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📖 handbook/🎓internship

internship

Author: Ivan Kovpak, CEO & Co-founder
Most movements need followers. This one needs builders.
You just read about the philosophy. Now here's how you join it.

What just shifted in GTM

Something massive changed in B2B marketing and sales two years ago.
The people who've been doing GTM for 10 years? They're scrambling. Their playbooks are dead. Their habits are holding them back.
Meanwhile, if you start today, you have a superpower: no bad habits to unlearn.
Before AI (2 years ago):
  • Marketing = You write every word
  • Sales = You send every email
  • Success = How many hours you grind
Today:
  • Marketing = You direct 10 AI agents
  • Sales = You orchestrate automated sequences
  • Success = How well you conduct the orchestra
The shift is simple but profound: You've gone from player to conductor overnight.
Senior marketers spent years perfecting their writing. Now AI writes better.
SDRs spent years crafting the perfect cold email. Now AI personalizes 1,000x faster.
Everyone who built their career on execution just became replaceable.
Except those who learned to lead AI teams instead of being the team.
Your unfair advantage?
No muscle memory to fight. You'll learn the AI-first way from day one. This is your normal, not a scary transition.
You're not catching up to the market. The market just reset, and you're starting at the same line as everyone else.
Actually, you're ahead. Because you're not dragging 10 years of "how we've always done it."
Career trajectory comparison:
Traditional path: Year 1-2 learn to execute → Year 3-5 get good at execution → Year 6-10 maybe become strategic → Year 10+ finally lead
Your path: Month 1 learn to orchestrate → Month 6 portfolio proves you can lead → Year 1 skip straight to strategic roles → Year 3 you're where they are at year 10
Not because you're special. Because you started with the right paradigm.
The window won't last.
Today, having AI-first GTM experience makes you rare. In 2 years, NOT having it makes you unemployable.
The question isn't whether to learn this. It's whether to learn it now while it's still an advantage, or later when it's table stakes.

The first corporate internship built as a product

Every great product starts as an experiment. Instagram was a check-in app. Twitter was a podcast platform. Slack was a game.
This internship? It's our experiment in building something that doesn't exist yet: a GTM training program that actually prepares you for the AI-first future.
We're on iteration 3. Each cohort is a product release. We test, kill what doesn't work, document what does. Next cohort inherits improvements.
You're not just using the program. You're building it.
Your feedback goes directly to me, the founder. Shapes the program in real-time.
Your voice matters more than your experience. Why? You see with fresh eyes. You're native to the AI-first world we're building for. You don't have "this is how it's always been done" weighing you down.
Rules of experimentation:
Try everything once (even if it seems weird). Document what works - your wins become everyone's playbook. Share what doesn't - your failures save others time. Question everything - "because we've always done it" is banned here. Build in public - share your journey, tag us, show the world what real internships can be.
The compound effect:
Your struggles today become their smooth onboarding tomorrow. Your feedback today becomes their structured path tomorrow. Your experiments today become their proven playbook tomorrow.
You're not just an intern. You're a co-creator.

Why this is free (and why that matters)

If this is the best B2B GTM internship program in the world - built as a product with iterations, proven frameworks, $2K+/month in tools - shouldn't we charge for it?
Probably.
But we're not optimizing for revenue from interns. We're optimizing for maximum reach to the most valuable people.
Here's what we're actually doing: We're building the world's best GTM training program, then giving it away for free to ensure the absolute best people go through it.
Not as charity. As distribution strategy.
Every intern who graduates becomes a carrier of better GTM practices. Some join other companies and transform their teams. Some become customers who deeply understand our philosophy. Some build competing products and we end up partnering. Some become founders and hire other alumni.
The constraint isn't your ability to pay. It's your ability to execute and compound learning.
Making it free removes the wrong filter (money) and keeps the right one (commitment, learning velocity, culture fit).
You're not cheap labor. You're our investment in changing how an entire generation thinks about B2B GTM.
And when you graduate with 3,000-5,000 connections, a portfolio of AI-orchestrated campaigns, and skills that put you years ahead of peers, you'll realize we both won.

