OLSON--Week4

Good morning, and welcome to week four!

This week, I have to say, I honestly took my own advice (see tip of the week last week) and did not allow myself to be afraid of failing. Would you like to know what that does? It allows you to live in freedom!! It does not make everything peachy and perfect, but it certainly does create an environment within which you can experience the joys of learning much more easily.

I was able to be at radio recording sessions for three days last week. As before, it was a neat experience. This time I was able to see it start to finish, which means that I am better prepared to do it on my own one day. It was a ton of fun watching everyone play the (highly valuable) roles they have in the process. To sit in a room with a radio mixer, a production guy, a creative guy, and an account services individual throughout this entire process was a great learning experience. If you get a chance, drive somewhere where you can hear radio spots for Fifth Third Bank. They are hilarious! Props to the writers; props to the voice talent (big time)!

Non-work related tip of the week: Try the spinach salad (smoked apple, brie, pecans, and a great vinaigrette) from Be"Witched" in Minneapolis. We got it for lunch one day at the recording studio and it was phenomenal!

This week, I noticed things clicking more in terms of how everything fits together in the role of an account executive. If you work at OLSON, are an account executive, and are reading this, this will be nothing to you (because you have already mastered this art). However, for the rest of the world: I received 100 e-mails and sent 50 on Wednesday. 100. 50. Wow! I am told that this is nothing. Thankfully, I am finally grasping what it is I am to do with all of this new information I need to process and compartmentalize in my mind so that I can properly evaluate and react (if applicable) to each one of these highly important pieces of information flying around at the speed of mack 22.

I think I will continue to have a tip of the week, just because it is fun, and because I can. Also, it will be a neat way to look back at the end of the summer and see some of the highlights of my learning experience (tucked up nicely into sentence-long pieces of beautiful wisdom).

TIP OF THE WEEK: Never cease making friends and having fun at work!

Don't worry, I have a story. I'll also try to hook you up with at least one fun story for the week, just to keep things interesting (Lord knows OLSON is anything but boring, and I wouldn't have it any other way)!

I was sitting at my desk on Friday afternoon, getting ready to go to a meeting in a few minutes, when I heard a question being asked a few desk spaces away (just close enough that I could hear it perfectly, but far enough away that I could not see who was saying it). This was the question: "What is the difference between 'began' and begun?'" Now, let me make something clear. Every single OLSONite I have met is incredibly bright. However, we all have more learning/refreshing to do throughout life. Good thing, too. Otherwise, life would be pretty boring, don't you think? Learning is the best part of life, in my opinion!

Anyway, getting back to the story. This question was asked. Seeing as I had about three minutes before I needed to pack up my laptop and notepad to head off to a meeting (did I mention that each meeting room is marked by a lettered/numbered dodgeball?), I thought about the question. Although I majored in "Get Every Written Piece of Work Critiqued Until It Can Be Critiqued No More" (also known as Public Relations), I realized that I was not solid on that rule of grammar either. So, being the curious, hungry-to-learn, and Google-loving individual that I am, I Googled it.

I then walked over to see who it was who had asked. Thankfully, I knew one of the two having the conversation. I did not, however, know the one who had posed the question. So, answer in mind, I brought it up with the guy I knew (and introduced myself to the one I did not), and cleared the air on the epic grammatical dilemma known as "began vs. begun." Moral of the story? If you run across something you do not know, and have the resources and ability to check it out (and it doesn't take you away from current responsibilities), check it out! I did, and look at where it got me: a greater understanding of an epic dilemma, a new friend, and four "intern Points!" What could be better? If you are a fellow O-tern reading this, do not worry, you have not missed out on an official score-keeping method of the O-tern program. These points were made up on the spot, but, nonetheless, posses incredible value. So, don't worry, you're not missing out. (But I am winning...just saying.) :)

Well, now that you have sat through the insights (ramblings) of an O-tern for week four of her epic adventure at OLSON, you may rest and be at peace knowing that another week was well spent, and another tip well learned. Remember kids, never cease making friends and having fun at work!

OLSON--Week 3

Well, well, well, I have completed my 3rd week (and am now into my 4th---blog soon to come).

PHEW! Well, I learned something incredibly helpful last week and over the weekend. YOU CANNOT BE AFRAID OF WHAT YOU DO NOT KNOW!

There is so much to learn at an advertising agency...especially one like OLSON (which just acquired Denali...very impressive)!

