Lucky Iron Fish welcomed two new interns to the team this summer, and we are thrilled to introduce them to you! Vivian is going into her fourth year as a Finance Co-op student at the UBC Sauder School of Business, and Tamara is heading into her fourth year at Ryerson University as a Media and Journalism student with an additional background in Business.

Get to know them better below:

Vivian Mak

Project Coordination Intern

Why did you want to work at Lucky Iron Fish this summer?

I am a big believer that innovation is needed in order to fill the gaps in society that are not currently being addressed by traditional systems. What the Lucky Iron Fish is doing is not only transforming the way that we manage iron deficiency but it is also changing the way that we approach health solutions. Lucky Iron Fish takes into account the social determinants of health to meet the unique needs of underserved demographics which is something that I hope will be considered more widely in the future. It was also important to me to work at a company where I could consider the social and environmental implications of my work and with Lucky Iron Fish being a certified B Corp, I knew that this was the place that I wanted to spend my summer! 

What are you hoping to learn this summer?

Having just completed a co-op where my work focused on the strategy level, I was curious to see what happened “on the ground” so to speak. I wondered how things ran operationally on a day-to-day basis and wanted to understand the intricacies behind managing a social enterprise. With this being my last co-op, I am keeping an open mind and am hoping to learn about anything and everything across different departments. That is why I am grateful to be working as a Project Coordinator since I will be gaining exposure to almost every aspect of the organization. By the end of the summer, I hope to have a clearer understanding of how and where social/ environmental impact can be integrated into an organization and be able to describe the operational complexities behind a business model.

What have you been enjoying so far?

I have been enjoying the range and depth of the projects that I have been able to work on! Every day I feel like what I am doing has a direct impact on the outcomes of the organization which makes my work feel meaningful. I appreciate that I have the flexibility to work on a variety of projects, from sales/ financial analysis to eco-shipping options research, so every day seems to fly by - I can’t believe that I’m already a month through! 

What is one fun fact about yourself? 

I love taxes! More specifically, I love helping people file their taxes and am always interested in learning further about the specifics of income taxation. I am a major advocate for financial literacy/ inclusion so I find it meaningful (and fun!) to help students and low income community members file at community clinics and have spent countless hours doing so!

Tamara Nurse

Content Creation Intern

Why did you want to work at Lucky Iron Fish this summer?

With a passion for visual storytelling as well as social / environmental change, I am thrilled to join Lucky Iron Fish for the summer, and feel extremely grateful and proud to be a part of such an amazing team! I was already a fan of the company and thought that the product itself was a brilliant design thinking solution, which is why I was so happy to hear about this opportunity. Not only did I want to work at a social enterprise that I admire for its sustainable practices and social impact driven mindset, but I also loved the responsibilities that the position outlined. 

What are you hoping to learn this summer?

This is my first ever internship, therefore I am excited to immerse myself in a professional environment and soak up as much knowledge as I can. I really look forward to the valuable experience of working with, and learning from such a brilliant and diverse team. Over the course of the summer, I hope to refine my skills in creative design, and learn to develop artistically presented content while tying in principles of digital marketing for a brand. Ultimately, I aim to complete this placement with a collection of work that I am proud of, and come out of it with more confidence in myself and my abilities. I am very eager to learn, and am looking forward to all of the growth that’s to come with this internship! 

What have you been enjoying so far?

Thus far, I have been enjoying how hands-on this position is, and how I can come into work every single day and create! In my role, I am producing visual content and playing around with numerous creative elements while constantly thinking about fun new ideas to execute. I love having a variety of projects to work on, as it keeps things exciting and allows me to improve my skills in various different areas. For instance, I have already learned so much about strategic content creation, trend watching, graphic design, and have progressed my technical skills in photography, videography, and post production. Additionally, I am so pleased with the fact that everyone on the team is incredibly welcoming, and very open to helping me grow!

What is one fun fact about yourself? 

I have always been someone who has an endless number of hobbies, but staying at home due to COVID has given me the chance to dive further into my interests — one of which being embroidery! I love creating one of a kind pieces such as wall art and tote bags, and have even started my own blog to share my work with others. I am currently exploring punch needling as a new medium, and hope to one day create rugs!