A Story of Growth & Development
Fellowship: friendly association, especially with people who share one's interests.
Good day beautiful people!
As we previously mentioned, there are more resources and opportunities coming to you from the Side Hustle Economy Co. Up next is the application for our second Side Hustle Economy Co. Fellowship program which will go live in August 2022!
One major goal of the Side Hustle Economy Co. is to build up the Indianapolis community which means providing opportunities for community members to use their skills. This is why when our founder Murdock decided to start the Side Hustle Economy Co., he knew that a fellowship program was necessary for the organization. The purpose of this fellowship is to empower young people with entrepreneurial spirits to gain the hands-on knowledge and experience they need to thrive in their industry or business. Our inaugural Fellow, Jadyn Jones, was a phenomenal addition to the team during her time as a Fellow and contributed to the Side Hustle Economy Co. greatly by providing the key knowledge and skills necessary to take the company to the next level.
Read on to learn more about our inaugural Fellow’s experience !
Jadyn Jones was looking for the perfect opportunity to grow personally and professionally and she found it when she applied to the Side Hustle Economy Co.’s fellowship program. From January to April 2022, Jadyn worked diligently to support the company’s work. Now, as the youngest Area Manager on her shift at Amazon, she attributes much of her confidence and proficiency to her time as a Side Hustle Economy Co. Fellow.
In the Spring of 2022, Jadyn Jones was a senior at the University of Southern Indiana (USI) completing her B.A. in Communications with a minor in Social Media Management. As a senior with major goals and a neverending checklist of things to do, she was looking for another internship opportunity to help her gain more practical and professional experience before graduation. After experiencing an internship where she felt uncomfortable in her working environment, she knew that she wanted to learn in a place that also affirmed her identity. When she attended a presentation by Kristen Lampkin (The H.R. Guru) at USI, she learned about Murdock and the Side Hustle Economy Co.’s fellowship program. After the presentation, she connected with Kristen and did a deep dive on Murdock and The Side Hustle Economy Co.’s work. As a Black-led company with a mission to support and uplift the Black community in Indianapolis, the Side Hustle Economy Co. was exactly what Jadyn was looking for. From then, she was sold and she decided to apply to the fellowship.
When she applied, Jadyn had no expectations for the work she would be doing. Actually, she was nervous about whether she could balance the responsibilities of the fellowship with her school workload. However, after she was accepted into the fellowship, she knew she wanted to take on the challenge.
During her time as a fellow, Jadyn did a lot of behind the scenes work performing data analytics for the Side Hustle Economy Co.’s social media and website. As a Communications major with a minor in Social Media Management, she was able to apply her knowledge of social media analytics and marketing to help The Side Hustle Economy Co. grow its social media presence. Though she was still in undergrad, Jadyn felt that there was mutual trust and that she had the independence to be creative in her work as a Fellow. In her new work environment, Jadyn was also met with vulnerability and she felt that she was truly in fellowship with the Side Hustle Economy Co.’s team—she felt that her voice truly mattered. While on the team, she had the space to ask questions and share her opinions about her work which enhanced her experience exponentially.
Looking back, Jadyn knows that the major theme of her fellowship was growth. She was able to develop as an individual and as a young Black professional during her experience. The Side Hustle Economy Co. fellowship required her to use different parts of her brain and allowed her to stretch beyond the classroom and into the field. She learned the importance of building relationships and how to get rid of imposter syndrome while leading new projects for the company that allowed the company to build a strong foundation.
Today, as an Area Manager at Amazon, she uses data and logistics to streamline operations for more than 120 associates. Being the youngest person on her team can be intimidating, but Jadyn knows the importance of engagement, transparency, and relationship building so she is equipped with the confidence and expertise to manage her team. Because of her fellowship with the Side Hustle Economy Co., Jadyn knows that building genuine relationships with people can go a long way inside and out of the workplace.
When asked what she would tell potential applicants, Jadyn said simply, “Apply! If you’re thinking about it, that means that it’s for you, so go for it. This fellowship is for people who want to grow personally and professionally. Go in with an open mind.”
The application for the second Side Hustle Economy Co. Fellowship opened today. This is an opportunity to work with a company dedicated to building up the Black Indianapolis community and creating lasting connections.
We want to continue to work alongside Naptown’s best and brightest so be sure to apply at the link below!