I must ask questions when I do not quite know what is going on. I learned that this week. Let me repeat my other tip of the week, you cannot be afraid of what you do not know. Did you know that you can take an incredible experience and make yourself so nervous of failing that you do not even want to try? Well, thankfully I did not allow it to get to that point. Why? I am a fighter. I will not give up. Even though the learning curve is intense at times, I will not give up, I will always push myself to exceed what I have previously known as my best....and because of that, I know I will continue to grow and learn as time goes on.

One of my colleagues so graciously pointed out to me--"Keep in mind, this is your first job! This is also your first experience with agency work. There is going to be a learning curve." Another told me, "I have been in the industry for five years, and still HAVE to ask questions because I DO NOT have everything figured out!"

My neatest moment of the week? OLSON had its Father's Day celebration. Cool, right? Cooler than you think...OLSON is an advertising agency, in case you haven't picked up on...which means that everything the people at OLSON do, is funky and awesome.

Instead of calling it a "Father's Day celebration," they called it "MAN DAY." Haha:). What could make a guy happier? My dad came up...it was a grand 'ol time. We had BBQ and took a tour of OLSON's incredible site. I think he had a good time. (Well, he told me it was great...so I suppose it was.) ;)

AND....he made me this sweet artsy (made with slatted wood and chopsticks, so it looks a little Asian) flower arrangement from flowers he picked at home (red lilies...kind of like tiger lilies, but no freckles)--they are honestly some of THE most beautiful flowers I have ever seen!

Anyway, there you have it folks...week 3...



TIP OF THE WEEK: YOU CANNOT BE AFRAID OF WHAT YOU DO NOT KNOW!

OLSON--Week 2

Well, it has now been two weeks...and I know even more about OLSON, my client, and the cool people I get to call co-workers!

This last week I was able to sit in on a radio production...talent called in from LA...we hung out and made sure it sounded like what the client was looking for...wow, neat opportunity!

The Twins game was pretty great, too. I got asked to go to the new Twins stadium with the media team...nice couple of big suites...extensive array or hot dogs, chicken, quesadillas, etc., great weather to watch the game...ahh, if you have not checked out the Twins stadium yet, you need to!

We O-terns were able to meet the client that we will be working with for the summer. It is a fantastic company that honestly cares about its employees, its past, and its future...I look forward to sharing the name with you...after I get permission to reveal it. :)

Friday BBQ this week? Jimmy Johns, coleslaw, and great American jazz of that nature...did I mention that we get to play "Minute to WIn it Games?"

I'll be meeting my team's primary client next week--I am certainly looking forward to that!

Well, until next blog...enjoy the rain:)

OLSON--Week 1

Alright, so...it has begun. In a world where there are so many people and so many companies...I believe I have met my match! It wasn't through an online ad or by walking door to door...it was through a mutual friend, you might say... :) (shameless plug to networking!)

Olson Advertising Agency (oco.com), as you should know by visiting the given website (go ahead...do it...it won't waste your time...but it will entertain you), is located in Minneapolis, by the Walker Art Center, the Basilica , and Loring Park...what a neat combination of places to have on all sides!

Well, you may wonder how it feels to be working at Olson....to the untrained eye, one would assume that I am reliving kindergarden (by the cleverly placed name tags propped up on modern metal stands...sitting confidently on white office furniture that would make any cubicle roll over in its grave), elementary school (by breaking all of Olson's approximately 200 employees up into 12 tribes that are cleverly named, cleverly themed, and even more cleverly positioned to host tribal challenges that encourage behavior much like what can be found on NBC's show, "Minute to Win It," which enables the winning of jelly beans to be redeemed for "awesome prizes" at the end of the summer...I have also heard rumors about infamous dodgeball games), high school (by having a different tribe host an "all company"--but more like "all friend" BBQ out back in the newly bricked ally, which, by the way, looks more like a European country than Minneapolis), and college (by being surrounded by brilliant individuals, all who are all incredible at what they do, and so very willing to meet a little O-tern like me and tell my why they love what they do)...but that is all just to the entrained eye...

To the trained eye, you may ask? Well, I'll let you know when I get there myself..

How do I feel so far? Do you remember ever getting an assignment in a class that can only be described as "one of the hardest, but most rewarding experiences of my life," by past students? ...And then you end up sitting in that class the first day and get given that "hard, yet rewarding" assignment...but you have no idea how to start or what to do because you have not quite been given the next steps yet.....well, that is a bit how I feel...

...YET, I have this strange feeling that that is perfectly alright at this point (that, and the folks I work with told me that very thing)...

Sooo, I will keep going...enjoying every step of the process, and try to not get ahead of myself...enjoy the process...learn from everything...enjoy the process...take the pace as it comes...enjoy the process...

What a neat opportunity! :)