Business mastery and servant leadership builds your enterprise. This capstone is our final, integrative course in which student teams demonstrate their overall skill to research, analyze, determine and effectively communicate the most impactful, ethical, and strategic ways to grow your small and medium-size business.
- Free (ex $350 maximum team expenses), entirely confidential, quality consulting (total of 900 hours over three months)
- Direct advice to C-suite/ownership with only 1-2 hr/week commitment from you
- Capable, experienced (8-10 yr) multi-industry, multi-disciplinary student-led teams (5 -7) & seasoned advisors (30+ yr)
- Support for the product and service lines of most enterprises
- Tangible business growing results with 90+% client satisfaction
- Detailed analysis of industry: customer, channel, competition, climate, core competencies
- Sound value-building (EBITDA) top and bottom-line action plans and metrics from marketing, extension of product
- lines, human capital management adjustments, improved data analytics, valuations & financing, etc.
- Shared tools and reference materials for you to take away and reuse
- Flexibility of both face-to-face and virtual advising formats
- Optional repeatability if needed
Sample Recent Accomplishments:
- Built plan which has successfully doubled the income of a law school within three years (7 figure increase)
- The expansion plan for 8 figure family entertainment business to support > 2x growth in 5 years
- New markets identified for translation service to drive expansion with an adjusted selling strategy
- Demonstrated doubling capability of local OEM auto supply chain firm that was soon after acquired
- Recommended product line expansion to slow decline of a niche in industrial automation cabling
- Provided operating plan and strategy for home health business which has grown fourfold over ~5 years to become a still-growing 7 figure business
FAQ’s:
Q) Do you work with startups.
A) Generally not. Our undergrad business program does. We can connect you.
Q) Why do you only work with such small firms
A) As companies grow beyond our target range, they generally develop the skills and resource access to do what we do with equal or superior capability. More significant organizations often have more complexity than is manageable for student teams in a short amount of time.
Q) Do you work with any industry or type of business.
A) Generally, yes. Rarely there are technology or regulatory complexity that limits this. (some health care, some military)
Q) Do you work with non-profits.
A) We worked with non-profit where their business model is significantly dependent on social enterprise but generally not with ones that are entirely reliant on grants, fund-raising, philanthropy
Q) How can I apply to be a client.
A) Call 513-235-0262 or Stan Dyck, Capstone Manager, sdyck1@udayton.edu
Q) Do clients go through this process multiple times
A) Yes. In the past five years, about 10% have done so. We encourage this when market conditions have changed enough; enough time has elapsed to evaluate the impact of the first team’s recommendations or there is a new strategic event (succession planning, business exit, an offer to purchase, a significant new market, a major technology shift)
Q) What is the value of this to my business
A) To purchase this quality of consulting, you would likely pay > $50k by hiring your consulting firm. Per the examples above, a significant multiplier effect on EBITDA can be realized in a few short years.
Q) Does my business have to be near Dayton
A) No. Most students work virtually with teammates and clients. A smaller number work physically in the Dayton region and can work with clients more traditionally. Time zones differences must be manageable.
Q) What is the time commitment to C-suite or ownership.
A) Will likely average up to 2-hours/week. Often less.
Q) What do you need upfront to qualify?
A) Signed non-disclosure agreement with U Dayton (I will send asap), three years income statement, balance sheet, and cash flow; current strategy; marketing materials, org chart, a statement to client objectives beyond industry analysis (50% of what we do) to address immediate needs (50% of what we do)
Q) What kind of research do you do that is typically non-available to small firms
A) “Bizminer,” IBIS World reports primary research with customers, consumers, SMEs, etc.
