Empowering Future Marketers: Highlights from Granular's First Mentorship Program
Six months ago, Granular launched our Mentorship Program to give college students genuine insight into the digital marketing world. We aimed to create a curriculum that focused on real industry experiences, not just making coffee, completing menial tasks, or learning under the pressure of client work.
The program kicked off in January with our first five mentees:
- Laura Stadler | UW-Madison
- Billy Foley | Marquette
- Jueyan Lin | UW-Madison
- Lily Varilla | UW-Madison
- Ellie Grundon | UW-Whitewater
Each mentee was paired with a senior Granular team member for monthly 1:1 meetings, held either over Zoom or in person. These sessions covered various topics, from the strategic and tactical aspects of PPC to interview tips and job market preparation.
We believe the program has been a great success, but don’t just take our word for it. Hear what our mentees had to say about their experience:
What was your favorite aspect of the Mentorship?
“Being able to connect with my mentor and learning more about the marketing and advertising industry. He was able to teach me more specifics about the industry as well as practices that simplify a lot of processes I’ve learned in my coursework.”
BIlly
“My favorite aspect of the mentorship is that instead of offering a lecture each month, the mentor went through concepts through real-life examples and questions, demonstrating with what it looks like in the example account. I totally feel myself gaining a deeper understanding through discussion and answering the questions. It also helps me lower the level of anxiety of the field.”
Jueyan
“My favorite aspect was building a new professional connection with my Mentor. The monthly topics were very informative, and I got a great overview of some common tools and responsibilities. However, I found that hearing Meagan’s experiences, knowledge, and advice was most impactful. There were many opportunities to ask my own questions and learn more about what interested me.”
Lily
Who would you recommend to participate in the mentorship?
“I would recommend anyone who is interested in marketing and open to learning more about digital advertising, even the basics of what it is, should consider participating in the mentorship.”
Laura
“Anyone looking to learn in depth about the industry without fear of consequences that can come with a traditional internship/apprenticeship.”
Billy
“I would recommend this mentorship to anyone who is looking to explore digital marketing, regardless of exposure or experience! It is a great way to gain a base understanding of what digital marketing can look like and life at an agency.”
Lily
How has your participation in the mentorship program impacted your personal or professional development?
“I took a digital marketing course the same semester I was involved in Granular’s Mentorship program, and so a lot of the content I was learning in class I was able to discuss more in-depth with my mentor at meetings, helping me sharpen my understanding of digital marketing/ advertising concepts overall. As digital marketing is becoming so popular among companies and brands, having the opportunity to do this experience gave me baseline knowledge to be successful in the future.”
Laura
“The Mentorship made me more comfortable with Google Ads”
Ellie
“My Mentorship Program helps me gain more insights into the industry, and I feel myself more interested in the field of paid media. My mentor provided the thoughtful and core ideology of understanding SEO, and every time I encounter a question regarding Google search, I think about his words.”
Billy
“I have gained a clarified understanding of how digital marketing, especially at Granular, operates and looks day-to-day. This mentorship provided informative discussions and guided me to external resources for further learning. Also, I improved my networking skills and pushed myself to stay curious and ask a lot of questions. I found the mock interview a great way to practice for any future job opportunities and test what I learned throughout the mentorship.”
Jueyan
Did the mentorship program provide you with any unexpected insights or opportunities?
“My mentor went out of her way to make sure I had full understanding of the questions I asked. I like how in the last slideshow there was also organizations in Milwaukee to get involved in to keep growing in marketing knowledge.”
Laura
“The mentorship provides me with concepts and a mindset to look at digital marketing. I can remember that there was a time when I was preparing for a written test, and my mentor offered me a list of important metrics to understand, and that really helped me greatly. I refer to that list a lot even after the test.”
Jueyan
“Through the Mentorship Program, I learned about and applied for the Granular scholarship, which I was excited to receive for the upcoming fall semester..”
Ellie
What’s the most important thing you learned from the Mentorship program?
“Things are constantly changing, and if you’re not evolving with it, you will fall behind. Each day there are new technologies, new ideas, and new procedures. You have to be willing to adapt and be flexible to stay ahead of the game!”
Lily
“One of the most important takeaways I have from this is the value in understanding a potential career path in digital advertising and the various concepts and tasks that aligns with it. This came from doing real-world examples in the meetings.”
Laura
“Take the business seriously, but be sure to have fun with your work.”
Billy
Finally, when we sought their advice on improving our program, they all offered excellent suggestions that we are seriously considering. Interestingly, every single one of them requested more meetings!
If you or someone you know might be a good fit for our next cohort, click on the button below to learn more about the program and apply!