Evan McVay’s Fast-Track from Intern to BDR
Evan McVay, a 2025 graduate and former football player from John Carroll University, recently joined OneThirtyFive as a Business Development Representative (BDR), making him the first intern promoted into the role. What started as a referral from a friend quickly became a full-time offer coming out of college. “From day one”, Evan recalls, “I was treated as a BDR, not just an intern”. After just a few days of training and onboarding, Evan was thrown into the deep end alongside the rest of the sales team. He began making cold calls for multiple clients and seeing what it takes to thrive in a high-performance environment, all of which he took head on. He was even invited to join the team on their first annual January retreat in Miami only a few weeks after beginning the internship.
In our CEO Kevin DeFranco’s words, “As an ex-college athlete, I know the work ethic and perseverance needed to thrive as a student athlete just as Evan did at JCU. It was a no-brainer to offer him a full-time role after college knowing that, and seeing the same grind and determination to succeed in our office as an intern. As a small startup, our culture is key and he’s the exact type of individual I want to grow OneThirtyFive around, leading by example while also professionally representing our clients.”
Adaptability was key in Evan’s transition from intern to full-time BDR. In terms of his schedule, he had to switch from working 2 days a week to working a full 40-hour week. But the promotion wasn’t just about clocking more hours; it came with a mindset shift. Being a full-time BDR comes with more responsibilities, such as taking on one client by yourself. This shift requires time-management, persistence, and meeting higher expectations. Evan learned to handle rejection more frequently which became easier as his call list went from hundreds of calls a week to thousands. Nevertheless, he stayed motivated everyday and has become a top-performing BDR at the company who is highly respected by his colleagues.
Throughout his journey from intern to BDR, Evan constantly embraced the opportunities and learning experiences that came his way. As someone who was able to take advantage and excel at OneThirtyFive like he did, Evan has some words of wisdom for future interns and BDRs at the company. He says to “stay competitive, know your clients inside and out, and stay motivated”. His story is a testament to the rewards that may come your way if you choose to put in the effort at this company. At OneThirtyFive, it’s not just about internships that last a few months, it’s about building future sales leaders.
Are you interested in jumpstarting your career in sales as a Business Development Rep? Check out our careers page here: https://onethirtyfive.com/careers
