What I learned from my time at CO+HOOTS

by | Dec 11, 2017

Over the past semester, I had the opportunity to intern at CO+HOOTS out of midtown Phoenix. I had never had an internship before with any company, let alone a company so unique, and I was eager for the next months ahead of me. What I gained from my experience was something I would have never expected, and something I would never trade.

CO+mmunity

I had never heard of anything like CO+HOOTS before, let alone had the chance to work in such a space. I was intrigued by the idea of coworking in a community that fostered collaboration. It seemed like a mouthful, but I was excited to see just what it meant. From my short time at CO+HOOTS, I was able to learn not only what it meant to be in a community, but also what it means to belong to a community. From brief conversations with members in the kitchen, to getting to know businesses and entrepreneurs within the work space, I learned that there is always someone willing to teach you something if you make the time to learn.

CO+llaboration

I have found in other jobs I previously had that not everyone was willing to work or listen to someone new to the workforce that had little relevant experience to offer; this was NOT the case when I came to CO+HOOTS. Immediately, my ideas and opinions were welcomed, and even taken into consideration on projects big and small. My skills were put to use in ways that I wouldn’t have thought of on my own. I was given the chance to collaborate alongside other interns, as well as industry professionals, with the skills and connections made from the networking given to me by CO+HOOTS.

CO+work & CO+care

When I came to CO+HOOTS, I was pleasantly surprised by how comfortable I felt from my very first visit. I was welcomed by friendly faces and down-to-earth people that I could connect with on a business and personal level. As a typical college student, I have a lot on my plate and am pretty overwhelmed a majority of the time. When I was having a bad day (okay, bad week), I was able to go to my supervisors and express my frustrations with school, work and just life in general. It felt good knowing that I worked with people that actually cared about my well-being and how I was doing when I was outside the office, too.

From my time at CO+HOOTS, I learned an indescribable amount of life lessons about business, entrepreneurship, networking and what it means to have a friend. As my time at CO+HOOTS comes to a close, I can’t help but think of what fellow intern Bryce Manhardt likes to remind us of from The Lego Movie: “Everything is awesome when you’re part of a team.” Although my time with the team has come to a close, I know I’ll be able to call upon anyone of them whenever I need a helping hand.