As my first month as an Ellery intern nears its end, I can happily say that it has been a great experience that I am glad I decided to take on. 

Jalen’s icebreakers at the start of each meeting are a great morale boost and a way for the team to get to know each other in meaningful ways. This made it clear that in addition to being our boss, Jalen is also a friend. I see this. In his helpful and understanding leadership style and his willingness to always give wisdom or assistance with things outside of the internship. Our meetings work around the interns’ schedules, and we have a very doable workload. 

This month has also been a great learning experience about private equity and capital structures. Getting to listen in and take notes on calls with owners and attending investor meetings is a rare educational experience that has expedited my knowledge faster than I could have imagined. Orlando’s finance meetings have also given me a chance to learn about EBITDA, value creation, and valuation years before I learn them in school. 

I have been more than pleased with the internship so far and can’t wait to see what the rest of the spring has in store.