Taking A Leap Of Faith

Advice From My Intern- Charlotte Newman

Next in my series on building a brand and team is Charlotte Newman, my former intern who started with me in Florida and is now the Assistant to the CMO/CRO.

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Getting my dream internship at Jones Road Beauty took persistence and out-of-the-box thinking - the same skills that helped me turn that internship into a full-time job.

In March 2023, I was on vacation, driving to pick up coffee when I noticed a white Jeep in front of me with the instantly recognizable “Jones Road” logo emblazoned across the tire cover. Could it be Bobbi Brown? I knew I needed to act fast if I wanted to take advantage of this incredible opportunity.

I applied for a marketing internship at Jones Road Beauty a month before, but I hadn’t heard back. As a junior in college passionate about marketing in beauty and fashion, I was fascinated by JRB. The company gained significant traction in two quick years, and of course, nothing could beat the training I would get working with the iconic Bobbi Brown as she dominated in beauty once again.

With the luck of having seen her driving in front of me and some artful sleuthing, I was able to get my resume and a handwritten note to Bobbi, and
subsequently landed my dream internship working with her at Jones Road Beauty.

Bobbi and I decided I would intern with her directly in Florida from January through April. As a “Marketing and Retail Intern,” I would gain exposure to marketing while helping open the Palm Beach store. I also would help Bobbi with whatever she needed, as I was the sole employee in the Florida office (aka, Bobbi’s house).

January 14th, 2024, I flew to Florida ready to hit the ground running, eager to learn and contribute as much as possible. From the start, it was a whirlwind. We delved into product development, brand marketing, PR, and retail design with the rest of the team in New Jersey. Bobbi brought me into everything, from internal strategy sessions with JRB department teams to external guest lectures, and from media interviews to podcast recordings, I was there, absorbing it all.

After learning how Bobbi, the creative team, and the retail team thought through store layout and design, I started preparing for the Palm Beach store opening. I helped with everything I could - sourcing materials and managing the buildout, organizing inventory, coordinating the grand opening event, and filming behind the scenes for social media posts.

Bobbi even trained me as a makeup artist and put me to work in the store so I could familiarize myself with the JRB product line and gain valuable insights and feedback from our clients that we might use to continue improving our products, our clients’ retail experience, and our marketing.
I don’t know how Bobbi does it all, which made it all the more important for me to:

Take Initiative And Help Whenever Possible
There is always something you can help with. Your boss and your full-time colleagues have a lot going on, so ask what you can do and help get it done. I was lucky to have a boss who was invested in my development and put me in situations where I could learn. You can create this luck by taking the initiative and asking your coworkers what you can help them with.

Wherever And Whenever A Request For Assistance Comes Your Way:
Say Yes
Embrace every new opportunity, big or small, and get it done in a way that shows you care. This combination of being open to new challenges and consistently getting them done right builds a reputation of reliability and competence. Even minor tasks, like running errands, can help set the foundations of a trusting relationship between you and your boss or co-
workers. Don’t look at small, simple tasks beneath you. Look at them as easy ways to prove your competence and reliability, kick-starting a virtuous cycle of growth and responsibility. Of course, you won’t know how to do everything perfectly as an intern, so:

Try To Figure Things Out On Your Own, But Ask Questions When Needed
You are bound to get some seriously challenging assignments as an intern, especially because you have no real work experience. You’re also nervous because you want to do the best job possible, so don’t be alarmed when you aren’t sure what to do. Instead, speak up when your boss is giving you the assignment to prevent interrupting them later with questions. Asking later risks becoming a source of frustration for them. If you didn’t ask the right questions at the moment, ask your coworkers for advice or search online for ideas. When Bobbi’s husband Steven asked me to source marble and find a marble fabricator for the store, I asked him what kind of marble he wanted (black leathered granite),
I looked up what a “marble fabricator” was (someone who cuts slabs of marble into whatever shape you want), and I confirmed the countertop dimensions with our Creative Director when I realized I had the wrong measurements.
This allows you to limit interrupting your boss to the times their input is important. Still, make sure you wait to ask until it is clearly a time your boss is free to talk. You can figure this out when you:

Empathize With Your Boss
You need to be mindful of both your work and your boss. Being mindful of your work is a given - work diligently and conscientiously if you want a return offer or letter of recommendation. Being mindful of your boss is a different story, and not one that comes naturally in your first internship. Avoid the trap of focusing solely on yourself and how you are doing in your internship. Instead, learn your boss’s preferences, be empathetic to their workload and personal commitments, and do what you can to make their life easier. Once you learn your boss’s preferences and the way they think, it is far easier to be proactive in
ways that ensure your efforts are noticed and appreciated. Still, problems will arise, and when they do:

Solve Problems Proactively
Bobbi gave me this advice because, even with the best intentions, the best work ethic, and the best questions, you will make mistakes. When that happens, don’t get carried away with thoughts that your career is over. Let people know what happened, apologize, and do what you can to resolve the problem. For example, when I got the marble dimensions wrong when we were sourcing and fabricating the slabs, it resulted in a cost overrun. As soon as I
realized what happened, I went straight to the marble fabricator, told them about the mix-up, and negotiated a discount to limit the financial impact of my mistake. I then explained what happened to Steven, apologized profusely, told him about the discount, and showed him the math so he could be assured that the total cost would still be less than other fabricators’ original bids. I made a serious mistake, and I felt terrible. Acting quickly to address my mistake saved me from disaster and helped me turn my internship into a full-time position. I
also didn’t limit problem-solving to my own mistakes:

Help Solve Other People’s Problems
The same lesson applies even if it is not your mistake. Everyone makes mistakes. Not everyone offers to help. Being a true team player and helping when you don’t have to creates friendships that not only help your co-workers and company, but ultimately your career. Plus, it makes work more enjoyable for everyone. Handling mistakes also helps you:

Have Confidence In Yourself
Your boss awarded you with the internship for a reason – they believe in you and see your potential. So trust yourself and give your best effort. Confidence and perseverance will set you on the path to learning and accomplishing more than you can imagine. Know you will do whatever it takes to get the job done right and go for it.

Reflecting on my experience reveals that these were the hidden principles behind my internship success. I hope the lessons I learned will help you create a similar experience, making the most of your internship and turning your dreams into reality