Bringing MEM Lessons Out of the Classroom

Aman Shaikh (MEM '24) is passionate about leveraging technology to drive business outcomes and create innovative solutions.

That is why he was excited to spend his summer interning with Change, a startup looking to simplify how companies activate donation and fundraising campaigns. The platform's goal is to make it as easy as possible for businesses to integrate giving into their everyday operations.

Shaikh's title was Go-To-Market (GTM) strategy intern, but like with many startups, he quickly found ways to get involved beyond the scope of his role. 

Shaikh conducted competitive analysis, researched and evaluated alternative markets, and crafted messaging for new and existing user personas. He implemented automation across social channels and helped enhance lead efficiency strategies. He led cross-functional initiatives between marketing sales, and product teams. He also created a thorough go-to-market roadmap for the platform.

"What excited me the most was the chance to work in a fast-growing startup," Shaikh said. "I gained significant exposure to both the sales and marketing aspects of the business, learning how these functions interact and drive growth. The hands-on experience I received was invaluable in understanding the strategic and operational side of GTM roles." 

Shaikh sees himself working in GTM or product management after graduation, so he appreciated the opportunity to experience the position’s realities. He routinely found himself applying lessons learned in MEM to his work at Change. His coursework focused on competitive analysis, customer acquisition journey, and market research all helped frame the insights and strategies he used to shape product and marketing decisions.

Perhaps the most surprising experience for Shaikh was the access he had to Change co-founders Sonia Nigam (McCormick '17) and Amar Shah (Weinberg '17). The two designed the company so it could manage the complete end-to-end donation process for businesses, from payment processing and technology enablement to reporting and compliance.

"I was directly collaborating with the co-founders and picking their brains to understand every step of the entrepreneurial journey," Shaikh said. "They shared their experiences, navigating venture capital, refining product and market positioning, growing and managing a team, pivoting at the right moment, and all the challenges associated in taking an idea from 0 to 1."

Shaikh's work helped Change identify future growth opportunities for product development and market expansion. He helped increase outreach, engagement, and conversion with future prospects. He also thinks his insights will help the company further shape its marketing positioning and sales strategies moving forward. 

It's that type of practical impact Shaikh hoped to have when he started his internship. Now that it is done and he's back on campus to complete his MEM coursework, Shaikh remains grateful for the opportunity.

"Internships like this allow MEM students to directly apply their academic knowledge to real-world scenarios," Shaikh said. "It’s a valuable opportunity to test and refine methods, understand which approaches work in practice, and build a bridge between theory and application."