While working for Best Practice Energy I had the privilege of working with multiple people, on various projects. I was responsible for breaking down four different Pennsylvania utility lists, in search of companies who met a certain threshold of energy consumption. I entered the qualified companies into Salesforce, along with the contact information of potential decision makers in the firm. This process created a rich pipeline of prospects with which our salespeople could schedule meetings and make deals. Another common task I had, was to create budgets for the companies we serviced. I would organize their gas and electric usage and spending data into interactive spreadsheets, as well as into a more polished form to present to clients. The budgets included a summary of the prior year’s activity, while also forecasting charges for the next fiscal year.
While keeping busy with the standard day to day tasks, there was one project which stood out as the most rewarding. Working with two other colleagues, we were able to set up a company golf outing. The lack of face to face company interaction due to the pandemic, paired with fantastic weather, and a great venue, made up an ideal recipe for team bonding. Seeing my coworkers interact, and hearing them reminisce over past memories really affirmed the sense of community I had felt throughout my time in the office.
In my work creating budgets for clients, I was able to leverage some of the skills I acquired at the University of Richmond. I was able to quickly expand .txt files, groom data, and form effective pivot tables and combo charts. Through my previous experiences in marketing and entrepreneurship courses, I was able to create visuals that were both pleasing to the eye, and represented the main data points.
Prior to the internship starting, I had assumed that Best Practice Energy was a firm mainly focused in the renewable energy field. While BPE is in the process of firming up their position in the renewable market with a focus in solar, the company expands into much more. BPE focuses in the deregulated energy markets primarily in the New England area. The main service provided is energy procurement for larger businesses such as manufacturers and universities. With the deregulated energy markets, BPE is able to purchase electricity and gas directly from the suppliers for their clients. The promise is to save clients money through a hedging strategy and peak curtailment. Our company also can implement efficiency measure for certain clients that will allow them to lessen capacity and usage costs.
For those who seek to take advantage of the Spider Internship Fund in the future, I’d recommend going into a field you may not know much about, but have a passion for. I had always had an underlying passion for science and the energy field, and although I walked into the office not having the same years of experience as my colleagues, I found that I was eager to learn. Another huge piece that shaped my experience was spending time with coworkers outside of the office. I was able to create relationships that catalyzed a more enjoyable and productive work environment.
To those who contributed to the Spider Internship Fund,
I cannot express how deeply grateful I am to have been afforded a summer that was rich with such unique experiences. Not only did I learn a substantial amount through working for BPE, I got to explore an area of the country to which I had never been. Through the funding, I was able to rent an apartment through Airbnb in North Kingstown, Rhode Island, which was only a 15 minute commute to get into the office. Because of my central location, I was able to spend some quality time in Newport, Jamestown, and the historic Watch Hill, Rhode Island. I included some sunset photos from my evening runs at Beaver Tail State Park in Jamestown. Being able to spend the peak summer months in an area with distinct culture and beauty fostered memories that I will forever cherish.
I was fortunate enough to be asked to work further with BPE even after the completion of University funding. My plan is to work about 10 hours a week throughout the school year on whatever projects they have for me. Without receiving the initial funding, I don’t know whether I would have gotten the opportunity to work with them to begin with.
All the best,
Kyle Gilroy