A summer of development, insight and a whole lot of creativity.
By Ingrid Bodeen
When I first chose to join Talk2U I was excited but also nervous about what I was getting myself into. It’s now safe to say that 3 months and two remote re-locations later (I went from being in California to Washington DC) I’m going to miss my Talk2U family immensely.
Being an aspiring b-corp startup, Talk2U, like so many similar companies, is redefining what it means to be a for profit organization, showing us that having an overarching goal to create positive social impact isn’t just limited to non-profits. This was particularly important to me because for so long I’ve had this adamant belief that the only way to ‘do good’ in the field of international affairs was to, 1. Work for the government or 2. Work for a non-profit. The progressive and innovative energy amongst this team combined with the startup’s true desire to positively impact our global community made this internship so valuable.
As an intern, there can be a tendency amongst all in my position to feel ‘less than’ the real members of the team. However, not only was I treated like an important equal to all other staff but I was encouraged to actively participate in different aspects of the organization. I conducted market research, developed a new external communication strategy, revamped Talk2u’s online presence and even helped out with diverse work regarding the development of a new project on sex education.
I was constantly challenged to further develop skills I already had while also obtaining new ones along the way. There were times where what I was doing was challenging and I had to push myself but I wouldn’t have had it any other way.
At Talk2U there’s a culture of letting the work speak for itself, a sense of moving beyond self promotion and instead focus on promoting the objectives, causes and outcomes of what they stand for. There’s a very thin line between an organization’s choice to self promote or truly just focusing on promoting the outcomes of what they’re doing and Talk2u has found that line.
Working in this team I learned what the power of passion, creativity and innovation can do for you in the workplace. Lu, who serves as the Chief Experience Officer, is out of everyone who I worked the most closely with. During her time as my supervisor, she inspired me in so many ways as I journey into figuring out my own career path.
Lu’s adamance on having a social purpose and passion in her professional career is something that you can see in all the work that she does. “If it’s not going to change someone’s life, I’m not going to do it” is what she said to me during an interview I was able to conduct with her. Not only has she inspired me to pursue a career in social impact but has also taught me the importance of a work-life balance and finding happiness in your job.
One of Lu’s favorite quotes in life is “Jump, and the net will appear.” She essentially summarized the meaning as how even at times when you feel like taking a leap of faith or following your heart will leave you with the lack of security, whether that be job or money related, if you are constantly assessing, learning and evolving while you’re “jumping” everything will align in place, even when you don’t initially see it.
I’ve developed a deep appreciation of the whole Talk2U team’s full engagement and innovative attitude towards everything that they do and Lu’s work style is a great embodiment of that. Now I know that the greatest thing you can give to yourself professionally is to find purpose in whatever you’re doing. Part of valuing your time and work as an intern is maximising what you can do for them as much as what they can do for you. Never be afraid to ask for more or less work whenever you think it’s necessary. You ARE valuable and no one would have hired you if you weren’t. With that being said, TREAT yourself as valuable and always take pride in the service you provide — even as an intern.
