If you’ve read any of our intern blog posts from previous interns here at Stories Inc, you know that it’s a pretty great place to work. I have worked here in Marketing and Sales for one year now. During my time, I learned so much about the fields I’m interested in and, maybe more importantly, how to work in a company culture that facilitates the growth of its employees.

Becoming a valued member of the team

I was never treated as a typical ‘intern’ while I worked here. There were no coffee runs or mindless tasks, instead, I worked directly under Lauryn Sargent, the co-founder and partner at Stories. Looking back, I remember so many times when Lauryn asked for my opinion or we’d collaborate on something before it was published or sent out, and I felt far more a part of the team as a key player rather than just an ‘intern.’ 

The first few times Lauryn asked for my opinion, I remember being surprised. I was thinking ‘Wow! She really values my opinion and the skill set I bring to the table.’ I was honored and flattered to share what I thought. Through collaborating and sharing on a more regular basis, I was able to grow as an employee. Lauryn gave me the opportunities to learn that many interns in larger or less employee-focused organizations may not have.

Stories Inc as an employee-centric company

One of my favorite moments at Stories happened about a month into my internship, when the company went to an offsite. During our day-long offsite, Lauryn and Scott shared a lot about the company with the employees. After, Lauryn and Scott told everyone “we want to make sure you all know exactly how you are contributing to the success of the company.” I remember feeling not only included, but that as an intern I was making a real and tangible impact.

I worked full-time at Stories during my summer break, and part-time during my senior year at the University of Maryland. Lauryn and Scott were always understanding and flexible if things came up, but especially while I was a student. I remember telling Lauryn at the end of the summer that I didn’t know how feasible it would be for me to continue interning during the year. She reassured me school came first and we would work around anything that came up.

This has definitely been the case. I work one day in the office a week, and even with that they have been accommodating as I navigated crazy weather, finals, and campus events I didn’t want to miss. It’s made the experience all the better because I am able to intern and continue to contribute to the team without missing any schoolwork.

From Stories Inc and beyond!

One of the moments that best exemplified the culture of Stories Inc and my experience there happened just a few weeks ago. I recently had accepted a full-time job after graduation at a large consulting firm. While I was excited about the offer, I was sad to be leaving Stories and I didn’t know how to tell Lauryn and I was very nervous. When we sat down to talk about it, she stopped me and said, “Stop. Let me make this easy for you. I am so thrilled for you about this offer.” After we talked, the entire office congratulated me.

Again, I was just in awe of what an amazing culture we have. If this story doesn’t already prove it, the Stories environment is incredibly supportive. Whether that’s ensuring we have the benefits and flexibility we need, to helping each other and collaborating on projects, or encouraging each other to pursue opportunities outside of Stories, you’ll find it all here.

Days in the office are full of fun, laughter, collaboration, and hard working people. During my one year (that went by way too fast!) I learned more than I could have anywhere else. As an intern, you couldn’t ask for a better experience.