The T-shaped framework (earned, not given)

Most internships teach you one thing. We teach you five.
Four skills make you employable. The fifth makes you unstoppable.
Why T-shaped professionals win:
The old world: Deep specialists. The Java developer who only knows Java. The copywriter who only writes. The analyst who only analyzes.
The new world: T-shaped professionals. Deep expertise in one area (the vertical), working knowledge across multiple areas (the horizontal).
Why companies desperately want T-shaped people:
  • Specialists can't collaborate effectively (they don't speak each other's language)
  • Generalists can't deliver excellence (they know a little about everything, master of nothing)
  • T-shaped professionals can both execute at elite level AND collaborate across functions
Real career trajectories:
The specialist: Junior Developer → Senior Developer → Lead Developer → (ceiling)
The T-shaped: Junior Developer → Senior Developer → Product Lead → VP Engineering → CTO → Founder
The difference? The T-shaped person understands the full picture. They can talk to sales, marketing, product, customers. They become leaders because they bridge gaps.
Examples:
Steve Jobs was T-shaped: design depth, understood technology, marketing, and customers.
Elon Musk is T-shaped: engineering depth, understands manufacturing, marketing, and finance.
Every founder you admire is T-shaped. This isn't coincidence.

Skill #1: Deep expertise (your vertical)

Choose ONE area to master completely.
We have roles spanning GTM, Product, and People Ops. The specific openings change as we scale, so we don't list them all here. During your Launch Call, we'll match your interests with current needs.
Examples of deep skills you might choose:
  • Content creation and strategy
  • Outbound campaign orchestration
  • Product demos and interactive experiences
  • Customer success and retention
  • Data analysis and GTM intelligence
  • Competitive research and positioning
  • Recruiting and talent operations
  • Design and user experience
If others chose the same deep skill, you'll form a team and self-organize together.
The 4 stages of mastery:
1. Understand - Learn the theory and tools
2. Use - Apply in real scenarios
3. Experiment - Test variations, find what works. This is where Strategic Leverage kicks in. After you ship something, you extract compound value: Can this become a template? Documentation? Content? A case study? Your experiments become reusable assets.
4. Teach - Train others. Mastery = ability to teach. But teaching isn't just about transferring knowledge. When you reach this stage, you can improve the process itself. You've executed enough to see where the checklist needs updating, where the sequence could be optimized, where the task description could be clearer.
And here's the crucial distinction: Mastery means you can handle not just Standard tasks (following proven processes) but Bounty tasks (figuring out what's never been done before). You can take an undefined problem, create structure around it, solve it, then document the solution so it becomes a Standard for others.
Timeline:
  • Month 1: Reach "Use" stage
  • Month 2-3: Deep into "Experiment"
  • Month 4-6: Teaching others while mastering edge cases, improving processes, taking on Bounty work
This becomes your superpower. Your portfolio. The thing you're known for. Skills that normally take 5 years to acquire.

Skill #2: Customer understanding (your horizontal - earned)

The skill that changes everything: Actually talking to customers.
Paul Graham says it best: "The only way to make something people want is to get a prototype in front of them and refine it based on their reactions."
Y Combinator's #1 advice: "Talk to customers, goddammit!"
Why? Because 90% of startups fail by building things nobody wants. They had great engineers, great marketers, great everything. Except they never talked to actual users.
The critical difference between deep and horizontal:
Deep skill: All 4 stages (Understand → Use → Experiment → Teach)
Horizontal skills: Only 2 stages (Understand → Use)
Why? In the horizontal, you're not becoming THE expert. You're understanding customers through multiple lenses.
Different ways to understand customers:
  • How content resonates with them
  • How they respond to outreach
  • What problems they're trying to solve
  • What success looks like to them
  • Where they get stuck in the product
Customer Community Slack access (earned):
Default access: Customer Success & Retention team only.
Everyone else must apply and demonstrate why they need it. This isn't gatekeeping - it's ensuring quality interactions.
Why it matters: Direct line to real users. Their questions become your expertise. Their complaints become your solutions. Their success becomes your case studies.
The brutal truth:
You can be the best technical executor in the world. If you don't understand customers, you're building in a vacuum.
And vacuums don't pay invoices.

Skill #3: Personal brand (your visibility - earned)

