OLSON--Week 12

Once upon a time, I stumbled on a story of an agency whose founder slid down a royal staircase onto a sheet of cardboard. In this story, there were many Minute To Win It games played, an epic talent show that resulted in said O-tern revising The Fresh Prince of Bel Air theme song to match OLSON’s style of glory and a hearty dose of laughter.

I do not mean to brag, but OLSON’s retreat was great! From noon to 10 p.m., we spent time with one another, playing volleyball, taking out the canoes, dancing until we could dance no more, eating great food and winning prizes for our incredible tribes. Did I mention that my tribe won a dinner to Buca di Beppo for having the best tribe BBQ? Yay for “Dog Days of Summer”!

I can honestly say that there is something unique about this company, and it is something that I am ecstatic to have had the privilege to be a part of the past three months. I have never been in a place that both works and plays harder than most people would find possible.

I should also let you know that it’s not only the people who make OLSON what it is, but the desk spaces as well. With an OLSON Brickman bobble head, O-tern dodgeball and a great origami swan atop my desk space, mine is certainly not the most unique. One of my favorites is the taxidermy/stuffed rooster wearing gold bling atop a senior account executive’s space.

I am not quite sure how to put into words everything that I have learned while here at OLSON. The work has kept me challenged, the people have kept me energized and the overall tone has kept me going.

One of my favorite aspects of this internship was the chance all of us O-terns had to prove ourselves in a real client experience. If you recall, I hinted at this in a few of the previous blogs. I wrote of a company that honestly cares about its employees, its past and its future.

In taking valuable insights we learned along the way from individuals in our areas of expertise, we worked together to create a campaign for this long-standing client of OLSON. There were many late nights, many comical email threads, as I wrote about in last week’s blog, and one pleased CEO in the end. Incredible. Invaluable. I made nine new friends in this process and learned more than I had ever thought possible.

TIP OF THE WEEK: When an opportunity comes your way to be a part of something greater—especially when it involves good people, like the ones here—do everything you can to make the most of it. You will not be disappointed. I certainly wasn’t!

Cheers to you, OLSON! Thanks for the privilege.