UNM Anderson Students Dominate in World's Largest Sales Competition
Students from the University of New Mexico’s Anderson School of Management nearly swept the virtual RNMRKS (pronounced “Rainmakers”) international role-play sales competition held April 10-11. Adrian Villegas, Michael Whitford, and Ana Gutierrez claimed the top three spots, while Evan Bergman, Charles Steinkamp, Noah Gallegos, and Jayce McCloud secured 4th through 7th. Theo Smith and Brandy Hale rounded out the top ten in 9th and 10th place.
The RNMKRS competition is the world’s largest of its kind, drawing 376 students from 38 universities, with 81 of those students representing UNM. Villegas, Whitford, and Gutierrez distinguished themselves by finishing in the top three, contributing to an impressive overall showing for UNM. The school claimed 41 of the Top 50 spots, 19 of the Top 20, 9 of the Top 10, and 5 of the Top 5.
The competition is scored on a 10,000-point scale, with participants being judged on five core selling steps: introduction, discovery, presentation, objections and concerns, and closing. UNM students earned an average score of 9,074, which was 191 points higher than their practice average. As a group, they completed 8,483 practice simulations, averaging 104 practice plays each.
“Don’t underestimate the power of preparation,” said Adrian Villegas, the first-place winner. “I’d say go for 150 practice rounds. Do it to the point that when competition day comes, you’re not nervous, you know you have what it takes to succeed.”
RNMKRS offers students invaluable real-time practice in essential sales skills. Using a simulation-based app, students interact with an AI customer bot, Alex Taylor, which guides them through each selling step and provides instant feedback for improvement.
“The students’ performances were amazing,” said Dimitri Kapelianis, associate professor of marketing and faculty leading the Anderson sales program. “It speaks to their grit and work ethic that they put in so many practice rounds before the competition. Then on competition day, they totally dominated. These results are a testament to the incredible sales talent we have, I couldn’t be prouder of all my students.”
"A rich student experience outside of the classroom is a key component of our school's strategic plan, and competitions are one way we can support this experience and foster student growth and excellence," said Alina Chircu, Dean of the Anderson School of Management, "This excellent achievement not only highlights the wealth of student talent at Anderson, but also plays a vital role in shaping the student's career readiness and personal development."
Learn more about the Anderson Center for Sales & Business Development
