 14,245.91
3rd–time participant*: $ 21,232.74
4th–time participant*: $ 22,141.92
5th–time (or more) participant*: $ 58,436.04
* reflects pers. profit & Management pay
Running a small business in college is not for everyone.
NEITHER IS STUDENT LOAN DEBT
Four year degrees now come with an average of nearly $30,000 in student loan debt.* Our program began in 1868 as a way for young people to afford a higher education.
The same opportunity exists today.
These are a few Southwestern Advantage participants who have recently graduated with zero student loan debt
-HOW THE MONEY WORKS-
What do I need to Sale to Make Money?
-DO YOU FEEL FIT FOR THE EXPERIENCE?-
Ask Yourself: why do students do well? Is this a good learning system?
Do you feel up to the challenge and run your own business with us?
BOOKS, WEBSITES & APPS
Designed to prepare kids for school in a fun way; Developing both classroom knowledge & life skills.
COMMON CHALLENGES
Parents get frustrated helping with homework; Methods have changed; ‘If you don’t use it, you lose it’; Web searches include unreliable sources
THE PRINCETONE REVIEW
is the #1 at getting students into top colleges; The College Entrance Advantage is based on the same methodologies used in Princeton Review classrooms
THE SOUTHWESTERN GLOBAL ACADEMY
is the world’s most comprehensive system of apps and websites dedicated to educating preschoolers through parents
TUTOR ON BOOKSHELF & COMPUTER
helping students to complete their assignments faster and with better grades.
DEMONSTRATION
Do you feel confident you are able to demonstrate these products to prospect families?
PRICE
What would be a fair price for these if you were to buy them for yourself or your family?
30
If you show these to 30 families per day, how many do you think will buy?
YES/NO
Do you feel you can handle the NOs and rejection? The YES provides the money but the NOs provide the experience!
ARE YOU QUALIFIED?
Hard Work: Schedule/Effort; Coachable; Independent; Self Starter; Fun & Positive Person
-WHAT IS EVERYONE’S FEELING ABOUT THESE-
Our Educational Ressources are designed to cover the full length
curriculum and are designed by a national board of teachers and tutors.
-WHAT'S NEXT?-
Here is a simplified step-by-step process that will lead you along a successful summer/career
01. THE SELECTION PROCESS
is a 10-day period to learn more about the programme by asking questions, researching company materials and speaking to people who have already participated. It also gives the manager the opportunity to learn about your qualities and suitability for the programme.
02. THE FINAL INTERVIEW
is the opportunity for the prospects to present and sell themselves on why they should be suitable for the programme as well as what top qualities they would bring to a top team. At this stage, a Parent Support Letter and 3 short essays will be due.
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03. J-1 VISA APPLICATION
Once selected the prospect is invited to apply to a J-1 Work & Travel Visa to be eligible to work in the USA through our partner Global Educational Concepts. Official paperwork required by the US Department of States and program fee will need to be arranged before being interviewed at the local US Embassy.
04. PRE SUMMER TRAINING
A successful summer requires some quality training including one-to-one meetings on campus with local managers, weekly team meetings with other future participants as well as occasional team building and training events. A full calendar of events is communicated in the fall.
05. SALES SCHOOL
The summer officially starts with Sales School, a 6-days intensive training where the participant will be taught the core success principles. This renowned training is some of the best a student can receive and many companies around the world pay thousands of dollars to have their top employees benefit from similar training
06. SALES AREA
Then, participants settle in to their Sales Area. They have the opportunity to shadow first hand a student manager to learn how to improve throughout the summer.
Daily calls with the management team are also scheduled.
07. SUNDAY MEETINGS
The entire team meet on Sundays, sometime with other teams in the area and get some great training and technical tips in order to adjust and improve their summer performance. These are followed in the afternoon by fun, cultural and relaxing activites to experience the USA from deep inside.
08. CHECK-IN
This is a key part of the summer internship experience. After completing their sales period (average of 14 wks), student participants return to Nashville, TN, to finalize their business records and receive their first paycheck for the summer’s work. This does not include residual payments, which are credited on a monthly basis..
