Should You Lie About Your Age to Land an Internship? Asking for a Friend.

What actually happens when you’re 19, curious, and asking CEOs about AI?

This post is basically a highlight reel, a behind-the-scenes look at some of the most memorable moments from the first 10 CEO interviews I’ve done for this project.

It’s not a summary of insights (that was the previous post).

This is about what no one sees:

• Standing awkwardly in a corporate lobby trying to remember the name of the person who’s supposed to let you in.

• Rehearsing your opening line in your head while pretending to scroll on your phone.

• Hoping your WiFi doesn’t crash the moment the CEO joins the Zoom room.

  
  

So far, I’ve mastered the business-shirt–pajama-pants combo. I’ve scoped out the meeting rooms with the best lighting. I’ve taken meetings in airport cafés, office glass boxes, and one time, a friend’s appartmeent Berlin.

But more than anything, I’ve started to find my footing. Because with every interview, I’ve gotten a little more confident. A little more curious. A little more certain that this project matters.

So, here’s what the first ten interviews really looked like, what surprised me, what I learned, and what I’ll never forget. Let’s go

1. My First Office Visit — Storebrand

This was the first time I took the project out of Zoom and into the real world. My very first in-person CEO interview.

I remember walking into the lobby, heart pounding just a little too loudly, nervously sipping the free water like it might magically calm my nerves, double-checking that my paper with the questions was actually in my bag, and triple-checking the CEO’s name just in case I blanked the moment he showed up.

Then a young guy came down to meet me. He was friendly, relaxed, and I felt a little better. He gave me a full tour of the offices which was very nice and Professional. Just intimidating enough to remind me that this was definitely not a school project anymore.

Eventually, we made our way to a quieter part of the building, where I was introduced to the CEO and the rest of the executive team. He greeted me with a warm smile, and we walked together into a small, meeting room.

That’s when the adrenaline kicked back in. No more prep. No screen buffer. No mute button. Just me, my questions, and a CEO across the table.

I was definitely nervous, visibly so, I’m sure but the conversation ended up being far more relaxed than I expected. He was thoughtful, generous with his time, and genuinely curious about the project. At some point, I realized I had stopped rehearsing the next question in my head and actually started listening. Asking real follow-ups. Enjoying it.

Then something funny happened.

The conversation felt long, focused, like we had really gotten deep into the subject and I got everything I needed. So when we wrapped up, I checked the time, expecting to see at least 30, maybe 40 minutes gone.

Fifteen minutes.That was it.

FIFTEEN?!

I blinked. Smiled. Thanked him. Then I worked up the courage to ask for a selfie, which, as you can see, he was more than happy to take. He laughed and said, “At least now there’s some documentation of me doing something useful today.”

I laughed too. Mostly at myself, the nerves, the adrenaline, the wildly warped sense of time. Apparently, time bends when you're trying your absolute best to sound like a professional adult. Still, I walked out taller. Not because the interview was perfect. But because I did it. And that counts for something.

2. NorgesGruppen — The One Where They Printed My Questions

First, I couldn’t find the building.

I wandered around for 20 minutes, circling the same block, second-guessing Google Maps, pretending not to be flustered while aggressively scanning every office entrance. At one point, I was literally standing in the middle of the street using a lint roller on my jacket, trying to look composed while also wondering if I was about to walk into a logistics warehouse instead of a corporate HQ.

Eventually, I found it. And the offices were kind of crazy... The building was sleek, modern… and completely grocery-store themed. The walls had grocery store ail print and Product installations as art. Branding everywhere. It was extremely on brand, and put together.

I was ushered upstairs to a giant glass-walled meeting room.

Then two people walked in.

Not just the CEO, but also the Head of Technology Development. I blinked. This was unexpected.

And then: plot twist #2.

They had printed out my interview questions and run them through their own internal AI model ahead of time. Not only had they prepared… they had technically already answered the questions with their AI.

Now I was nervous again. But in a good way. The conversation that followed was a full-on deep dive: thoughtful, fast-paced, and way more detailed than I was used to. They challenged my thinking. Asked me questions. Bounced insights off each other like they saw me as an equal here.

