Kelsey Jennings

Summer 2012 Internship

Jrj apparel

August 3, 2012

JRJ APPAREL’s History• JRJ is a custom cycling and active wear apparel company.

• They custom design jerseys, shorts, shirts, Zumba, yoga and running apparel for individual wear and for large events.

• JRJ was an online company for three years before they opened up a storefront in Orange County, NY.

• They opened up the store to bring more large scale business. They now have a meeting area were they can sit down with clients and draw up designs in front of them.

• This expansion has led to many more clients and

Large scale outdoor events companies to come to us

and make up products to sell at their rides, 5k’s

and triathlons.

My history with JRj

• While attending Johnson and Wales this fall I was taking a tradeshows course. During the course we had to actually work or volunteer at a tradeshow or expo. I chose to volunteer at a bike expo/cycling race in Providence.

• This was the first time I worked an expo and I loved how many exhibitors and attendees came out to enjoy this great sport.

• I met JRJ at the expo and started to talk to them. I found out they were based out near my hometown in NY. As we spoke I networked immediately with them and spoke about interning with there event and tradeshow team. After this expo I volunteered at another expo for them and then I was asked to join there intern group.

• I have been loving learning so much about the expo indusrty as well as the meetings.

My Personal GoalsSome personal goals of mine during this internship were:• To learn as much as I can in such a great hands on company.• Learn good time manage skills, that I can use during rest of my

events career.• How to organize a schedule well and how to complete all

assignments and paperwork on time. This one was hard in the being but I did well. I learned great tips to complete work on time and to keep on top of my work schedule.

• Lastly an important goal of mine was to learn to open up and not be so shy talking to clients during meetings or at expos. I needed to look like a professional and I believe I did a great job networking and setting up meetings and events for JRJ.

My Internship Experience

• During the course of my internship I gained so much more knowledge about the event and meetings industry that I didn't’t know before.

• At all the expos we attended I networked for JRJ and because of these connections I have made, I can potentially move to another company and expand my knowledge even more. But I wont do that right now, because I love working for this company to much to leave. We have some great events for the next year that I have started to plan, like a cycling race and 5k to raise money for a local charity. With planning a charity race, I know I will be learning so much more about non profits and fundraising events, and I cant wait to learn as much as I can planning them!

Organizational Chart• At JRJ every department communicated with each other at all

times, about all projects that were going on. We as the events staff would talk to designers and tell tem we had a meeting with clients to design jerseys up, and the had to attend.

• Also when the event staff were attending expos we communicated to the owner at all times with new connections we had made and meetings we set up for future business.

• We all worked as one team, no one department was separate from another.

Intern tasks

As an event intern, I had many tasks that the main event and meeting planner needed to be done. I had to:

• Research bike and outdoor tradeshows and races on the east coast and west coast, and register for them all.

• We traveled all over for the expos and I would also set up travel accommodations for the whole team.

• I would also call bike shops in NYC and the surrounding states to set up meetings to see if we could design jerseys for there shop. This was one of my favorite things to do. I loved selling JRJ to the potential client!

Professional Skills

Through this experience I have learned that organization; Communication Time management are key skills that you need to have to be a successful event planner.

Before starting I thought I was very organized person and had time management down but I learned that I didn’t. I learned being 20 minutes early is being on time for any job.

I have learned many new helpful organizational techniques that you could only learn from someone with experience in the industry.

I am grateful that I got to have such experience under someone with great knowledge within the industry. I am so thankful I learned these helpful and very important skills while working at JRJ.

Skills I enhanced over the course of my internship

Because of this internship, I have enhanced my communication skills. It is key for everyone to have when entering the workforce. I feel that I have

enhanced and will grow everyday with my communication skills at work. You will always be successful when you know how to communicate with other

workers, your boss, and your clients. I have learned at my internship that I have to always speak up and always

communicate everything to your fellow work mates. When you are working on a project or an event with others it is key to keep

talking every detail to an event out and know what everyone’s job is.

Since I have been at JRJ we have expanded the JRJ brand by gaining more clients.

I have used my marketing and promotions knowledge that I learned in school as well as my networking skills to expand the JRJ brand.

The knowledge I learned in school has gotten me far already in the company, and I cant wait to keep growing within the industry using all the knowledge I have learned at Johnson and Wales and this amazing internship!

What did I learn about myself

I have learned a great amount from this amazing internship. I can communicate more to people and to speak up was a big thing I had to overcome during this internship.

Another thing I learned is that I love going to this internship site everyday and working in the field that I will be in for the rest of my life.

I have also grown to love the tradeshows industry! It is so exciting being an exhibitor and networking with potential clients. It

gets me thinking I might make a career path change towards tradeshows. Well with any career path I chose I can just remember all the amazing

hands on experience I have learned here at JRJ and continue to learn and grown in events.

Skills I improved on during this internship

During my time at my internship I have definitely improved my professionalism and work ethic skills.

I have learned that you should always be early with all paperwork and assignments. It shows that you are working hard and it shows initiative.

I think that these two skills are good ones you can always improve on everyday at work.

You have to show your boss and fellow workers you are part of the team and want to be there.

At my internship site I have improved so much in the problem solving area. This hand on experience internship has helped me grow my knowledge so much in the events industry and I’m so thankful for this.

Project Review • As a member of the event team we were consistently researching bike rides and

outdoor sporting events to be a part of and to desing the events apparel. • One of teh big projects I had to do was contact a large 4 day cycling event from

NYC to Boston and set up some meetings to meet and discos our products as well as being part of there event.

• When I got in contact with them I immediately set up appointments to meet. I was so happy I got in contact with such a large event.

• We had our meeting and I got to speak about JRJ to the clients and tell them how our company can join this event as well as design there apparel.

• At the end of the meeting we got to be there apparel suppliers as well as join there ride as a sponsor, be part of there expo, and help plan there ride.

• From this one client, we have expanded our name and we have many meetings for the near future for many expos and to

plan bike rides with charities! • I have learned so much from this company, and I am so happy I did my internship here!

Some Pictures of Expos we have attended

JRJ displaying a lot of their custom designed cycling jersey

at some outdoor road race expos.

This is a picture of a Cycling Race where JRJ was a part of the Sports and fitness bike expo