Meet Our Intern: David Byrne

My name is David Byrne, and I was an Operations and Event Management intern at Gray Matter Marketing for the past thirteen weeks. During my time with Gray Matter, I was fortunate enough to work with some incredible people. Not only would I like to tell you about my experience, but I’d like to also share some information that will be helpful to any future intern with Gray Matter.

I’ll tell you a little bit about myself before I get into details of my experience and the company. I was born and raised in Newport’s Fifth Ward. I moved to Boston to attend Emmanuel College and will be graduating in December with a BA in Business Management with a concentration in Sport Management. I was a two-year captain of the varsity golf team while at Emmanuel. I am currently living in Newport and actively seeking a full-time position in the sports or event management industry.

Now let’s talk about Gray Matter Marketing! What can I say? This place was amazing from day one. The Fall has just flown by and we were able to get so much done. I worked at five events throughout the fall and enjoyed every single one of them (even waking up at 3:30 am for the Amica Newport Marathon). I was given the opportunity to gain valuable experience in various areas of work while with Gray Matter. From inventory to data analytics to social media marketing and more, each day was different. Here are some of my biggest takeaways from interning at Gray Matter Marketing and some things you should know:

Don’t expect to sit at your desk all day.

Gray Matter Marketing is a busy environment and there are a ton of moving parts in order to prepare for an event. You won’t be at the desk for an entire day working on social media, projects or blog postings like this one. One day you might need to help load trucks for an upcoming event, another day you might help move cases of water before they freeze, another day you might go watch the monthly canning at Ragged Island! Each day is different and that is what makes this place awesome.

Make it a priority to work at the events!

The events are the best part of the internship, and it’s where you will learn the most. The events are a great way to get to know the rest of the team, plus, it’s great experience in event management!

Be prepared to actually work and be independent.

This isn’t the type of internship where you’re grabbing coffee (although Matt did ask me to do that once). But in all seriousness, you will be working and whether it’s in the office or at an event, be prepared. You will be granted a certain amount of independence and get ready to have some responsibilities at the events. It is a great way to learn while at the events and it will only prepare you better for the next time.

I have now completed two internships within operations and event management capacities and it’s safe to say that Gray Matter Marketing improved my skills in this field dramatically. If you are looking to get into sports, event management, event planning, operations, this is the place to come and learn from the best. Matt and the team have an incredible reputation in the area and will provide you the skills you need to succeed and the opportunity to thrive!