The application is now open for our 2023 Brand Strategy Summer Internship Program. Please submit your application (resume and presentation, detailed below) by midnight on February 28, 2023 in order to be considered.

The program:

In this program, you’ll support the development of insight-rich brand strategies, frameworks, and stories for our clients facing a point of inflection. You’ll uncover problems to be solved as well as work with other strategists to identify compelling insights and recommendations. By supporting phases of custom research, you’ll be expected to contribute to the rigor and creativity of the final recommendation that translate human motivations into meaningful brand ideas, all while building your strategy skills.

 

At Roundpeg, everyone is client-facing and everyone has a voice. You’ll never work solo on a project, but you’ll be expected to provide your independent insight and perspective regardless of whether you’re collaborating with one of our founding partners or with your peers.

Skills you’ll develop over the summer:

• Strategic thinking: translating human motivations into meaningful brand ideas.
• Storytelling: Creating a compelling narrative, being able to translate data and information into insight and strategy that inspires clarity and conviction for our clients to act. You’ll be collaborating with the team to create final recommendations and present to clients.
• Research chops: Even though we’re not a research supplier, we do a lot of research at Roundpeg to inform our strategy recos. You’ll be a key contributor to the design and execution of quantitative, qualitative, and/or syndicated research.
• Business Acumen: our strategies and deliverables are meant to help our clients change, grow, and make decisions—but that’s only possible if we understand their industry, challenges, business dynamics, and consumers. You’ll be expected to dive into understanding the challenges our clients are facing so that what we do and deliver has the greatest relevance and impact.

Skills specific to the internship program:

• A current junior or senior pursuing a degree in: communications, business, marketing, journalism or closely related field. Majoring in something different? Make a case why you’d be a great candidate.
• Ability to work both independently and collaborate with a team
• Ability to commit 35 hours a week for 10-12 weeks over the summer (with potential for more or an extension into the fall)
• Demonstrate a desire to learn qualitative and quantitative research methodologies (focus groups, mobile diaries, online ethnography, one-on-one interviews, custom surveys, NPS, Simmons/MRI USA)
• This is a hybrid internship. You will be expected to be in-person with the team at our Minneapolis Eat Street office on Tuesdays and Thursdays, but may be asked to come in person on other ad-hoc days depending on project needs.

 

Our internship program is a great opportunity for current students (juniors or seniors) or recent graduates to gain experience in brand strategy, business and marketing within an independent brand strategy consulting firm. The program will focus on professional development through real client experience as well as dedicated personal development opportunities.

Our program breaks down into the following:

70%    Client business support: Brand Strategy insight analysis & support, Project Management responsibilities & support

15%     Personal development: Better understand your strengths and interests among a team that wants to help you grow, develop skills and experiences through one-on-one mentoring and trainings

15%     Roundpeg business development support: Everyone at Roundpeg commits a percentage of our time to work on building the business. Interns will be expected to provide support as well.

 

 

What you’ll get out of it:

• Paid positions: $16/hour
• Hybrid work environment—flexibility to work from home, yet the guidance and experience that comes with in-person experience
• A letter of recommendation for those who go the extra mile
• Opportunity for internship extension or for hire at the end of the summer

 

We believe Roundpeg is a pretty special place to work, but not everyone is going to fit into this tight, entrepreneurial team. By joining Roundpeg, you’ll be part of a team that above all, values:

• Curiosity: be eager to understand and learn, looking for inspiration and ideas and unexpected places
• Collaboration: work with others toward a shared purpose /goal, embracing the strength of diverse perspectives and abilities, and building off each other’s ideas. We don’t operate in siloes or with hierarchy
• Intellectual Humility: have a point of view, but recognize and acknowledge the limitations of what you know and believe—empathize with others and question your preconceptions
• Courage: have strength in the face of charting a course from the known to the unknown, challenge status quo and step into your vulnerabilities. We all have each other’s back
• Drive: push yourself and teammates to raise the bar and continually improve, celebrating progress over perfection. We’re ambitious and hardworking, but we don’t forget to take breaks and take care of ourselves and our teammates

How to apply:

• First, we’d like you to share your perspective on a brand you admire. Please put together a short (3-5 page) presentation. In your presentation complete the following:

1. 1. First, choose a brand that you admire.
   2. Tell us who you believe this brand’s competitors are and what the brand offers that’s unique compared to its competitors.
   3. Tell us who you believe that brand is for and why.
   4. Share something this brand has done recently that aligns with who it’s for. Be sure to explain how and why it aligns.
   5. Next, share something this brand has done recently that doesn’t align with who it’s for. Be sure to explain how and why it doesn’t align.
   6. Finally, this is your presentation—design it however you feel fit. Be creative and have fun with it!

• Once you’ve completed your presentation please email your presentation and your resume to Hannah at: hannah@roundpegconsulting.com

 

Please email your resume and presentation by midnight on February 28.

About Roundpeg:

Roundpeg is a small but mighty brand strategy consultancy that partners with clients facing an imperative to change and grow — from non-profits to Fortune 50 brands.

Based in Minneapolis, Roundpeg has ambitious plans for growth.  That’s why we’re looking for more unicorns to join a unique and multi-talented team dedicated to bringing out the absolute best in each other – personally and professionally.

The entrepreneurial culture makes each day different.  Some days you’ll work autonomously to develop a point-of-view in an environment where you’ll be just as likely to hear 90s Hip Hop as 1960s Japanese Pop on the sound system.  On other days, you may get roped into “circle time” — an all-team critique to pressure test strategy recos at the most inspiring whiteboards in town: (https://www.lazoroffice.com/projects/modern-architectural-design#/gang-of-four-1/)

 

Clients turn to Roundpeg when they need a turnkey strategy partner that leverages a rare mix of rigor & creativity, and they consistently return when they need a nimble, savvy partner with a history of succeeding where more traditional resources fall short.