The inside scoop on the EVS Internship Experience
As an intern, I was in the unique position to discover the inner workings of EVS Canada, the driving force behind a household name: Nespresso. As a coffee connoisseur, I welcomed the opportunity. EVS is, on its surface, a sales company. To me, however, it is a group of humble, intelligent and compassionate individuals with which I had the opportunity to learn and grow. Looking back, I can’t help but feel grateful for my experience.
I think the warm and light-hearted nature of the EVS team was evident to me on my first day. I was taken out to lunch by my whole team and asked the question “tell us the most embarrassing thing that ever happened to you, and we’ll tell you ours”. After having a couple of laughs and breaking the ice, I felt welcomed as not “the new guy” but a teammate. I was invited on many more team lunches, social events, and can proudly say I have made some life-long friendships along the way.
The EVS internship is dynamic, in the sense that I got experience working on projects in marketing, sales, operations and events. The cross functional nature of the role taught me a great deal about how interconnected the organization is, and the range of different skills needed in each department. One of the highlights of my internship was helping the events team with a demo at Cypress Hill for BMW. Nespresso became the talking point of the weekend as skiers came to get their caffeine fix, and I got to talk about one of my favourite topics: coffee. This shattered the illusion I had that sales was pushy. In fact, I formed wholesome and genuine connections with the people I spoke to, with many coming back for seconds! All this, with the backdrop of one of the most beautiful ski mountains in Vancouver.
Pictured at left: Volunteering our services at a BMW event!
Throughout my term, I also had the chance to work with nunshen, a premium tea brand created and owned by the company. I also met with the mastermind behind the blends, Carine, who came all the way from France to educate the team about each unique blend. Through working on the nunshen business, I was able to learn the ropes about how to get a start up off the ground. Exploring everything from P&Ls to distribution to marketing plans, I learned about what it takes to launch a brand.
Overall, my experience at EVS has been unforgettable. I absolutely loved working in the heart of downtown Vancouver in a beautiful open-concept office. Thanks to the cubicle-free environment, I felt comfortable approaching absolutely anyone for questions or feedback. Throughout my internship, I felt supported and encouraged by my manager and other department heads. I was pushed to be my best whilst being given thought-provoking and challenging tasks that taught me so many new skills. Even during the recent shutdown due to the COVID-19 pandemic, EVS has continued to support its employees, demonstrating its commitment to the team. It has been an experience like no other and for that I am truly thankful to the EVS team.
