Learning Business Beyond the Classroom: My Third Year with Soleni Shoes

This year marked my third year completing my externship with Soleni Shoes, a local, woman-run company that I have truly enjoyed working with. Each year has brought new experiences and opportunities to learn more about what it takes to operate a small business. One of the most amazing parts of this experience has been developing a continued relationship with Soleni Shoes and being able to work with the company throughout the year, rather than having my learning limited to just my externship experience. Because of this ongoing relationship, I have been able to see the company grow, face new challenges, and make decisions about its future.

This year, I was involved in a variety of areas, including marketing, merchandising, order fulfillment, and inventory management. One of the most rewarding parts of the experience was creating marketing content and then seeing that work translate into actual purchases. Watching customers respond to the marketing I created gave me a much better understanding of the connection between marketing efforts and business results. It was exciting to see something I had developed have a direct impact on the company.

Another memorable experience this year was helping Soleni Shoes run a booth and creating a sponsor table for an event where the owner and CEO, Lindsey Carmichael, was honored as a leading entrepreneur. Being part of this experience allowed me to see another side of business—the importance of networking, community involvement, branding, and celebrating entrepreneurial success. It was especially meaningful to be able to support Lindsey and Soleni Shoes in an event that recognized the work she has put into building her company.

I also gained a deeper understanding of the challenges that small businesses face. One area that stood out to me this year was learning about the impact that recent tariffs have had on Soleni Shoes. Being able to discuss how tariffs affect costs, merchandise, pricing, and the future of the company gave me a perspective that is difficult to fully understand from a textbook. We were able to talk about the decisions the company may need to make moving forward and how a small business has to continually evaluate its options and be willing to pivot when circumstances change.

This experience has strengthened my career knowledge in several ways. I have a better understanding of the day-to-day operations of a small business and how interconnected different business functions are. Marketing, inventory, merchandising, customer orders, and financial decisions are not separate areas; they all influence one another. I also gained a greater appreciation for the importance of problem-solving and flexibility. Businesses cannot always control outside factors, such as tariffs or changes in consumer behavior, but they can control how they respond to those challenges.

My externship has also influenced my teaching style. I am reminded that students learn best when they can see how the concepts we discuss in the classroom connect to situations that businesses are actually facing. My experiences with Soleni Shoes give me real-world examples that I can bring back to my students when teaching about goods and services, marketing, problem-solving, decision-making, and the need to pivot when circumstances change.

I especially want my students to understand that business is not always about following a set plan. Successful businesses have to observe what is happening around them, identify problems, consider their options, and make adjustments. My experience with Soleni Shoes has given me another real-world example of why adaptability and problem-solving are such important business skills.

After three years, I am especially grateful for the continued relationship I have built with Soleni Shoes. Working with a local, woman-run company has allowed me to see entrepreneurship and small-business ownership up close, while also giving me opportunities to contribute in meaningful ways. Each year I continue to learn something new, and the ongoing relationship has allowed me to see how classroom concepts play out over time in a real business.

Most importantly, this experience reminds me why real-world learning is so valuable. I can take what I have learned from Soleni Shoes directly back into my classroom and help my students understand that the skills they are learning: communication, marketing, problem-solving, adaptability, and decision-making, are skills they will use in the real world. My third year with Soleni Shoes has strengthened not only my knowledge of business, but also my ability to teach those concepts in a way that feels authentic, relevant, and connected to the world beyond the classroom.