Hi! for those of you who do not know me, my name is Alex and I am a new intern at Bamboo Skateboards. I found out about this internship through the Malakye website. I chose to apply to this internship because of the hands on experience that I thought that would be received. I also chose to apply to this internship because it is a eco- friendly company. At the time I applied for the internship, I had just gotten back from espana and was looking for an internship that was near San Diego that I could do while I was finishing up my last two undergraduate classes! (what what!!!) So I applied and interviewed and bada-bing bada-boom I was hired! Anyway so we just finished our first week of the internship and I am not going to lie I am FREAKED out especially since one intern already dropped out.. yikes! and I am the ONLY girl in the program!! Besides Amy, but she’s not local, so I am pretty much the only girl working with the boys…intimidating much? But the guys in the internship are super cool! After this first week I feel like I am starting to understand what is expected of me for the internship which is good! Here are some major things that I have learned so far are…. 1) this internship is designed to kick your butt 2) the intern cave is pretty much a cave 3) G-e-o-f-f is a another way of spelling Jeff…. thought it was pronounced GEEE-OFF not Jeff …spent a good 5 minutes arguing with my dad about that one haha 4) the bamboo furniture that is used to make the Bamboo Skate tent (used at events) look pretty is really for looking and not using. (Thane learned that the hard way haha) and last but not least… the interns have to wear a PANDA COSTUME… say what!?
Anyway, moving on, our first event was this last Saturday at the Revolt Summer Series Surf Contest and it was pretty fun but was definitly a learning experince. It was run by just interns, so clearly the theory of learning to walk before you run is not present at BambooSk8, and I am must say I am super proud of us for figuring out how to run our booth with out any real direction and only bothering Geoff a few times.. ( sorry Geoff) Thane, Johnathan and I, represented Bamboo Sk8 pretty well! We made our first Sale ( yea go US!) and we unfortuantly had to give away six of our awesome decks to the contest for trophies otherwise I am pretty confident that we would have sold a lot more! It was pretty funny trying to figure out everything but we pulled through! Overall it was a pretty awesome day, but things to take away from it are…. to read the event document before the attending/ packing up for an event, bring swag to sell (we had none down there), and find out a super cool marketing idea to draw kids an people to our tent! Overall it was a pretty awesome day!
Anyway thats all I have to say so far! Talk to you soon.
12 weeks… 3 months into the internship… and we have dwindled down to 3 full time interns. I’m not confident that I will pass this internship by the end of month 4… By BambooSK8′s standards. However, I am confident that I have done my best these past 3 months. I know this internship is based off of quantitative goals, however, I have taken so much more from this internship. I have made awesome friends, had some great times, and learned more about business, marketing, and myself than I could have ever thought.
These last 4 weeks we’re going to be focused on goals. We’ve all agreed to do what is necessary to succeed. Hopefully we will be able to meet our goals in the end and earn some points back so we can all pass this internship! I’m 100% confident that we will try our best to do so, and will have some interesting things coming up soon! Keep an eye out!
These photos come to you from the U.S. Seismic Event downhill longboarding comp we attended. Super gnarly.
I once met someone that had the words, “I am my own experience” tattooed across his chest. It intrigued me, and I always thought I knew the meaning of it. I always thought it meant that we become what our past experiences have shaped us to be. However, over the past few weeks, I have come to realize that it might mean something different. Maybe it’s not what we have become, but rather, who we choose to be. I am my own experience. I choose my experience, I shape my future, I am a reflection of my choices, and I have to power to give myself limitations, or set the standard. I have chosen this internship to challenge myself and to give myself an entrance into the action sports industry. Thus far, I have been met with challenge after challenge, which constantly tests my limit. My work is a reflection of myself and I choose what this reflection is. Now I realize that I am shaping my experiences to exceed my limit, and push past my comfort zone. In return, my experience is shaping who I am, and who I will become. I am my own experience is the act of utilizing your experiences to shape who you will be.
