Thimverly Agbuya explored her interests in entrepreneurship in the beauty industry by pitching an internship with her lash tech.
How did you get your internship? Why did you choose it?
I got my internship through networking. I was talking to my lash technician one day and I started asking her questions about how she runs her business. After listening to her insights, it sparked my interest in learning about entrepreneurship because being able to make your own schedule has always been one of my desires in a workplace. As I thought about my conversation with my lash technician, I decided to ask her if she would take me in as an intern to learn more about the process of starting and growing your own business.
I chose this internship because I’ve always been fascinated with the beauty industry. From cosmetics, to beauty products, skincare, hairstyles, lashes and nails, it is so much a part of our everyday lives. I also think the beauty industry has the potential to be very lucrative, especially because of how social media accelerates new trends. I also chose this internship because I like that beauty services have become a more accessible industry and the market has grown so much in recent years because more people have been introduced to the service.
What new skill did you learn and develop knowledge in this internship?
One of the many skills I learned was how to build client relationships. My supervisor had great relationships with her clients and the rapport she built with each one of them helped her retain a loyal clientele. During my internship I was able to see her interact with different customers and learn to adapt my communication skills to every situation. I also developed skills in marketing from editing videos to post on social media to advertise the services and learned about pricing strategies like offering promotions. Lastly, my internship helped me better my time management skills because I had to manage the scheduling of multiple daily clients. I did a lot of problem solving in that area because I had to make sure the appointments fit within the business hours and the client’s availability which sometimes was a challenge.
What is the impact of your internship experience?
The impact of my internship experience was getting to fulfill my goal of seeing the pros and cons of starting your own business. I learned that everything is a process and there’s always going to be challenges and wins along the way. It showed me a different perspective when you are your own boss and the work you must put in to be successful. The biggest lesson I learned is that there is no clocking out as a business owner; you may take important work home that you did not get to finish during work hours or you could be doing something as small as staying later to clean up the office to get organized for the next day.
How has your internship experience influenced your plans for your future?
As much as I loved the experience of interning in the lash industry and learning a lot from my supervisor, I don’t think I am capable of being able to run my own lash business as of now. But something I did realize through this experience was that I loved editing videos for the business, so that might be a route I explore in the future. I also liked the administration side of internship such as scheduling, conducting price strategy, and completing inventory, all of which is related to my Applied Humanities degree because of my Business Administration emphasis.
What was your favorite part of your internship?
My favorite part of my internship was the positive feedback and the abundant support I received from my site supervisor. I appreciated it because at times it could feel overwhelming or scary because I was nervous about making a mistake, but having a supportive supervisor makes it so much easier. The support I got from my supervisor was meaningful because I am the type of person who would rather fix things myself before going to anyone for help. But with this internship, I was able to get past those feelings and ask for help at any time because my supervisor always checked in to make sure I was comfortable with the task and duties assigned to me. I am grateful that I was able to experience my internship with someone who helped me become better each day, and I am excited to apply the skills and knowledge from this experience in my future career.
What advice do you have for other students as they search for their internship?
Find an internship in a field where you’ve had any type of interest in because this experience can either help you pursue that path, or you can cross that off your list if it doesn’t suit you. Either way, it’s always good to try. Don’t be afraid if the internship is something you have no knowledge about, because the purpose of the experience is to learn about the company’s values, processes, and products. No one is expected to know everything at first and you may be surprised what you learn from the experience and the skills you will gain!