Interning at a Health and Wellness Startup
This past summer, COVID really put a damper on my plans. I was supposed to study abroad for six weeks in Rome, and I couldn’t have been more excited. As Covid started spreading and we were all sent home mid-March, my lifelong dream to go abroad was dashed, just like that. I was really disappointed and sad, and continue to be. Originally, I was going to complete my internship credit in Rome, so additional pressure was placed on me when I learned that I would have to find an internship on my own, especially considering the context. I was stuck at home taking two classes, and applied to many internships through Handshake and Linkedin. I wasn’t too hopeful, but in mid-August I received an email from the founder of a health and wellness startup internship I had applied to. An interview was arranged, and I ended up starting in early September as a Social Media Marketing intern!
Though the company is based in West Chester, I was able to work remotely. I started out working on one of the products, a fitness app called Fit4Friends™. I worked with other interns on building the social media from the ground up, and I created several blogs that were both informative and engaging. I made graphics for the social media and paid careful attention in creating a cohesive brand identity. Soon I started working on the other product team as well, which is called The Purple Bug™. This is a UV-C light powered device that safely sanitizes your car. There are two versions: a consumer version and a rideshare version, which comes with an app for more user control.
It was particularly interesting to be a part of both teams, because I got to see how each product was different and how marketing is completely tailored around the product. I enjoyed the fact that this internship was collaborative, and it taught me how to be an even better communicator, especially since it was all remote. I think that it was beneficial for me to intern at a startup, and there is something special about laying the foundation for a company. It’s all about seeing what works, and what doesn’t!
Though there are definitely benefits to working at a larger, established company, I am glad that I was able to work at a startup. It is nice to feel valued and know that you have a significant impact on the marketing efforts. I’m not sure if I would want to do social media as a full time job, mainly because it seems to lack a certain level of creativity that I need. I see myself at an agency working on different accounts, but I still learned skills that will transfer over to any position.
Overall, I am happy that I was able to secure an internship in the midst of a very unstable world, and I look forward to seeing how I can apply the things I learned to other positions moving forward.
