A conversation with Sean Goddard - incoming SLU student, outgoing intern, and part-time crew member
Why Investing in Young People Is One of the Best Things We've Done at TSV
Last week, I sat down with Sean Goddard before his final days with us at TSV. Sean started here at 17 as an intern, nervous, green, and not entirely sure what he was getting into. Nearly a year later, he's heading off to Saint Louis University to pursue a 3+3 law program, and he's leaving with a resume of real-world skills most college freshmen won't have until their junior year.
That conversation reminded me of something we don't say enough: offering internships isn't just charity. It's one of the smartest investments a company can make, for the community, for the next generation of professionals, and honestly, for itself.
"I Really Didn't Know What to Expect"
When Sean started, he was working just 10 hours a week and admitted he was more than a little intimidated.
"I wasn't here as much when I first started. The first four months I was only here 10 hours a week, and I was a little intimidated at first, because I'd never done anything like this," he told me. "But as I spent more time here, I grew to really enjoy being here."
That kind of growth, going from a hesitant beginner to a confident contributor, is exactly what good internships are designed to produce. Sean didn't walk in knowing how to solder cables, run a production meeting, or load out a full AV show at a Chesterfield hotel. He learned all of it here.
"When I first started, I learned how to make cables. How to solder. Skills I never had before," he said. "Colin showed me how to do it, and I learned it's not as difficult as it looks."
There's something powerful about that moment when a young person discovers a skill they didn't know they were capable of. For Sean, soldering was just the beginning.
More Than Technical Skills
The AV and live events industry is full of hands-on learning, and Sean soaked up every minute of it. He worked in the warehouse, prepped gear for shows, went out as a stagehand, and spent time watching how the business side of things worked.
His first show? A trivia night where his primary job was hanging disco balls. He laughs about it now, but it was a real start.
"My first impression of being a stagehand was: you hang disco balls," he joked. "But then I helped with a much bigger show that Mitch was doing, some conference at a hotel in Chesterfield. That was more of a typical show, and I really liked it, because it allowed me to actually use the stuff I'd been interacting with in the warehouse."
"I had seen so many of these pieces of gear, moved them around, prepped them for shows, but I'd never actually seen what they do or how to use them. Once I started getting on shows, it was like, 'Oh, this is what's in this case. This is how this projector works. This is how all these tiny converters work.' It was just really cool."
That kind of contextual learning, seeing equipment in the field after handling it in the warehouse, is something no classroom can replicate. Sean also paid close attention to something less tangible: how a professional business actually runs.
"I learned more about how businesses operate, because I really had no experience with anything like this beforehand," he said. "Just being in this environment, talking with Joel a lot, seeing the production meetings and all that, I just learned so much more about how the professional world works."
Not Every Lesson Was Easy
Sean also tried his hand at 3D design and printing, which he described as one of his biggest challenges.
"That was something I wanted to learn how to do, and luckily Colin thought it would be a good idea for me to take that on. But it's very difficult," he said. "I'm still having some difficulties with it."
That's okay. Struggle is part of the process. The fact that he was given the space to try something genuinely hard, and that someone on our team invested time in teaching him, says something about the environment we try to create here. Not every intern gets that kind of trust. And don't worry Sean, we won't mention about the time you nearly blew up the 3D Printer.
His Advice to Other Young People
I asked Sean what he'd tell other teenagers or young adults considering an internship, especially in an industry that might feel intimidating. His answer was both practical and thoughtful.
"One piece of advice is to not be afraid of people who are older than you," he said. "I know there are a lot of people who are nervous when they're 17 years old, going into an atmosphere with a bunch of people 10-plus years older than them. But at least here at TSV, everybody was very friendly. I don't feel like I was judged for my age or lack of experience. So just don't fear judgment, that's probably my biggest piece of advice."
"Just take every opportunity you can. If you are able to get on a show or learn a new skill, even if it sounds pretty boring, it could be helpful. Or who knows, you might like it."
That last line is one of the most honest things you can tell a young person entering the workforce. You won't always know what you're good at until you try it. That's exactly what internships are for.
What This Means for Our Community
Sean is one of many young people in the St. Louis area who are looking for real experience before they start their adult lives. They're not just looking for a certificate or a line on a resume. They're searching for someone willing to give them a shot.
When companies like TSV open their doors to interns, we're not doing them a favor. They're doing us one. Sean contributed real work over nearly a year. He prepped gear, pulled cable, worked shows, and grew into a reliable part of the team. The energy and fresh perspective that young people bring to any shop is easy to underestimate until you've experienced it.
And the ripple effect goes further than just our four walls. Sean is heading to SLU with professional skills, work ethic, and confidence that most of his peers simply won't have. He knows how to talk to adults in a professional setting. He knows how a production meeting works. He knows how to solder.
"I just feel like I've gained a lot of knowledge on how the professional world works," he told me, "and that's something I'll be able to take with me to college and later on in a career."
That's the return on investment that doesn't show up in any spreadsheet, but it some ways, it matters more.
Not Goodbye, Just See You Later
True to his character, Sean pushed back when I called this a farewell.
"I'm not saying farewell," he said with a grin. "I talked with Rob and Mitch about getting on some shows in the future. And hopefully I can come back next summer, potentially even part-time during the school year."
Good. The door is always open.
If you run a business in the St. Louis area and you're on the fence about whether an internship program is worth the effort, we'd say: start. Start small. Give one person a chance. Teach them to solder, or to load a truck, or to sit in on a client call. You'll be surprised what comes back to you.
Best of luck at SLU Sean!