Interning At Pivot Business Consulting

American author Zig Ziglar accurately said, “A lot of people have gone further than they thought they could because someone else thought they could.”

For me, that someone is Isabella Johnston, CEO of Pivot Business Consulting.

In April 2014, I became a marketing intern for Pivot Business Consulting, called 3P Business Consulting back then, and it was one of the biggest learning experiences of my life. That is saying a lot for someone who had been in school for 14 years prior.

I remember being nervous for the interview. I had only spoken with Isabella briefly through email and the phone a few times and did not know what to expect. However, when I did meet her, I was extremely pleased. From the first meeting, I could tell that Isabella was someone who was truly passionate about her work and cared about those around her. She was straightforward, polite, and motivating. I left knowing that this was where I wanted to be.

At the first team meeting I attended, it felt as if I had been with Pivot for years. Everyone was friendly and made sure to include all of the new interns. This really was a team environment.

What I loved the most about Pivot was the independence Isabella gave her interns. We were placed in the department of our main interest, but still allowed to try and take on tasks that we were unfamiliar with. For example, although I was in the marketing department, I was able to work on graphic design pieces and managing clients. I felt like I could take on anything!

I was forced out of my comfort zone and I learned skills that I could not learn from my college courses. I somehow wanted to do the things that scared me before. When we made mistakes, we were not penalized. Instead, we were encouraged to learn from them and try again. We were not expected to know everything. Isabella showed us that we could bring something different to the table and create a huge impact.

It was so inspiring to see how hard Isabella worked every day, but still made time to help us discover our strengths, improve our weaknesses, and shine brighter than we ever have. She is someone who all supervisors should mold themselves after. A supervisor should be more than your superior, but also a friend, mentor, and someone you feel comfortable talking to. I believe she is the reason the Pivot intern program is so successful and such a wonderful experience.

Now when anyone asks me about internship opportunities, I immediately recommend Pivot. I want people who were in my shoes to have the chance to discover their passion and have this life changing experience.

How have your internship experiences been? Do you think you learn more through internships or college classes? What did you learn about during your internship? We’d love to hear from you!