Arcadia Australia

In this blog entry, we spotlight the unique journeys of Mary, Riley and Chetna as they reflect on their internships in Sydney across diverse fields during the Fall Semester 2024.

Presentation on Riley’s Marketing Internship at Let’s Go Surfing, Bondi Beach

Riley recently completed a marketing internship with Let's Go Surfing, based at the iconic Bondi Beach, one of the world’s most popular surf locations. This presentation offers an inside look at Riley’s experience with the company, the marketing skills gained, and the insights Riley developed about tourism and Australian culture.

About Let’s Go Surfing

Let’s Go Surfing operates out of Bondi with additional locations in Maroubra and Byron Bay. The company offers surf lessons, equipment rentals, and surf programs for all ages and skill levels. They aim to provide local and international visitors with an authentic Australian surfing experience, including VIP lessons and special programs for schools. Given Bondi’s appeal to first-time visitors, Let’s Go Surfing is a top destination for those seeking a true Australian surf adventure.

Internship Experience and Learning

Riley’s internship covered various responsibilities, from social media management to customer engagement and marketing strategy development. Working within an Australian organization offered Riley valuable exposure to both local and international perspectives on marketing, tourism, and the uniquely Australian lifestyle associated with surfing.

Having previously studied in California, Riley was familiar with American surf culture, but Bondi’s scene was certainly different. This internship provided Riley with an opportunity to understand how to market a lifestyle to an audience that included both passionate locals and international tourists new to the Australian surf lifestyle.

Key Responsibilities

1. Social Media Management: Riley helped manage Let’s Go Surfing’s social media channels, creating content to highlight Bondi’s surf culture and engage followers. This included filming, photography, and developing content strategies to increase brand awareness.
2. Customer Engagement and Outreach: Riley interacted directly with customers, addressing inquiries, and learning about their surf expectations. Riley also supported outreach efforts by contacting tourism companies and offering special surf experiences to their clients.
3. Supporting the Marketing Representative: Riley shadowed the company’s marketing representative and assisted in planning for special events and promotions. This role gave Riley insight into brand strategy and marketing tactics within a fast-paced, tourism-driven business.
4. Maximizing Brand Reach on a Budget: Working with a limited marketing budget, Riley helped create cost-effective strategies to boost engagement. Bondi’s surf activity is heavily influenced by weather, so Riley adapted messages to match conditions and ensured that the brand maintained visibility, even during slower days.

Skills and Challenges

• Social Media Marketing: This role gave Riley valuable experience managing social media accounts and creating content, allowing Riley to develop a keen sense of adaptability to meet the demands of a fast-paced work environment.
• Audience-Specific Communication: With a diverse audience of local surfers and international tourists, Riley learned to craft messages to suit these distinct groups. For instance, tourists sought a “Bondi experience,” while locals were more interested in straightforward surf sessions.
• Navigating a Cross-Cultural Environment: Riley observed a team-oriented and relaxed approach to the workplace that differed from professional interactions in the U.S. Learning to adjust communication style was key, as some tourists didn’t always catch the laid-back Australian humor.

Takeaways and Career Aspirations

Riley’s experience at Let’s Go Surfing provided insights into tourism and sports marketing, reinforcing a keen interest in marketing roles within athletic or lifestyle-focused companies. Working in an environment that blended sport and cultural experience inspired Riley to seek similar opportunities in the future.

Presentation on Chetna’s Internship in Business Development at RhombusAI

Chetna completed a dynamic internship in business development at RhombusAI, an innovative platform focused on data transformation. In this presentation, Chetna shares her journey, responsibilities, and the impactful experiences gained from working directly under the company's founder in a fast-paced startup environment.

About RhombusAI

RhombusAI is a powerful data transformation platform that automates the cleaning, transforming, and exporting of data, solving a costly and time-intensive problem faced by many companies. RhombusAI’s platform simplifies this process, allowing users to focus on decision-making and deriving insights.