09. THE MANAGEMENT PROGRAM
... was designed to help students develop skills in life. It is fully optimized when a participant is returning for several summers as a student manager. Thus, the dealer will be invited to attend further management training throughout the year with some fun and exciting events.
10. THE AWARDS EVENING
Once everyone have completed their summer internship and are back in their home country, participants are invited to attend the Awards Banquet with their family. The evening is a fun way to recognize each participants and their achievements from the summer.
11. THE SIZZLER TRIP
The top students of the program have the opportunity to qualify to a luxury trip to an exciting and sunny destination (former trips includes Mexico, Egypt, Morocco, Canary Islands) also know as Sizzler.
12. THE GREAT RECRUITERS GATEWAY
a.k.a. Sizzler’s Big Brother. GRG is a bonus option for the Management Team to qualify to the trip through the achievement of set requirements is a luxury location (Panama, Azores Island, Cuba, Columbia, Jamaica) with the attendance of the CEO or president of the company.
-BUILDING PEOPLE - BUILDING A BUSINESS-
Benefits from having Leadership Training at a young age
Spencer Hays, our late Executive Chairman, famously said, “You don’t build a business. You build people, and people build a business.” In their second year and beyond, Students learn in-depth how to lead their peers through the intense challenges and rewarding experiences that our program offers.
Student Leaders receive extensive and proven personal mentorship from someone who has “been there, and done that.” They are carefully selected, not only for their expertise, but for their dedication to helping young people develop the skills, and the character, they need to achieve
SPENCER HAYS
(1936-2017)
You can’t teach what you don’t know, and people won’t follow where you won’t go.
SELF-DISCIPLINE
Success in Leadership & Management requires to learn how to lead, manage and work effectively by yourself. The single most important quality of leadership is SELF DISCIPLINE. What students do right now at a young age is so important, regardless of what field they choose. For this reason, the management program witrh Southwestern creates the right path to a successful career.
A MOTIVATOR
The program has a 3-steps motivational course. In their first summer, students learn to motivate themselves by learning how to sale on a solid schedule. The second summer, they learn to lead and motivate a team while developing their own sales skills. Subsequent summers involve learning to motivate fellow leaders, run an organization and delegate responsabilities while pursuing their sales development.
-UNDERGRADUATE? START YOUR CAREER WITH US-
Become an employees, lead a sales organization and earn stock options, insurance and full benefits before graduation.
In my opinion, being a Sales Manager is the best transition from university to the real world. It is amazing to have so many friends all over the world and be able to travel so much. I love having a flexible schedule and being paid what I am worth. It is tough but extremely worth it.
EMIL
TSVETKOV
_______________
DISTRICT SALES
MANAGER
Being a Sales Manager gives you access to top personal and professional development training, along with true mentorship and support to grow your character. It is one of the most rewarding experiences for young professionals, offering the chance to grow while making a lasting impact on others.
VASIL
CHAKARDAKOV
_______________
DISTRICT SALES
MANAGER
-SOUTHWESTERN ADVANTAGE-
A Member of Southwestern Family of Companies
Sometimes an internship can create an opportunity at one company. Our program creates opportunities throughout an entire family of companies and a worldwide network of alumni. All students who perform well in our program are guaranteed interviews with our family member companies after graduation.
Southwestern Family of Companies—20+ companies serving businesses and consumers through financial services, consulting, real estate, fundraising, insurance, direct sales, executive placement, and more.
Southwestern Advantage is the founding company, providing America’s oldest entrepreneurial program for university students. Graduates of the program continue its growth and also provide an extraordinary talent source for other members of Southwestern Family of Companies.
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-BUSINESS INCUBATOR-
Helping Young People and Entrepreneurs
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Global Headquarter
2451 Atrium Way- Nashville TN 37214 USA
International Offices
10 Akademik Stefan Mladenov str, 1700 Sofia, Bulgaria
Veveri 9, Brno, 60200 Czech Republic
