Student Name: Isabella
Pathways Programme: Pathways to Marketing (2026 Cohort)
Internship Role: Marketing Assistant
Internship Employer: Hardest Adventures
Summary of Organisation: Hardest Adventures is a UK-based adventure, endurance, and media company co-founded by Russ Cook – better known as Hardest Geezer, the first human to run the length of Africa. We’re on a mission to reconnect humanity and ignite purpose in the world through the power of movement and epic storytelling, showcasing real moments of triumph, and creating adventure opportunities that unlock true potential to show people what it really means to live life to the fullest.
Born from a love of grit, personal growth, and legendary storytelling, Hardest Adventures exists to inspire people everywhere to make the most of life and discover ‘moments that matter’. We operate both group adventure/running experiences, alongside unique media channels that blend raw endurance, powerful storytelling, and world-class production to capture what happens when ordinary people live life to the fullest.
Please briefly outline the project/tasks/responsibilities you worked on during your Professional Pathways internship:
“During my internship at Hardest Adventures, I got to work on different areas of marketing, from researching competitors and coming up with campaign ideas to creating content for social media. I worked on ideas for the Challenge Leader and Student Ambassador programmes, researching university societies and sports clubs to explore potential partnerships and ways to reach more students. I also helped design Instagram posts using Canva and Capcut, and took part in brainstorming sessions with the team. One of my favourite parts was going out into London with the other interns to film content for social media. It was really fun to get out of the office, try out different ideas and work together to bring them to life. Overall, I really enjoyed getting to try a bit of everything and seeing what working in marketing at a startup is actually like. One of the biggest things I learned was how much thought goes into creating content that actually works. It’s not just about making something look good, but understanding your audience, what catches their attention and what makes them want to engage with your content.”
How has the Professional Pathways programme helped you in taking the next steps in your career?
“I think one of the biggest things I gained from Professional Pathways was a clearer idea of what I want from my future career. I already had some previous experience in marketing, but this programme allowed me to explore the industry in more depth and understand which areas I genuinely enjoy and which ones might not be for me. The training helped me feel more prepared and confident going into the internship, while the internship itself gave me the opportunity to apply my skills to real projects and learn from people already working in the industry. I especially enjoyed being able to ask questions, share ideas and understand the thinking behind different marketing decisions. Something else I took away from the experience was realising how important the working environment is. Being part of a team where I felt comfortable contributing and learning from others made me understand that the people you work with can make just as much of a difference as the work itself. As I’m currently applying for placements, I’m using this experience to think more carefully about the roles and companies I apply to. It’s not just about finding a marketing position, but finding one where I can keep learning, be creative and work with people who encourage me to grow.”
What advice would you give to a student who has to complete an internship via remote or hybrid working?
“My internship was hybrid, and I think the best advice I could give is to stay organised and communicate as much as possible with your team. Something that really helped us at Hardest Adventures was having regular meetings throughout the day. We would start with a morning meeting where we were given our tasks and discussed what we would be working on. We also had a catch-up halfway through the day to see how things were going, followed by a final meeting to wrap everything up. Throughout the day, we could always reach out if we had any questions or needed help. I found this really useful because even when we were working remotely, we still felt connected to the team and knew what we needed to do. I would definitely recommend having a similar routine, keeping in touch with your manager and making the effort to communicate with your fellow interns. I also think it’s important to take initiative. Don’t be afraid to ask questions, share your ideas or ask for feedback. Working remotely doesn’t mean you have to figure everything out on your own, and making that extra effort to stay involved can make a big difference to your experience.”