Have you ever felt like your life was moving at x2 speed? Sometimes there is so much going on you forget to stop and take a breath. My body was in turbo mode this past summer and it felt like I was holding my breath the entire time. I juggled a full-time job at a coffee shop, a fashion internship, and a summer class, all at once. Barista by day, New York fashion intern by night. I would wake up at 4:30am to open the coffee shop and by 1:30pm I was off work and would go home to do more work for Sabrina. This was my routine all summer. Some days I was so tired I would start to fall asleep at my desk. Honestly it’s kind of cool, I could fall asleep in less than a minute, and probably sleep anywhere. Even with the lack of sleep and amount of coffee I consumed, I would never change this experience. When I joined the Sabrina Spanta team, I didn’t realize that I was going to gain so much more than a generic internship experience.
I came into this position not knowing what to expect and, like most fashion students, my vision of an internship was not far from The Devil Wears Prada. Turns out, being an intern for Sabrina was a lot different. Though I was constantly busy with high expectations, the work I completed was real industry work. The only coffee runs I was making were for myself. I may have slightly fueled a caffeine addiction. Every time I would work it became a habit to get a coffee. I was thrown into this internship with little experience, having to learn as I go. I remember during my interview Sabrina told me she will be pushing me to the next level and, boy, did she do just that. From blog writing, to email marketing, to content creation, to media outreach and more, you could say I have experienced it all. I learned what it takes to run a business and all of the behind the scenes details that follow.
Beside me every meeting was a pencil and paper where I would take notes as Sabrina spoke. The amount of sticky notes that I have with random tips and notes is insane. I think I went through a couple packs of notes this summer. But, I loved our weekly meetings because being able to have one-on-one and team conversations was very beneficial and sometimes Sabrina and I would get lost in conversation. There were lots of laughs and jokes being made. But amidst the personal conversations, there was always something to be learned and I captured all of the knowledge that I could. Each week with Sabrina was exciting as something new was always happening. Instead of editing or assisting, I was directly working on tasks. I gained real-world experience that advanced me to the next level. With Sabrina’s guidance I was able to learn and succeed. It was motivating to see my work directly implemented on the brand. My personal touch and creativity has left its mark on the Sabrina Spanta brand.
Throughout this experience Sabrina never forgot to check in and make sure I was doing okay. I was constantly supported and encouraged to be the best that I can be. She created a space where I was more than comfortable asking questions, making mistakes, and giving my opinion. It is a refreshing feeling having a workplace that actually checks on your mental health. Sabrina helped me find my voice and gave me the confidence to take the next best step in life. I have learned that with effort, hard-work, and determination, you will achieve what you are put on this universe to achieve. Sabrina is not only an educator and a mentor, but a friend. With Sabrina Spanta I gained relationships that will last a lifetime with a team that supported me like family.
To anyone who joins the Sabrina Spanta team, stay curious, ask questions, take initiative, and have fun.
Sincerely,
Carmella Contesti