It was one of those conversations where you can feel your brain working hard just to keep up. By the time we wrapped up, 45 minutes later, my notes were full, and I had a long list of things to follow up on.

And then they said something I didn’t see coming:

“This has been a great conversation. We’d be very interested in seeing your findings, would you be willing to return in August to present them?”

I put on my calmest face and responded, “Yes, of course I would” as if I get asked to present to some of Norway’s biggest companies every day.

3. Meeting Women CEOs — And Being Reminded Why It Matters

Most of the CEOs I’ve met with so far have been men. Fair enough, that’s still how the statistics shake out. You can’t really expect anything else when only a small percentage of Norway’s largest companies are led by women.

But one of the most meaningful interviews I’ve done wasn’t just about what was said, it was about who was sitting across from me.

Most of my life, I’ve been used to looking up and seeing mostly men in those seats. Men in charge. Men answering the questions. Men running the show.

But this time, I saw someone who looked more like me.

After the meeting with the CEO of VY, I left thinking: Okay. Give me 20 years. I’ll be one more woman on your stat sheet.

It wasn’t just inspiring it was grounding. A quiet reminder that leadership doesn’t have a single face. And that sometimes, just seeing someone can shift what you believe is possible.

And maybe, hopefully, the next young woman walking into a CEO’s office won’t be surprised to see one sitting at the head of the table.

She’ll just think: Of course.

4. The Job Offers (?!)

We all know that internship hunting is… hard. But here’s something I didn’t expect: If you spend four months digging into AI in consulting and show up with real insights, people notice.

I’ve been invited to apply for several internship programs, asked to present at internal events, and let’s just say I’ve had more than a few strong suggestions to stay in touch.

At one point, a CEO looked me straight in the eye and said:

“You should start lying about your age. There’s no reason you shouldn’t already be getting these internships.”

I won’t pretend that kind of feedback isn’t flattering. It is. But it also made me pause.

Because the biggest thing I’ve taken from this project isn’t that I’m doing something extraordinary , it’s that something this simple has stood out as extraordinary at all.

Every CEO I’ve met has had a different take on AI. Some were cautious. Some were optimistic. Most were still figuring it out. But there was one thing they all agreed on:

“We need more young people doing things like this.”

And honestly? That surprised me.

They said things like:

“This is super impressive.”

“I wanted to meet the girl behind this project.”

“We never see students reaching out like this.”

Hearing that has been encouraging. It’s helped me feel a little more at home in this world. I’ve stopped second-guessing whether I belong in these rooms.

But it also made me a bit sad.

Because I didn’t do this to impress anyone. And to me, this idea didn’t even feel that bold.

I’ve spent the last few years surrounded by brilliant, curious, driven students. People who could do this, some better than I did, if they realized it was possible. If they felt like they were allowed.

So no, this isn’t a humblebrag. If anything, it’s the opposite.

This experience has made me realize just how low the bar can be for what gets called “initiative.”Cold-emailing someone. Preparing well. Asking thoughtful questions. That’s not magic, it’s just effort.

And I know a lot of young people who have that in them.They just might not know yet that the door’s already cracked open.

If You’re Young and Unsure… Try Anyway

This blog was never meant to be motivational, but here we are.

If you’re reading this and you’re young, curious, and unsure where to start let me tell you what no one told me:

• You don’t need to be older to be taken seriously.

• You don’t need to know everything to ask real questions.

• And you don’t need permission to start.

Most of the CEOs I met weren’t just willing to talk, they were excited to. Not because I had all the answers. But because I was willing to do the work.

So if you’re thinking about starting something. Do it. Send the email. Ask the question. Build the thing. You might be surprised how many doors are open.

A Few Funny (and Humbling) Moments

Because let’s be honest, no highlight reel is complete without the bloopers:

• I forgot to ask for permission to record my very first interview. Nothing like starting off strong… with a GDPR violation.

• Completely blanked on the CEO’s name right before walking in. Saved it with the timeless classic: “Remind me how you pronounce your name again?”

• Lint-rolled my blazer on a busy sidewalk. Business casual meets street performance.

• My card declined at a coffee shop when meeting with a CEO for an out of office m . (Shoutout to the barista for pretending not to notice my soul leave my body.)

— June