I wanted to start out by thanking everyone who helped me make this experience happen. I couldn’t have done this without the support and trust of friends, family, advisors, and supervisors. I spent this summer interning with the company Green Little Heart. This is a sustainable marketplace that sells ethically sourced and sustainably produced goods such as clothes, skincare, makeup, etc. I worked as their business development intern and focused on marketing, brand research, and content creation.  

Going into this experience I was very excited but also a little nervous because I was unsure of what to expect. I had very little knowledge of marketing strategies and planning going into this position but quickly learned along the way. My supervisors and former interns guided me through creating and formatting posts and newsletters. I also got to learn about tools that helped track consumer behavior such as Google Analytics. One area I really wanted to focus on was researching brands to work with and checking to see if they met the store’s sustainability criteria. I was able to learn more about the standards they hold for their brands and how they decided on brand partnerships. I was also able to conduct my own brand-to-brand connections and strengthen my professional writing tone.

One of my favorite parts of the internship was helping with the fashion show and creating content. The first week of my internship coincided with Stockholm Fashion Week and they were hosting their first show. I was able to help prep the clothing and learn more about the designers. I felt really inspired seeing the show because it was a regenerative runway meaning all the clothes were made from sustainably sourced materials or made from recycled textiles. I want to pursue a career in sustainable fashion, and it was fun seeing how designers reworked different textiles to make unique pieces.

I also loved creating content for the company such as social media posts and the weekly newsletters. These tasks allowed me to be creative and helped to strengthen my confidence in the workplace. My supervisor let me take the lead on most of my tasks and would help me revise once I had a solid draft done which made me more comfortable with making decisions and trusting my judgement. I think this will help me moving forward during projects and presentations, both academically and professional. I think being able to trust myself in a professional setting showed me I can do the same in other situations.

By the end of this summer, I experienced significant personal and professional growth. Living in another country for two months strengthened my sense of independence in so many ways. I got comfortable navigating in another place, in another language, and became comfortable with different social norms. I was able to learn different styles of professional communication especially when it comes to working for a smaller company. I learned to take initiative and have stronger self-direction during projects. I met different types of people throughout my time there and it was nice being able to connect with people from so many different walks of life.

My biggest takeaway from my program was to always be open. I feel like the whole experience was uncertain in the best way possible and the only way I could prepare myself to take it on was to be open to what the experience had to offer. Going in with the mindset of having flexibility throughout helped me to feel excited with whatever happened. It also helped me facing professional challenges and workplace dynamics. I feel like this mindset is something I will take with me back to school and in my future career. Flexibility is one of the best skills I strengthened here because being able to think on my feet and pivot when needed will prepare me for future experiences.

Overall, I had such an unforgettable time interning in Sweden for the summer. This experience helped me grow tremendously, both professionally and personally. I am looking forward to using the knowledge and skills gained during this internship in my future pursuits.