As a small business owner building my business from the ground up, I’ve not had the option of hiring full-time staff in the early days of my startup. Instead, interns have played a significant role in helping the business grow.
Internships and apprenticeships offer numerous benefits to small businesses (and larger ones too!). After recently bidding farewell to my 9th and 10th interns, who both returned to the U.S. in late 2024, I’ve been reflecting on what I’ve learned from the experience and how I can make the most of future internships for both StreetHunt Games and the interns.
Here are my top five tips for making the most of what can be an invaluable resource.
Ensure the intern is properly onboarded and gains a strong understanding of the business
We run an outdoor adventure game company offering immersive, self-guided mysteries set in captivating locations—a unique blend of a grown-up scavenger hunt, escape room, and murder mystery, all played outdoors in the heart of a city, with the game accessed and guided through a smartphone.
For my business, onboarding begins with an initial presentation about what we do, along with an overview of our business strategy and goals. I then encourage each intern to spend time reviewing our website, social media accounts, and to also spend some time understanding our competitor offerings. They also head out to experience one of our games firsthand, ensuring they quickly gain an understanding of our offering from a customer’s perspective.
Support authors and subscribe to content
This is premium stuff. Subscribe to read the entire article.
