Founders and CEOs Can Be Interns Too

• CEOs and founders are not limited to solely their own ventures, and should not be.
• As interns, CEOs can be part of a different operations process to learn something new. 
• Internships can help CEOs experience a new industry outside their own.
• Even as a C-suite, there is always room for growth that an internship can fill.

The idea that founders and CEOs must remain solely focused on their own ventures is not only outdated but limiting. When business leaders feel embarrassed about interning or working in a different company, they indirectly refuse self-improvement. This is why the notion must change.

The truth is, there are many reasons why as a business founder you should experience an internship in the modern career landscape. Especially in an ever-evolving world that grows to respect versatility and adaptability. Instead of putting yourself in a labeled ‘box’ as a CEO, an internship experience can be personally rewarding. Besides bringing fresh perspectives to your own business, taking up an internship as a founder sets a great example for your team. Explore in this article the reason why CEOs and business founders are more than fit to be interns.

How Internships Help You Grow

Sticking to one role, which may be ‘safe’ enough in your career, leaves you with little room to evolve. The entrepreneurial journey is all about embracing and seeking out opportunities that ignite your passion. So instead of letting the fear of judgment hold you back, you can try to find the endless possibilities beyond your own company and industry. The first step is always the trickiest to make. But as long as you can change your mindset, nothing is impossible. Growth comes with the courage to change and the willingness to learn something new. 

Being part of another team, involved in the entire collaboration process, brainstorming, and putting things together is an enriching experience. You would contribute the expertise you built as a founder while you upskill simultaneously. Going into a different business and working with a different set of people without means of competition would expand your horizons. This is nothing but the most powerful way to grow, not only for yourself but for your business as well. 

When you incorporate the lessons learned from your experience working in a different company, you get the opportunity to improve. Fresh ideas lead to a new form of innovation. According to the GCPA, this is the key driver of change in an organization. 

Internships as A Distraction to CEOs?

Contrary to popular belief, taking up an internship as a business leader does not make it a distraction. In fact, it is a part of personal and professional development that helps you learn new things. Being a CEO does not mean that you have to be firmly engrossed in one career path. 

In the current professional world, adaptability allows you to keep growing through working with others. A study by McKinsey Company supports this claim, stating the modern career landscape sees an increase in role-versatile employees. As a business founder, stepping into a different industry broadens your views, shifts your perspective, and improves your leadership.

Why Should You Experience New Industries?

When as a founder you feel drawn to a vision held by a different company, it becomes reasonable for you to want to know the ins and outs of the business. The willingness to learn these aspects as a team member instead of a competitor allows you to explore different industries. You get to contribute your skills to a cause you are passionate about and expand your perspective on careers. 

The Founder of Shutterstock, Jon Oringer, saw this opportunity when he took up a programming internship at Lockheed Martin. As an intern, he was asked to create an individual project that eventually helped him build Shutterstock as a company.

In another instance, Brian Chesky, co-founder of Airbnb, famously spent time shadowing frontline employees to understand customer pain points. This experience led him to reimagine customer service within the company.

Speaking of me, I work full-time on Rainvas, but I sought the opportunity to intern with a small bakery brand. This would allow me to step into an industry completely outside my usual routine. The experience taught me so much, and it was refreshing to contribute without always having to be in charge. I found real satisfaction in watching my hard work come to life in a different setting.

“Just like in the movie The Intern, where 70-year-old Ben interns at a startup and shares his wisdom with young CEO Jules, I was inspired to seek personal growth by working with other brands. Their collaboration shows how learning from different experiences can bring fresh insights and enrich my journey at Rainvas.”

Diving into a different industry than one you are familiar with can become an opportunity for self-development. Learn new takeaways outside the routines you run at your own company. Apart from the experience itself, there is always the opportunity to greatly expand your network. 

The Benefits of Vast Networking Opportunities

According to the Harvard Business Review, networking is always a stellar opportunity to grow your business and career. There are many advantages of collaborating with other companies that expand your network outside the immediate industry circle. Working for and with a company that you may not have considered before will open the doors to many potential partnerships. 

Outside of your own industry, there are endless possibilities for networking through an internship program. You will meet new people across diverse backgrounds and experiences that deepen your perspective on the professional world.

From Leading to Influencing The Whole Team

When a business founder takes the opportunity to intern at a different company, it sets a great example for the rest of the team. A leader open to new ideas and opportunities to constantly improve and learn sets a great example for a role model. It shows that no matter what stage of your career, you emphasize that there is always room for growth. 

This would develop a culture of continuous learning, which according to Deloitte, is increasingly needed in the modern professional world. Simultaneously, it becomes the first step to breaking down the traditional stereotype of business founders. Consequently, normalizing that CEOs can, in fact, be interns too. 

Leading with Empathy: The Power of Walking in Your Team’s Shoes

When it comes down to experiencing work as an intern firsthand, there are many lessons a CEO can leave with. Knowing the work employees go through daily puts things into perspective, enabling them to be more empathetic in the workplace. As a leader, they will be able to take a compassionate approach to employees, and in turn, make employees feel heard. 

Empathy in a leader plays a big role in the workplace. It is a must-have to connect with team members on a deeper level. Empathy in a leader also helps make better, considerate decisions, according to a report by Catalyst. Having experienced work, not as a leader but as a regular employee, would enhance this aspect of your leadership style. 

The Australian Institute of Business expressed that an empathetic leader can lead to higher retention rates, cooperation, and engagement levels. It is another positive thing you will bring back to your company after experiencing an internship as a CEO.

Breaking Free from Daily Routines

Often facing the challenges of mundanity and isolation, working with a team of entirely different people can be refreshing. 

For one, participating in various team dynamics, and observing different workplace cultures broaden your views on the professional world. This opportunity lets you focus on aspects of collaboration and creativity, bringing a breath of fresh air to usual routines. You can also engage in work without having to experience the pressure of taking the lead. The experience helps you understand that you are not what people limit you to be.

Career paths are never linear, and this applies to everyone, CEOs and business founders included. The time has come to normalize the idea that anyone can explore diverse career paths, including internships. 

Breaking the stigma and taking on an internship becomes an empowering act of growth for business founders. The willingness to learn beyond your comfort zone challenges the notion that CEOs should stay firmly in charge. With a shift in mindset, you too can start exploring the full potential of your professional development.