What Being an Intern Taught Me About Teamwork
There’s no “I” in the team, but as the late Kobe Bryant said, “There is a M-E!” and being “M-E” on the EMB team has been an incredible and valuable learning experience. Joining a new team can be intimidating, but the EMB family welcomed me with open arms. Working alongside the EMB team has opened my eyes not only to what it means to be a great team, but also to what it takes to get there.
1. You Can’t Make a Good Cake With Bad Ingredients
Before you ask - no, unfortunately we do not make cakes here at Elevate My Brand. But we do make killer progress for our clients. And why’s that? Because we have an excellent team. If there’s anything I’ve learned from working here, it’s that the team you have is critical to success and happiness in the workplace. If you have bad ingredients, your cake isn’t going to taste good. Similarly, if you have bad teammates, the overall work won’t be great. Our team has gone through a lot of changes in the time that I’ve been here, and we’ve switched up the ingredients. Now, the cake tastes great and our work is even better.
2. Play and Positive Energy
In an ideal workplace, every team member would always be 100% positive and never get burnt out. Because we’re all human, this isn’t possible. After all, work can be stressful and we’re all dealing with our own personal drama. Working at EMB has taught me the importance of company culture and loving where you work. If you’re going to be spending 40 hours a week somewhere, you should be having a good time. “Fun” is one of our core values at EMB, and we won’t let you forget it! It’s important for us to keep the positive energy flowing in the office, so when we’re feeling tired and burnt out, it’s time to play. Whether it be playing Heads Up or going on a walk with our office pups, we’re always having a good time. When the team is pumped up on positivity, we work better. And even more importantly, we’re happy to come in everyday and be a part of the team.
3. Teamwork Makes the Dream Work
As an aspiring entrepreneur myself, I’m always keeping an eye on Laurel to see how she does it. Whether it be speaking at a conference, pitching to clients or attending a networking event, there’s no doubt that she hustles HARD. Not only that, but she makes it look so easy - and I think that’s due in part to her amazing team. In order to run a successful business, you need a team that’s trustworthy and dedicated. Laurel says it herself: her team is her hero. You can only do so much on your own. Teamwork really does make the dream work.
4. Family Matters
When you spend so much of your time with the same people, they begin to feel like family. At EMB, I truly feel like part of this work family. I can always count on them to be there for me, whether that be in my work life or in my personal life. A few weeks ago, I had a health scare and had to miss a few days of work. The EMB family sent me a beautiful “Get Well” flower arrangement that made me feel so loved. It’s heartwarming to know that my EMB family is there for me and cares about me. It’s commonplace to work on a team, but let me tell you, it’s a wonderful added bonus that I get to call my team family.
So what’s the key to success, you ask? Working at EMB has taught me that the answer definitely has to do with having a great team. I am grateful for these lessons that I have learned and I will carry them with me when choosing future jobs and, someday, when I start my own business. As Helen Keller once said, "Alone we can do so little; together we can do so much." Go team!
Carly Steinberg, Social Media Intern
Elevate My Brand