Think, Do, Teach: 30 Days Later

Every summer student’s dream is to find a stellar agency that both sharpens his/her craft and provides a real-world teaching experience. When it comes to my personal summer student experience, I am lucky enough to say that I found an agency that exceeds all expectations. In the past 30 days, the method Think, Do, Teach, has shaped the way I work and learn, and accelerated my knowledge of the digital marketing world. The best part? I’m doing it all in an environment that feels more like I’m just doing what I love rather than working. Let me show you what I’m talking about, and break down what I’ve learned thus far.

The importance of collaboration

If there’s one thing you’ll pick up on quickly around here, it’s that the Think, Do, Teach, method is not an every-man-for-himself operation. The flow and success of an agency, I have learned, exists from brilliant minds coming together to fill in the gaps instead of expecting a single person to hold it together. Think, Do, Teach, is a team effort from start to finish, and the success of this mentality is evident.

Think:

Success begins at the building blocks of a project: with an idea. Between bouncing ideas off during an open and engaging meeting, to pulling up a chair right at someone’s desk, the formation of an idea comes together through team collaboration. The concept that “two brains are better than one” is amplified by combing as much brain power as possible, until the perfect plan is born.

Do:

Utilizing everyone’s talents and unique perspectives are what makes the concept of “Do” possible. Like a well-oiled machine, everyone plays a part in making the success-train move. I’ve learned that putting a plan into action as a team not only helps the train move easier, it moves faster, smoother and more efficiently. In other words, the secret to what we “do” is teamwork.      

Teach:

So, after the thinking and doing are complete, I’ve learned that the right agency doesn’t stop there. The next step is to teach. The train of knowledge is passed onto clients, or in this case, summer students like me. Every step is viewed as a learning/teaching opportunity, which has made a world of a difference in developing my skills.

Digital marketing is like an onion

Yes, you read that right. Digital marketing is like an onion in the sense that there are layers upon layers of what makes digital marketing possible, and it’s changed drastically. Two points (among many) that particularly stand out to me are that innovation is essential, and there’s always room to learn. How do I know this? Well, if I can learn about things like shortcodes, the importance of SEO, social media trends, and about a million other things in 30 days, (on top of sharpening my craft of content development) it must mean that 1. Digital marketing has shifted and 2. The importance of learning and understanding areas other than your own is crucial.

Drone flying is very…very important

If you haven’t felt a rush of pure fear from a drone flying next to your head, then you aren’t doing it right. What I have learned is that it’s things such as drone flying (among other interesting things) that make up such a great corporate culture, which is vital. The healthy work environment at SCM is a large part of how they can do what they do, and do it so well. Things such as a joke of the day board, Mario Kart tournaments, and of course drone flying are all small bits that add up to the big picture of a good corporate culture, and in turn a successful company. On top of that, a positive team with a common goal tie everything together all in one bright and shiny agency package.

So, in the past 30 days, I have learned the impact a good corporate culture can make on both a team, as well as on the work itself.  I have learned about the shift in digital marketing, as well as the various sides of it. I have learned about why SCM utilizes the Think, Do, Teach, method, and its effectiveness. I have learned that I still have plenty more to learn, and I’m looking forward to it.