Creating My Custom Internship
This summer, I had the unique chance to create a custom internship at Indium Corporation that combined my interests in business, finance, and product strategy. Instead of applying for a traditional role, I worked closely with mentors to build a hands-on experience that aligned with both my academic background and career aspirations.
I’ve always believed that the most exciting business opportunities exist where innovation and financial insight intersect. At Indium Corporation, I saw firsthand how smart companies grow, manage risk, and create long-term success—not just by making great products, but by making smart choices.
Projects That Shaped My Summer
Throughout the internship, I led four key projects:
- Product launch simulation
- Cost-benefit analysis
- Product revamp strategy
- Go-to-market assessments
Each project taught me valuable lessons about financial modeling, strategic thinking, and execution at a real-world pace.
New Product Launch: A What-If Scenario
My first major project involved a new product line. With support from the product management and finance teams, I built a “what-if scenario” model to analyze the potential impact of a new product launch on the company’s Profit & Loss (P&L) statement. This model allowed us to explore multiple launch scenarios, ranging from conservative to aggressive, by adjusting variables like:
- Pricing
- Volume ramp-up
- Material costs
- Marketing spend
Simulating these outcomes helped us identify the conditions that would lead to the most favorable financial performance and highlight areas of risk. I learned that launching a product isn’t just about technical readiness—it’s about forecasting market behavior, pricing strategically, and understanding operational constraints. Even small changes, like a 5% shift in pricing, could have a big impact on the bottom line.
Cost-Benefit Analysis: Weighing Every Variable
This analysis involved:
- Estimating key cost drivers and capital requirements
- Considering lead times and operational efficiency
- Evaluating current supplier arrangements
- Conducting break-even and sensitivity analyses
This became one of my favorite challenges because there wasn’t a clear-cut answer. While existing solutions might seem cost-effective on paper, they often came with trade-offs in flexibility, responsiveness, and control. In the end, I delivered a framework of decision variables the team could use as priorities shift over time.
Product Revamp: Finding Opportunity in the Overlooked
My third task was a strategic project aimed at revitalizing existing products. I approached this by:
- Analyzing historical sales data
- Reviewing customer feedback
- Benchmarking competitors
I then created a multi-pronged strategy to reposition the products by emphasizing their value proposition. Sometimes, opportunities lie not in brand-new products but in seeing potential through a fresh lens. My work included proposed adjustments to pricing tiers and updating the marketing narrative with compelling performance metrics that resonated with customers. This was a true lesson in product storytelling and the power of renewed focus.
The Value of Building Meaningful Relationships
One of the most unexpected and rewarding parts of my internship at Indium Corporation has been the relationships I’ve built. From day one, I was welcomed into a supportive and collaborative environment where people genuinely care about one another. These connections made my experience more enjoyable and showed the power of a strong company culture.
Friendships That Made a Difference
Getting to know my fellow interns was especially rewarding. I enjoy the challenge of getting introverted people to open up. From our first intern Lunch n’ Learn, two others, Sydney and Finn, quickly became my close friends. We were always the ones to raise our hands first or start conversations during awkward silence.
Finn and I clicked instantly over common interests and humor. Once I learned he brought his golf clubs, I invited him to my golf course, and we played nine holes after work almost daily, weather permitting.
Sydney, a fellow “Bonnie” from St. Bonaventure, had mutual friends with me, but we had never worked together closely before. She soon became a trusted confidant and even joined Finn and me on the course—mainly to drive the cart and enjoy the camaraderie.
I truly feel like I’ve become part of the Indium Corporation family, and these are connections I’ll carry with me long after the internship ends.
What I Learned: Key Takeaways
Each project this summer gave me unique insight into how companies like Indium Corporation approach growth, innovation, and risk. One of the most important things I learned is that business decisions are never made in isolation; every choice is interconnected and constantly evolving. I was truly inspired by the Phoenix Innovation team and the entrepreneurial mindset they promoted—even within a large organization. They encouraged questioning assumptions, testing new ideas, and always striving to create value.
I also came to appreciate that finance is far more than just numbers on a page. Instead, it’s a framework for storytelling, for challenging strategies, and for making informed decisions. Numbers become meaningful only when viewed in the right context and perspective.
Another key takeaway was the importance of execution. A great idea is only the beginning. Knowing how and when to launch, how to provide operational support, and how to measure a project’s success are all vital elements that drive long-term value for an organization.
Perhaps most importantly, I realized that real learning is active, not passive. This internship kept me fully engaged—asking questions, building financial models, and producing tangible results. That hands-on involvement is ultimately what made my experience so rewarding.
Grateful for the Experience
Looking back, I’m grateful for the freedom to explore projects that genuinely interested and challenged me, as well as the guidance and mentorship I received from supportive teams. Tackling the complexity of real-world problems gave me a realistic picture of what a career at the intersection of finance and innovation can truly look like. This summer with Indium Corporation confirmed my passion for working at the crossroads of finance and strategy—and I’m excited to carry these lessons forward.
