McKenzie Pickett served as a PR/copywriting intern at Madison+Main in 2019. On her final day as a Madison+Main-iac, she offered some sage advice to future interns.
Dear Future Intern,
Congratulations, you made it in the door. They chose you to be the next intern and you should be proud of that! By accepting this position you’ve decided to invest in yourself, as with most things in life, you get out what you put in. So work hard, show up on time, and ask questions.
When you arrive in the office you may notice an unusual amount of pictures of the owner, Dave Saunders. Copywriter Derek Fair has always wanted to be like Dave, and he starts each day by looking into his eyes. The pictures, blankets, and articles of clothing adorning Derek’s desk are a manifestation of his inward desires. Although Dave is unsure of how to feel about this, it hasn’t caused any problems yet, so don’t worry.
If you haven’t already figured it out, Mr. Brockwell, the Communications Director, is kind and also kind of blunt, he’ll respect you if you speak up but he’s not here to gossip. The upstairs is a quiet space for writers, let your words do the talking. That being said, when he talks, listen. You might just hear some of the most sage industry advice, comments on society, or hilarious outbursts of Brockwell nonsense.
This office has a great culture. It’s like a big weird family and they will let you sit at the big kid’s table — sometimes. Soak those moments in.
The best advice I can give is don’t take anything personally. Feedback is designed to help you grow. They will change your work because you’re a rookie but, you should still be proud of it. This is a team effort. I constantly felt like my work wasn’t good enough until I had the revelation that, it’s not, but it’s better than when I started.
During my time here, my writing has developed significantly. Specifically in a PR capacity. The opportunity to work on lower-level initiatives has been invaluable. This environment has pushed me to think both creatively and tactically. Additionally, I have done a lot of social media work and short-form copy. This work has allowed me to leverage my creative writing towards a brand’s particular needs and market.
No two days look the same at Madison + Main and most are filled with multiple tasks. These are some of the best jugglers I have ever met and they seriously make it look easy, so take notes. Working here has inspired me and changed my career trajectory from nonprofit to agency work, should I be so lucky.
If you’re lucky, you might get to be in a commercial, visit TV studios, radio stations, help with event production, brand promotions, and also walk away with an amazing portfolio. They might even take you out for hotdogs (and no that is NOT a euphemism). Dave LOVES hotdogs!
As far as regrets go, I regretted not being more bold (Bold Brands Win and that includes your own) and I regret not saying thank you enough for the constant feedback and support. Please learn from my mistakes.
So here’s me passing the proverbial torch — don’t get burned.
Best of luck,
McKenzie Pickett
aka Buckets
Are you interested in an internship at Madison+Main? We’re always looking to meet amazing talented students who are looking to earn real world agency experience. Every spring, summer, and fall we offer copywriting internships, account management internships, and graphic design internships. Apply today!