Words can’t fully describe the feeling of entering the last week of my internship with COACH. It was truly bittersweet. On one hand, I felt incredibly proud of myself for not only earning this opportunity but also dedicating 100% of my energy to making the most out of it. On the other, it was hard to believe this chapter was coming to an end.

At the beginning, I honestly didn’t know what to expect. Retail was a completely new world to me, something I had never really pictured myself working in. But looking back, it turned out to be better than I ever could have imagined.

The second presentation took place on the very last day. When we arrived at a conference room in the Mall at Millenia, we were greeted with gift boxes labeled with our names. Inside, there was a heartfelt card, a COACH tag with our initials and a sketch of Orlando, and most surprisingly, a brand-new Tabby Bag as a farewell gift. It was such a thoughtful gesture. After that, we delivered our final business presentation, reviewing KPIs and goals from the past year and the upcoming one. It was both a great learning experience and the perfect way to close this journey.

To top it all off, our colleagues surprised us with cake, flowers, and a beautiful card. Saying goodbye was much harder than I expected. I made friendships I’ll carry with me forever, and this internship became one of the most meaningful experiences of my life.

I’m beyond grateful for every single moment.

I can’t believe I’m almost at the end of my internship! Even though it’s wrapping up, we’re still learning and doing so much.

This week, I made huge progress on my final project presentation. The slides are done (finally!), and now I’m fully focused on practicing what I’m going to say and making sure I feel confident. The presentation is on Tuesday, August 5. I’m soooo nervous, but also excited and prepared to do my best!

One of the highlights of the week was an amazing lunch with Coach’s District Manager, where we dove into the importance of HR in a company. He shared real stories from his career, reflecting on how things could’ve been handled differently and how HR played a key role in shaping those outcomes. What really stuck with me was his perspective that HR isn’t just about discipline, it’s a valuable resource for support, helping people navigate challenges with coworkers, customers, and managers. He also highlighted the resources Tapestry offers to make sure every employee feels heard and supported.

We even had a training session where we were presented with delicate HR scenarios and asked how we’d respond as leaders. I really liked this exercise, it reminded me that being a leader is, more than anything, about learning how to deal with people. There’s not always one right answer, and it’s crucial to stay empathetic and impartial.

We also had an incredible call with Giovanni Zaccariello, SVP of Global Visual Experience at Coach. He seriously has one of the coolest jobs ever! Traveling the world to elevate Coach stores through immersive experiences! Giovanni talked about the importance of in-store engagement, especially for Gen Z. He said that while this audience might typically spend 5–10 minutes in a store, interactive experiences can double that time, increasing both exposure to the product and emotional connection with the brand.

Finally, we had a sneak peek call about the upcoming product launches and the strategies behind each one. While I can’t spill any details, I can say this: I’m OBSESSED. So many exciting things are on the way, and I’m in love with the direction the brand is heading.

It’s been interesting to realize just how deeply I’ve connected with Coach. Not just the product, but the people, the values, the mission. This experience has made me see that this is the kind of place I’d love to work long-term.

This week, I focused heavily on my final project. Just to clarify how I conducted the survey: I posted it as a student working on a school project about COACH, not as a brand employee. I felt it was important to make that distinction, as I don’t have the authority to represent the brand officially, and presenting myself that way could be compromising for both me and COACH. So I chose to keep it neutral.

I only received 18 responses (which wasn’t the number I was aiming for), but those 18 participants were incredibly engaged. Many of them wrote in-depth responses about their experiences with the brand, and their feedback was extremely insightful. I plan to quote a few of their comments in my final presentation to reinforce my key points with real voices from the audience.

As for the presentation itself, I’m planning to open it with a look at some of the most viral content from the past two years — analyzing what they have in common and why they went viral. The answer? They all share the same quality: authenticity. Real life, unfiltered, unscripted content. Just real people doing real things. I think this is a strong way to start the presentation and get the audience thinking about why “real” content resonates so deeply, especially with Gen Z, who are craving authenticity, experience, and community. And the main place they seek that is on social media. Brands either adapt to this shift or risk being left behind.

I did a lot of research and found valuable data from recent Vogue Business reports, including performance insights from top fashion brands. The data shows how social media presence and engagement directly correlate with brand growth. Brands like Jacquemus and Dior are evolving by becoming more approachable and relatable online — a major shift from the traditional luxury image of exclusivity and distance. People now want to feel represented. They want authenticity, diversity, and emotional connection — and that is exactly the foundation of my project.

