I am interning at a company called Visuo, located in Sydney. I began working with the company at a very interesting time. Visuo is a start-up AI marketing tech firm that recently changed direction in industry. Initially, the company was set to focus on American universities and use its technology to better reach future students. Now, However, Visuo has me and another team member looking into how to break into the U.S. political market. With the recent democratic loss in the 2024 presidential election, Visuo aims to sell its technology as a way to better reach democrats and motivate them to vote. The firm is currently seeking partnerships with other political consulting firms in the U.S. and wants to build a name for itself before the midterms and the next round of primaries. One skill I am going to need to rely on and build is my ability to conduct valuable research, specifically on networking and persuasive speaking. Since I was born in the U.S., my supervisor is going to use my knowledge of the political environment and campaigns as a tool to find new and creative ways to break into the market. While I am primarily working on research now, I will still be sitting on calls with potential partners and, eventually, may talk to possible clients myself.
My number one Clifton Strength is context, which fits very well for research and analyzing what happened over the past elections. A large part of context is the ability to understand patterns in the past and use the findings to improve current strategies. I have done a lot of investigation so far into why the Democrats lost the recent election and the many areas they could have improved their advertising. Being able to determine these areas allows Visuo to see precisely how to sell itself and where to begin entering the field.
The work culture here in Australia is very different. The language used, and directions given are much more casual and laid back. One thing that I have noticed is that as an intern, I get a lot of leeway and trust. My schedule has mostly been at my own discretion. I get to determine what research I do and the different directions to go down; then, I share my findings with my co-workers in the U.S. every Friday. I personally enjoy the freedom I have been given and believe it gives me a lot more room to be creative. I am excited to see how my internship progresses and the places Visuo will go in the future.