Position: Developer
School: Cuyahoga Community College (Tri-C), Class of 2014
What kind of person would make a great intern at FlashStarts?
Someone’s who is open to learning new things. If you’re excited about working with a lot of different businesses that helps. Someone who is passionate. Also, if you have an interest in entrepreneurship or you think that’s something you might like to do, you should do this because this will let you know. Here you can see people who are entrepreneurs, people who are successful, and you can see what it takes. We’re also witnessing the early stages of startups and that’s not something many people get to see.
How did you hear about this internship?
I met Mike Belsito at a Tri-C networking event—he’s a mentor here and started the company eFuneral. Mike told me about the internship. I also met his programmer through Tri-C, and he recommended me. Networking really helped.
What attracted you to the FlashStarts internship?
I wanted the experience of working with a variety of different businesses and wanted to gain experience in programming. And the fact there here I don’t just do one thing, I can do a variety of things. I’m definitely glad I took this internship!
Have you had any other internships before this?
Yes. They weren’t programming internships though. I had an internship with the Cleveland Clinic, but I like this one better because it’s more relaxed and a little less formal, which I like. I had an internship at the courthouse, but when I was there I was just doing busy work. I feel like the stuff I’m doing here is really important.
Describe your position. What different projects are you working on?
Right now I’m working with Anigraphic. I’m making effects for the comics they create, and am writing the javascript for that. I’m working on building the WordPress website for The BranDr. I’m doing a lot of custom stuff for it, a lot of PHP, which is good because I’m getting a lot of experience. I wear a couple different hats though for this internship. When I was working for Smooth Financial, I made some calls that required me to learn the practice of making a pitch and getting information from people. I know those are important skills for business.
What’s your favorite part about working here?
It’s not too stressful. I have a deadline and things I need to accomplish, but I make the schedule. The companies and I come to an agreement on it, but I can set the pace.
What’s the most challenging part about working here?
When something doesn’t work—when you’re working on something new that has a bit of a learning curve. That’s the most challenging part. It’s definitely worth it though—I’ve learned a lot going through those learning curves.
