This summer I worked as an intern at Seattle art company Third & Wall Art Group. My various duties were to bill orders, send invoices, deposit checks and so on. Aside from that, however, I was assigned to a project with two other colleagues. We were called the Growth Committee, and our task was to examine industry trends, competitor strategies, customer needs and the overall business model of Third & Wall with the goal of discovering opportunities for growth.

While working at Third & Wall, it is safe to say that  I learned a lot. As a college student with little professional experience, especially with art galleries, it was a great opportunity to see how a business works while contributing my own efforts. Looking back, it’s funny to picture myself with my long hair and earrings sitting at a desk with a cup of coffee entering checks on a computer, but I am incredibly lucky to have had the chance to do that. I am thankful for the numerous times I was taken out of my comfort zone when customers called my line needing questions answered. As weird as it may sound, I think that being made uncomfortable at times is one of the best ways to learn. I now have some business and customer service conversational skills that I would have never had before.

Beyond the business and learning aspects, my time with Third & Wall was full of laughs, wonderful people, Whole Foods cake and, of course, great imagery. I have a new-found appreciation for art and business, two things I hope to expand upon in the future. Thanks for a great summer at Third & Wall!

~ Francis Henn, Third & Wall Intern (now full-time college student)