To those who are considering taking this internship, let me tell you that it is not for the faint of heart. It is challenging and will test your limits in every sense of the word. You, like many of the interns, will not have much of a life for 16 weeks. However, you will be taking a step towards the greater good of your career and your individuality. You will learn more about yourself in 16 weeks than you might have learned in the past 5 years. You are creating your own experience, and are therefore, allowing your experience to shape you. It’s a test and a challenge, but if you’re up to it, you have nothing to lose.
It’s week 6 and time is flying by. It seems like last week I was walking into the doors of BambooSK8 for the first time as an intern asking myself “What’s Hookit?” and wondering what the following weeks had in store. Now we’re 2 weeks away from the half way point, and I’m more excited about this experience than ever!
Why you may ask? Although the tasks are piling on, and we’re all stressing out and pushing hard to maximize our points, the reason I’m so excited is for our plans. After all these weeks we finally have some set ideas to put into action. We have some fun contests we’re holding, events we’re attending, and of course, some awesome times to look forward to with my fellow interns and peers.
Things are also getting easier as they continue to get harder. It’s a fine balance, however, I can tell that I’ve been pushing myself past my comfort zone and into that “sweet spot” where I’m maximizing my efficiency and yielding my best results. I’ve not only grown professionally, but also as a person. They say that experience is one of the most beneficial education, and I can wholeheartedly back that up. This is by far one of the best learning experiences I’ve had the chance to obtain.
This experience has been INTENSE yet I have had the time of my life!! I have met more truly amazing people in the last few months than ever in my life. I have never been to so many events supporting good causes and my eyes have been opened about living a more sustainable life.
I have learned very valuable lessons about productivity and managing time and tasks. Without this internship, I feel that I would have been quite unprepared to take on a career. Now I feel confident in my value and what I can offer a future employer.
Our GRIND FOR LIFE benefit last night was awesome. We had a lot of support from sponsors and a lot of people who showed up and supported the cause. I am very happy that I had the opportunity to be involved with helping people with cancer.
Overall, this internship has helped me grow to become a more motivated individual. It has provided me with excellent experience in marketing, sales, pr, events, finance, project management, and customer support. I am very thankful to the whole bamboo crew for offering me such a great opportunity and will continue to show my support into the future.
Today marks the end of our 16 week adventure. I can’t believe it’s already over! These last two weeks seem like such a blur. I don’t even know where to start or how to say goodbye.
First of all, working with Mark and Geoff has been great. They are both very intelligent men and I feel privileged to have been their grasshopper for the last four months. Geoff taught me many life lessons like don’t let life get stale, and nothing is going to come to you, you have to be the one to make things happen. Mark was a really good mentor and helped me out with a few different things like being more confident, helping others, and being innovative. I’m going to miss our weekly Skype meetings are getting know them!
Ahhh the interns. Though I didn’t meet you guys, you are special in different ways. The in office crew was super great in helping all of the out-of-staters with things. The out-of-staters all conquered the challenge of working remotely and not directly with our teams side by side. I’m still bummed I didn’t make it out to SD for the Grind for Life event yesterday, but I hope we can all meet somewhere one day and have a Vegas Bomb for ol’ time sake!
As one door closes, another one opens. I’m ending this internship with more knowledge and experience then when I came, and I will be taking it with me on my next journey to Oregon this summer. Action sports is the path I’ve chosen, and BambooSK8 has made me feel like it’s the right choice.
Well, so long for now. Good luck to everyone on their adventures after this! Also, good luck to the future intern classes! Don’t hesitate to reach out to me if you need help with anything!
It’s the last week of the internship and it’s a little sad. I have made some amazing friends that I know will be friends for life. We have all worked so hard to reach our goals that it’s a little bittersweet that it’s all coming to an end.
Right now, we are focusing all of our time trying to reach our goals and get the product for the Intern Fundraiser ready. There is SO much stuff it’s insane! We were able to get so many donations that I’m pretty sure anyone who buys a raffle ticket will walk away with something. I’m hoping to CRUSH last semesters earnings of $1,000. With the amount of product and their worth I think we can expect to surpass 1k. Gavin just sent an email out to everyone that Malakye is tweeting about our event! That’s HUGE!! I am really excited for Thursday.
