The Green House Sales and Marketing agency began in the fall of 2022 when program founder Professor David Przybyla wished to expand the reach of experiences that his capstone class offered. In this class, students would work on small projects for clients to give them real-world experience, but he wished to expand this concept. That’s where Green House comes in, a full-service sales and marketing agency run by students and mentored by field specialists to help give students a running start with their careers.
To help understand what exactly that means, The Review sat down with Alec Gallego, the newly appointed director at Green House. A UVU alumni and previous consultant to the organization, Gallego explained what exactly students can expect working for them as an intern.
“Our business model is to lose students,” Gallego stated during the interview. Explaining that students aren’t expected to stay forever, whether they graduate or move on to other opportunities, students come to Green House for a “unique and rewarding experience,” where they can expand on skills taught in their classes and interact with real clients from local businesses.
And it’s not just for business and marketing students. Although Gallego does make it clear they tend to have stronger applications, students can also be hired to help with filmography or blog writing. The organization has close ties to classes within the university where students will be brought in to work and earn credits toward their class. Such classes are MKTG 3170: Digital Advertising, MKTG 3650: Professional Selling, MKTG 3660: Digital Marketing, and MKTG 3685: Content Marketing.
Besides these classes, students who are hired at Green House working at an hourly rate are given small projects and “micro training” that help them develop their skills as necessary. During this period, students will also get mentoring from industry professionals bi-weekly to guide them on client projects. These often are local “Ma and Pa shops,” according to Gallego, but on occasion, they have dealt with clients across state lines. Green House helps businesses start or increase their online presence by aiding in SEO services, social media, and various other projects.
Gallego was excited to share what he could offer students, stating multiple times throughout the interview the skills and expectations that they are trying to cultivate. One such skill students will develop is in leadership a role they could assume is as a project manager where they’ll lead other students in projects throughout a semester. Students can also satisfy any internship credit requirements for their degree.
“We were trying to build the boat while rowing down the river,” Gallego said when discussing the initial struggle of getting the program running. Green House hit the ground running by building its in-house programs and supporting students throughout its founding. But, as Gallego put it, “Przy[byla] genuinely wanted this for students.” Since then, their reach has expanded, hosting twenty-five student employees and clients across Utah with expectations for that number to grow. Gallegos closed the interview with an “open invitation to students across the university” and thanks to David Przybyla who made it possible.
For more information about Green House Sales and Marketing visit their website, stop by their office, or view their YouTube page.
