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At fassforward, we don't just offer intern work experience; we ignite their potential and transform it into excellence.
Our interns don't just participate; they lead, innovate, and collaborate. We believe that by equipping young professionals with essential skills and providing them with opportunities to contribute meaningfully, we can foster the next generation of leaders.
In this article, we share key insights and experiences from our current interns, Logan and Adam, to help you refine and enhance your own intern programs.
Whether you're looking to increase productivity, improve collaboration, or encourage initiative, these firsthand accounts offer practical advice and inspiration.
Logan: At fassforward, much of your work will involve having a solid understanding of technology and how to use it to enhance your productivity.
We embrace AI as a powerful tool to enhance our consulting and coaching services. Learning to leverage AI is key to streamlining tasks and boosting efficiency. One of my own personal go-to tools throughout my internship is ChatGPT, which replicates natural speech patterns to our work faster and more productive.
Another tool we frequently rely on is Google Sheets. During my time at The University of Richmond, I learned various Google Sheets formulas and shortcuts that significantly enhance efficiency. One specific project I did employing my skills at fassforward is using a formula to connect information between two separate workbooks. These skills have proven invaluable in my daily workflows at fassforward, enabling me to analyze data more quickly, create detailed reports, and streamline numerous tasks.
Adam: An advantage of having a well-developed tech structure is that communication is super easy. As a hybrid office, we have to be flexible as we work. By using Google Suite, I’m able to quickly connect and collaborate. Instead of waiting for an email chain for clarification or the next steps, I’m able to quickly hop on a call and make progress.
Another key feature of our tech suite is Mural, a virtual whiteboard essential for virtual teamwork. While there was a brief learning curve, it quickly became my most powerful tool. I can use it as a central spot for ideation, compare workshop formats, and tie together big ideas, all on the same board as my teammates.
Through the efforts of my mentors and I, my understanding of our tech suite enables me to tackle projects faster and produce better outcomes. Taking the time to begin this process has yielded great results.
Logan: Collaboration is especially important for interns. My fellow intern, Adam, and I are teaming up to develop AI models to integrate companywide, aimed at boosting the company's efficiency.
Working together allows us to combine our skills and ideas, proving that two brains really are better than one. By pooling our resources and expertise, we're able to tackle challenges more effectively and innovate in ways we couldn't on our own.
Working with my mentor, Cristina,and absorbing the insights and lessons she’s shared has been one of the most positive experiences of my internship so far. Cristina has been incredible, not just in teaching me essential business skills and guiding me through various projects, but also in explaining why these skills and projects matter. She’s made me feel like I have a genuine role at fassforward, giving me confidence and a sense of belonging within the team. Her mentorship goes beyond just the tasks at hand; it’s about understanding the bigger picture and my contribution to it.
Adam: The greatest privilege I’ve had throughout this internship is developing a great relationship with my mentor, Brandon. As our creative director, Brandon touches on almost every application of creativity and design thinking in the firm. The conversations we have are beyond simple technical competence, and I get to learn from years of experience in leadership, work ethic, and finding purpose. Having the opportunity to learn from and work alongside a veteran creative thinker is helping me grow like never before.
Logan: Being conscious of your role and presence when working with others is key. If you're collaborating on a project and recognize your strengths in one area while acknowledging that your colleague excels in another, it's important to communicate that openly.
Additionally, understanding how others not only communicate but also think can help you better connect with them. At fassforward, we use a tool called the Thinking Patterns survey, which helps leaders identify and appreciate the diverse ways people process information and make decisions. This insight allows for more effective collaboration and ensures everyone's strengths are leveraged to achieve the best outcomes.
Sharing this awareness not only fosters a more collaborative environment but also ensures that everyone can play to their strengths, leading to a more successful outcome.
Adam: At fassforward, we often refer to our thinking styles to help discuss strengths and weaknesses. (I personally am an Evangelist!). This helps us identify how we can help contribute to projects, and potential blind spots.
In our internships, we are applying ourselves further, honing in on areas of growth. I’ve developed confidence in my attention to detail through workshop review projects, identifying key opportunities for further engagement. I’ve also grown my comfort in a rapidly changing professional setting. My contributions to engaging projects have pushed my creative mindset into overdrive.
Logan: I'm juggling multiple projects simultaneously, so I prefer not to be frequently checked on or assigned tasks sporadically. Instead, I like to receive all my work at once. This approach might make it seem like I have a lot to handle at once, so I need to prioritize my tasks and set clear deadlines.
