Life of an Intern is Love 😍

Hi, I am Ayushi Mahendra, an intern in the Creative Team at FamPay. And through this read, I want to express the huge rush of emotions I have faced during my time here. I tend to be a little overdramatic, but to be very honest, I am a sucker for things that leaves one with a smile and a heavy heart, with a feeling of happiness yet a tinge of sadness. Bear with me please while I transit into my melodramatic fan-girl phase.

I joined FamPay in August 2020, and believe every word I say beyond this, my opinion and outlook has never been the same. I woke up on my first day expecting someone to seriously walk me through the whole procedure, tell me the work I have with the deadlines, and ask me to get on to it right away. But no, FamPay had other ideas, much bigger and more beautiful than I could possibly fathom.

Have you ever seen or been in a workplace where everyone seems like a friend? A workplace which doesn’t cater to the conventional ideas of Boss and Subordinate, but a place where you could be your most original self, you could be the crazy, the sadness, the happiness, the love, and the joy you are, and everyone would adore you for exactly who you are.

I had the liberty to share my thoughts the way they originated in my mind, to get insights from some of the smartest people I have ever met, to learn and grow and have fun while doing it all. I was in a space of like minded and equally enthusiastic people, a bunch that was united by a mission, and a bunch that loved what they did (honestly, not something one would see in these times where the main rush is to be first in the stimulatory rat-race we are all in).

It was clear to me from day one that even though I am just an intern, and might not be with them for the longest time, I would feel no less when it comes to receiving a relationship of trust, support and love from their side. And here, in the upcoming few words, I am going to tell you all why all of the things I have said are true, and why FamPay is the home we all deserve.

Trust and Transparency

When they say “Welcome to the Fam”, they mean it. They mean every word, syllable, and vowel of it. You are entrusted with everything. You are told everything. There will not be one thing or even an idea for that matter that would be left concealed. You will have access to all the information you will need to finish your work or even if you want some bit of it just for knowledge’s sake. And while you ask for this information, nobody will question you on the requirement or the need, you will be trusted entirely, thoroughly and wholeheartedly.

The entire work and the metrics are made open to view for all the members, you will be informed about all the upcoming plans and all the things covered in the past. The transparency is strikingly admirable. You will be a part of the family that you probably didn’t even know you had.

Inclusion

I, as an intern, was included in every meet that happened. Even if something which was not related to my field of expertise was occurring, I had the freedom to request access to these meetings and learn more about the entire system being followed as a whole. In all the time that I spent at this wonderland, not once did I feel like I am not a part of them as wholly as a member who worked full-time. We celebrated all the wins, and discussed all the losses and low points together, we were all literally with each other through thick and thin.

Work

While one would normally think of interning at a place as a part-time Job, and something that would only brush upon the skill set one already possesses, the scenario here, at FamPay, was quite different. I was an intern, and had the chance to not only imbibe and learn new skills, but I was given an entire open field to work on the skill set I had and be creative with it. This is where they marked the difference between a Content Writer, and a Content Creator.

And every time an opportunity came, it was directed to me, to decide and structure the presentation of my thoughts, unbound by any set rules, a kind of freedom every content creator craves for! I excelled in what I already knew, and gathered more in fields I wasn’t such an expert at. My workload, my voice, and my contributions were valued as much as that of any other full-time member. And this is where they marked the satisfying convergence of a Full-time member and an Intern.

Approachability

Just like our vision was given an open hand to create wonders, our doubts and questions were welcome by all. I could easily, conveniently, and comfortably, ask for help from anyone from the Founder to another fellow intern. I didn’t have to worry about the differences in experience and knowledge creating a barrier of any form, rather, these differences helped me learn more, they enriched me. The whole environment was so friendly and welcoming that they took continuous feedback from the interns, asking them what more they could do and the projects they could offer us, to make our overall experience even better!

Testimonials

If you still have your doubts even after reading me go on about my immense admiration for everyone at FamPay for about a few hundred words now, here are testimonials from a few other interns to clear any final doubts -

“It's said that if time goes by quickly, then it must have been a good time. And well, it's been more than a month and it only seems like yesterday that I became a part of this extremely warm FAM that we have here at FamPay. Being a part of this enterprising team, I can shout out and say that my workplace not only excites me but also challenges me in all the right ways and makes me look forward to the hustle every single day! It's been an upclimb and a joyride! Ps. I LOVE MESH” - Shunyam Gupta, Growth

“Working with a young fin-tech start up was an enriching summer experience. The team ensured that we faced no problem while working remotely and brought us home. I learned a lot about how start ups acquire growth to challenges faced while building a product from a user perspective. The exposure to the creative team gave me insights about marketing and how it operates across different platforms. It was a wonderful experience working with few of the most competitive and smartest people in the startup world.”  - Simran Sachdeva, Community