On top of getting everything organized we are also gearing up for the event at SDSU on Thursday. Tameka was able to get us into the Eco Fest down there. We are hoping to sell some decks and get the word about the fundraiser out to everyone there.
Also, last week Jamie and I had to pick the winner of the OSF design contest. It was SO HARD!!! I can’t even believe how amazing those students’ designs were. Here are the winners:
1st place: Faline
2nd Place: Alyssa
3rd Place: Alex
This was by far the best year yet. Every single design was amazing. The kids at OSF have so much talent. I guarantee you will be seeing their names again.
I would be lying if I said I hadn’t learned anything from my time here at BambooSK8. This internship has definitely pushed me to my limits. I know more about the inter workings of a business better than I ever have before. I learned how connected each position within the company relates to one another and drives results. All of those topics are important to know and understand, but what I learned most was about myself. I have pushed myself to become better. To be happier, more courageous, to understand when to take emotion out of situations and most importantly, how to be more positive. I have to say that I came into this internship with the hope to fine tune and obtain quantitative data for my resume, and I did get those things, but the most important thing I will take away from this experience is how to become a better me.
So thank you to everyone at BambooSK8 for being so amazing these past 4 months!!! I can’t wait to send everyone off the right way at the Intern Fundraiser. FIREBALLS FOR EVERYONE!
This is so bittersweet…We are almost done with the internship! Seriously, at times I wanted to pull my hair out because this internship is not for the faint of heart. However, I am thankful for the staff at BambooSK8 for allowing me to be apart of the first out of state intern group. Alissa, David, Gabe, Michelle and I are pioneers…or guinea pigs Either way, this was an experience that has taught me so much about, time management, goal setting, negotiating and how great this company is. I have never been pushed so much in my life but I’m stoked to know how much I can do and that I can handle more.
I have had tons of help with coordinating my events, especially since I have been setting up events in California…. from Illinois!! Crazy right?!! I appreciate all those who got to the events and educated people about BambooSK8 and got phone numbers ( I wont say any names…DAVID!) and for those who kicked butt and got tons on donations for our intern fundraiser event on April 26th. I appreciate you guys!! This week, will be full of finalizing details for events, helping organize literature for the incoming cycle of interns and mock interviews with GK.
Almost done!!Woo!! Bring it on!!! Initiating game face sequence!!
<—– This is her game face
Catcha Later,
~T
T-minus 9 days until in back in Cali and 10 days until the intern event…You’re invited!!!!
One word…Wow!! This has been an amazing experience!! I literally have never worked so hard, and have never had so much fun with work.
I look back at the previous months and think what have I been doing? Attending events contributing to awesome causes, going out skateboarding promoting bamboo, talking to people about bamboo online, brainstorming new marketing campaigns and ways to reach more people, going to shops talking to peeps about bamboo…it has been awesome. I don’t want it to end
I had a blast at the EcoFest at CSU San Bernardino this last week. There was some really cool vendors and music. Got to talk to a lot of people about bamboo skateboards and skateboarding and sustainability in general. Always fun going to a cool event for a cool cause!!
This program really makes you push yourself to the limit. It gives you the chance to prove your abilities and skills and really make some cool stuff happen! It’s all on you, yet you have a ton of support from your team and your mentors.
Can’t think of a better way to have spent my time than skateboarding and representing an awesome company with an awesome mission with awesome people!!
It’s almost the end of the internship and I can tell you that most of us interns are freaking out. We all really need to sell some decks to make sure we pass with flying colors.
It is getting to be hectic because we are running out of time to promote the intern fundraiser! Jackie is awesome and created the flyer, so we just need to get it printed so that we can plaster the flyer EVERYWHERE! We are all really excited about the event. We have awesome bands and great give aways!