This isn't about vanity. It's about your most important sale: yourself.
Your LinkedIn profile is your #1 sales asset. And right now, it probably sucks. Generic headline. Student photo. 200 connections (mostly classmates). Zero thought leadership.
LinkedIn transformation (mandatory for some, earned for others):
If your role requires external communication on behalf of the company - Business Development, Sales, Recruiting - LinkedIn transformation is mandatory and immediate.
For everyone else: You must apply and earn access to our personal brand building tools. Why? Because we're investing $2K+/month in tools to grow your professional presence. That investment goes to people who've proven they'll use it well.
The transformation (once earned):
Week 1 complete rebuild:
  • Professional banner (we provide)
  • AI-generated headshot (looks like $70K+ hire, not student)
  • Headline that hooks (proven 3-part formula)
  • About section that converts (AI-written, human-edited)
  • Featured section (promotes Unstuck Engine while you're here)
Headline formula:
Part 1 - Your philosophy:
  • "Life's too short for bad targeting"
  • "We kill spray-and-pray GTM"
  • "Distribution is the only moat"
  • "0% of great companies copy-paste their way to $100M"
Part 2 - Your role:
  • "GTM Squad @ Unstuck Engine"
Part 3 - Your personality:
  • Coffee addict ☕
  • Dog parent 🐕
  • F1 fanatic 🏎
Example: "Life's too short for bad targeting | GTM Squad @ Unstuck Engine | Coffee addict ☕"
Content strategy:
You'll get access to one of our personal brand building tools. Could be Supergrow for automated content distribution and engagement. Could be other tools based on your strategy and role.
We don't give you three options and let you pick. We give you the tool that matches your proven capability and role requirements.
Network growth (automated):
Prosp.ai connects you with 15-25 GTM professionals daily. Fully automated. OAuth connection (no password sharing). By graduation: 3,000-5,000 connections that stay yours forever.
Your classmates graduate with their college network. You graduate with a professional network of thousands in your industry.
Why this matters:
Best T-shaped professional nobody knows about = unemployed.
Decent one everyone knows = running a team.

Skill #4: Soft skills (your multiplier)

Learning to work with humans, not just tools.
Leadership isn't given. It's earned. And earning starts with showing up.
Daily in Slack:
Standupbot posts your progress automatically (can miss max 4 days/month). When others post, engage - react, comment, support.
When someone shares an insight → acknowledge it. When someone has a question → help if you can. When someone celebrates → celebrate with them.
Our Slack should be alive. Active. Supportive. This isn't about posting for posting's sake. It's about building a team that has each other's backs.
Earning Conference Lead role:
Want to moderate our Tuesday conference? First, prove you embody our culture:
  • Be proactive (don't wait to be asked)
  • Be engaged (participate consistently)
  • Be helpful (support others' growth)
  • Be courageous (share failures too)
Check our unstuck cult(ure). Those 9 core values? That's your playbook for earning leadership.

Skill #5: Culture fit (your navigation system)

The skill that prevents you from joining companies where you'll be miserable.
You'll learn to identify:
Growth cultures:
  • Customer obsession ("talk to users" is a religion)
  • Fast feedback loops
  • Ship early, iterate often
  • Results over process
Stagnation cultures:
  • "We've always done it this way"
  • Six months to ship anything
  • Politics over performance
  • Process over progress
Our unstuck cult(ure) isn't recruitment propaganda. It's a template for evaluating ANY company. Your growth is capped by your company's growth. Learn to choose wisely.

The compound effect of all 5 skills

Deep Expertise = You can execute at elite level
Customer Understanding = You build things people actually want
Personal Brand = The right people know you exist
Soft Skills = You can lead and scale your impact
Culture Fit = You choose environments where you'll thrive
Alone, each skill is valuable. Together, they make you unstoppable.
The math:
  • Half-ass one skill = 20% results
  • Half-ass all five = 0% results
  • Full commitment = exponential returns
Your classmates vs you:
  • They'll graduate with degrees
  • You'll graduate with capabilities
  • They'll apply for jobs
  • You'll field offers

How it actually works (day-to-day)

Week 1-2: Deep immersion
Tool access setup. Read unstuck cult(ure). Watch meeting recordings. Review templates. Meet the team. Choose your deep skill.
Product immersion: You get trial access to Unstuck Engine. Use it yourself. Go through all onboarding steps. Watch every demo. Read every help center article. Chat with Scout AI (our product assistant).
By end of week 2: You know more about Unstuck Engine than most people know about companies they've worked at for a year.
Week 3-4: First deliverables
Real work. Not training exercises. With support.
Make mistakes. Get feedback. Iterate. That's the point.
Month 2-6: Full ownership
Operating mostly independently by week 6. Training the next person by week 12.
Can transition between small teams and projects. This is project-based - if you want to explore a different deep skill or join a different initiative, you can. Flexibility to follow what you're learning fastest.
If team members share your deep skill, self-organize together. Figure out how to collaborate, divide work, compound each other's learning.
Daily rhythm: Standupbot
Automated daily check-in in Slack. What you did, what you're doing, any blockers.
Can miss max 4 days per month. Everyone sees everyone's progress. Transparency without synchronous overhead.
Weekly: Tuesday conference (9am PST)
You moderate. Rotates among interns.
What worked? What didn't? What should we try next?
This is where you shape the program. Reveals different leadership styles through moderation.
Weekly 1:1s (tentative)
45 minutes Thursday. Pre-scheduled as "tentative/maybe." Only happens if either side has agenda.
No agenda = no meeting. Both get time back.
Day before: DM if you have topics, or I'll confirm if I have items for you. Typically 15-20 minutes focused on specific topics.
Examples of valid agenda items: blockers, strategic questions, feedback, task clarification.
Monthly: 360 feedback
You evaluate peers. They evaluate you. Leadership evaluates everyone.
Not optional - this is how we maintain standards and recognize excellence.
Poor peer reviews can lead to dismissal. Great reviews lead to more opportunities - access to personal brand tools, Customer Community, advanced projects, full-time consideration.
Academic periods exception:
Exams, sessions discussed during Launch Call. These are recognized exceptions to commitments.

