Hi, I’m Nikky Soni – Fifty Five and Five’s newest employee. I’m a third-year student at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, studying abroad in London this semester through the Shuford Program in Entrepreneurship. I’m part of a cohort of 30 students who are living, studying, and working abroad for the semester. From the Lone Design Club to the London School of Hygiene & Tropical Medicine, students in the program are interning for innovative organizations across many different sectors. And here I am with the awesome people at Fifty Five and Five as a Research Intern. A real treat, if I may say!
What is the role of a Research Intern at Fifty Five and Five?
I will be utilising my experience in research and consulting to help Fifty Five and Five’s clients realize their ambitions while learning about technology and marketing. It’s a great opportunity for me to learn about innovation and entrepreneurship in technology through the various types of research I’ve already started with. I’ve been learning from all the various teams and client projects, and I’m picking up the ins and outs of the cloud, edge computing, Microsoft, and 5G—all of which were brand new to me when I started the job.
My university studies
At UNC, I study neuroscience, public policy, and entrepreneurship, working both the left and right sides of my brain to balance thinking creatively and analytically. At Fifty Five and Five, I’m able to further think creatively from a marketing perspective, as well as analytically about new and disruptive technology. Outside of my studies, I’m a member of the Delta Sigma Pi business fraternity, co-director of firm relations for the UNC Undergraduate Consulting Club, and Carolina Kickoff Camp Counselor. I have also been dancing Bhangra for 13 years and compete across the States as part of UNC Bhangra Elite. So yeah, I’m pretty busy, but I wouldn’t have it any other way!
In my free time
I love pushing myself. Don’t ask why, but I love being out of my comfort zone and gaining new life experiences. Last summer, I worked as a teaching fellow for Breakthrough Silicon Valley, teaching science and origami, and mentoring middle school students in San Jose, California.
This semester, alongside Fifty Five and Five, I’m taking classes in entrepreneurship and art, visiting companies, museums, and galleries around London to learn hands-on. Here’s a fun fact actually – while in-class at the National Gallery, I ran into Prince Charles!
I also love hiking and photography, which I hope to do as I travel outside of the UK in the upcoming months. During my first month here, my favourite experience has been hiking up the White Cliffs of Dover, and I hope to hike in the Swiss Alps next!
What about the future?
So far, I’ve loved meeting everyone at the office and getting recommendations for places to visit, food to eat, and things to do during my time in London.
After my time at Fifty Five and Five, I’ll be backpacking around Europe for 10 days, then taking a cross-country trip starting back home in Ohio. I will also move to New York City this summer to work for Ernst & Young as a business transformation consulting intern, putting my experience with technology and marketing at Fifty Five and Five to good use!