As for our commitments, we are all working very hard to reach our goals. We still need to step up our HOOKIT game and we have increased a lot, we just need to make sure our points are there. Facebook is catching up. We finally broke the 4k mark on likes!!! I think a lot of it had to do with sending out an email blast to all the HOOKIT followers. We are also running a sweepstakes that utilizes the fan base we have to gain more likes. I think that has a lot to do with the spike in likes we have gotten over the past few days. Analytics is still going strong! So at least we are hitting those numbers!
We are about to have a Panda video go viral we just need to get the Panda’s name!! I vote for Eco Rico, but I don’t get to pick. (So if you are reading this, go to this link and vote!!!!! https://apps.facebook.com/opinionpolls/poll?pid=AB-mvukuQGE)
Today, Jamie and I are going to pick the winner of the deck competition with the Oasis Skate Factory! So stay tuned for the winner! It’s going to be SO HARD to pick!!!
You tell me how we are supposed to pick a winner when all of the decks look like THIS!!!
All in all everything is going well, we are just all in the rat race till the end, striving towards that elusive letter of recommendation!!
Till next time!!
P.S Don’t forget to Check out the video that Gavin created for this month featured shop.
Give props to BambooSK8 Rider Ryan Strader for KILLING it at the PHXAM!!!
Well, its coming down to the wire. I cant believe its almost been 16 weeks already. Its crazy! Over the last couple of weeks, I have been really busy planning events, finishing up my PR commitment goals and getting things ready for the intern class after me. Yesterday, I got to go to the Ride the Beat tour hosted by Bam Margera! It was pretty cool to get to meet Bam, Greg Lutzka and a ton of other people who were diggin BambooSK8!
Alissa and I were spotted by the editor of a local skateboard magazine and he was so excited to see BambooSK8 there that he asked us to take some picture with his son! We talked to everyone and gave out tons of stickers that instantly appeared on everyone’s boards. It was such an amazing feeling to be able to talk to people about our boards or even have some just walk up to us to ask questions! I loved it!! BambooSK8 has taken over the Midwest!!
Speaking of boards….Bam and Greg were gracious enough to sign our bamboo boards!
It was a pretty solid day!!!
Next up…
OUR CHARITY FUNDRAISER EVENT!! ITS GOING TO BE AWESOME! CHECK IT OUT!!
Man, have these past few weeks been busy! All of the interns are working so hard to get into events, launch new contests, get new customers, visit skateparks, and the list goes on forever. I can’t believe this is the end of week 12, and we are approaching the end of internship so soon. These next few weeks are going to be very challenging, as we all need to meet our sales, marketing, and PR goals by week 16. Yikes!
Something very exciting this week was our final exam! It was somewhat like the midterm, with a few extra curve balls. I’m not sure how I did yet, but I’m crossing my fingers for a good grade! For the future interns reading this, make sure you are always checking details! In the final, and everything else you do. Lead times are a real doozy. So make sure you start training your mind to think in weeks, not months.
Other crew news is that a few of our riders are competing in the Phoenix Am Competition this weekend. Keep checking our facebook and twitter for updates! http://phxam.com/
Coming into the final month, I am amazed with how much I have learned in 3 months. The internship experience has had its ups and downs, long hours have been put in, but I can really see this effort paying off. It pays off not only for what I learn as an individual, but also for the company. Facebook and Twitter followers are growing, sales are increasing, and BambooSK8 is being represented in more publications and websites. One of my commitments I can say that I am truly proud of, is expanding the exposure of the BambooSK8 brand through different online, sales outlets. A couple weeks ago, I coordinated a sale of long board completes to run with a member only action sports site for super discounted deals (www.thryll.com). Next week, beginning on 4/2, I will be running another event with KRUSH. KRUSH is a really cool website that exposes actions sports brands to a market that is in touch with that type of lifestyle. In addition to using this new audience for posting our products for sale, KRUSH also uses a customer feedback system. With this system, products are rated and reviewed to help identify trends and to help us make changes and improvements to the BambooSK8 brand. Be sure to check our Sneak Peek running through www.krush.com next week!