“Life at FamPay as an intern, has been the most fun, exciting and a very novel experience. I have learnt so much about so many things, its amazing. From communication, to working on deadlines, from colleagues to friends, interacting with everyone has been so informative. Even though I haven't met everyone in person, I have such vivid, fun memories and it will be something I will always look at with a smile. FamPay in itself is such an innovative place to be at, having formed friendships and acquaintances, game nights were also so entertaining. It is always something to look forward to. Life at FamPay as an intern has been so comfortable and easy, everyone made me feel so comfortable and at home. I can only say 'thank you' for this amazing experience.” - Harshita, Operations

“Working with FamPay has been an absolutely amazing experience. It feels more like a fun place to be rather an official relationship. You don't even get to know how much you start to learn just while conversing and doing the work. Moreover, the best part about FamPay is the FamTime which we have. It allows us to bond with all the team members irrespective of the fields we are working in. All in all, FamPay has been a lovely journey which I would cherish forever!” - Ashu, Community

“The experience at FamPay is rewarding. It is exactly what it describes to be! You'll develop an entrepreneurial mindset while you work. You'll sense a belonging here!” - Aditi Salke, Creative

“I vividly remember 2 months earlier I got selected as a Design Intern at Fampay. It was such a joyful moment for me! The core team at Fampay started with a batch of recently graduated, young and ambitious individuals, and it has grown only bigger and better. The work environment and spirit here is amazing and something you can only witness once you become a part of the Fam. The peeps here are the most welcoming and would make sure newcomers feel right at home. Being a design intern, our next step, choice, or decision solely revolves around the usability of our users. We maintain healthy communication with our community ensuring their satisfaction with our product, and they have been as supportive as ever. My experience has been an educational, and memorable one! I'm definitely gonna look back at the memories and learnings of my time here with a bright smile on my face :) Thank you Fampay for everything!” - Shivam Kumar, Product

“Since my first day of work, I have felt included and supported. I've always been encouraged to take on any project or task of my choice, no questions asked. My team has made me feel warm and welcome since the beginning, and they don't mind me blocking their calenders if I need to get something done. All I can say is that I'm happy to be a part of the Fam, and I hope to continue on this journey with them!” - Ananya Mallya, Creative

"The easiest way to describe FamPay is a University Club. Want to try a new language? We need a new server anyway. Want to try a different domain? Just drop a text and ask for work. The exposure is overwhelming at times. There's a truckload of opportunities and things to learn and fantastic people to work alongside you to help you make use of them. How I feel working at FamPay is nothing like what I had imagined work to be. It's almost cultish, how the team's enthusiasm and camaraderie grow into you. You are a part of a family, all working to realize a vision, and FamPay never lets you forget that." - Sameeran Bandishti, Backend Engineer

"It's been almost 3 months at Fampay and I feel so glad that I came across this opportunity. As a Backend Engineering Intern, my journey has been full of new learning and challenges. I was never spoon fed with the approach to solve a particular problem or to use a particular tech stack, which helps one in growing as a Software Engineer exponentially. I could always reach out to the team whenever I was stuck. Even the silliest doubts are answered positively. My work, my approach and my inputs count and that has kept me driven to work with even more enthusiasm since the beginning. Life at Fampay is full of fun, excitement, enthusiasm and a lot more. You will get a sense of belonging here. We work hard to serve our users the best experience, but with a wide smile and in a fun environment. Fampay's funtime sessions are just awesome. The little celebrations make the overall experience even better. Best was organising secret santa because.. who doesn't love secret gifts ;). We get free subscriptions on some platforms, goodies, surprise gifts, and sometimes surprise food too :p. Alexa as a surprise gift on the new year was the best among all" ♥ - Komal Bhadani, Backend Engineer

Also, here is a video the Fam made with us interns:

The Fam we deserve

The whole period of internship passed by in the blink of an eye. It was beautiful, enthralling, exciting, and more adventurous than I can put into words. From the first day to my very last, I was in awe of how much they can make you love your work. And how one day you are just an intern, a new joinee, a short term member, but the very next day you are included in the most talented and determined family. All this, remotely! I can’t imagine how this experience would have been had I been inducted at the FamVilla, as we call our office! Can’t wait for things to get normal post pandemic, meet up everyone in the Fam in Bangalore, where we are headquartered and take selfies!!

FamPay gave me the vision and confidence to turn my hobby into a profession. This was my journey from a short-term-intern to a member-for-a-lifetime, and I deeply and profoundly hope that this compels you to try us out, we promise to leave you astonished!