My experience as a super intern

As my first internship at a start-up, I could not have asked for more with my experience at Momentum Works. I’d sum it up in 3 words: challenging, cooperative, fun.

Challenging Work

The work at Momentum Works is always challenging. As a super intern, I got to be in the thick of things right from day 1 with an assignment on Indonesian fintech strategy. Having to come up with a competitive analysis from scratch, I encountered a steep learning curve as I had little prior experience in that sector. While I was given the autonomy to deliver the task, I had the support of an experienced and helpful mentor whom I could approach for guidance where needed. I received great feedback such as how to effectively present the gathered data and derived recommendations, as well as the nuanced differences between established and rising competitors.

The experience gained definitely improved my effectiveness for subsequent projects even though their scopes (one in e-commerce, one in investment landscape assessment) were different. Overall, the process was a tough but fruitful one, with precious lessons learnt along the way and having created real impact with the team for the business in terms of strategic positioning of our product.

Cooperative Culture

We always work as a team, and learn as a team. No one is working in a silo; it is imperative to understand how the different functions of the business come together to drive success. For my competitive analysis to be impactful, I have to understand the perspectives of the marketing team, product development team, operations team and management team for the big picture. There are even insightful workshops conducted from time to time on topics such as business development and investment pitching that helped me appreciate business in the start-up world for a more well-rounded internship.

The cooperative culture also meant that I could ask for help if I needed it, and helped other team members if required. Particularly in a start-up environment, there are bound to be unexpected roadblocks that require quick action, and its important to be able to manage my time so that I can be of help and also meet my own deadlines. On top of that, open communication enabled constructive criticism that refined my work, and accelerated my growth as an individual. For example, I had to navigate a transition away from my usual academic method of research and writing to cater to a different target audience. Of course, staying open-minded was crucial to achieving these outcomes as I had to constantly reassess my assumptions, with rigorous logic being the bedrock of any conclusion.

Cooperation is made ever more meaningful with the amazingly diverse team at Momentum Works. The team boasts 10 different nationalities, and an even wider array of professional backgrounds. Just from my daily interactions with the team, I learnt about different cultures ranging from China to Indonesia to France, to name a few. I gained insights into different work processes too, such as how product development can be managed and marketing channel optimization, and even cool trivia!

Fun People

We have our fair share of fun, with 2 heavy-duty NERF guns and a bunch of plushies (not targets – team members are definitely at higher risk of being shot) in our office. Fun and laughter amidst the demanding schedule of working at a start-up can do wonders to help the team bond and stay focused. We even had an introductory session to embroidery by our very own embroidery expert. Also, team lunches are the norm rather than exception, and I felt like a part of the family in no time.

I had an amazing summer at Momentum Works, and am so grateful to the team for giving me the opportunity to learn and stretch my limits well outside of my comfort zone.

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Thanks for reading The Low Down, insight and inside knowledge from the team at Momentum Works. If you’d like to get in touch with us about any issues discussed in our blog, please drop us an email at hello@mworks.asia and let us know how we can help.