Interning at a Startup
Many don’t realise it, but startups provide some of the best internship experiences out there, especially if you are an aspiring entrepreneur. The close proximity of colleagues, impact you can make on the team, and the exposure to multiple roles constitute a very conducive learning environment. On top of this, you will be able to experience life in a startup and learn about the different parts of the company and how they function. These will give you valuable insights not just into starting up your own company, but also into how different departments come together to form a company.
I came across the opportunity to intern at a startup from a talk I attended, and for two months I was an intern at The Startup Buddy, which is a startup dedicated to the success of other startups. While it was relatively short, my internship helped me learn much more than I would have anywhere else. I have learnt a myriad of lessons and skills from the experience I had, many of which are transferable to other areas of my life.
Here are some of my key takeaways from the internship:
Learning how a company operates
Startups are small, and this means being included in all the team meetings and discussions. For example, during Architecture Meetings (used to discuss the future direction of the web platform), everyone shares their ideas and votes on the features to be implemented. From debates on how the company should move forward to what features should be developed, I was always in the loop even though I was just an intern. Because of this, I was able to understand how companies functioned and how the tasks I had played a role in the bigger picture. This was really valuable for me because I now know what would be beneficial and relevant to a company, allowing me to evaluate the viability of ideas better.
In a startup, you are not just another intern, you are a Super Intern (even my email id says so)!
Working in a team better
Due to the size of the team and the diversity of tasks that have to be completed, we often have to take on multiple roles in the company. In my case, I had to write articles like the one you are reading and do data entry while also editing pictures and videos from events that I helped out in, among other things. This multitude of tasks meant that I had to be more effective in managing my tasks and time, as well as in my communication. I learnt along the way that I had to focus on one task at a time and be able to show others my progress for the tasks I had been assigned, especially when the task needs more than a day to be completed. This is so that my colleagues could know when I would be done and be able to plan accordingly. Because of what I learnt, I am able to contribute more to the team (in fact any team) compared to before I joined The Startup Buddy. I have learnt how to communicate better by giving more context to what I want to convey so that my team members can understand me better.
Confidence in starting up
My reason for joining The Startup Buddy as an intern was to gain knowledge and exposure because I want to be an entrepreneur in the future. In the two months that I spent interning at The Startup Buddy, I have learnt more about startups than I had in the one year I spent going for events and talks. I have gained insights into the challenges that a startup faces as well as the solutions to those challenges. For example, when to get funding, where to get resources, how to generate leads, et cetera. I was able to learn about the intricacies of how a startup functions on a day to day basis, platforms that I can use to make the workflow and how to make Customer Relations Management (CRM) more efficient, as well as the many steps a startup needs to take to grow. I am really thankful for the opportunity to experience all these first-hand and I am now more confident and aware of how to handle and grow a startup.
Overall, I really enjoyed the time I spent interning at The Startup Buddy. I am very thankful for the truly enriching experience I had and the strong friendships I was able to forge. While I had to face multiple challenges along the way, the team was always more than willing to help in whatever way they could. There were times when I was assigned tasks that I had only an inkling on how to complete and also times when I felt like I was not as productive as I should have been, but my colleagues were always there to guide me through it. Apart from the knowledge and skills that I gained, my experience in The Startup Buddy has taught me more about my strengths and weaknesses and to always ask questions, not just when in doubt.
When the time has come to look for internships, keep an eye out for opportunities to intern at a startup too! If you remember to always keep an open mind, be nice, and always ask questions, I am sure you will have a fulfilling and enriching internship experience as I had. Interested in interning at a startup? Look here to find out more!
The Startup Buddy is SEA’s founder friendly Startup accelerator. We provide step-by-step guidance through specially designed missions, mentors from around the world and curated content to help you with your Startup journey! Find out more at The Startup Buddy!