It’s easy to think “oh yeah I have to be efficient, no problem.” Although, when you are hit with a bunch of tasks to tackle, it’s not always as easy as it seems.
Red peppers in my self sustaining vegetable garden in South Cali
Luckily, we have a sweet system set up to monitor our efficiency and help us manage our workload. The timesheet has been a challenge to stick to and it has been difficult to figure out how to make improvements but it has been a big help.
Super Sweet 100 Cherry Tomatoes
We had an awesome time at Clash at Clairemont 6. Despite the bad weather, a ton of people came out to support Grind For Life.
The Clash
This program has been a blast and a big challenge for me to learn how to bring results and develop professionally. I look forward to every second of the rest of it.
St.Patrick’s day is coming this weekend and we got so many things happening at Bamboosk8.
The internship is going really well and we’re all putting in a lot of effort in making it as successful as the others. This weekend we have the Clash at Clairemont event where we’ll have a booth so don’t be shy and come say hi. You can meet most of the interns making the pilgrimage to Cali and you can try and buy our decks, new graphics and new apparel clothing!
We are striving to reach time efficiency by using our MPS system and the time-sheet to record how much time we spend on assignments and duties and how we perform compared to previous weeks. using a time-sheet is also really helpful to assign things to do to different days of the week so that we’re more efficient and we can have more time to put toward other commitments.
Learning first hand how the action sport business works I can say that it’s a 24/7 job. You never rest and everything is going on anytime, but when the results come in is very rewarding.
I hope to learn more during the next few weeks so that I can use the information and experience to find a job sooner than later.
This internship is incredibly fun yet challenging at the same time. We just got passed our midterm exam this week! Income statements, cash flows, gross profit margins! Sounds like Accounting101 right? I know this isn’t supposed to be school, but the concepts covered in this exam (which are continually built upon in everything we do is truly valuable to running a business) sure makes it seem like it!
Beyond all the hard work put into this internship, I have to say that working in the action sports industry is definitely as cool as I pictured it. The people are awesome, from the interns and mentors at BambooSK8, to all the shop owners and industry leaders I have met throughout this experience. People working in this industry work here for a reason, because they love what they do! The love for what they do is reflected in the amount of dedication and professionalism that each one of them puts into their work. Looking forward to the 2nd half!
Half way done!! Oh my, this week was absolutely insane. First, I am learning how to play the piano in school, and it is definitely my greatest challenge. Learning an instrument past 20 takes far more effort and commitment. It is really teaching me to be patient with myself and accept that I’m not the greatest at everything I do (haha ).
Another crazy part of the week was the midterm (yikes!!)!! I had been preparing for weeks and weeks, hours and hours for this thing, and you know what happened?? I messed up one thing and it screwed up all of my answers. Lesson learned, pay attention to details and make sure you use every resource you have when studying (as in ask your fellow interns for help in addition to the executive team). I didn’t do as well as I was hoping, but now that I know what to do next time and I should be able to rock the final!
Overall, the internship has been a blast. Everyone is super cool and very helpful. We have been busting our butts as a team to increase facebook likes and twitter followers, and it looks like our hard work is paying off! If you guys haven’t already, please follow us on twitter, and like us on facebook. We give you the DL on the latest cool news! Also, special shout out to Gabe, who has been doing an amazing job managing Hookit!
It snows, and then it’s warm. It snows, and then it’s warm. I wish Denver would make up its mind!! Cheers!
Well, ladies and gents, this internship is moving right along and its really an eye opener. Seriously, I have been looking at details more than I ever have and organizing my time….well trying to anyways. Normally, we get free range of our blogs and what we would like to share with our readers. Hence, all the goofy pictures of me on my boards. You know what? Being in the action sport industry as an intern, isn’t all skateboards and competitions, it a lot of business. I can say that I have learned a lot about business in a short amount of time.
