My e-mail inbox was growing with messages from the career services department regarding my internship. Alison Harter, the internship coordinator, was hot on my tail to get me going in locating my internship. Why? Because I was WRAPPING UP my degree!

My mind was brewing –who, what, where? I considered a few names that I had heard around in my classes and had seen on the school’s portal. The dreamer in me got loudest and I started cruising around MTV’s website. The intern application deadline had passed for the time I needed. Dang it.

I started considering connections I made while in Max Lin’s Business Development class at IADT. In researching the market during the fall of 2008, I attempted to contact a woman who operated a small, event-staffing company. Sheena was the owner of the Invisible Hostess and I was seeking a mentor in the creative industry. Based on her business plan, I knew she would be a compatible visionary.

When I first contacted Sheena of the Invisible Hostess, I offered an invitation to lunch and I never received a response. The second contact was months later, with a kick-butt resume, attached to a charming cover letter. I said I would call by Friday. This was more for me than for her. The third time was my nervous fingers dialing a number off the internet. She actually picked up the phone! "Hi, this is Sheena," and things went from there. She didn’t need an intern for her business and recently she returned to become the business manager with Kelley Moore. She asked me if I would be interested in interning with her and we scheduled a meeting for the next day.

A trio of pretty ladies walked into the coffee shop a few minutes past our appointment. One I immediately recognized from video I had watched online the day before when doing my research on Kelley. "Hi, you must be Kelley," I said, and we sat down and all eyes looked to her as she began speaking. "Do you know much about what I do?" she said, more than asked. From what I had gathered from the website, she was a stylist. She talked about things to do to make life more beautiful. She was also funny and into what she was doing. I found out that Sheena had worked for Kelley as an intern years ago and had since returned to the company as a business manager.

As I started learning more about Kelley’s story – I was intrigued. Kelley Moore worked as a social worker and spent some time in Arizona (my home!) during school. She realized the government-funded childcare service was not enough to contain her need to spread love to others. So, Kelley began an event planning business. She developed connections that encouraged her passion and set her heart on a bigger level. A National Platform was created.

Kelley Moore Creative Media exists out of a beautifully appointed home in Upper Queen Anne in Seattle. Interns enter through the basement back door to keep traffic down. The "Exec's" upstairs happen to be a door away from the kitchen. I’ve decided climbing the corporate ladder is not for me, but I love small business. Kelley has been working for the past decade to create a lifestyle brand and her ambition is pure inspiration. I won't tell you much more about what we do because I would rather invite you to link to the company’s website at www.kelleylmoore.com to explore - while you drive up my traffic numbers!

After the interview I was supposed to hear back from Kelley in a few days, but in two short hours later she called me and asked if I could come by the office. I started the following Monday!

My first internship assignment was to work on a 16-year old’s birthday party. She wanted an "Around the World" theme and the budget was less than desirable. The customer actually never came back after the initial invoice was sent, so the project was cancelled. My next assignment was in product development. We wanted to create a heartfelt gift that would convey wishes to the receiver via significant charms. I was tasked to research wholesale suppliers and explore packaging ideas. When I think about them now, I have some new ideas.

Then, along came an amazing opportunity. Kelley asked me if I’d go with her to help with a room makeover for a television show in Los Angeles. Are you serious? Yes, I wanted to go! We received photos of a space, watched an interview with the client we via the web, and a budget. Kelley had the vision: a beautiful fabric from modpod.com, upholstered headboard, leopard-print wallpaper, and, yes, even a yellow fireplace mantle. The ideas were insane individually, but her zany vision made them cohesive. We flew into LAX, my first time there, all on separate flights. I was supposed to arrive first but got re-routed to last. My first order of business…hair, eyebrows, and wardrobe. We were in Hollywood baby.

Call times and microphone packs entered my vocabulary. Lighting and energy levels were important parts of conversations. The concept was becoming real. Fate put in her two cents as the design was realized. We had to be flexible and there were new considerations, quick solutions, and sacrifice. The experience as a whole was exhilarating. I was calculating wallpaper covering and thinking to myself that I was so glad I remembered that class. Thank God for Adrianne Dale, her textile classes were as much math and science as cotton and polyester. So many parts of my life experience were coming to the table; sewing skills of my grandmother, paint sprayer knowledge from an odd ball summer job, multi-tasking abilities from serving tables. Parts of my life were all pointing to that moment and saying "Hey, I happened like that for this right now."

Not everyone gets this revelation so early in life. I know that because I am told so daily. I personally believe that I am at a point that exists because of a lot of preparation, and a lot of sacrifice and money! I can offer advice but my intention must be clear: I only want to inspire others to reach their fullest potential, not mine! I'm not trying to create competition! I try to always remember that emotions and feelings linger longer than other parts of our life experience, so I create positive energy. I also have to remind myself daily that I do march to a very different drum, and that its beat is beautiful for me alone. You have a march too!

For someone looking for an internship, I say that your choice will impact your life. Search yourself and you will know where you need to be. Then get there without doubting yourself.

I have been offered a full-time position with Kelley Moore Creative Media. I'm looking forward to my very first business cards. They are red and thick. BAAM! I had to take a few days to consider accepting the offer. It was nothing that I thought I would be doing after graduation. The reality is that I am still in shock. I can only keep marching. The music seems to be getting better!

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