For example, the "Touch/Task" tool is a method used at fassforward to help leaders balance the relationship with their team members alongside the tasks that need to be accomplished.
Understanding the touch and task balance is crucial here; touch refers to the level of interaction and check-ins, while task focuses on the specific work that needs to be done. By minimizing touch and managing tasks efficiently, I can maintain a productive workflow.
Adam: I prefer to hone in on one individual project, but I always have more on my plate. Having great time management skills has been crucial to my success across my workshop engagement projects, strategy gamification work, and other collaborations. I’ve relied on setting personal deadlines, and establishing good planning through task breakdowns and Google calendar. This puts me ahead of schedule, and gives me room to dive in deep on my work.
Logan: At fassforward, our culture thrives on support and collaboration, where everyone works together to achieve our goals. Everyone here is more than willing to help if you just ask. It’s really important to reach out because if I don’t, I might miss out on valuable guidance and assistance. Internships are a fantastic opportunity to build your skills and gain insights, but it’s up to you to take the initiative. Set up meetings, engage with your colleagues, and learn from their experiences.
It’s all about being proactive and making the most of the resources and people around you. For instance, I'm really interested in the financial aspects of our business. I reached out to our Head of Finance, Max Cohen, and he's been incredibly helpful. Max has taken the time to walk me through various financial practices, including how to file invoices and handle expense reports. Thanks to his guidance, I've gained a much clearer understanding of our financial operations.
Adam: My favorite aspect of our culture is the encouragement of questions. When I want to understand the deeper purpose of a project, or how to prepare it for scale, there’s no information held back. When I’m targeting the minutia, like “why is this our shade of green,” I know that detail hasn’t been overlooked. And when I have ideas on how I can contribute, I know my voice will be heard.
But in order for my questions to be answered or my contributions acknowledged, I have to take initiative and reach out. Having an internship where I am not only supported, but encouraged to reach out has allowed me to achieve so much further than I thought possible.
Logan: Starting my internship at fassforward, everything was a fresh experience. The only thing I was certain about was that I would make mistakes. These mistakes, however, have been my gateway to new ideas and invaluable lessons.
Embracing a growth mindset during your internship is crucial because it helps you understand that progress isn't always straightforward and that mistakes are a natural part of the learning process
For example, one of my tasks as an intern is to create LinkedIn posts for fassforward. Initially, I wrote my first post in my own style instead of using fassforward's voice. After realizing my mistake, I took the opportunity to understand fassforward's unique language and style, enabling me to craft better posts in the future.
It might be intimidating to stumble as an intern, but accepting and learning from your mistakes is the key to gaining real, tangible insights.
Adam: Embarking on an internship with a growth mindset is needed to get down to execute.
As a newcomer to any organization, you’ll lack context and knowledge of long-standing projects. Asking questions help, but you may not know the right questions to ask. And starting to create a project when you can’t clearly see the deliverable can feel impossible. All of this can be incredibly overwhelming.
A growth mindset reminds us that uncertainty is okay. More than that, the current murkiness is needed for clearer waters in the future. With that in mind, fear can transform from paralyzing, to motivating. When I set out to design a new system or solution, a little uncertainty is part of the game. Taking the creative confidence I’ve developed and applying it to my work at fassforward has let me complete the great work that I want to be doing.
While developing a new set of talk tracks for our workshops, I realized very quickly that I would need more familiarity with the content to do my best job. Instead of backing down, I was able to schedule viewings of live sessions with our coaches, and with extra effort, successfully completed my project. A few iterations were needed as I learned, but a growth mindset contributed to a great success.
Ready to take your internship program to the next level?
Incorporating the lessons highlighted by our fantastic interns can turn your internship experience from great to transformative.
Imagine interns who are highly productive, thanks to collaborative tools like Google Calendar and Mural. Now, add a supportive environment that encourages initiative and self-discovery through mentorship and collaboration. Combine that with a great mindset, and you’ve got a success story.
Together, we can nurture the next generation of leaders.
Adam Kanowitz is a Content and Workshop Development Intern at fassforward. He is a creative problem solver, applying design thinking to generate real impact. His projects span workshop overhauls, gamification frameworks, and the development of AI models.
Logan Rafferty is currently interning in brand management and marketing at fassforward, where she applies her dual expertise in business administration, focusing on Finance and Leadership Studies. Her roles encompass crafting Chat GBT models, enhancing fassforward's brand visibility, and streamlining operational workflows through standardized processes.
