Run the Moon, San Bruno, CA
This summer I had the pleasure of working remotely with Williams alum Katherine Fischer ’08 on her startup called Run the Moon. What ultimately began as her Covid passion project turned into a group of four interns collaborating to help launch the event and create a solid foundation for its future. Run the Moon is a virtual 220-mile ultrarace that participants can challenge themselves to complete over the course of three months. The initial concept was rooted in the positive change that movement can bring to one’s body and mind. Deconstructing the way that we approach “fitness,” tending to one’s mental health, and being a part of a supportive community were all building blocks that the intern team discussed as meaningful ways to frame our work together. While we all worked on the collective needs of the race, each intern was committed to different areas of focus. I spent time specifically working on content creation, marketing, and public relations.
Throughout the duration of the internship, the projects that I worked on evolved as the group made collective progress. For instance, my first high-priority task was to create website and social media content revisions. A significant amount of time was spent on finding the “voice” of the startup, anticipating questions, collaborating on an intuitive flow of information, and providing succinct, well-written copy on our platforms. I was then able to shift gears into the marketing and public relations side of my responsibilities. Katherine, our founder, connected me with many resourceful contacts who were eager to answer my questions, offer advice, and stay in touch throughout the summer. In the spring, I anticipated myself doing a decent amount of “learning on the job”—I was very fortunate to have a supervisor who made every effort of putting me in touch with those who had an abundance of experience to share. While I felt confident managing our social media accounts, drafting email content, and creating templates for outreach, I am grateful for the support I received for other tasks that I was less familiar with, like creating PR decks, navigating content management systems, and negotiating budgets.
I am so grateful for the opportunity that I had to work on such a unique project in its early stages. Being able to build something was incredibly rewarding, not despite, but because of the several challenges and deliverables that I learned how to confront. This internship has given me an invaluable set of tools that range from concrete knowledge of marketing tactics to proficiency in the language of public relations. The less tangible skills and etiquette that I learned in terms of professional development are similarly important and useful. As I more closely consider my future career path. I am excited by the prospect of using my written skills to contribute to the branding of projects, startups, and more fully established companies, as well. I’d like to especially express my gratitude to Mr. and Mrs. Case for allowing me to have this wonderful experience.