The tools you'll command ($2K+/month value)

You don't just use tools. You orchestrate them.
Base tools (everyone):
  • Claude.ai - AI assistant for research and content
  • AirOps ($1,000+/month) - AI content creation
  • Intercom - Customer communication platform
  • Google Workspace - Docs, Sheets, Slides
  • Linear - Project management
  • Slack - Team communication
Role-specific tools (based on deep skill):
  • Supergrow - LinkedIn content and engagement
  • Prosp.ai ($65/month) - Automated LinkedIn networking
  • Smartlead.ai - Email automation
  • Arcade Software - Interactive demos
  • Loom - Video creation
  • Figma - Design
  • Webflow - Website builder
  • CapCut/Canva - Video editing
  • Descript - Podcast/video editing
  • Google Analytics/PostHog - Analytics
  • Ahrefs/SEMrush - SEO
  • Plus more based on your specific role
OAuth connections (no password sharing). Professional-grade access.
Total value: $2,000+/month
Your investment: $0
Not just access - mastery.
You're learning to conduct the orchestra, not play one instrument. This is the skill that matters for the next decade.

What you learn about Unstuck Engine

The product you'll help sell (and use yourself).
The problem we solve:
Every B2B company has the same nightmare: Marketing generates 1,000 leads → Sales calls all 1,000 → 950 were never going to buy → 50 real buyers got annoyed by cold outreach → Everyone's exhausted, budget's blown, quarter missed.
We kill spray-and-pray GTM.
What we actually do:
X-ray vision for revenue teams. Real-time B2B targeting and qualification engine that tells you WHO to talk to and WHEN they're ready.
How it works (brief):
  1. Aggregate intent signals (1st-party, 2nd-party, 3rd-party, anonymous website visitors)
  1. Score against YOUR specific ICP (multi-dimensional, multiple ICPs simultaneously)
  1. Create dynamic audiences (update in real-time based on engagement)
  1. Stage engagement levels (A through E - from "call them NOW" to "brand awareness only")
  1. Sync everywhere (Salesforce, HubSpot, Smartlead, LinkedIn, Meta, Google Ads, Slack)
Clay integration (already live):
Via webhook. Pull engagement scores, ICP match percentages, intent signals into Clay tables. Build workflows triggered by behavior changes.
Example: When Unstuck Engine detects Stage A engagement → Clay creates personalized email → Sends gift → Books meeting → All automatic.
Key terms you'll master:
  • ICP (Ideal Customer Profile)
  • Intent Signals
  • Engagement Staging (A-E system)
  • Dynamic Audiences
  • Dark Funnel
  • De-anonymization
The philosophy:
"Distribution is the only moat."
Products get copied. Features get commoditized. But distribution - real, efficient, scalable distribution - that's defensible.
We're building the distribution engine for B2B. Not by sending more emails. Not by making more calls. But by being surgically precise about who, when, and how.
Why this matters for your internship:
You're not learning "marketing" or "sales." You're learning precision GTM. The difference? One is a job. The other is a superpower.

What you get (graduation package)