I also made great progress on the visual elements of my presentation. Using Canva AI, I created an interactive, simulated chat between a customer and a COACH sales associate. This supports one of my key strategies: clienteling. It’s all about creating a direct communication channel between the brand and the customer. Not just to support the purchase decision, but to build a deeper, more human connection. My presentation follows the “show, don’t tell” approach — no long bullet points or dense slides. Instead, I’m using visuals, examples, mockups, videos, and links to make everything seamless and easy to understand. That’s where my interest in UX really comes into play.

On the corporate side, we had two amazing calls this week. The first was about the COACH (Re)Loved + Sustainability initiative. This program transforms old, irreparable bags into something completely new and unique, giving them a second life. The call focused on how sustainability is not just an environmental responsibility, but also a key purchasing factor for younger generations. COACH is prioritizing sustainable practices more than ever, understanding that this shift is both urgent and expected by consumers.

The second call was all about career growth and interview tips, led by the Talent Acquisition team. It was especially valuable because they offered specific guidance for interviews with Tapestry, in case we decide to pursue roles within the company in the future. They explained the types of questions they ask, what they’re looking for in candidates, and the rationale behind their process. As someone who is definitely interested in returning to the brand, I found this session incredibly helpful and motivating.

During Week 7 of the internship, we had a call with a group of leaders from COACH who are part of a program called ACT — an elite initiative for store and general managers. We learned about the structure of the program, who participates, how it’s implemented, and the results it generates. The ACT program includes top-performing store managers from across the U.S., and each participant is challenged to develop a year-long project focused on analyzing different teams and stores at COACH. The goal is to create a plan that helps them grow as leaders, and also support the development of others through mentorship.

Throughout this internship, I’ve already learned a lot about leadership. But this conversation helped me understand the more technical side of it: how to approach colleagues, how to inspire rather than give orders, how to communicate clearly and meaningfully, how to set goals, and how to navigate difficult conversations — whether it’s about performance, expectations, or customer interactions. It was incredibly valuable to gain practical strategies that go beyond theory. Sometimes people assume being a leader is just about directing others, but I’m learning that real leadership is about guidance, connection, and setting an example.

Later in the week, we visited the COACH retail store at the Mall at Millenia to observe their daily operations, customer experience, business performance, and visual merchandising. It was both insightful and engaging — and admittedly a bit challenging because I wanted every single bag in the store (so yes, I also had to practice self-control! kkkkkkk).

We reviewed their KPIs and compared them to outlet store performance. For instance, the total weekly sales volume in retail is often what outlets can achieve in just a few hours. However, the retail customer experience is elevated. Thanks to the calmer environment, retail teams can fully implement the COACH service approach: Connect, Build, Close, and Continue. It was interesting to compare both segments and see how they complement each other — outlets drive business volume, while retail stores sustain the brand identity and deepen customer relationships.

We were also introduced to a new project this week: a business performance presentation to Glenn King, Divisional Vice President. Interns are pairing up — I’ll be working with Marlo since we’re placed at the same location — to analyze our store’s business dashboard and present KPIs, customer demographics, product performance, and business insights. It mirrors the presentations store managers deliver to COACH leadership, and it’s an opportunity for us to train and develop our technical and analytical skills.

Although it’s a bit overwhelming considering our final project presentation is scheduled for August 5 and this one is on August 8, I’m genuinely excited. It’s another opportunity to apply what I’ve learned, showcase my skills, and gain a deeper understanding of the business. As a Digital Arts major with a strong interest in marketing, I really value experiences like this — especially since I don’t always get this level of business exposure through my marketing minor. I’m embracing every learning opportunity and challenge with enthusiasm.

I’ve been focusing a lot on my project and made great progress. I’m dividing my proposal into a 3-phase strategy combining organic content, influencer partnerships, and digital clienteling on social media. I believe I have great data from research and articles I found to support my ideas. I also finished my first draft and presented it to my mentor, George, and he was very impressed. He suggested I work on reorganizing my data to build a stronger structure to support my claims. I even sent a copy to my former Stetson professor, Todd Haderlie — we had a Digital Marketing class last fall and he was one of the best professors I had during my time at Stetson. I thought he’d be a great person to give me feedback, and he was super open to it. Now I’m excited to see what he has to say! Hopefully, I’ll know the answer by the next post kkkkk

I’m currently working on the visuals for my presentation. I want to combine classic COACH elements and give them a different purpose. For example, I used Illustrator and Photoshop to transform a COACH Hangtag Bag Charm into an element for my presentation that I’ll use to display the title of the first slide. I’m playing with the brand’s aesthetic and recreating elements to make my deck interesting, fun, and creative.

