Nathan Fountain
Represented East Central University in 2022 & 2023 Love’s Entrepreneur’s Cup
2022 Small Business Undergraduate category winner & 2023 Finalist
Currently a business-to-business sales representative for Love’s Travel Stops, presenting sponsor for the Entrepreneur’s Cup
What was your winning Entrepreneur’s Cup idea and how have you pursued it since?
My winning Entrepreneur’s Cup idea was a fundraising platform that utilized the customizable traits of soap such as shape, color, and scent to provide a unique solution to youth organizations.
I currently use my idea to help the Boy Scouts in my troop fundraise to cover expenses related to the program.
How did your experience from the Entrepreneur’s Cup shape your future goals in the business world?
The Entrepreneur’s Cup has completely shaped my future goals in the business world and was almost entirely responsible for placing me in my current role. I had always known of Love’s, but I was first exposed to my current employer when the Chief Culture Officer of Love’s, Jenny Love-Meyer, spoke about the entrepreneurial spirit that formed the company. Upon graduation I was hired as a business-to-business sales representative for Love’s Travel Stops and Country Stores. Although the position I was hired into required sales experience, which I lacked as a fresh college graduate, the hiring team took a chance on me due to my past success in the Entrepreneur’s Cup (then Love’s Cup). Without the Entrepreneur’s Cup I would not have been inspired to join the company I work for today or have had the experience to be hired.
What skills did you take from the competition that impact your work today?
I am a business-to-business sales representative for Love’s Travel Stops and Country stores where I Initiate first contact with business owners and C-
level employees to sell Love’s Truck Stops business solutions such as fuel, maintenance, legal, and financial solutions via prospecting, cold calling, presentations, and product demonstrations.
The Entrepreneur’s Cup has been instrumental in my current role as everything I learned during the competition is applicable to success in a sales role. Every day I pitch Love’s products to C-suite executives and business owners just like I was pitching my product during the Entrepreneur’s Cup. Being able to empathize with business owners has helped me build strong presentations and come up with effective solutions for my clients. In short, the Entrepreneur’s Cup is an essential experience for both veteran and aspiring sales representatives.
