Before coming to Seville, I never imagined that one day I would be working across the ocean in Europe. This internship almost feels magical: a journey that took someone from growing up in Shanghai to studying in the U.S., and now, drifting to Spain to begin a brand-new work experience. A little more about myself: My name is Brigit and I’m a rising junior at the Wisconsin School of Business, majoring in Marketing, and currently working as a Sales and Marketing Intern at Xross Connect.
First Impressions: The City That Welcomes You
My experience at Xross Connect began with getting to know the city of Seville itself. The overwhelming scent of flowers mixed with the dry summer air hit me the moment I arrived and immediately made me feel this would be a truly unforgettable summer.
Wednesdays Together: Shared Plates, Shared Stories
Every Wednesday is our team gathering day. We work together and enjoy lunch as a group, and it has quickly become the highlight of my week. Spanish meals are surprisingly similar to Asian dining culture in that they’re all about sharing. As forks and knives clink across the table, laughter flows freely. We chat about work, swap life stories, and build deep connections as a team. The food is always full of surprises. The seafood ensaladilla reminds me of my mom’s summer recipes, refreshing and satisfying. Tender pork braised in whisky sauce, paired with crispy golden potatoes, is so delicious I can’t help but mop up the last drops of sauce with bread. Moments like these where cultures intersect so naturally make me deeply appreciative. Much like this internship, they’ve created a warm, open-minded, and inclusive environment that’s helped me to learn and grow. And of course, a good Spanish lunch always ends with a strong cup of coffee, setting the tone for a productive afternoon. Coming from a fast-paced, high-pressure background, I still find myself amazed, even after two months, by the work-life balance here. That balance is so clearly reflected in the way people eat, talk, and live. It’s something I’ll carry with me.
Learning B2B Marketing
At Xross Connect, I’ve been primarily focused on digital marketing. Every task, no matter how big or small, has contributed to my growth. This is my first time doing B2B social media marketing, which has been a completely different experience from my previous work in beauty and gaming sectors. I initially struggled a bit to adjust my content style to match the more professional tone and branding expectations required in B2B. But through trial and error, I learned how to effectively target different audiences and gained a deeper understanding of our clients’ brand voices.
Growing Through Design
I also had the chance to work on creative design tasks, which is something I didn’t expect. At first, I felt hesitant.Visual design had never felt like my strengths. But once I started researching brand styles and learning how to use the right tools, I began to grow through practice. I learned how to make content not just aesthetic, but clear and effective. I also learned how to reflect brand identity within a design without losing my own creative touch. This became especially fulfilling when my designs were well-received by the team. It showed me I could step outside my comfort zone and come out stronger, more adaptive.
Capstone Challenge: Architecting a New Website
My capstone project was building out a new website for a client. Previously, I’d only been involved in fragments of website renovation projects. But this time, I was responsible for the whole process: building the overall logic, writing content, creating wireframes, and coordinating with both our internal developers and an external UX designer. It was definitely a challenging task, and when I first learned I’d be leading for it, I was unsure if I could handle the responsibility. But I’m incredibly grateful for the trust the team placed in me.
Thinking in Systems: Structure, Users, and Research
Designing the website structure required long-term thinking and a big-picture mindset. I had to consider what users would want to see when they landed on the site, how to create a flow that made sense to them, and what kind of content would engage and convert them. To do this, I needed to communicate with different departments, deeply understand our products, research competitors’ websites and shortcomings, and reorganize all our current content to fill the gaps. This entire process helped me develop my project management skills in a real-world context. I learned how to quickly grasp a new product’s core value, identify user pain points, and assess the strengths and weaknesses of competing offerings. This required extensive research, constant communication, and the ability to synthesize information fast and clearly. I was able to strengthen all these skills through this website project.
From Draft to Deck: Presenting to a Global Team
On the Friday after we finalized the content draft, we were informed that we would need to present our work to team members around the world the following Tuesday. Looking at our somewhat messy Word doc, I suggested to my colleague that we build a deck to visually explain our website’s structure and design. We spent a full day putting together a 30-slide presentation that would clearly lay out our ideas. Starting with the framework, I built the slide structure, mocked up web pages, and added explanations for each page’s purpose and design choices. I wanted the deck to be intuitive and visually engaging, even if it wasn’t perfect, I knew it would make our ideas easier to understand. I take my work seriously, and when I’m fully immersed in a task, I tend to lose track of time. When I finally pulled away from my laptop screen, it’s late evening. But instead of feeling tired, I felt accomplished.The presentation went smoothly the next day. Our client praised my ability to understand technical terms and complex concepts in such a short time. Through this project, I gained skills in learning unfamiliar products, conducting market research, communicating across roles, and clearly presenting ideas. It was truly a full-circle moment of growth, and even now I still feel excited when I think about it. I’m so grateful to the team for giving me this opportunity.
Mentors Who Made the Difference
The support I received throughout this internship was massive. Krystle, who I worked closely with every day, built a strong bond of trust with me. I’m diligent but didn’t have much office experience coming in. She always shared her insights generously and pointed out issues I didn’t even know to look for. That kind of mentorship has been invaluable for someone early in their career like me. Josh was incredibly patient with me, especially during the website phase. As someone new to the product and industry, I needed lots of help understanding technical workflows and terminology. Whenever I was unsure about word choices or product logic, Josh was my go-to. In one long meeting, we talked so much we both lost our voices a little bit, but by the end, I finally had a full understanding of our services and offerings. Lawton, a fellow Badger and someone I really respect, really earned my admiration with his ability to manage the team in such a charismatic yet organized way. His sense of humor and structured leadership style are something I really respect and hope to learn from myself. Lastly, I want to thank my teammate Cy. He’s full of creative ideas and has an incredible sense for people. His easygoing personality offered me a much-needed break from the more intense parts of the workday. We balanced each other out and built a friendship I truly value.
What I’m Taking With Me
Overall, this internship helped me grow in so many ways, from technical marketing skills to making the leap from school to the professional world. I gained confidence, developed soft skills, and became a more well-rounded marketer and team player. I’m truly thankful for this opportunity, not only because I got to work in a beautiful city, but because I had the chance to meet and learn from such talented and inspiring people. I hope to collaborate with this amazing team again in the future.
