This is my story of the summer internship with KazSource, Inc. The company that owns this content platform, SportsEpreneur. -by John Priore
Flash back to the morning of May 8th. My alarm goes off, I wake up, hop in the shower, and start my day. During my hour drive to South Charlotte, I think about my new summer internship with KazSource. What will it be like? What kind of work will they ask me to do? Will I do as good a job as I hope?
But I did not think about how much this opportunity would affect my life.
When I arrived at the office, not going to lie, I was a little nervous. I had worked at the same company since I was 17, so I had forgotten what it was like to be the new guy. I didn’t even really know what I’d be doing.
Eric Kasimov, my new boss, greeted me with a warm handshake. Some casual conversation about football (a shared favorite topic!) helped my nerves. I handed in some paperwork, and then we discussed our goals and ideas for my internship. I was excited for the opportunity and ready to take full advantage.
Over the first few days, I learned how to handle programs such as Mailchimp, Hootsuite, and WordPress. More importantly, I started to learn the insides of running a multifaceted business.
Honestly, I was kind of confused at first. Is this an insurance company, a marketing company, or a content platform/media company? It took me a while to understand how we can be all of the above—the key is that we help build and protect businesses, whether that means creative content marketing or insurance. We help people. Plain and simple.
As I started to see the big picture, I gradually got more involved. My workload expanded, and my responsibilities increased. I knew I wanted to make a difference here. I wanted to stand out. So, I insisted on reaching out to people all over the country, trying to land a new client.
The first of those calls was a turning point for me.
Calling that first potential client, I was thinking I’m just starting out here. I’m only an intern. And most of all, I’m a rookie. A lot of self-doubt was running through my mind while that phone was ringing. But once the man picked up, all those doubts went away. I was ready. When I got off the phone, I took a deep breath and I smiled.
This was the moment when I knew I wanted to be here. I realized I love what I’m doing. I love what this company does. I can see a future here.
No doubt, I made mistakes during my summer internship. I wasn’t perfect. But I did my best, I stayed focused, I pushed for success, and, most importantly, I learned.
I couldn’t have done it without Eric and the rest of the team allowing me to spread my wings and fly. We always talk about giving things a shot. This applies to anything–if you have an idea and want to run with it, do it. If you fail, so what? At least you tried, and hopefully you learned something.
I couldn’t have asked for a better way to spend my summer. I learned from great mentors, set myself up for the future, and bettered myself, not only as a business person, but also as a person.
Thanks to this opportunity, I am currently in my senior year at Western Carolina University with a job, and I’ll have more opportunities post-graduation.
I was, and still am, the rookie in the business world. My advice to other beginners is to embrace your role as a rookie, learn from great mentors, and prove that you belong.