Landon Baran gained transferable skills in time management and customer service as an intern with his family business.
How did you get your internship and why did you choose it?
Over the course of my junior year, I was trying to find an internship that was either related to fashion or business. After careful consideration, I chose to do my internship with Custom Group Inc. (CGI). I got this internship from the offer of my mom, the owner of the company. I chose this internship because of the opportunities that it would give me in the present and future. Working for a smaller organization would allow me to take on a broader range of opportunities than I’ve taken on in the past. I wasn't just learning about one thing or one specific area of business--I got a more comprehensive understanding of the fundamentals of how to run a business.
How has your internship experience influenced your plans for the future?
After this internship, I learned that there is a lot that goes into running a business. I have always wanted to own my own brand within the fashion industry, and I am glad I had this opportunity to show me the pros and cons of operating your own business.
What was the most satisfying part of your internship?
I think it would have to be when customers or vendors that I worked with contacted the company to specifically ask for me. In the past while working for CGI, I was doing more behind the scenes work and wouldn’t have as much direct contact with clients, but this summer I felt a little bit more appreciated for my contributions after taking on more responsibility. This experience gave me the realization that I'm making a bigger impact here than I thought.
What is unique about your situation that influenced your internship experience?
I would definitely have to say the thing that makes my experience unique is having my mom as a boss. When I tell people that my mom is my boss, they immediately think that I get some type of special treatment. In reality, that is not the case. I am treated just like every other employee within the company and held to the same standard of service and I was glad that she treated me equally to the other employees.
What did you find most challenging about your internship?
The hardest or most challenging part would have to be managing my time when learning new tasks. In the beginning, it was difficult taking on these new responsibilities because I had never done it before, so it was hard to determine how long things would take. But as the weeks went on, I got the hang of it. From this challenge, I learned that my definition of “time management” in school was less intense or urgent than the definition of it in the real world. In school, you're given the deadline days or weeks in advance. In the real world (or world of work) I would sometimes be given tasks to be completed within hours. I can gladly say I know how to manage my time at work much better.