In the beginning of June, I had my first meetings with the team at SACC-SF/SV. It has been my first internship since all other summers has been filled with tennis competitions. I expected the environment to be like the highly paced San Francisco culture, with young professionals that are eager to break through and make strong business careers. However, my expectations were completely wrong. Perhaps the reason is because I have studied in the US for a long time that I have fully merged with the American way of doing business. The team and the people that create the environment in the organization have made my internship more than I thought it would be. I have been able to learn more because my co-workers have allowed my curiosity to flourish, they have taught me that every organization communicate in their own customized way, as well as supported and encouraged my different ideas. From an intern’s point of view, this is all you can wish for. To be heard, to get feedback, and to be able to observe the different corners of an organization.
My strongest takeaway from being an intern at the Swedish-American Chamber of Commerce in San Francisco & Silicon Valley was when we held our first in-person event. It’s the moment when all the teamwork that consists of strategy implementation, coordination, planning, and financial analysis, fall into place, and together forms an incredible Networking Event in San Francisco. The intense conversations, the exchange of contacts, and laughter from discussions gave us a good idea of a successful event, which later got confirmed by the positive comments from the attendees. I think these moments are what an organization strives for, seeing the members enjoy the services we offer and be confident that we go above and beyond to help our members bridge the gap between the Swedish & US business environment.
I want to take this opportunity to express my gratitude to the team at SACC SF/SV, for being amazing teammates and for giving me the opportunity to learn, to grow, and to be able to take this experience with me into future adventures.
– Julia Rosenqvist
What I was looking to gain after finishing my bachelor’s degree in Economics and Business was a real-world experience. How do Swedish companies do business, actually? What they didn’t teach in the Economics classroom was the importance of collaborations, organizations, and people that avidly connect people to each other, and find opportunities for growth. Behind the graphs of economic complexity and trade surpluses are real local businesses and innovative organizations that are working to create real positive change. My experience at the Swedish Chamber of Commerce has been energizing and insightful, and I am so happy to be with such a thoughtful, genuine, and amazing team.
– Linnea Moritz
