Interning at Zuora requires more than just busy work or isolated project groups—that sounds like course work in the workplace, and quite frankly, Zuora needs interns to bring the magic.
“Our interns quickly become valuable members of our teams rolling up their sleeves to tackle strategic projects and provide fresh perspectives on business,” says Robbie Traube, President and Chief Revenue Officer at Zuora in his recent LinkedIn post welcoming our newest group of 30 interns.
Within our current summer intern class, however, Zuora has a ZEO who is officially in his second internship here. With so much to explore as a young professional, we sat down with George Hollo to learn more about his experience and what motivated him to return to Zuora for another summer.
First things first, tell us about yourself!
I’m attending the University of British Columbia and planning to graduate in 2025 or sooner. I was born in the United States, but I say that I’m from Hungary. I’ve lived in six different countries thanks to my dad’s work with the United Nations.
You became a ZEO intern in Summer 2022—tell us about your experience a year ago.
I started working as a Tech Alliances Intern for Travis Huch (who is our vice president of North America alliances) doing data analysis. I was able to work with him in Redwood City (Zuora’s HQ), which was really helpful. Beyond being a great leader, we were also able to go out on bike rides together. It’s those kinds of things that stand out and make me really appreciate the culture here.
What would you say about the work you were engaged in last summer?
I heard a lot of my (non-ZEO) friends complaining about busy work, and they couldn’t see their impact. Zuora interns are valued, and we’re brought along on the journey. We live in symbiosis. They see me as a colleague who can really support their work who just needs extra support to keep moving.
How has your time at Zuora impacted your education/career mindset?
My major is manufacturing/industrial engineering (manufacturing systems to optimize the use of computer networks, robots, and materials), so my time at Zuora has introduced me to a completely different side of business. Now when I’m studying, I can see beyond the course material—I can see the sales and marketing side, and I can see how it becomes a viable business.
Also, I’ve reviewed Zuora’s case studies, and I know how we make a difference. I know how Zuora makes a difference for their customers and in the world, and that definitely feels like a valuable takeaway for an internship.
So, you believe in how Zuora makes the world better—do you see how your work contributes to that?
I really do. Because I had the unique chance to take on part time hours during the academic year, I had a special vantage point on the work I had done as part of my internship. One project that comes to mind was an analysis of leads on potential Zuora customers. It was complex, and the team needed a ZEO dedicated to creating a solution and enabling the sales team to leverage it in the field for the overall success of our business.
Ultimately, after my official internship ended, the project didn’t take root the way that we had hoped. While it was disappointing, it was also great to see the team learn from it. It had the potential to do good, and so I still enjoyed the work to support it.
So now you’re well into your second internship here—why did you return and what’s different this time?
I thought it would be cool to see how I could make a difference now that I knew more about the business. I still don’t think I could possibly know everything that goes on at Zuora, but I’ve been able to broaden my scope of work. This year, I’m also partnering globally with ZEOs in EMEA and beyond. I keep getting a deeper understanding of how things work and how it all comes together.
What’s been one of your favorite #ZEOlife perks?
Oh, definitely the global wellness days. It’s awesome to have an extra day off in the middle of the month. For my last one, I was able to take advantage of the extra time to meet up with a bunch of relatives that came to Europe for a vacation. We hadn’t seen each other since before the pandemic, so we visited Europe with them.
What advice do you have for students who are interested in interning at Zuora?
Build trust. I wouldn’t shy away from my responsibilities, and I learned the importance of troubleshooting on my own. But I know my limits. If I reach the point where I’m lost, I could really mess up my weekly check-in by sitting there frozen. That’s when I would reach out for help, and we could talk it through. Because they know I’ll ask for help, no one micromanages me. I have the freedom to work on my own and figure it out on my own.
