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Being professional means being respectful of those around, especially those who are in positions of authority, which can be done by acting in a responsible way that is appropriate to your specific workplace. I interpret this quote to mean that even if you have a very high ranking job, if you are not working in a responsible way it can still be considered unprofessional. At my internship, I believe my supervisor demonstrated qualities of professionalism as she is always respectful to clients, even if she disagrees with them about some of the style choices they have made for their home remodel.

My first day on the job, I learned the basics of how my supervisor goes about remodeling homes. She showed me the graph paper she uses to keep track of the measurements, she has obtained of the home. Then she showed me how she pulls these measurements into the computer to make CAD drawings, which allows her to then add a variety of cabinets, fixtures, lighting, etc to the space she is remodeling. Then, the renderings can be made and sent to clients to approve of before construction begins. It surprised me just how much goes into the process of remodeling a home.

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I consistently find myself sitting in the meerkat/ WAIT chair because I am a very observant and thoughtful person in situations. I think this will impact my time at my internship because it will allow me to observe the work my supervisor is doing in a respectful way. I can then commit what I have observed and learned to memory, which I think will be very beneficial for future work experience. I demonstrate written communication when I text my supervisor to confirm my hours. I demonstrate verbal communication when I ask questions about the tasks I am doing or observing, and I am focused on improving this aspect by asking more questions.

In a small business, I think communication is very important as everyone must be on a similar wavelength, which is something I have seen at my internship site. I have also improved my communication skills with my supervisor as my busy schedule has made it difficult to find times to come in to intern. However, I was able to communicate and find times to come in and complete my hours.

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When working in a group, I am either the strategic thinker or the creative role because I am typically able to come up with a lot of fresh ideas and think of solutions to problems. I can be a more assertive person at my internship by asking questions and remembering how to do things that I have been shown so that I am able to be more helpful in groups.

At my internship I have utilized many new programs on the computer such as Sketchpad that are used to make the renderings of kitchens, bathrooms, and more for clients. Additionally, I have learned how to photoshop these renderings on Procreate to make them more appealing to clients.

I think leveraging technology ethically means to make sure everyone has access to the technology they need to do their job to the best of their ability.

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During my internship, my supervisor took me to OHM International, which is a warehouse displaying stone slabs used to make countertops. At this location, I learned about the different types of countertops used in homes, mainly quartz, granite, and marble, and I viewed many unique countertop slabs in each of these materials. However, what really caught my interest was a blue quartz slab from Brazil, which my supervisor informed me can only be mined once a year when the tide is at a certain level. I had never considered what happens to countertops before they are placed in homes, more specifically the mining process, which caused me to wonder, to what extent is the mining for countertops detrimental to the environment?

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Above is a picture of gift bags I helped make for past clients, which I feel is a good example of equity and inclusion.

Being the only intern/ person my page at my organization makes me feel thankful that I am able to have the opportunity to be an intern. I am making sure to use my skills and knowledge to ask relevant questions that allow me to be engaged with what is going on in the business.

At my internship, I have experienced situations where the clients have been very adamant in what they want in their home remodel, even if it is does not look the best with their home. For example, one client wanted an orange oven hood in their kitchen, and my supervisor who was designing the kitchen did not think it was the best choice. However, my supervisor had to keep an open mind and respect the clients decision.

Equity and inclusion play a role in work culture because if everyone has fair access to the same technology and other services in the workplace, then there are less disagreements and arguments which helps everyone to be able to collaborate and work together in a more effective way.

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Networking makes me excited to meet new people, but also nervous because talking to people of a higher status with important jobs can be intimidating at first. From the network I've created through my internship, I have learned how a small business is run and the extensive process involved in remodeling a home. In return, I can tell more people about their small business if I know people looking to remodel their homes. I plan to send a thank you card after I have completed my internship. I also plan to follow Redsmith Construction's Instagram to stay updated on the homes they are remodeling.

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Reading my letter made me feel proud of all that I have accomplished this summer. I have achieved the goals I set for myself, especially since one of my goals in the letter was being able to park at my internship site. In this coming year I would like to gain even more experience in the workplace because I feel this internship has provided a lot of growth for me and I know more experience will bring more growth. However, through this internship I have gained valuable written and verbal communication skills as well as knowledge of how a small business works and operates on a daily basis. Although, I feel that my communication skills could still use some improvement, but I think this internship has shown me that more work experience can help facilitate that.

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Questions for interview:

What are some ways you all network in your business?

How do you deal with clients that do not agree with your design choices?

As a small business, how important is it for you to support other small businesses?

What is it like working as a small business?

How do you all communicate within your business?

How do you find the majority of your clients?

What made you want to go into the interior design business?

Reflection:

Asking these questions made me aware of many things in the remodeling industry, such as the National Kitchen and Bath Association, which is a way my supervisor and her co workers are able to network with similar company's and find new places to shop from when remodeling homes. It also made me aware of how much their company values shopping from local company's and other small businesses around Louisville. However, some local company's oftentimes do close down, which can make it difficult for my supervisor and her coworkers to find other local company's that they trust and know will sell good quality appliances, fixtures, countertops, etc.

Additionally, my supervisor mentioned she did not initially plan to go into interior design, she majored in political science and planned to go to law school. However, she is happy with her job now, although she still sometimes has some dreams of going to law school. Hearing this served as a reminder to me that it is perfectly normal to change career paths, which I believe is an important thing to remember as I'm beginning to apply to college and select a major.

Overall, this experience allowed me to have a better understanding of the operations of a small business, specifically how important it is to have good communication and collaboration skills to be able to partner with other businesses around Louisville to be able to remodel homes to the best of their ability.