VANCOUVER, Wash. – Washington State University Vancouver’s Carson College of Business celebrated the ninth anniversary of its Business Growth Mentor and Analysis Program May 8 with an event to recognize the businesses, volunteers and students involved in the program.
Created in 2011, Business Growth MAP is a pro-bono student-led consultancy. Student teams of four or five help local businesses in the areas of growth, marketing and accounting. Volunteer mentors from the business community meet with student teams weekly during the semester-long project to offer advice and feedback. Faculty members from the Carson College of Business oversee each project.
This year three student teams were recognized for outstanding work. All team members are 2018/2019 graduates.
OUTSTANDING GROWTH ASSESSMENT PROJECT
Slumberkins
- Kamyar Abtin
- Molly Bartley
- Shannon Leininger
- Shelby McGuffey
- Sarah Moe
Slumberkins is a Vancouver-based company and has become a leading educational children’s brand working to promote positive social/emotional life skills for both children and parents. They came to Business Growth MAP seeking assistance in ways to handle their extreme growth, particularly when it came to inventory management and e-commerce. The student team recommendations included a product line profitability model, a marketing budget solver and three executive dashboards.
OUTSTANDING GROWTH ASSESSMENT PROJECT
Self Balance Massage
- Garrett Behrman
- Gerardo Guevara
- Taylor Scukanec
- Zachary Torson
Self Balance Massage is a Vancouver-based massage and spa business with most revenue generated from medical and chiropractic referrals. The owner had recently acquired the business and came to Business Growth MAP for analysis and recommendations to formalize internal processes. The team’s recommendations included a comprehensive plan to restructure operations through renegotiating contracts, strategies for decreasing operational costs and collecting outside receivables.
OUTSTANDING MARKETING PROJECT
Human Services Council
- Tosha Bryant
- Daniel Cordova
- Samuel Etter
- Savannah Penland
- Jaason Wilson
Human Services Council is a Vancouver-based nonprofit that has a “Volunteer Connections” program focused on promoting and providing volunteer opportunities to the public. They came to Business Growth MAP looking for ways to engage the next generation of volunteers. The team’s recommendations included implementing a user-friendly, efficient volunteer management tool, website redesign, launching social media and setting up new ways to gather revenue.
Businesses that would like to apply for Business Growth MAP services may call 360-546-9533, email bgmap@wsu.edu or visit business.vancouver.wsu.edu/bgmap. New projects begin in late August.
About WSU Vancouver
As one of six campuses of the Washington State University system, WSU Vancouver offers big-school resources in a small-school environment. The university provides affordable, high-quality baccalaureate- and graduate-level education to benefit the people and communities it serves. As the only four-year research university in Southwest Washington, WSU Vancouver helps drive economic growth through relationships with local businesses and industries, schools and nonprofit organizations.
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CAPTIONS TO ACCOMPANY PHOTOS
Team Slumberkins - From left:
back row - Mike Pawlowski (mentor), Kelly Oriard (client), Callie Christensen (client), Molly Bartley, Jerry Petrick (mentor)
front row - Kamyar Abtin, Shelby McGuffey, Sarah Moe, Shannon Leininger
Team Self Balance Massage - From left:
Jack Bothwell (mentor), Richelle McMann (client), Garrett Behrman, Gerardo Guevara
Team Human Services Council - From left:
back row - Jaason Wilson, Samuel Etter, Professor Alberto Sa Vinhas
front row - Daniel Cordova, Savannah Penland, Marcia Hale (client), Tosha Bryant, Laura Chester (mentor)