Internship Spotlight: Simran Dave ’27, Lyft

Internship: Lyft, New York City 
Hometown: Phoenix, Arizona
Pronouns: she/her/hers
The SOM classes you’re using on the job: Customer, Competitor 
Go-to work lunch: Red Poke 
After-work routine: Watching World Cup games, meeting friends for happy hour or dinner, walking Brooklyn Bridge Park during golden hour 
Favorite thing about internship city: I lived in NYC for five years before coming to SOM, so being back for the summer felt natural. It was amazing to be back during the World Cup and the Knicks’ playoff run!

This summer, I was on the product marketing team for Lyft’s advertisements business. Our team sits at the intersection of sales and product, and we frequently work with teams like user research and data analytics. My main project involved creating a 2027 insights and business plan for the company. I was initially a little intimidated by the brief, since I have no experience in the tech space or advertising industry, but I ended up learning so much throughout my 12 weeks on the job.

Over the course of my project, I dove into UX research (UXR), market trends, and competitor analysis, meeting with so many smart people across UXR, sales, product, finance, and creative studio. I investigated survey results and rider data to assess things like business expansion, customer targeting, and untapped opportunities. I also worked on a few creative briefs for a new activation around sports, which was fun since I got to step into a more creative mindset. Shout-out to my team for giving me so much guidance—especially Shash, who became my work BFF!

Although my final deliverable was intended to be a resource for business planning next year, I was invited to present my findings and recommendations to 40 senior leaders and executives during a leadership on-site. Public speaking isn’t my favorite thing to do, and presenting for an hour to some of the industry’s brightest was daunting. However, I came out of the experience feeling so grateful for the challenge. The feedback I received from my managers and the leaders in attendance was amazing and really helped me build confidence in my presentation skills.

For me, being in New York was perfect! I returned home to my old friends and the routines I’d cultivated before starting business school. I was lucky that so many of my SOM friends were also in the city interning, so we spent all summer coordinating Knicks watch parties after work, hanging out on Governors Island, experiencing the World Cup final together, celebrating summer birthdays, and grabbing dinner. I also met up with other MBA students from different schools, including my fellow sports business club presidents from Harvard and Columbia.

One highlight from my internship was sharing the experience with other Lyft NYC interns, including my classmate Grant! Our cohort took time out of our day to work together in Lyft’s communal spaces. We even went on a few field trips, like a cruise on the East River.

I’ve only ever worked in sports, so my goal for the summer was to take some time to explore another industry. While new to me, product marketing drew upon a skill set that I had built in previous experiences. But I also knew I wanted a role that was challenging enough to help me grow, and interning with Lyft was exactly that.

Overall, I had a wonderful internship experience. I was able to explore a brand-new industry, get a firsthand look at what exactly product marketers do, and challenge myself in multiple ways while making a real contribution to Lyft and the future of its business. Along the way, I spent time in the city I love with the people I love.

Simran Dave ’27 is a recipient of the Bob and Ina Jaffee Yale SOM Alumni Fund Scholarship (2025–2026).