Internship Experience and Key Responsibilities

1. Developing a Pricing Model: One of Chetna's main responsibilities was to design RhombusAI's pricing structure. Since the platform was initially free to use, her role involved researching various pricing models to identify the most effective approach for revenue generation. Chetna assessed the advantages of subscription versus credit-based pricing, calculated potential revenue, and helped forecast the company's break-even point. This project, designed to attract investors, required Chetna to apply her analytical skills to make data-driven recommendations.
2. Market Outreach and Cold Email Campaigns: To generate interest in RhombusAI, Chetna managed cold email campaigns targeting potential clients. She researched companies likely to benefit from the platform and personalized messages to reach data leads and senior executives. Chetna learned through trial and error that personalized outreach significantly improved response rates, leading her to refine her messaging and targeting strategies.
3. Competitor Analysis: Working within a rapidly evolving startup, Chetna conducted competitor research to keep RhombusAI competitive. By understanding the platform’s strengths relative to its competitors, she identified gaps and opportunities for improvement. This process also deepened her knowledge of the platform’s features and helped her assess market trends that RhombusAI could leverage.
4. Content Creation and Blog Development: Chetna pitched the idea of creating a blog on Medium to increase RhombusAI’s online visibility. She wrote posts detailing platform features and specific use cases, strategically incorporating keywords to improve search engine rankings. By showcasing RhombusAI’s capabilities through blogs and social media, she expanded its audience and highlighted its unique applications.
5. Investor-Ready Documents and Pitch Decks: Chetna contributed to developing RhombusAI’s pitch deck, business plan, and go-to-market strategy—essential documents presented to potential investors. Crafting these documents required balancing creativity with clarity, ensuring they accurately conveyed RhombusAI’s achievements and future potential while meeting investor expectations.

Skills and Challenges

• Independent Responsibility and Accountability: Chetna was entrusted with critical projects, like the pricing model, that directly impacted RhombusAI’s financial strategy. This role demanded a high level of responsibility and gave her the opportunity to work independently on tasks that would later influence investor decisions.
• Personalized Marketing and Outreach Skills: Managing cold email campaigns taught Chetna the importance of customizing outreach for high engagement. This experience improved her ability to connect with diverse clients and tailor messaging to different audience segments.
• Creative Resourcefulness: Working within a startup required Chetna to be resourceful and flexible, especially in handling projects with a tight timeline and limited resources. Her work on competitor analysis and blog development demonstrated her ability to creatively address challenges and maximize RhombusAI’s impact.

Takeaways and Career Aspirations

For Chetna, the RhombusAI internship was her first experience on the business side of technology, a refreshing change from her previous technical roles. Working directly with the founder allowed her to witness the intricacies of startup operations and gain valuable insights into leadership and decision-making. This experience affirmed her interest in business development and strengthened her aspiration to work in roles that integrate data science with strategic growth.

In conclusion, Chetna’s time at RhombusAI gave her a holistic view of business development in a tech startup and a deeper appreciation for the role of strategic planning and data in driving success.

Reflections on Mary’s Internship as a Public Relations at The Mint Partners

Mary recently completed her internship at The Mint Partners, a dynamic public relations (PR) agency in Sydney.

Introducing The Mint Partners

The Mint Partners is a PR agency known for crafting insight-led communication campaigns for top-tier brands across Australia and New Zealand. Specializing in luxury fashion, travel, automotive, and lifestyle, Mint’s team handles over 50 clients annually, excelling in influencer marketing, event planning, and crisis communication.

During her internship, Mary had the chance to work with high-profile luxury brands, such as Canada Goose, &Beyond, and Marriott hotels. A standout project involved launching a new food market at Chatswood Chase, a unique PR challenge blending marketing with local culture.

Setting and Achieving Goals

Mary's internship goals, developed in collaboration with her advisor Nikki, included mastering PR processes, enhancing her communication skills, and understanding the luxury industry’s intricacies. Although she initially started in the digital team due to her social media experience, Mary later transitioned to the PR side. This change exposed her to media relations, client pitches, and other PR essentials, giving her a well-rounded experience in both digital and PR strategies.

Key Responsibilities

Mary’s responsibilities were varied and enriching. Each morning, she reviewed Australian news sources and curated daily roundups of fashion, travel, and business news for the team. One of her key tasks included drafting media pitches, where she highlighted client updates and pitched stories to journalists. One memorable pitch involved promoting a new luxury property in Coogee, which required her to conduct in-depth research and identify influential contacts.

Mary also worked on influencer campaigns, particularly for events like the Australian Open and the Chatswood Chase launch. Her role extended to creating visual style guides and assembling guest lists of influencers, giving her hands-on experience in brand image development.  

Challenges and Growth

With little prior experience in PR, Mary quickly adapted to learning how to effectively connect clients with journalists and to develop a storytelling approach that fit Mint’s style. Transitioning her writing from a social media tone to the descriptive, polished language required in PR was a learning curve, but it was essential for her growth. 

Another key challenge was familiarizing herself with the Australian media landscape. Prior to her internship, Mary had limited knowledge of Australian influencers or media outlets. However, her research proved invaluable, and by the end of her placement, she had become well-versed in PR trends and gained a better understanding of Australian culture.

The Value of the Placement

Reflecting on her experience, Mary sees the tremendous value of working internationally. Beyond skill-building, the internship cultivated her independence and resilience. The collaborative and balanced work culture in Australia, with its emphasis on a healthy work-life dynamic, stood out to her. The open and friendly environment at Mint was refreshing, and her colleagues often shared their weekend adventures, adding a unique dimension to her professional experience.