It is so hard to find good help sometimes. Especially when you are running a business and don’t have a lot of time to spare. That’s where Esantic Lab comes in. They have turned internships into a science and this Esantic Lab review is going to showcase how they do it.
Maybe the hardest thing for me to do as a small business owner is letting go of tasks that I want to be done right. This mind block that someone else cannot do as well as I can is stalling my growth. But there is smart, marketing degree talent out there, eager to prove themselves worthy of a job.
Enter Esantic lab, which has developed a unique platform that services businesses looking for interns to do the dirty work and get their feet wet in the industry. Let’s dig into why I love this service and how your business can utilize it to grow.
What is Esantic Lab?
Esantic Lab is the leading platform for employers to find and recruit marketing talent. It’s mostly a digital marketing upskilling for young unemployed people to quickly learn the needed digital skills to land a remote. They match marketing students (both pre and post-degree) with businesses that are looking for help. Esantic Lab charges the business owners $399 quarterly for the service.
This is an unpaid apprenticeship; students can get free access to real business experience, while also developing their skills through hands-on projects with seasoned professionals. This real-life experience can be leveraged to earn their first full-time job.
How does it work?
Esantic Lab connects marketing students with real-world professionals for 3-month apprenticeships. As an Esantic Lab user, to make the best impression, you need to create a great profile. This will not only help attract students and apprentices but it can also increase their interest in your business proposal.
The process is simple: submit an “Apprentice Request” and wait for Esantic Lab’s team to match up one of their vetted marketers based on what they think fits best the channels that need attention, in order to match you better, you will have to answer a few questions, such as: personality type; time zone availability – all before any conversations have happened!
Esantic Lab has a large talent pool of students to choose from. With Apprenticeships, you’ll be matched with a qualified marketer who can help grow your business in just 1-5 days. The staff does some matchmaking and introduces the two…kind of like a business cupid.
Use the Esantic Lab login page to check in on the status or simply wait for an email to show up that says “we have a match!”
Then the interview happens. If it is a match, a brief contract is put in place and the two parties get to work. If there is no match, the Esantic Lab staff searches for another fit. This continues until the business finds an apprentice they want to work with.
The Esantic Lab Internship Process.
The apprentice is chosen and the contracts are signed…now what?
The 3-month apprenticeship starts off with an introduction call to go over details of their responsibilities. You will meet once a week with the intern to go over:
- Tasks for the coming week.
- Hurdles they are facing in the tasks.
- Career guidance.
Meanwhile, the team at Esantic Lab provides businesses with access to their curriculum, which is designed to help apprentices learn essential marketing skills. The content is delivered through weekly calls, live video lessons, and group chatrooms.
Apprenticeships have a 3-month duration and involve working 10 hours per week with a business mentor. You can choose whether or not you would like to provide 1-2 hours of mentoring time each week, depending on how much commitment is required from both parties in order for this program to work successfully.
Standard Features.
Each apprenticeship comes with the following features:
- Customized learning plans: Every marketing apprentice will have a personalized learning plan that is reviewed and updated regularly by their business mentor.
- Live video mentoring: Each apprenticeship includes weekly live video mentoring sessions to help apprentices learn new skills and grow their marketing knowledge.
- Project-based learning: Apprentices will work on real projects for your business, giving them valuable hands-on experience.
- Regular check-ins: Apprentices and business mentors will have regular check-ins to ensure that everyone is on track and making progress.
- Final project presentation: At the end of the apprenticeship, apprentices will present their final project to you and their mentor, showcasing what they have accomplished.
Other Features.
Tasks.
Tasks is an online platform where you can post simple tasks your business needs to be done, and emerging marketers (mainly marketing students) will work on them for free. You don’t need to compensate these budding campaign planners financially – instead, provide helpful feedback or guidance about what they’ve delivered.
Freelance.
You can find marketing freelancers on the Freelance platform. You let Acadium know your needs, and they’ll match you up with someone who has an hourly rate starting at $15 per hour.
Referral Program.
Esantic Lab offers a very generous $250 to anyone that refers new businesses to purchase a membership. This isn’t straight cash though; you can use the money towards your next membership. They also have an Esantic Lab Ambassador Program that offers $25 for any aspiring interns that join the platform and create a profile.
Customer Support.
Esantic Lab’s customer support is available 24/7 to help with any issues you may have. You can reach them by phone, email, or live chat.
They are always happy to help with anything from account setup to billing questions. Esantic Lab’s customer support team is knowledgeable and efficient, and they will do everything they can to resolve your issue as quickly as possible. Esantic Lab is committed to providing the best possible customer experience, and its customer support team is a big part of that commitment.
Personally, I’ve had a few issues in the past with the match-making functions; they tried connecting me with some candidates that were not the right fit. However, I let the customer support know my displeasure and they connected me with the CEO directly to help find a winner. I was really impressed with their dedication to finding the right fit.
