Success Stories: Raymond Nesiama & Junction

Welcome to the highlights of our Growth Hacking Internship program! ✨

We interviewed Raymond Nesiama, a student at LAB University of Applied Sciences and a current Growth Hacking Intern at Herizon.

Raymond collaborated with Junction, a not-for-profit organization that hosts tech events, including Europe's leading hackathon, and here are Raymond’s thoughts on his collaboration with his company and Herizon over the past two and half months.

Here’s a highlight that Raymond shared with us:

The collaboration with Herizon has been incredible. I was pushed beyond my expectations, particularly in my reporting, which required a detailed, well-organized, and informative output. 

How has the collaboration been with your case company? Share your growth hacking progress, examples, learnings and observations.

My collaboration with my case company, Junction, has been quite eventful, marked by numerous challenges and a few successes. However, the support from Junction kept me motivated. I recall feeling puzzled when my emails went unanswered, so I suggested using VoIP for better communication. Junction was always willing to provide the resources I needed to make my experience fulfilling.

We had a practice called Monday Check-Ins, where we reviewed the previous week’s work, discussed targets achieved or missed, and planned for the upcoming week. I was eager to experiment with new strategies each week, which Junction welcomed. Initially, I was given a KPI of 50 leads per week, but I requested to increase this to 75 leads, raising the target by 50%. It was more work, but it paid off.

I successfully generated over 500 leads during my time and scheduled two partnership meetings.

Entering a new market can be daunting for any organization. However, I discovered that persistence and a willingness to adapt are crucial for achieving results. I didn’t accept "no" for an answer and consistently considered the company’s current status and the background of the individuals I approached.

How has the collaboration been with Herizon? Share examples, learnings and observations.

The collaboration with Herizon has been incredible. I was pushed beyond my expectations, particularly in my reporting, which required a detailed, well-organized, and informative output. I remember Daria frequently messaging me to correct my work, ask relevant questions, and highlight areas for improvement.

Herizon also organized several meetings with alumni from the organization, aiming to share their stories and connect with interns. This was a personal highlight for me, as I met individuals who once sat in my position and are now achieving great things. Their experiences motivated me to focus on doing everything right to reach similar heights.

I also appreciated collaborating with fellow interns who had similar responsibilities. Sini facilitated this exchange, allowing us to learn from each other and refine our approaches to outbound sales.

One challenge I faced was time management, as I had a lot on my plate, including preparing for my CompTIA Security exam, pursuing a full diploma in Cybersecurity with Masterschool, and working part-time at Suomen Punainen Risti. I overcame this challenge by prioritizing activities that were non-negotiable.

Have you had any success cases at work that you'd want to share?

I have successfully scheduled meetings with several international companies, and two of them are currently in discussions for a potential partnership for the Hackathon in November. However, since my internship is ending, I won’t be able to see these negotiations through to completion; my colleague will finalize the deals.

How could Herizon have made your experience as an intern even 1% better/easier/etc?

I propose increasing one-on-one sessions with alumni and industry experts to provide personalized guidance and insights. Additionally, establishing study buddy pairs among interns with similar job roles would foster collaboration and knowledge sharing. This approach will enhance learning and create a supportive network, ensuring that everyone can thrive in their respective positions.

If you would join the program again, what would you do differently as an intern? All thoughts help us to give better support to other interns.

I am determined to put in twice the effort I contributed in this current cohort! I truly believe that securing an internship in my field of interest, like Cybersecurity, would have been incredibly impactful. However, I didn’t let that hold me back! I leveraged my Cybersecurity skills to support Junction by identifying vulnerabilities on their web server and workshop platform.

To all the new interns out there, I encourage you to make the most of every opportunity that comes your way! Embrace the challenges and turn them into valuable experiences!

Would you recommend other students to join this program as well? If yes, why?

Absolutely, I highly recommend the Herizon internship program to everyone! It serves as a solid foundation where we can take accountability and deliver results by following the guidance of both Herizon and the case company. Participants have the chance to engage in continuous learning by evaluating and experimenting with growth hacking strategies each week. They’ll be surrounded by like-minded individuals and gain access to valuable resources that can foster both professional and personal growth.

Career prospects

I just signed a contract with TechClass, right before the end of my Internship, to get started with them on the 1st of September.

I applied for the role via LinkedIn, and I remember running into a post on Mighty by [one of the growth hacking internship] alumni who has made over 400 job applications, and got a few interviews. This inspired me to set a KPI on my job search progress, where I apply for 50 roles weekly. However, I came across the job ad on LinkedIn, and applied.

I went through a few rounds of written interviews where employers specifically were interested in applicants that had affiliation with Non-profit organizations, which I happen to be in one at the time (Junction) thanks to Herizon. Afterwards a video interview was scheduled. In the interview, the employer had my LinkedIn open and asked me to tell him about what I do at Junction, as he has received emails from them multiple times over the years and would like to know what they really do. So I gave him a brief introduction to Junction activities and also asked him to speak to the partnership director in charge of Finnish companies. He was fine with the suggestion and I immediately scheduled a meeting between Junction and TechClass the same week, after the meeting, he reached out to me with an offer of employment, and also will continue the conversation of potential partnership with Junction for the upcoming hackathon event in November.

Raymond, thank you for participating in our Growth Hacking Internship Program and we wish you progress and success in your current and upcoming projects! 💜