Stor-Mor Interns Log More Than 13,000 Miles to Meet with Dealers, Partners, and Customers
Our “Interns on the Interstate” have flown halfway across the country and driven over 13,000 miles visiting 20 states and 73 locations over the summer with the goal of gathering marketing content and interviewing Stor-Mor dealers, partners, and customers along the way.
Now the tables have turned, and we sat down with MattiClaire Wheeler and Avery Edge to ask them about their experience participating in Stor-Mor’s second annual “Interns on the Interstate” project.
What drew you to apply to be an ‘Intern on the Interstate’ with Stor-Mor?
WHEELER: As a marketing major, I was looking for something within the industry, but I really wanted to maximize the summer and do something unique and fun. This opportunity really caught my attention. I had been praying for something that felt like “this is what you should do.” And that is definitely what I got!
When I saw the opportunity, I could not wait to apply and asked Avery if she would join me.
EDGE: She called me and asked if I wanted to apply for the internship with her, and I thought, “Yeah, why not? Jump in … I like a good adventure.”
What have you learned about yourselves along the way?
EDGE: I learned a lot about areas in my life I can improve. It also helped me in my path of “life after college.” It has made me question the path I was previously on, which is a good thing.
More than anything, this summer gave me my first real-life experience in the world of marketing and really helped me break out of my comfort zone.
WHEELER: There are no words to describe how much I learned about myself this summer. I grew up traveling with my parents, but when you’re responsible for planning it all, you learn a lot about yourself and what you want for your future.
What did you experience through this internship that will stick with you?
WHEELER: I had a lot of memorable experiences, from meeting shop owners, builders, roofers, dealers, salespeople, drivers, and customers in such a short period of time. It really gave me an entirely new perspective of what business is all about.
To sum it up, I got to experience the community that Stor-Mor has built. How welcoming they are, from the employees at Stor-Mor’s headquarters to the dealers across the country. I remember a new dealer sharing with me how thankful she was that the team at headquarters gave her one-on-one attention—almost holding their hand as they were first getting started.
It’s hard to do that when you’re 200 or even 1,000 miles away, and there are so many individuals to cater to, but from everything I witnessed, Stor-Mor has been great to their dealers, no matter how far—with clear communication and assistance along the way.
EDGE: Stor-Mor is one big family. I witnessed this firsthand after the recent floods in the Texas Hill Country. People were checking in on one another, and everyone was available to those in need. It seems to be a tight-knit community where folks look out for each other.
WHEELER: One individual who really stuck out to me was Jose, who works at the shop in Conetoe, North Carolina. He was a jack of all trades and has worked for the company for seven years, doing everything from sales, framing, roofing, painting, etc.
When I asked him about what challenges he faced, his response was, “None, we don’t really have challenges. We just have something new every day, and that isn’t something to be afraid of.” I’m sure there are many challenges they face, but he didn’t think about it with a negative connotation.
EDGE: For me, it was Rose, a dealer in Weston, Ohio. Rose and I talked for hours, and she showed me that you don’t have to settle for one job or career; you can pivot, make changes, and create the life you really want.
WHEELER: I want to say thank you to everyone we met. Everybody was welcoming and helpful. It has truly been a great experience. Even though we were just interns, no one made us feel like we were at the bottom of the haystack. No one feels like they’re at the bottom of the haystack with Stor-Mor.