When your 6 months are up:
1. Graduation certificate
Not generic PDF. Real, beautifully designed. Specifies your track. Lists key achievements. Signed by founder. LinkedIn-ready.
2. Portfolio rights
Everything you built = yours to showcase. Case studies you created. Campaigns you ran. Results you achieved. "I built this at Unstuck Engine" - forever yours.
3. GTM Squad status
Not "intern" - "GTM Squad @ Unstuck Engine" on your LinkedIn. Core member of GTM team. Not "assisted with tasks" - "shipped real work." You'll know how to sell this distinction.
4. Reference letter
Personalized, specific, powerful. Details your actual impact (metrics included). Highlights unique strengths. Written for your target role. Available forever.
5. Your network stays yours
Those 3,000-5,000 connections? Yours forever. We don't revoke access. We don't take them back. You built it, you keep it.
6. Alumni network access (lifetime)
Unstuck Alumni Slack Channel:
  • Private channel for graduates only
  • Job opportunities posted first here
  • Direct line to me and leadership
  • Peer network that keeps growing
Annual Alumni Summit:
  • Virtual gathering every December
  • See what everyone's building
  • Learn what's new in GTM
  • Recruit for your own companies
Referral commissions:
  • Refer us a client? Get paid
  • Standard referral commission on closed deals
  • Your network becomes an asset
  • Details shared upon graduation
Tool access extensions:
  • Negotiated alumni rates for tools you mastered
  • Some offer alumni discounts
  • Others have special alumni tiers
  • We'll help negotiate rates at your new company
7. Boomerang option
Killed it as intern? There might be a full-time role later. Alumni get first look at any openings. Some of our best hires are boomerangs.
8. Project-based paid work
Need extra income? We occasionally have paid projects perfect for alumni who know our systems.

The alumni responsibility

Pay it forward:
When new interns join, you remember being new. Share advice in alumni channel. Offer to mentor if you have capacity. Your success story inspires the next cohort.
Stay connected:
Update us on wins (new job, promotion, launch). Share job openings at your company. Participate in alumni summit. Keep the network alive.
Represent:
You carry the Unstuck Engine name now. Your success reflects on all alumni. Your work ethic sets the standard. Your growth proves the model works.
The real value:
Their alumni networks: College buddies. Might help, might not. Same career stage. Limited industry relevance.
Unstuck Alumni Network: GTM professionals. Proven performers. Different stages (learn up and down). 100% relevant to your career. Growing stronger every cohort.
We're building a GTM mafia.
Not just an internship program. A movement. And you're part of it forever.

Graduation requirements

To earn alumni status:
□ Complete 6-month program (or agreed timeline)
□ Ship meaningful work in your track
□ Participate in conferences consistently
□ Support fellow interns
□ Submit 1-minute transformation video testimonial
□ Share one piece of advice for next cohort
That's it. No GPA. No test. Just show up, ship work, help others, show your growth.

What we expect (clear commitments)

The non-negotiables:
1. Standupbot daily
Post progress via automated check-in. Can miss max 4 days per month. Builds discipline, creates transparency.
2. Tuesday conference participation
9am PST every Tuesday. You will moderate (rotates). Shape the program in real-time. Share what works, what doesn't.
3. Task completion
Deliver what you commit to by agreed deadlines. No excuses.
4. Team collaboration
If others chose same deep skill, self-organize. Support peers. Give and receive Total Feedback.
5. Monthly 360 feedback
Evaluate peers honestly. Receive evaluation honestly. Poor peer reviews → dismissal. Great reviews → more opportunities.
Not meeting commitments = dismissal.
Academic periods (exams, sessions) are exceptions. Everything else? No excuses.

How to apply

Ready to join?
Step 1: Check available roles
Visit our internship opportunities board.
See what's open NOW. Understand requirements. Think about which deep skill interests you.
Step 2: Record your 1-minute video
Phone quality is fine. Don't script perfectly - we want natural communication.
Answer these questions:
  • Why this internship? Why now?
  • Which area interests you and why? (You saw the available roles - which one caught your attention?)
  • One thing you'll bring that others won't
Remember: This filters AI spam, people who didn't read, and shows your personality. Same filter we use for all hiring.
Step 3: Prepare your application
Current LinkedIn profile link. Resume (if you have one - optional). Portfolio (if you have one - optional). Your 1-minute video.
Step 4: Submit
[Application link]
We review within 48 hours. If selected, Launch Call scheduled.
Step 5: Launch Call (if accepted)
30 minutes with founder.
Set up base tools. Choose first task together. Clarify to executable level. Define additional tools based on deep skill. Answer all your questions.
After this call: Ready to ship first deliverable.

The question

We've told you:
  • Why the window is closing
  • Why this is built as a product
  • Why it's free (maximum reach to best people)
  • What T-shaped means
  • How you'll spend 6 months
  • What you'll graduate with
  • What we expect
  • How to apply
The question isn't whether T-shaped professionals win. They do.
The question isn't whether AI-first GTM matters. It does.
The question is:
Will you be a conductor or a player?
Your classmates will graduate ready to follow instructions.
You'll graduate ready to give them.
The future of GTM needs conductors, not players.
Which one will you be?
Apply now:
  • Record your 1-minute video
Related reading:
Retry
Claude can make mistakes. Please double-check responses.