MAKO’s iTAP Internship Program

Have you ever wondered what it’s like to be an intern at MAKO Design + Invent? This article is about my experience at MAKO Invent and what it feels like to work in a booming product industry and growing business. My name is Sarah, and I am the Marketing and Communications Coordinator at MAKO. As a Master’s Graduate Student from the University of Jean Moulin (Lyon, France) in Management and Marketing, I focused much of my training on web marketing. As part of the last year in my program, I decided to do a five-month internship at MAKO Invent in Toronto. It was the perfect fit to match my passion for new technologies, innovation, and marketing!

A Stimulating Environment in a Booming Product Industry

I’ve worked with various companies, smaller and bigger businesses, but never experienced working with a team that has such a close bond, with professional world class values.

The fun work environment allows us to boost our creativity, to be more productive and more relaxed in this booming product industry. In other words, to be better at what we do. Being a small team, every team member gets to interact with each other and communicate faster and better. The team gathers regularly to debrief and discuss the projects that are being worked on and what each team member has achieved during the week. These internal meetings are very beneficial to the entire company as it increases the communication between each department and strengthens the bond between every team member.

In five months, I’ve seen the company growing strong and fast within the booming product industry. From contracts with major international corporations to new partnerships with key organizations in North America. The success behind this leading product development firm is not about timing or chance; it is about hard work, constant internal innovation, and game-changing strategical decisions. I’ve experienced MAKO from the inside and witnessed the hard work and dedication that every team member puts into their work.

A Great Place to Grow and Learn

MAKO Invent is not the type of company that will hold your hand. They simply hire the best in their fields and are dedicated to training interns that take the role seriously. Once I proved my abilities to understand the global strategy of marketing within the company and recommended actions to reach and achieve strategical goals, I was given the flexibility to create my own projects and was supported to see them through to success. This is an opportunity that very few companies give their interns and I’m grateful for this. Within three months, I was given the opportunity to focus on the company’s online advertising campaigns. During my training in the field, MAKO has provided me with the space to experiment and try new tools to enhance our overall performance.

Intern(al) Perspectives

During my time at MAKO, I’ve learned about the importance of networking and giving back to our community.  I draw inspiration from my mentor Fatima Ali, Director of Partnerships, who passed her experience, and tips and tricks to me. Having worked closely with Fatima and the Company President, James Chalmers, I learned more about business strategy in five months, than I would have in two years at the school. They showed me how I can further develop my skills and make the most of my talents. I really appreciated the time they spent mentoring me. With every task they assigned to me there was always a strategy and reason behind it. This hands-on experience in the business and marketing world is an invaluable asset for my career.

I want to thank MAKO Invent and the Founder, Kevin Mako for this great opportunity and I’m looking forward to seeing the company growing even stronger.

Learn more about MAKO’s internship program by contacting MAKO here.

Sarah Benbouzid

About: MAKO Design + Invent is the original firm providing world-class consumer product development services tailored to startups, small manufacturers, and inventors. Simply put, we are the leading one-stop-shop for developing your physical product from idea to store shelves, all in a high-quality, cost-effective, and timely manner. We operate as one powerhouse 30-person product design team spread across 4 offices to serve you (Austin, Miami, San Francisco, & Toronto). We have full-stack in-house industrial design, mechanical engineering, electrical engineering, patent referral, prototyping, and manufacturing services. To assist our startup and inventor clients, in addition to above, we help with business strategy, product strategy, marketing, and sales/distribution for all consumer product categories. Also, our founder Kevin Mako hosts The Product Startup Podcast, the industry's leading hardware podcast. Check it out for tips, interviews, and best practices for hardware startups, inventors, and product developers. Click HERE to learn more about MAKO Design + Invent!