Firstly, I am learning to receive constructive feedback. Lets be honest, no one wants to be told that they are wrong. Since we are being honest, I used to have this bad. Ugh, my pride would get me into SO much trouble!! You couldn’t tell me anything! Needless to say, I was humbled over and over again until that pride thing was broken. Now, I’m not saying that it doesn’t make a cameo every now and again. The difference is, is that I don’t let it win. Business is something that is fairly new to me. You have to have a very thick skin to be in business and sometimes you will be given feedback that you don’t want to hear. Believe me, I know!
Ultimately, the feedback isn’t intended to make you cry or upset you but it does. The trick is to turn it into something positive. Take that feedback and implement it into your life or your career. It will make you a better person and employee if you let it. But of course, you have to let it.
Overall this internship is a learning experience that can be applied to my life. This is new territory, new industry and responsibilities. I am surrounded by intelligent, focused people who are very efficient and love what they do. I love it! It challenges me to step up to the plate and chart this uncharted territory. I’m stoked on it!! I live in a very small town where the stars are insanely bright but not everyone is reaching for them. I want to reach for them, I am reaching for them. I am motivated and driven to do the best that I can to become a better person and a better employee. BambooSk8 is an amazing company and I will do everything i can to spread the word about what they stand for.
This week in the cold I caught up on some Netflix….. oh yea, they DO have shark week….STOKED!!
I am learning a lot with BambooSK8. When it comes to business, it really is amazing to see how a company works. With BambooSK8, you have the ability to see it very clearly because it is such a small company. I am able to quickly recognize the tremendous value each employee adds to the company, even the interns! Once again, since it is small, all the employees wear multiple hats. One day you can be working on sales, another marketing, and the next managing how the company operates. Being able to see and experience all these different roles first hand has also allowed me to learn what I do like and what I do not like. One example of something I learned about myself is that I can be salesperson. I never really considered myself a person with a sales mentality, but I have gotten a chance to learn this skill with BambooSK8. I have found that not only I can do it, but also I enjoy it. I enjoy the aspect to it of building relationships with people. It is also interesting to me to see how sales affects and adds value to a business firsthand.
Trying to manage all the different tasks with the various roles I mentioned above is not easy. That is why the leadership at this company is crucial. The president of the company, Geoff, does a good job at this. When he shows us the importance of what we are doing and stresses that what we achieve here will ultimately determine our next jobs; this helps to keep me on track and motivated. It also spurs on myself and other interns step up and assume leadership roles. This internship is 16 weeks long. Six weeks are in the books with ten now to go. Leadership will be critical to ensure we meet our goals in these remaining weeks.
Wow, I’m already in week 6. Time is going by so fast and with all the things we’re doing, I didn’t even realize that the halfway point in this internship is coming.
In the last few weeks, I’ve learned about using the feedback from my mentors and bosses here at Bamboosk8 to improve how to get my commitments done, reach goals and be a team player. I also learned about being a leader with my groups to get things done properly and efficiently regarding Hook it and Facebook, while helping other leaders of other teams with their goals. Receiving positive and negative feedback I can grow as a person and as an employee. It’s funny because when we started, I thought I was good at this and that, while now I know that I’ve got so much still to learn and at the same time I’m making gigantic steps. The feedback is always relevant and when I follow through with it, I see the difference in my speech at meetings, while writing with my fellow interns and when making sure projects are handed in at the right time.
There are so many tasks to do each week that motivation is not hard to come by generally! If you stop you fall behind and possibly out of the internship, however the staff is always there to guide us and make sure we work to achieve the weekly goals. We are all leaders in different groups and meetings, which is an invaluable experience in the real world. Tasks keep pouring in each week, so we keep motivated and we understand how to work under pressure and in a timely manner by using a spreadsheet with all our weekly duties.
To stay on the internship we constantly have to reach KPI’s each week, which are rewarded under the form of points, the backbone of what keeps us going forward in the stage and it’s like a recognition of our efforts since our final grade will determine our recommendation.
