Emily Skooglund Gives Snapshot of Business Strategy Internship at Direct Supply

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Interview by Deepti Singh, MBA ’24

1. What company did you intern with this summer? Which program and/or functional area were you a part of?

I had the opportunity to intern with Direct Supply this summer as a Business Strategy Intern. My internship was project-based, and I worked on the company’s computerized maintenance management (CMMS) product.

2. What brought you this role/ company?

I was interested in Direct Supply because of the unique company culture and the opportunity to create a meaningful impact on my career. Direct Supply works in the senior care industry, which has historically been largely underserved. Much of what the company does is aimed at improving the lives of seniors, which I find very meaningful.

3. What project(s) did you work on?

My project assessed whether it was worth leveraging a specific channel partner to recruit new subscribers onto the company’s CMMS product, called TELS. My project required that I interview potential channel partners to gauge their interest, explore alternative routes for partnership, and forecast the revenue potential for the avenues I found most viable.

4. What was the biggest challenge you had to overcome, and what did you learn from it?

The biggest challenge I had to overcome was learning not to work so linearly. I typically like for everything I do to create value and contribute to whatever goal I’m working to accomplish. However, this project required quite a bit of trial and error, which challenged the linear framework I’ve used in the past. I learned from this experience that learning what not to do, in many ways, is more valuable than learning what to do.

5. How was your experience networking with different colleagues at your company?

Direct Supply has a unique culture and focuses heavily on networking. The company encourages you to get to know your colleagues and use networking as a tool to learn about other lines of business within the company. Everyone at Direct Supply was extraordinarily kind, and all were willing to connect once you reached out.

6. Has this experience changed your overall career goals? Did you identify any skills that you would like to develop as you return for the second year of the MBA program?

This experience reinforced my career goals because I found the work, I did over the summer very exciting. As I finish up my MBA this year, I’ve restructured my class schedule to focus on some of the topics I found most relevant at Direct Supply, such as AI in business.

7. Are there any suggestions you would give to future students that are about to begin their summer internship?

Give yourself the grace to be authentic. An internship can feel like a 12-week interview, but don’t let that deter you from being your genuine self. Take time to settle in and get your head wrapped around your project. No one expects you to know it all right away. It’s a learning process!