I’ve been a digital marketing intern at Radial Development Group for a month today. Thinking back, I came into this job both excited and terrified. Excited to get some real marketing experience, terrified because I didn’t even know what coding actually meant. So far, I’ve developed a new mindset of starting projects and how to overcome my fear and insecurities.
I am currently working on the “Radial Manifesto”, a long document that outlines our company values and how we work. I didn’t know where to start, and I was afraid of failure. When I admitted this to Ben, he told me this: “Don’t let perfect be the enemy of good”. He encouraged me to dive in and start writing what I think is right. Doing this made me realize that if I was confident in my abilities and just tried something, I got a lot more done than worrying about how to do what he wanted.
I became increasingly excited as I learned more about Radial’s “University culture”. It is built around the idea of encouraging employees to try new things, and the importance of learning from their mistakes. In past jobs, superiors have rolled their eyes for asking “too many questions”, and it left me feeling guilty for wanting to do what was right. At Radial, I’m encouraged to schedule 1:1’s with anyone. I met with our Director of Engineering, Rebecca Vetter, to learn more about what an average day looks like for developers and was introduced to various technical terms. Not only did this help me gain a better understanding the company, but it gave Rebecca a chance to reinforce her knowledge by explaining concepts. It’s a win-win situation where both people gain skills.
Working in an environment where communication is such a priority has also taught me the importance of transparency in the workplace. Knowing what people are getting done when they are working remotely or when people will be late creates an environment of trust. We also have a weekly all-hands retrospective, which is a meeting each Friday where we discuss successes and obstacles faced during the week. This gives me a safe space to voice my struggles and successes, and I learn that everyone finds a way to help each other whenever they have an issue. It makes us stronger as a team.
My past month at Radial Development Group has taught me how beneficial it is to work in an environment that encourages learning, communication, and transparency. It’s a safe space that encourages mistakes, questions, and gives the opportunity to grow to one’s full potential. I enjoy coming into work knowing that each person on this team is kind, innovative, and is excited to grow with me.