One problem I’m having is that I wanted to do a survey with Gen Z COACH customers. I posted a survey on the COACH community on Reddit, but it kept getting deleted. Now I’m banned from the platform for 3 days. I wanted to get more insights on how the target audience perceives the brand’s social media. I got 15 responses in the few hours it was live before being taken down. I’m trying to find different ways to get more responses, but I feel like my options are very limited, unfortunately.

I really want to give the BEST impression EVER! They just told us that the presentation will be recorded so the President and Vice President can watch it later. They wanted to be there, but they’ll be in Europe the week of the presentation. As an international student, opportunities like this don’t happen twice.

Last week, I mentioned that we had a visit from the woman in Talent Acquisition, and that I asked her about opportunities for international students. She said there are some, however, due to the current U.S. administration, they’re changing the policies around visa sponsorship. She told me they still offer it, but you have to prove that you’re THE BEST at what you do, and why you can do it better than a citizen. That added a whole new layer of pressure on my shoulders. That information is not new to me — we learn this the moment we step into this country — but hearing it from her made it more real.

Since then, I’ve been focused on giving EVERYTHING I can to this project. More than 100% of me. I want it to be perfect, strategic, creative, to show my abilities and my personality. And although staying in the U.S. was never my top life plan, I really fell in love with the brand and with the retail industry. So, if I want to have more opportunities with COACH in the future… I better leave a good impression!

Halfway through my Coach internship!!!

We started with an amazing Visual Merchandising workshop led by the talented Marina Campbell, where we learned how to align KPIs with visuals and store flow. It was eye-opening to see the strategy behind every decision, from the smallest details to the big picture, and how all of it works together to create a seamless and intentional customer experience. This was one of the trainings I was most excited about. She focused a lot on explaining how it’s NOT ONLY about creativity — of course that also plays an important part — but also about strategy, understanding your consumers, and knowing the intention behind everything. I think these two skills are something I’ve been training and learning to combine: creativity and strategy. So, this workshop really resonated with the areas I want to study and the abilities I want to develop.

We also had a visit from Caitelin Fagan-McCoy from the Talent Acquisition team, who checked in with us to hear about our experiences, expectations, and learnings so far. I shared with her my perspective and suggestions for the internship, and also used this opportunity to ask questions about careers at Tapestry and the opportunities available for recent graduates — especially international students, like in my case. Which is something we always need to keep in mind.

We also had an online session with the COACH CEO, Todd Kahn, and Kate Spade CEO, Eva Erdmann. It was so inspiring to hear about their journeys and how they got to where they are now. They spoke a lot about what it means to be a leader, and how it’s more about loving what you do and focusing on your career now instead of worrying about the next step. They talked about the importance of taking risks and having passion for your job. They also discussed the future of both brands — Kate Spade is going through a rougher phase compared to COACH, so it was interesting to see different analyses and perspectives on the future. Eva mentioned how this is the moment to reinvent the brand by connecting with its past, and Todd is more focused on new strategies and approaches to maintain growth. Super interesting conversation! I could write a whole essay about this meeting kkkk

Lastly, I’ve been focusing a lot on my project and made great progress. I’m dividing my proposal into a 3-phase strategy combining organic content, influencer partnerships, and digital clienteling on social media. I believe I have great data to support my ideas. Now I need to work on finishing my first draft, and start the visuals for the presentation.

This week was one of the most unforgettable moments of my internship and honestly, of my early career.

Coach welcomed over 10 team members from the corporate office in NYC to our store, including professionals from product development, visual merchandising, customer engagement, clienteling, and more. It was an incredible opportunity to hear directly from the people shaping the brand’s future. The visit was not only inspiring, but it also gave us a clearer understanding of how each area contributes to the bigger picture.

What truly stood out was the presence of President Leigh Manheim Levine and Vice President Richard Butler. On the first day of their visit, we walked them through our store’s performance, business analytics, product feedback, Gen Z trends, and overall results. They listened attentively, asked thoughtful questions, and made sure every intern in the room felt heard.

The next morning, we were invited to an intimate breakfast with them. As interns, we were encouraged to speak candidly about our experiences, what’s working, what we would do differently, how we perceive the brand as Gen Z consumers, and even our future career aspirations. That openness, curiosity, and trust left a lasting impression on me. I’ve never felt so valued in a professional setting.

Coach continues to prove that it is a brand built on people. That shows not only on the sales floor but across all levels, from store staff to the executive team. The fact that the President and Vice President flew in to sit down with interns speaks volumes. It is about connection, care, and shared growth.

This week we also participated in a training called SALES Coach, designed for leadership roles in retail. It focused on every aspect of the customer experience, from product knowledge to the in-store journey. What struck me was how much emphasis Coach places on human connection, not just selling a product, but making sure every guest feels welcomed and seen. I got a behind-the-scenes look at how leadership styles shape store culture and how customer obsession drives everything here.

