Working at ROOT3 has been an absolute pleasure this summer. Heading into the job knowing that much of my work would be completed ‘virtually’ certainly was daunting, but all of my expectations were surpassed. ROOT3’s emphasis on community ensured that I was able to be taken right into the fold and learn from the team without any period of awkward transition or latency in building relationships. I felt right at home and was encouraged to develop professionally AND personally. Any questions that arose were answered patiently and kindly, no matter how menial or complex. I also had the opportunity to attend the same professional development workshops as the rest of the team. This simple act of inclusion was a demonstrated value that each employee subscribes to, that when laid bare, is nothing but genuine.
With this internship being my first exposure to B2B marketing, I was eager to learn how marketing worked behind the scenes. Here are five key takeaways I learned from my experience as a ROOT3 intern:
- Due Diligence Unearths the RIGHT Information – A fair bit of my work was focused on granular details and dealing with massive amounts of them. I learned very quickly that there are no shortcuts to correct information on a large scale, but that you will spend less time overall if you give the attention deserved to the information at the outset.
- Adaptability is Everything – In order to stay on top of your game, especially in such an odd current business environment, being flexible and willing to work around obstacles means that you can provide for clients in situations where others might trip up. Watching people at ROOT3 work on variable timelines, expedite work when it’s clear that it would be the best use of time, and bending over backwards to help clients in need gave me a concrete idea of the kind of employee I want to be in the future.
- Best Practices Evolve – For an industry with a lot of best practices and procedures, I was intrigued to see that many of them are not static. While some companies may rest on their laurels, ROOT3 showed me a great deal of innovation and adaptability when it came to what would be best for their clients. I watched as formats transformed and creativity blossomed, and it seemed that the clients were eager to see what the team had in store.
- Value Proposition Changes but Value Does Not – ROOT3 CEO & Founder Scott Christiansen explained to me that due to the pandemic, ROOT3 pivoted to provide different services to each client, and although some clients may still have the luxury of focusing on generating leads, others would need to work on changing their message and positioning in order to demonstrate their value in the marketplace. I learned it can be easy to let your business dry up if there is not a readiness to pivot your message toward where it hits best, rather than sticking to the planned course.
- Culture is Built Not Bought – Firms have the opportunity to differentiate themselves from their peers by their workplace culture, (linked here is an article I enjoyed demonstrating the benefits a workplace can gain from positive culture). From every client whose work I had the fortune to touch, I noticed that each had distinct guiding principles and values that they set forth. These values were shown to me and worked off of so that when their messages were put out into the world, you could feel the authenticity. Not one client was given a “one-size-fits-all” treatment, nor would that work. Seeing firsthand how a firm’s values impact a firm’s messages was eye-opening to me; I cannot think of a better way to demonstrate ROOT3’s approach to their clients than looking inward at the company itself. Strong values & guiding principles informed every decision made from the bottom to the top, and this same mindset applied to every client.
Overall, I couldn’t have asked for a better team to learn from. I got to see what it means to be the “Swiss Army Knife” of firms – to be able to handle every facet of business for every client. In spite of the current business environment, ROOT3 showed me what it is like to be dedicate to client service and I am grateful to have had this experience. I have a feeling I’ll be floating a little higher in the water this coming year, owing entirely to my great time here.
