Oh, hey there. It’s me again. You remember, right? It’s Sam tuning in from your dynamic intern duo, here to share my final thoughts before I head out the door! I’ve had the pleasure of spending Summer 2017 with a small but talented team. I found a home at Hot Soup and Envol – although I’m still waiting on receiving my free bowl of soup. False advertising? I think so.
Enough chit chat – top 3 time!
Like I said, I’ve spent 4 incredible months here. So when I was asked to highlight my top 3 ultimate moments… well let’s just say it was more difficult than you’d think! I mean, where do I even begin? Maybe getting free donuts and playing with puppies? Or maybe the unlimited stock of snacks in the cupboard and taco parties? Okay Sam, focus.
1. Working Remotely
Upon first glance, ‘working remotely’ is pretty self-explanatory. I’m able to take my laptop and do work from the comfort of my bed if I’m feeling sick, or head to a coffee shop if I need a change of scenery. And while that’s the main premise of my first top 3 favourite things, it stems a little deeper. Because while I love having the option of working out of the office, I’d much rather spend time with the team and collaborate face to face. So really, the term “remotely” refers to my ability to transport from place to place around the office. You can find me perched on the couch by the window, at the standing desk near the TV, or in the waiting area (yes, more couches).
In a way, I’ve made this office my very own living room. And it’s not everyday you can say your work feels like a second home.
2. CEO Interactions
When you think of a CEO, you basically think of a stern, three-piece suit. At least that’s what I thought. And while our CEO, Hussein, can be stern when necessary, he’s certainly a character of his own. My first impressions were as follows:
-Soft-spoken
-Can’t really see if he’s talking because his beard covers his mouth
-Why is he ordering a PB&J sandwich at the Terminal Club?
And since then, he’s only gotten more… quirky. We exchange blank stares across the office daily, the only words out of his mouth are sarcastic, and I feed him as much sass as possible. In fact, just now he was sending snide glares my way, only for me to walk by and hear him say, “Why aren’t you playing Scrabble?” Yes, that’s correct. There’s a never-ending Scrabble board on the counter. And no one plays with him.
To top it all off, he likes to think I can do anything. Which in some minds may seem supportive. But in reality: picture me trying to put together a studio light with my non-existent upper body strength.
Update, I gave up after 20 minutes.
3. Personal Growth
I started this internship knowing nothing. Seriously, nothing. All I knew for sure was: I had no idea what I wanted to do with my life. Before this, I hadn’t been exposed to any real-life marketing scene, and I was basically a fish out of water. At the beginning, I treaded lightly. But not too long after, I dove right in – head first.
This job has exposed me to social media content creation, event planning, research, digital marketing strategies, and more! It has shown me both my strengths and my weaknesses. I get work on the things I love, all the while learning new (awesome) things.
Take all the Meet the Team blogs, for example. Those were some of my favourite pieces. Nothing gives me more joy than turning a personality into words; and most importantly, sharing those personalities with you! And in my unbiased opinion, I think I’ve gotten pretty darn good at it.
Then there’s photography. Guys. I got to spend an afternoon walking around downtown photographing design inspiration. Then I had the opportunity to attend a photoshoot campaign meeting and see the process of creating ad content. How COOL?!
Answer: SO COOL!
Sam signing out!
Phew, I did it. I narrowed down my top 3 ultimate, favourite, best things about my time at Hot Soup. Time has flown by so fast, and I’m eternally grateful for every second of it. I feel like I have a one-up on anyone who didn’t get this opportunity – and I can’t wait for next year’s interns to feel the same.
That’s all from me, at least for now. Who knows, I might be back 😉