CBDC Student Intern Spotlight: Amrit Singh

My name is Amrit Singh and I am a junior studying Finance at the Foster School of Business. Growing up in a family of entrepreneurs, I’ve always valued the fast-paced, unpredictable, and dynamic nature of the business world and the growth it can inspire. I found an opportunity to work towards catalyzing this growth as a Summer Consulting Intern with the UW Consulting and Business Development Center. Through this internship, I was introduced to two businesses based in the Greater Seattle Area, each facing unique situations within their respective industries. One client was a local/natural food distributor with the mission to connect local food producers in the Pacific Northwest to local communities. This client was in search of a path toward diversification across all its operations, specifically in the areas of company culture and human resource management. The other client was an e-learning startup based jointly in Seattle and Southeast Asia, with the mission to create and grow a global e-learning platform. This client was in search of a short and long-term go-to-market strategy along with a roadmap for navigating the potential for external investment.

Throughout this internship, I was challenged to solve real-world business situations for my clients. Understanding the ever-changing state of the global community, especially during COVID-19, I recognized that in order to solve these problems it would require the ability to pivot accordingly to deliver value to my clients. My experiences as a student at the Foster School, both in and out of the classroom, helped in navigating this constant adjustment process.

The skills and knowledge I gained from the Foster School allowed me to understand and respond to the unique issues that each of my clients faced. I used my accounting skills to analyze financial statements and assess the overall health of my clients’ businesses using key performance indicators. Additionally, I was able to employ statistical methods to identify and visualize key data points to help support my recommendations within areas such as operational performance and industry trajectory.

However, this internship also allowed me to learn and practice a number of skills that I hadn’t previously been exposed to. In particular, I learned how to value a company using various methods including revenue/EBITDA multiples and discounted cash flows/net present value to help one of my clients assess their current position in relation to their growth projections. To help facilitate organizational change for one of my clients, I evaluated various organizational structures and the subsequent impacts each could have on company culture and performance if implemented. Furthermore, I practiced and recognized the importance of professional communication, especially within a virtual setting where, more often than not, overcommunication is essential.

Following this internship experience, I am excited to explore future opportunities within the fields of management and strategy consulting. I am especially drawn to the complex problems and unique situations that consultants engage with on a daily basis. This internship has shown me that consulting is a great pathway towards continual learning and growth both professionally and personally and I am excited to dive deeper into the nuances of the field in the near future.

Though these real-world opportunities provided an extremely valuable and holistic learning experience, my work with the CBDC team truly made this experience one that I will treasure. By collaborating with such a diverse group of individuals all passionate about empowering the unrepresented communities of business within the Seattle area, I felt motivated each and every day to do my best to support the Center’s mission. I would like to thank the CBDC for giving me this amazing opportunity. The support and encouragement I received throughout the entire process was instrumental in me successfully completing the program and I am extremely grateful for that. I’m excited to see and support all the great work the Center will continue to engage in within the local community.