At Red Door, it’s no secret that our Core Values are the foundation to everything WE do: to Inspire, Share, Evolve, Exceed, and be 100% Jerk-Free. So, it’s no wonder that our internship program is focused on sharing experiences and knowledge—and inspiring the next generation to pursue meaningful careers. While our interns are placed into specific departments based on their interests, we are passionate about cross-training and offer opportunities to learn about all sides of marketing and business. Through this commitment to fostering growth, Red Door interns can gain insights from experts in the field, build networks with business professionals, and lay the foundation for their future careers. By the end of their Red Door internship, our interns will leave with the professional and personal development to make them a competitive job candidate—whether here at Red Door or beyond.
Sharing Experiences: Insights for the Future
This summer, we had six interns placed in five departments across our agency and asked them all the same question: “What is one thing from your internship at Red Door that will stick with you?” Although their responses varied, it all came down to a common takeaway—curiosity.
“A culture that encourages collaboration, curiosity, and innovation.”
We pride ourselves in standing by our promise to be 100% Jerk-Free—and for Mijal Buchsbaum, our Creative Copywriting Intern, that means it’s “easy to work, learn, and grow” at Red Door. Cultivating a positive work environment enables employees to develop skills that are not necessarily part of a job description but makes them well-rounded individuals.
“One of the most valuable things I’ve learned is the importance of curiosity.”
Our SoCo Intern, Peyton Litteer, found that her curiosity inspired her to learn from a team at Red Door she wasn’t directly a part of. She was able to collaborate on a couple of SEO projects and has gained “a stronger understanding of the earned media ‘umbrella’” as a result. By leaning into our curious side, we can discover interests we may not have known we had.
“Everyone is approachable and open to finding answers to your questions.”
To Taylor Tharp, our Paid Media Intern, work culture goes beyond answering questions. It also means feeling “heard and supported” thanks to “the type of environment that Red Door has created.” Building an atmosphere where people want to work helps us exceed our own expectations and challenge ourselves to be better.
“My curiosity has been vital to my skill development, business acumen, and goal setting.”
Project Management Intern Jordan McMinn believes that when employees are encouraged to explore their curiosity, they can “expand their knowledge and interests.” By the end of their time here, our interns should feel that they have truly grown and are ready to take the next step into the professional world.
“I’m thankful to RDI for providing me the technical training and certification that I needed to grow.”
Chris Galina, our Technical Analytics Intern, was able to gain transferrable skills from this internship, making him a competitive job candidate. This development is crucial to a young professional’s growth and can set them apart from the crowd.
“I’ve learned the power of communication and embracing the idea that questions are an essential part of any organization.”
When you’re in a new environment, it’s important to be open-minded to whatever the experience has to offer. And for Paid Media Intern Mia Staples, part of that open-mindedness comes from not being afraid to ask for help. Even if it can be difficult at times, "those are the moments when we see the most growth.” And a parting pro tip: it’s okay to not know everything right away. Take advantage of the opportunities to ask questions and learn from others.
Inspiring Others: Advice from Past Interns
We are lucky that many of our past interns have remained at Red Door and are now full-time employees—which means they’re very accessible when we need advice! We asked them: “What’s something you would tell yourself when first starting your career?” Like our current interns, our subject matter experts all touched on the importance of asking questions.
“Don’t be afraid to ask questions! Early on, ask as many questions as possible.”
Eric Padgette, our Associate Digital Analyst, knows that at Red Door, freely asking questions is just one of the many benefits of being part of this team. You are surrounded by people who want to “share their expertise, inspire you to think outside the box,” and drive you to evolve. You are incredibly fortunate to work with people committed to your development during your internship and beyond.
“Ask a lot of questions and be a sponge.”
An internship gives you access to resources and experiences that you can’t get at school. Because of this, Paige Tollefson, a Manager, Analytics, urges interns to take all the information available from the “incredibly passionate and smart individuals” around you. Work experience is precious within the marketing world, and an internship gives you an abundance of familiarity to give you an edge. The ability to meet clients, work on campaigns, and be a part of a team will provide you with heightened knowledge about this field that not everyone has access to.
“Any question that helps you grow is beneficial.”
You’ve heard it before—there is no such thing as a dumb question. Our SoCo Coordinator, Lexi Marron, reminded us of this. We know it can be intimidating and stressful to ask questions, but they make the difference between understanding a topic and genuinely knowing it.
“I would never hesitate from asking questions.”
Our Data Engineer, Gurisht Aurora, knows that by asking questions, we can achieve our brand promise— “Together WE Evolve to help each other Win.” This mantra gives us the energy at Red Door to keep collaborating and evolving to reach our full potential. Curiosity fuels this value by reminding us that questions are a crucial part of the evolution process. Without them, we’d be unable to identify our areas of growth and how to strengthen them.
“You learn the most when making mistakes.”
Evan Eichenberg, an SEO Specialist, understands that mistakes aren’t something to fear. The greatest breakthroughs are made by learning from our mistakes and adapting to them. This has inspired us to steer away from the idea that mistakes are always a negative thing. Instead, we look at our missteps critically to discover how we can grow and evolve from them.
“Aggressively focus on your strengths. Don’t sweat so much over your flaws.”
Unlike many others who would tell you to focus on areas of improvement first, Mallory Collins, Director, Client Strategy, thinks differently. To her, “strengths are a true point of differentiation,” and focusing on them will set you apart from the competition. By nurturing the skills you are already good at and investing time to improve them, you can grow exponentially in that area and become someone to look out for.
A Summer We’ll Always Remember
Although this was not a conventional year for internships (or anything else for that matter), we found ways to adapt and succeed regardless of the obstacles in front of us. All six of our interns were able to grow and develop within the three months we’ve known them, and the skills they learned will follow them through their professional and personal lives. Every day, we challenge ourselves to be curious and seek answers to questions we haven’t thought about before—and, according to past interns, that curiosity can truly be recognized as a strength. The need to ask questions creates a collaborative environment that helps us all win together.
To our 2021 interns—as Red Door’s first fully remote class, you were trailblazers in many ways, facing challenges that none of us could have anticipated a year ago. But we’ve seen you take on this summer’s hurdles in stride, bringing optimism and enthusiasm to the job every single day. We talk about our Red Door Internship Program as a way for us to impart knowledge on graduating students interested in the marketing and advertising industry, but we also learn from you. So thank you. Thank you for your energy and fresh ideas, and for supporting our team as we work toward shared goals. Yours is a generation filled not only with a passion to develop the skills to be successful in this world, but a curiosity for how you can change it for the better—and we’re excited to see how that journey continues.
Best of luck,
Your friends at Red Door