If you look for an internship in the action sport industry and you want to make a difference in real life to other people and the planet, this is it. Bamboosk8 will take you beyond what you think it’s your limit and you will discover how much potential you have.
By the way, I’ve just received my 10 decks from Bamboosk8 and now I can’t wait to show you all my fantastic skills on a bamboo made skateboard, while all the other people in Australia wonders with their jaw wide open at what I’m riding and where to get one!
Wow. I can’t believe its week 6! Time flies when you’re working your butt off!!! We have some big things in the works. All of us interns are really pushing each other to hit our goals; and let me tell you, IT’S HARD!!!
I came into this internship hoping to refine my marketing skills, and I have definitely been successful on that endeavor. What I didn’t realize was that I would be learning about myself. I am learning how to handle different situations that arise, and how to handle criticism. This internship has helped me realize that there are aspects of business that I thought I was good at…. but boy was I wrong!
Now, on to the good stuff….. WHAT HAVE I BEEN DOING?!
Well, it’s so good of you to ask…and it can be summed up in 1 word. CONTESTS!!! My team and I have been creating and implementing contests! Not only are they great for promotion but they also help to push sales. We are on our way to hitting social media goals with just 1 contest in place. They can be utilized across the social media board! Our Slap That Sticker contest is being pushed through Facebook, Twitter and Hookit!
I also spent time creating a reveal page for the Facebook Fan Page. I’m not gonna lie, I’m pretty excited about it. Jackie, the graphic designer here at Bamboosk8 did a killer job at creating the graphics for it! It is still a work in process but it has already increased our Facebook “likes” immensely!
On the Analytics front, we are working to implement this on Facebook. I actually found a way to link Google Analytics to the Facebook Reveal tab that I created. That is something that I am stoked about because it’s killing 2 birds with 1 very well crafted stone!!!
I’m excited to be working so hard and seeing those projected numbers rising!!
If you haven’t already, help us out and like us on Facebook!!!
The Bamboo decks I am selling at skate shops and skate parks!
We are already into week 4 of the internship! I have to admit that I did not think this internship would be such a big commitment when I signed up for it. I am finding it is difficult to meet my 20 hour requirement while also working another job. It is definitely a sacrifice to do something like this without being paid. With that being said, I believe this internship will pay dividends down the road. The things I am learning about business will make me much more marketable when this internship is completed. Even more importantly, I am learning more about myself. Since I still do not know exactly what I want to do for a career, I like the fact that I am exposed to every area at BambooSk8 from marketing to sales to operations and inventory. I think working a little bit in each of these areas will help me identify what I do like and what I don’t like so I know what to focus on when I get out of here.
Even though we are only interns, we are definitely not treated like interns. We have access to all their information, facilities, etc. from Day 1. We are held accountable for meeting our goals. The office is super cool too. It is a laid back environment but everyone works really hard! Being connected to the warehouse and getting to see all their products helps even further to understand the Bamboo business model. And finally, a company wouldn’t be anything without good people. The mentors here are all dedicated to helping us succeed. On top of that, they are fun to hang out with. Since I work in the office on Fridays, I am around when they make their weekend plans so I got a chance to hang out with the crew for pizza and drinks Friday night, good times!
Hello Hello!!
It is week 4 of this internship and it is flying by. There have been a lot of things to do but it’s totally worth it! I can’t get over how much I have learned so far! I’m still pretty stoked about being an intern! Over the past couple of weeks, I have been doing a lot of PR work for BambooSK8! We are given goals or commitments to reach per week and let me tell ya, it’s an eye opener! I’m learning to manage my time better and that “the devil is in the details.” Yet in still, it’s awesome! I love that I get to spread the word about these products to everyone I see, call and email. Lately, I’ve been contacting different festivals, eco events and magazines that BambooSK8 can be a part of. Time to represent!!
