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Sapahn, A Bridge

Cahner Olson

Thanks to Mentors I am currently an intern for Sapahn, an ethical fashion company based in Thailand and Lincoln, Nebraska. I’m about six months through my year-long internship and wanted to share some of the things I’ve been working on as well where life is taking me after graduation.

My big project with Sapahn has been telling the stories of the Thai artisans who make their products. I developed a three-part blog series for each artisan group. Part One talks about how Brooke Mullen, Sapahn’s founder, met the members of the community. Part Two is an explanation of how their product is made, along with a video showcasing the process, and Part Three is an overview of how the community has changed for the better after working with Sapahn and having more control over their work and wages. You can view one of my favorite posts here: https://sapahn.com/blogs/sapahn-blog/mulberry-silk-making-process.

I also organized a system for influencers and customers to tell their Sapahn story – through a campaign launching soon. I pitched to influencers, sharing the Sapahn mission with them; as one of Sapahn’s biggest hurdles is increasing brand awareness. The end of the year included flying to Chicago for Sapahn’s biggest show of the year, The One of a Kind Show at the Merchandise Mart. I jumped right in to help with everything including merchandising the booth followed by three 10-hour days sharing Sapahn’s story and helping thousands of customers find the right leather bag for them with Mentor and marketing specialist Clair. This was a great opportunity to spend time with my mentor and learning more about being a virtual assistant and marketing strategies.

It’s been so fun learning about each community that Sapahn works with through interviewing Brooke and really diving in to the story of these artisans!

Like I said I’m halfway through my internship, but I actually just graduated from the University of Nebraska- Lincoln. My next step is to travel Asia for two months and then move to San Francisco. The thing I love about this internship is that I will be able to take it on the road with me. I’ve learned a lot about communication and how to work remotely in this fast-paced world. It has definitely been hard balancing life/school/internship at times, but I’ve learned how to discipline myself, so I can get the necessary work done. I’m so thankful for this opportunity that Mentors has given me.

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