Each year, student teams in the Carson College of Business at 91勛圖窪蹋厙 work under the guidance of faculty and volunteer mentors to provide pro bono consulting to regional small businesses and nonprofit organizations to help them innovate and grow. Each Business Growth Mentor and Analysis Program project takes place over the course of a 16-week semester, and each team provides about 500 hours of pro bono consulting to the businesses with whom they work.
During the 2023/24 academic year, 91勛圖窪蹋厙 students completed 21 pro bono Business Growth MAP student consultancy projects. The following team received the 2023/24 Best Team Project award:
Team Small Eats Growth, fall 2023
Team members included: Quinn Gillihan, Phillip Makunin, Bronwyn Moore, Micaela Nelson and Dima Vityukov.
Team mentor: Lynn Sheehan
Clients: Dee Chow and Laramie Dorris, co-owners of Small Eats Taiwan Style Street Food
About the client: Small Eats specializes in Taiwan-style street food, and is located in the Vancouver Farmers Market. Through recommendations from the student team, last winter and spring they also operated a consistent pop-up shop.
Team Small Eats provided solutions and recommendations that would help Chow and Dorris increase market visibility, customer reach, sales and revenue. In a few short months, Small Eats reported a 5% increase in new customers and a more than 10% growth in revenue by implementing the student teams recommendations. The team gave us long-range solutions we could act on immediately and a roadmap for additional solutions down the road, said Chow.
Team Tonsor, Growth spring 2023
Team members include: Kegan Ellis, Olga Gira, Josh Miller, Tyra Short-Velasco, Korban Teitzel
Client: Hanif Collins
MAP Mentor: Micah Piippo
About the client: A four-year-old luxury barber shop and shave supply company located in the heart of downtown Vancouver, Tonsor is the brainchild of owner and founder Hanif Collins. Holding three master licenses, Hanif established Tonsor to elevate the trade of barbering emphasizing unique experiences for each patron.
Team Tonsor developed recommendations encompassed critical areas such as marketing strategy, social media optimization, enhancing the client experience, customer retention, and product sales and promotion.
Team Washougal Times, Growth spring 2023
Team members include: Sergio Castro, Sean Cunningham, Sydney Davis, Timothy Gurnik, Thomas Silva
Client: Ben Jackson
MAP Mentor: Mike Pawlowski
About the client: Washougal Times, located in Camas, is a restaurant and lounge specializing in all-American cuisine. The establishment distinguishes itself with themed nights such as Taco Tuesday and Prime Rib Friday, along with country music radio broadcasts and live bands. With an extensive selection of craft cocktails and beers on tap, Washougal Times prioritizes local farms and has the largest outdoor deck dining area in Clark County.
Team Washougal Times focused on recommendations that will improve and increase the average customer ticket value, improve order efficiency, increase customer traffic, diversify the customer base, and establish a consistent marketing message and brand recognition to clearly communicate the restaurant and lounges identity.
Team Battle Ground Healing Arts Apothecary Growth, fall 2022
Team members include: Ryen Bally, John Bryant, Quianna Kemp, Kyle Norton and Macy Wienecke
Client: Dr. Jill Stansbury
About the client: Located on Main Street in Battle Ground, this woman-owned small business consists of an apothecary and natural medicine clinic with naturopathic physicians who specialize in wholistic medicine and alternative medicine services.
Team Battle Ground Healing Arts Apothecary developed recommendations that will help Dr. Stansbury address important business development needs in digital marketing, customer retention and automated inventory management.
