During my 2026 Fall semester I interned at The Slow Era, a vintage shop that has vendors, local and national creators, upcycled and handmade. The Slow Era is located in Ames, IA on Main Street. I interned at The Slow Era for four and half months. During my time there I learned how to create aesthetically pleasing window displays, consumer relations, how to curate a safe place for our customers, and keep up social presence by posting on The Slow Era Instagram. The posts included "staff picks" which featured my favorite items in the store. I was also able to create fun and enticing reels. I additionally learned how to add items to The Slow Era website and Etsy account. I was fortunate enough to contribute to research about slow gifting for an info-graphic instagram post.

I will always be unconditionally grateful for my mentor, Malena Magnolia, she is one of the most understanding and accepting person I have ever met. She didn't only impart her knowledge of owning a small business, she also showed me how strong an individual's tenacity of strength can be through the roughest of times. 

Though this internship was more unconventional for a my product development emphasis, I will always be grateful for what I learned, about the industry and owning a small business, and for Malenas endless wisdom.