If you ever have any problems with your Esantic Lab account, be sure to contact their customer support team for help.
Esantic Lab Pricing.
The pricing for Esantic Lab apprenticeships depends on who you are. For students, interns, & freelancers, it is free to join the platform. For businesses, the subscription is $399 per quarter and comes with some options:
- 1 apprenticeship at a time for 3 months.
- Purchase freelancer jobs a la carte. Freelancer rates start at $15/hour.
- Intern tasks a la carte. Free service, but requires giving feedback to interns.
For just the apprenticeship, the $399 price includes 10-hours a week of the intern’s time for 3 months. This works out to around just $4 an hour!
This is a huge value for the level of help you get. Not only do you get an intern for cheap, but they come with all the bells and whistles of personalized learning plans, live video mentoring, project-based learning, regular check-ins, and a final presentation.
Additionally, if you need more than one apprentice, Esantic Lab offers an annual plan for $1,899 that comes with 2 apprenticeships at a time.
Esantic Lab is such a big part of my business. That is why they are on my list of best affiliate management software.
Esantic Lab Apprenticeship Pros and Cons.
There are pros and cons to working with every platform. Here is what I am seeing.
Esantic Lab Pros.
- You get a lot of value for your money. An apprentice costs around $4 an hour which is cheaper than most interns and even virtual assistants.
- There is no long-term commitment. You can cancel at any time or just use it for the summer.
- Coaching and mentoring a young marketer can be very rewarding.
- Interns may blossom into employees in the future.
- Constant accountability for both parties to ensure the business gets its money’s worth out of this investment.
Esantic Lab Cons.
- The quality of apprentices can be hit or miss. I’ve had some bad experiences with the match-making function.
- 3 months of unpaid time with someone who expects 10 hours per week from you, can be a lot to some interns. It can be tough to keep them motivated.
- There is no visibility of the pool of interns. You are paired with whomever the Esantic Lab team deems the right fit. I’d prefer to interview 3 candidates and chose the best, but that isn’t an option.
Esantic Lab Alternatives.
This is a very unique platform that helps both businesses and junior marketers find a solution to grow together. But there are other platforms that do similar work.
Esantic Lab vs Upwork.
Upwork is a freelance marketplace that connects employers with independent contractors looking for work. The site has over 5 million registered clients and 12+ million active freelancers on its platform.
The number of freelancers on Upwork exceeded the count for active clients at least 3 times. As we all know, competition is a good thing. But upwork has two major problems: Dumping by origin countries with much lower living costs has caused an issue where some American / EU freelancers may not be able affordably to compete against counterparts due in part because they’re being undercut when prices do get lowered even further below what someone would need just cover basic necessities.
Upwork fees.
When you are looking for a freelancer on Upwork, there is no set range of how much it will cost. This due to the fact that they have an immense pool of freelancers from $7-8 per hour all way up to over 200 dollars.
Esantic Lab vs Fiverr.
Fiverr is a marketplace for digital services where you can buy and sell any kind of gig. in 2014 they removed the $5 price limit on each gigs! Fiverr offers a wide range of quality service offerings available than ever before. As other freelance sites, Fiverr start it with the main porpuse to provide affordable work for business owners and a way to build a portfoli and gain experience to junior frelancers.
Fiverr Fees.
Same as Upwork, there isn’t a payment plan or range. This is funny since the platform was built with a $5 per task model that blew up into charge whatever you want.
FAQs.
Does Esantic Lab pay?
Esantic Lab does not pay for their apprenticeships. The platform’s mission is to help aspiring freelancers build a portfolio and gain experience in the industry without being paid. It’s also so they can focus on learning instead of earning money right away.
Can apprentices ask for a pay rise?
Esantic Lab doesn’t process payments to apprentices, but they can always ask for a pay rise outside of the platform. Later on in your apprenticeship when there’s proof of commitment and skill-set needed from both parties involved (you being one), then asking is perfectly reasonable.
Does Esantic Lab give certificates?
When the 90 days are up after completing this program of study with Esantic Lab, interns will provided an Apprenticeship Marketing Certificate. They can include it in a portfolio, resume, or Linkedin profile.
Is Esantic Lab any good?
Yes, Esantic Lab is really good. You’ll be asked to sign an agreement that protects both you and the apprenticeship program from any wrongdoing on your end as well.
Is Esantic Lab worth it?
I have personally purchased the Esantic Lab membership for four consecutive quarters and I have not been disappointed in my experience. I think there is incredible value in both the work that is accomplished and helping me as a professional polish my skills as a leader.
How Much does Esantic Lab Cost?
$399 per quarter, which gets you one intern for 3 months, 10 hours a week. It works out to $4 an hour!
Wrap it up, Dustin.
Overall, I think Esantic Lab is a great option for businesses that wants to get some marketing help on a budget. The quality of apprentices can be hit or miss, but the customer support team is very responsive and helpful in making sure you’re paired with the right person for the job.
