Hannah Perez
- Co-Founder, Head of Brand
- SEEQ
School Information
School: Minnesota State University, Mankato
College Major: Business
Years at College Works: 2018-2019
Career Information
Working For: SEEQ
Title: Co-Founder, Head of Brand
Industry: Food and Beverages
Brief Description of Duties / Responsibilities:
SEEQ is a clear protein brand changing the way people consume and think of protein. As co-founder of an omni channel brand, I wear a lot of hats. Primarily I am the brand builder and creative director at SEEQ, from the branding and packaging to the way we show up to events and on socials. Another part of my role is rooted in product development, creating new flavors, and consumer insights.
What Has Been Your Proudest Accomplishment Post-CWP?Pitching Target and securing a nationwide deal with them.
College Works Career Impact
In one sentence, what has CW meant to you?
I can do hard things.
How did your CW experience impact your career? Immediately after graduation? Now?
College Works Painting set the tone for me on what it was going to take for me to be an entrepreneur. Once I wrapped my internship, I had delusional confidence and my mind was set on starting a business. I immediately began applying what I learned to new ideas, entered a pitch competition, talked with a business mentor frequently, and just 6 months after graduation, I started my own marketing agency. Shortly about a year later in 2021 is when we launched SEEQ. Our business is flourishing with the goal to sell in a few years. The success I have had in business is largely due to my experience with College Works Painting.
What do you want to tell your clients about what it meant to work with them and how it has helped you get to where you are today?
Thank you to all my clients who took a chance on me when I came by their door asking to give them an estimate, and ultimately putting trust in me that I would do a good job. If it wasn’t for all of you saying yes, I wouldn’t have had the success I did that summer to show myself what I am capable of. I am so grateful!
What was the greatest lesson you learned from your CW experience?
You don’t need to have all the information or know everything about what’s next.
How have the friendships and networks you built during CW affected you?
My internship year was in 2018, but I’ve stayed connected with a couple people and both my DM’s. It’s been really nice to stay connected to see where all of our lives have led.
If you had to come up with a one line slogan for CW, what would it be?
The Only “Internship” You Need
Advice
What advice do you have for potential CW participants? Current CW participants?
The College Works Painting internship is a guaranteed way to change your life. It’s not going to be easy, but the support you will have will be unlike any other community of people you’ve been around in the past. These will become your people. You will learn things about yourself that some people never learn in their lifetime. There’s a reason for the playbook on success with College Works Painting. Study that playbook, roleplay with your peers, and treat it like a sport. If I did it, and many many more also did, so can you. I believe in you.
Many college students struggle to choose between an internship specific to their target industry or doing CW. What advice would you give them on this subject if they wanted to enter your career field?
When I reference College Works Painting, I always put the word “internship” in air quotes. I do this because it’s much more than that in my opinion. This is an internship made for somebody who wants to start a business, it’s first hand experience on what it is going to take without the same risks starting a business from scratch looks like.
What’s your best advice for someone interested in entering your career field?
If you’re looking to start an online business it’s crucial to have digital marketing skills and knowledge. Youtube University teaches me more than a masters or even a college degree nowadays. Don’t let your degree define you, continuous learning is a lifelong skill that will always pay off.
What’s your favorite memory from CW?
It’s hard to top Cancún. The entirety of that trip and getting to connect with so many other interns from around the nation, truly an unforgettable time.
Last words of wisdom?
Take care of yourself. Eat nutritious foods, drink water, get good sleep, have community, practice regulating your nervous system. These are core foundations that will ultimately allow you to show up as your best self in anything that you do.