Abigail Strickland
2026 Saltire Scholar
Category Management Intern, Ooni
International Business Management, Heriot Watt University
Hi, I’m Abbie.
I graduated in June with a degree in International Business Management, and coming towards the end of university, I’ll admit I sometimes felt a little behind. I hadn’t had the opportunity to complete an internship during the summer of my penultimate year, so when I was introduced to the Saltire Scholars Programme and realised I could complete an internship after graduating, it felt like a really natural next step - a chance to gain practical experience and take that next step towards my career.
I was quite selective about the internships I applied for, wanting to find something that genuinely interested me rather than applying simply for the sake of having an internship. So when I saw the Ooni Category Management Internship advertised in May, it immediately caught my attention. What particularly stood out to me was how naturally the role brought together so many of the things I had enjoyed throughout my degree - researching and collecting data, analysing competitors, exploring products and market gaps, and developing and justifying recommendations based on evidence. It felt like an opportunity to take the things I had enjoyed studying and apply them to a real business.
I was already familiar with Ooni’s pizza ovens, but beyond the products themselves, I didn’t know much about the company. So, I took the time to research before applying, and the more I learnt, the more excited I became.
So, I applied and, to my delight, got the opportunity to join Ooni.
I would consider myself a confident person, but starting something new straight out of university still came with a few nerves. I was conscious of wanting to be taken seriously and prove that I could genuinely contribute. From my first week, I made a conscious effort to get stuck in - asking questions, introducing myself to people across the business and getting to grips with how everything connected.
It didn’t take long for me to feel part of the team. During my first week, several people across the business commented that it felt like I was already part of the team, which was incredibly rewarding to hear. It gave me the reassurance that I had settled in, built relationships and was contributing in a way that felt meaningful.
As a Category Management Intern, I worked on a project focused on forming product recommendations. This involved exploring competitor products, pricing and features, customer feedback, marketing and social media, as well as logistics and product costs. I also had the opportunity to visit retailers and see both Ooni and competitor products in-store, looking at everything from merchandising and displays to overall store presence.
What I enjoyed most was bringing these different perspectives together to develop informed recommendations, while having the freedom to shape my approach along the way. The project gave me a great balance between ownership and support. While the work was my responsibility, I was never expected to figure everything out alone. My managers were always there to guide me, challenge my thinking and help when I needed it. Having that support gave me the confidence to take initiative, make informed decisions and know when to ask for guidance.
I also became increasingly comfortable communicating and collaborating across different departments. If I needed information, I learnt to find the right person to ask, understand their perspective and bring that knowledge back into my work. Every conversation gave me another piece of the puzzle and helped me understand how different areas of the business connect.
My degree had already given me opportunities to apply what I had learnt to business scenarios, including projects where we worked with real businesses and developed recommendations. However, being inside a business felt different. At Ooni, I was able to see the other side of those recommendations - working with real data, speaking to people across the business, considering practical and commercial factors, and navigating questions that don’t always have one obvious answer.
After eight weeks of research, analysis, conversations and learning, I was able to bring everything together and present the outcome of my work. It was a great way to see how far I had come since that first week and recognise how much I had developed. The internship brought my academic learning to life.
Of course, an internship isn’t just about the work, and I’m leaving Ooni with much more than experience to add to my CV. Some of the best parts of my eight weeks were the people I met, the conversations I had and the feeling of becoming part of the Ooni team. One thing that really stood out to me was how much Ooni’s values shine through in the people and the culture. It was refreshing to see that they weren’t just words on a page - I could see them reflected in the way people worked, supported one another and approached their roles. It made being part of the team feel even more meaningful.
If there is one thing I am taking away from my eight weeks at Ooni, it is learning to trust myself more. Not because I suddenly became a confident person (I already considered myself to be one), but because I now have evidence that I can take that confidence into an unfamiliar professional environment and use it. I can take initiative, communicate across a business, ask questions, learn quickly and develop my own informed opinions.
I’ve also learnt first-hand that taking ownership doesn’t mean having to do everything alone. Knowing when to ask for guidance and being willing to learn from the people around you is just as important.
So, to any future scholars, my advice would be to get stuck in from day one and make the most of the people around you. Ask questions, introduce yourself, learn from others and don’t be afraid to put your ideas forward. Some of your biggest lessons might come from a conversation you didn’t expect to have.
And most importantly… enjoy it, as it goes by much quicker than you think!
A massive thank you to the Saltire Scholars team for connecting me with such an incredible company, preparing me for my transition into the world of work, and being there to guide me throughout the experience. I have truly had the most amazing summer, and I couldn’t be more grateful for the opportunity.
Here’s to an unforgettable eight weeks, plenty of learning, and a whole lot of pizza!
