Dancing involves discipline, creative thinking and technical skills that take years to master. Johanna Sigurdardottir, 22, has learned it all in her ballet career and is now applying these talents as a university intern at Williams.
Sigurdardottir, a senior at Northeastern University in Boston majoring in finance and accounting, discovered Williams through her sister. Though she didn’t know much about the energy industry, she was intrigued and decided to take her shot which ultimately landed her a business internship on the Strategy and Market Intelligence team.
For over 13 years, Sigurdardottir has danced around the world working with top-notch companies like New York City Ballet and Boston Ballet.
Though professional ballet and business don’t seem similar, Sigurdardottir takes what she learned in dance and applies it to her role at Williams.
We talked to Johanna about her internship and how her past helps her present.
Was working in the energy industry a part of your career plan?
I didn’t foresee working for the energy industry. I knew that I wanted to be on the business side of things, but I didn’t know which industry I would initially work for. I find the industry very interesting because of its breadth. I’m grateful for this opportunity, as an intern, to learn more.
How has being a professional ballerina helped you pursue your business career?
Ballet has taught me about discipline, respect and showing up. And I’ve done that pretty much my whole life almost every single week. While in ballet, I’ve learned there’s an emphasis on technique and creativity for dancers, and I’ve been able to link those lessons to my Williams internship. Being on the Market Strategy and Intelligence team, I realized there’s also a technical and creative side. I’ve been working with data sets, which are very technical, then using a program called Power BI to create visuals that bring those data sets to life, which requires creativity.
Who are some of the people who helped you through the internship and how have they done so?
My mentor Carter Stokeld, business intelligence leader, has helped me every single day of this internship. Each day I’m learning something new. Additionally, I would say I’ve learned so much from my one-on-one interactions with other Williams employees.
What’s some advice that you would give to future interns?
The best advice I would give to future interns is show up ready for your day. You never know what the day will bring, so keep your eyes and ears open. Be okay with the discomfort. It’s okay if you don’t know everything. You’re here to learn and enjoy the process; your job is to learn.
