Logging On (Intern Edition)
My internship at Agile Rainmakers was exhilarating, scary, and in the end, refreshing – much like the big splash at the end of a log ride on a hot summer day. But a lot happens before reaching the final drop at the end. Let me tell you about it.
The Ride
Unlike the standard summer internship that most interns apply for at Agile Rainmakers, in October 2023 I applied for a fall internship position as Rob’s executive assistant. No client projects. No intern colleagues. And, if my internship went well, it could transform into a full-time position.
That was when I learned the valuable lesson of picking the right people to surround yourself with. I was excited to be working directly alongside the CEO of a business consulting firm. I had the chance to learn from someone with over 20+ years of experience in business. As a young professional, I immediately recognized how important it was to be around people you could learn valuable skills from, right?
This arrangement was a first for me and Rob. We were pioneering something new at Agile Rainmakers. We had stepped into the proverbial log and began the ride.
The Ascent
After my training and settling in with the company, I was tasked with my first project – selling How To Intern Successfully. We had taken our first sharp turn, water sloshing on the side of the log. I was excited to get away from emails and calendars to try my hand at sales. The problem: I had no experience selling books. What ensued was an intense month of researching strategies to get the word out about the book followed by disappointing result after disappointing result.
Here, I learned the importance of persevering despite failure. Rob coached me through the disappointment and encouraged me to keep trying even though we were not getting the results we hoped for. While I was fearful of losing my job, Rob reassured me that everything was going according to plan.
After numerous attempts, we found something that could work. Giving away books. That’s right. Our plan to sell more books was to give them away. We thought that by hosting a giveaway on Goodreads, a platform with over 150 million users, it would get the word out about the book. And it did! But the success was mild. We had reached the first drop on the ride. You know, the one that fakes you out. We thought we reached the end, but it was far from over
“Smile for the photo!”
I wish I could say that the idea for the @internvsmanager page came to me in a dream. It didn’t. I was walking in the Loop and thought to myself, “Wouldn’t it be hilarious if Rob and I filmed ourselves jumping into Lake Michigan in the middle of winter?” Then it clicked. A manager and intern comedy duo featuring Hector and Rob. Now, put yourself in my shoes. How would you convince your manager that becoming a small-time internet celebrity could lead to sales? You go viral.
The final lesson I took away from my internship was that it takes ambition to be successful. We put so much into the page to grow it to where it is today. We put ourselves out there for the world to see. I learned how to master video editing, and Rob learned how to deliver his lines (haha just joking). In all seriousness, our success on Instagram – over 60,000 followers within months – was the big splash at the end of the ride that leaves you feeling so happy you got in line. Now as the log ride ends I get to take my new skills to my next career goal of being a lawyer.
-H.B.
Here's to you and your awesome future.
Until then, keep your feet on the board and keep riding your wave!
Robert J. Khoury
CEO Agile Rainmakers