Taylor Keefe, Trend Hunter Research Expert (INTERVIEW)

Taylor Keefe is the type of guy that will make you laugh so hard, you cry. During his internship at Trend Hunter, he was a shining example of a person that goes above and beyond. Enthusiasm should be his middle name. Taylor not only revels in his time spent chatting with top CEOs as a part of Research Expert role, he also revels in deliciously frosty pint with the team when he’s through.

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The night I applied for the Trend Hunter internship was one filled with stress. Due to this stress, I decided to do two things: cry pathetically in front of the mirror and look for a new job. After perusing various websites for job postings that piqued my interest, I finally stumbled upon the Trend Hunter Internship Academy.

Once the internship began, I was brimming with more excitement and nervousness than a virgin on prom night. However, in my excitement laid a deep, dark ocean of confusion. I remember saying to myself, "What the hell is going on here?" I couldn’t understand it. How could a job be this great? I got to dress however I like (as long as it’s not something repulsive like an offensive t-shirt or a suit). I was encouraged to develop my social media skills through extensive use of Facebook and Twitter. I got to enhance my writing skills by building a portfolio of 600+ published articles. Oh yeah, we finish the week off with a quasi-meeting where socializing and sipping Bavarian suds are status quo. Suffice to say, I was thrilled once I found out about that little doozy and quickly decided that I never wanted to leave Trend Hunter.

During my internship, there were many highlights that made me proud. One included writing a sponsored article about cutting-edge car innovations for Lincoln, an article that generated over 70,000 views. Another was getting shout-outs on Twitter from brands like Nike and Ben Sherman for the articles I was writing. And a fond memory was rubbing elbows with a rogue Microsoft executive at an industry event after party. Yet, I was most proud of being asked to join a business development project that would not only provide me with a completely new skillset but would change my life for the better.

The project included everything from prospecting hundreds of potential clients to writing 250+ summaries for TrendReports.com, a business-driven sister site under the Trend Hunter umbrella. I went on to develop skills in market research, SEO writing, professional writing, sales, advertising and pitching. I worked hard and it paid off. After my internship, I was asked to join the team full-time as a Research Expert, proving to myself that hard work, dedication, passion, drive and a creative and comedic personality goes a long way.

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