Oh! how could I forget the Greenwashed Music Ritual? Curious huh? Well…
The Green Washed Ritual II digital music compilation features 10 amazing artists from around the world who have kindly donated one song each to promote sustainability. For every purchase on the BambooSK8 website, you will receive via email an access code for all 10 songs upon completion of the shopping cart purchase. As a bonus, you will also get the 20 songs from the first GWR compilation. Pretty stellar, right?!?! I mean, who doesn’t like music?
Show some love for these awesome bands by letting your friends know who you are listening to and purchase the bands music!!
With everything going on, I did steal some time to skate a bit….
to do some luging?
and sing “With or Without You” by U2 to a lady at work….note the pen microphone! LOL
She was diggin it!!!
I think overall all of us interns are developing strategies to meet our goals and represent for BambooSK8 in the way should! And we will!! It’ll be really cool to see what the next couple of weeks will bring and what I will learn from this company, my mentors and from the other interns! I’m expecting the best in every situation.
By the way, you want to do your good deed for the day?
“Like” us on FB: www.facebook.com/BambooSk8
Follow us on Twitter: https://twitter.com/#!/BambooSK8
Check out the Greenwashed music Ritual: www.bamboosk8.com/misc/music.php
And last but certainly not least, buy a bamboo board! Save a tree. Skate green!
We’re now at the end of our first month with Bamboosk8 and lots it’s happening. When I start to think “OK, I’m getting the hang of it” something comes up in my email and a new exciting task is given to us. So far we’ve been put in charge of different sections of the brand with KPI’s that we have to reach weekly forcing us to work hard and come up with new ways to achieve our goals.
Also, this week I’m moving to a new place which makes everything even harder, however I’m very excited to make new friends and spread the word about Bamboosk8. I’ve got some decks coming Down Under soon, so I’ll start skating different spots and get people’s attention with my higher than usual ollies thanks to the greater pop that comes from the bamboo!
Have you ever had to move house? How was it? leave a comment if you want.
On top of that, this week I also lost a friend and it’s been hard to keep positive and keep going through such a hard time. Shaun was a good friend of mine and I’ll miss him, but what I’ll miss more is having a chat everyday about the surf or having a beer on the veranda, while another plane was passing by in order to land. You would have never thought he was ill, apart from rare occasions and he was always laughing. Anyway, that’s a picture of him and I will always remember him as a friend that never asked anything in return for his friendship.
Did you loose anyone in your life? how did you cope? leave a comment if you want.
In the end, it’s been a hectic month, but I’m leraning so much that it cannot be put in text here. I’m in a team working on Facebook (go and LIKE the page if you haven’t yet at http://www.facebook.com/BambooSk8), we’re working with athletes and followers on Hook it (http://www.hookit.com/brands/bamboosk8/) and we’ve been learning about how to work in a team, about cash flows, income statements and more.
This internship is a massive learning curve for me and everyone else, I hope you get inspired by our stories and you will apply as well for future internships in your way to get work experience in the action sport industry and to help people learn about the environment buying sustainable brands.
I am happy to say that I am part of the 12th class of interns and the first class with out-of-state interns! I am currently living in Menomonie, WI and going to school at the University of Wisconsin- Stout. I am majoring in Retail Merchandising and Management with a concentration in Buying and Product Development, a minor in Business Administration and an emphasis in Apparel Design.
I am going to be very busy these next couple months. Along with this wonderful internship, I have a job with the productions club at my school. I am the Special Events Coordinator. This means I am in charge of bringing a bigger name artist to the Stout campus. In the past we have brought Atmosphere, Ingrid Michaelson, and Motion City Soundtrack. I have a passion for music, art, fashion, and the action sport industry.
I am excited to see all the doors that BambooSK8 will open and all that I will achieve. I am so happy to be part of this BambooSK8 team. I have NEVER worked with such driven people and I am already learning so much. I have BambooSK8 on the brain all the time now and it’s great. Menomonie, WI is pretty far from Oceanside, CA (2021.76 miles), but it is amazing how close the Internet can bring us together. I will be taking Wisconsin by storm and looking to get BambooSK8 all over the state!
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