As a Digital Arts major passionate about branding and consumer experience, this week gave me so much to think about. From the top-level leadership to the sales associate team, Coach continues to set a gold standard for what people-first leadership looks like in action.

Week 4 reminded me why I’m here, not just to learn, but to be inspired.

Week 3 of my internship at Coach was packed with exciting new learnings and meaningful experiences that gave me a deeper look into the business side of retail.

One of the highlights was diving into business metrics and KPIs. We were introduced to Coach’s Flash Dashboard, a powerful tool that tracks all the essential data for retail performance: total sales, year-over-year comparisons, traffic, conversion, productivity, and more. It was fascinating to see how much you can learn from numbers when you know where to look. We discussed how to translate these metrics into actionable insights, such as identifying growth opportunities or shaping sales strategies. We also learned how to deliver a weekly business recap, including inventory evaluation, top-selling products, and what customers are asking for in-store.

We had an amazing call with the Head of Digital Innovation at Tapestry, who walked us through the company’s Omni Channel Strategy. She emphasized the importance of starting with the right questions when working with data and explained how great insights come from thoughtful analysis and clear expectations. She also introduced us to Tapestry’s digital vision, a platform designed to power brand growth and connect with customers wherever they are.

One of the most exciting parts of the conversation was the discussion around AI. From 360-degree product videos to interactive content, we learned how AI is reshaping customer experience, along with the challenges it brings, like maintaining authenticity and protecting data. As a Digital Arts major passionate about user experience, this resonated deeply with me.

Outside of our learning sessions, I spent time conducting interviews for my final intern project. I focused on Gen Z consumers to understand how they engage with Coach on social media and how they connect with the brand. Their insights are forming the foundation of my project and it’s been incredibly eye-opening.

All in all, it was a productive, inspiring, and intellectually rich week!

Second week of my internship, and there’s already been so much learning.
We had an amazing call where I had the incredible opportunity to learn from Peter Charles, Chief Supply Chain Officer at Tapestry. He walked us through the impressive “Craftsmanship at Scale” strategy, covering everything from product development to materials management, supply operations, and logistics.

What inspired me the most was seeing how ESG initiatives are not just a part of the process but a driving force behind the brand’s present and future.

We learned about every step involved in the product journey—which can take more than 16 months to complete before reaching the shelves. Tapestry, the owner of COACH, produces over 50 million products a year, working with more than 123 suppliers across 21 different countries. Their supply chain is incredibly vast!

I also had the chance to meet with Glen King, the Divisional Vice President of COACH. We spoke a lot about the brand’s future projections and the key role Gen Z plays in ensuring its continued success.

Another highlight was a call with Lauren Mucci, the Senior Manager of Customer Development. We discussed the customer experience and how to leverage digital channels to enhance that experience and attract more clients. We analyzed the entire digital process and how data is tracked to create more personalized and direct customer interactions and improve the overall digital journey.

Aside from that, I’ve been spending a lot of time working on my project, which we will present at the end of the internship. I believe I now have a clear direction for what I want to do and how I want to approach it.

As I wrap up week one, I can say that I am extremely excited about what’s to come. Last Tuesday (June 3) was the first day of my internship. We started by getting to know the other three interns—Helena, Payton, and Marlo—along with my supervisor, George, and the regional COACH supervisor, Chad. We all went to the Cheesecake Factory for a special lunch to celebrate our first day and to introduce ourselves to each other. We also had a call with the COACH President and Vice President, which was amazing!

One thing I’m loving about COACH so far is how all employees have direct contact with such important leaders in the company. I believe this is very rare nowadays. Week one also included the COACH Journey training, where we learned more about the brand’s history, values, purpose, and mission.

Something that stood out to me was how much the company invests in its employees and promotes a culture of growing talent from within, instead of constantly hiring from outside. The Vice President is a great example—he started as a regional manager and, after years of working in different leadership roles, rose to become one of the most important people in the company. This was also clear from my interactions with other employees. They all speak very highly of the brand and are proud to work there.

For the internship, we received the agenda for the next 10 weeks. We will explore all different aspects of the business to understand how it operates. By the end of the internship, we are required to present a project with strategies and recommendations to improve COACH’s performance and attract more Gen Z consumers.

I’m truly excited and already brainstorming ideas that align with my areas of interest—social media, marketing, and digital arts. I love how open they are to letting us incorporate our passions into the project.

Excited for what’s to come next!

Note:
Since English is not my first language, I used AI to help correct grammar and spelling in this text. However, all the ideas and content shared here are entirely my own.