Students assisted with the logo design and signage for this NPI client.
SCU students collaborate with their business owner clients over the Winter quarter to identify key business goals and develop an action plan. Then in the Spring quarter, they put the work plan into action to pursue those goals.
While the NPI/BUSN 188 businesses span are all at different stages of maturity, many are in very early stages where formalization of the business is a first priority. Establishing a professional presence is another common objective. Many business owners express an interest in spending more time with family, which translates to evaluating opportunities for efficiencies throughout the business. Another common goal might be expansion, whether expansion of space, service or product offerings, staff, or more. This endeavor also ignites creative thinking and resourcefulness.
Students are often surprised by how seemingly intangible goals translate into day-to-day operations in a small business. Their academic knowledge and expertise, experience, and life skills are important tools to develop and achieve their action plans. Teamwork, communication, and flexibility are cited as some of the most important success factors in this course.
Here are some sample projects pursued by NPI teams.
Organizational Projects:
- Formalize the business: Fictitious Business Name, Business Tax License, Business Permit, etc.
- Determining type of business organization (sole proprietor, LLC, partnership)
- Pursue nonprofit designation
Marketing Projects:
- Establish/enhance professional presence: logos, business cards, uniforms, website, business listings crowdsource sites (Yelp, etc.), signage, storefront, local listings
- Social media presence, social media marketing
- Events/Grand opening events
- Surveys
Operational Projects:
- Payment processing
- Product/Price evaluation
- Inventory management
- Evaluating efficiencies/Adopting technologies
- Supplies purchasing
- Ecommerce site
- Renovations
Finance Projects:
- Accounting/Bookkeeping
- Grant applications
- Invoicing
- Financial projections