Ruby (on Rails) Slipper: How a Digital Marketing Intern Fits In

Ahoy, I’m Filipe

Hello! I am Filipe Castro, a journalism student in Belo Horizonte, Brazil. I applied to Planet Argon’s Digital Marketing Internship because I wanted international experience in a company that works with marketing. I also have the dream of one day running my own fashion brand full-time, and this position felt like the perfect step toward that goal. Planet Argon seemed like the perfect fit, and I felt like Cinderella finding her glass slipper.

Before the Internship

Before starting at Planet Argon, I was full of excitement. After my first interview with Autumn Morgan, the Marketing Coordinator, I knew this was the place for me. She was kind and polite, and learning that Planet Argon had been named one of the best workplaces year after year by Inc. Magazine gave me confidence that this company had something special.

When I received the acceptance email, I literally jumped with happiness. My goal was to make a positive impact during the two months ahead. I had to remind myself to slow down because I wanted to do so many things at once. The best part of Planet Argon is how much you learn. The environment gives you space to receive feedback, improve your work, and develop both technical and soft skills. Sometimes the most important thing is not proving yourself immediately, but showing that you are ready to learn.

Before the internship, I knew little about Planet Argon or Ruby on Rails. Over time, I learned about this large and welcoming community and understood the main characteristics of the language. It was important to learn the language a bit to communicate effectively with that community through marketing.

Onboarding

During my first week, I was eager to start working on projects right away, but onboarding taught me the value of taking time to understand the systems first. Just like caring for a plant, you need to know what it needs before you can help it grow.

I learned to use tools such as Ahrefs, Buffer, and Shopify, and I explored the purpose of each Slack channel. Meeting the team was an important part of the process. Autumn, as sweet as ever, guided me through everything and answered all my questions. I also met with Robby, who explained more about the company and helped me identify what I could contribute during my time there.

The Team

Working in marketing allows for a lot of independence, even as an intern. Autumn valued my ideas, and when she thought something might not work, she took the time to explain why. She gave helpful feedback and managed to be both a great leader and a good friend.

Robby was the person I interacted with the most after Autumn. I appreciated his approach to work, and I liked listening to the Maintainable Podcast before my first week. He was nothing like the stereotypical tech executive, and his love for music made me respect him even more. I enjoyed his objectivity and his careful attention to detail.

The rest of the team was also wonderful. Although I interacted with them less often, Ben, Gary, William, and Michael were always kind and full of personality. Everyone I met confirmed what makes Planet Argon one of the best workplaces: the people.

The Work

Over the following weeks, I adapted to the routine and worked on a variety of projects. My favorite assignments were graphic design tasks, which helped expand my portfolio. I also enjoyed creating social media posts, collecting metrics, and planning the Oh My Zsh birthday campaign from start to finish.

One of the most memorable experiences was participating in the Culture Club. I had the chance to do something playful with the entire team, including teaching them how to make brigadeiros, a classic Brazilian dessert. In my final week, we plan to celebrate Planet Argon’s birthday, which I’m sure will be a perfect and memorable way to close my internship.

Next Steps

When I started, I wanted to prove myself. In the end, I learned that sometimes the most important thing is to slow down, breathe, and be open to learning. This internship allowed me to gain valuable skills and experience, especially in an international setting.

My future plans involve working in fashion and managing my own brand, but the lessons I learned at Planet Argon will stay with me for life. This experience gave me more than professional growth. It gave me confidence, perspective, and connections that I will carry into everything I do.

Looking back, my internship at Planet Argon was far more than a professional stepping stone; it was a crash course in adaptability, creativity, and the value of working alongside genuinely kind, collaborative people. I arrived wanting to prove myself; I leave knowing that growth often comes from listening, learning, and embracing every challenge with curiosity.