Daily Task of An Intern

Over the past few weeks of my internship, I've learned a lot about what it means to work for a small business, specifically, the variety of tasks small businesses have to juggle. From data entry to analytics review, I've done a number of different things to contribute to KwanzaaMe, a rapidly growing business. So what are some of the daily tasks I've been up to?

What I Do 1: Outreach

One component of running a business is outreach. Getting your brand known and connecting with different communities is crucial to growth, especially for a community-centered business like KwanzaaMe. For us, strategic outreach looks like finding different events to attend and institutions to partner with. Right now, KwanzaaMe is focused on partnering with neighboring schools like the University of Michigan and Eastern Michigan University (both of whom we've worked with before), as well as Washtenaw Community College. Throughout the day, I research these institutions and their respective departments and student organizations to see where KwanzaaMe could get involved. Whether it's through one of our activations, a community-building and networking workshop, or a hustle class, KwanzaaMe has a diverse range of programming to offer.

What I Do 2: Website Redesign

Since I myself lack website design skills, I spend part of my workdays searching for designers who could help revamp our website. Luckily, Michigan alone has more than enough talented web designers, each with unique skills that could give the KwanzaaMe website its own edge. I spend my time looking through different designers' portfolios and assessing their prices before sending emails to schedule consultations. Looking for web designers also means going through the KwanzaaMe website myself and picking out any bugs or things that could use a little change. So if you happen to be a website designer reading this, or know some amazing ones — let us know!

What I Do 3: Event Prep

The last thing I'll share for today is the upcoming events KwanzaaMe is attending, and the time we're spending to prepare for them. Event-wise, August is a big month for us. We have the Ypsilanti Food Festival, which gives us a yummy but community-centered event to attend, as well as the Black Legacy Festival hosted at the Charles H. Wright Museum of African American History in Detroit. This is a two-day free event to connect with the community and celebrate Black culture! If you haven't thought about these events, consider attending and we'll see you there!

Interning is made up of a lot of different tasks that often vary from day to day, but luckily, I like a little change of scenery every once in a while.