Could Your Business Use Free Assistance?

Thank you to Mary Gage at the Wisconsin Economic Development Corporation for passing along this information on an excellent opportunity.  If you are interested, please note the deadline--September 10, 2012.

Looking for help with a "Business Development Plan" or "Strategic Analysis and Plan" for your business or organization?

Announcing: UW SCHOOL OF BUSINESS; STUDENT PROJECTS FOR THE FALL 2012 SEMESTER

The Small Business Development Center and the Weinert Center for Entrepreneurship at the Wisconsin School of Business have a limited opportunity for you to obtain free student assistance. Please read the entire email before applying.   

There are two types of projects available:

1.  Business Development Plan

2. Strategic Analysis and Plan 

     

HOW THE PROJECTS WORK

Projects are specifically structured to allow the students to apply concepts learned in their classes and to assist local businesses under experienced faculty guidance. Students work in groups of 3-4 on each project. The program has been in existence for over 20 years and has assisted hundreds of businesses.

The project will be performed under strict confidentiality and students will sign a confidentiality agreement. Your company MUST be willing to share their most recent two or three years of balance sheets, income statements and cash flows for analysis.

No fees are charged for the students' work. You are responsible for reimbursing students for agreed upon travel, photocopying and all out of pocket expenses. The students will not be responsible for any tasks that would normally accrue to temporary or permanent employees of the business. Projects take the full semester to complete.

For the Fall 2012 semester, there are two types of projects available:

I. Business Development Plan
Companies with 3 or more employees and at least 3 years in business. Students will work with the company to develop a comprehensive new plan or update an existing business plan. Non-profit organizations will be considered. This plan would include:

• Business description
• Industry analysis  
• Marketing plan and competitive matrix 
• Financial analysis - projected income statement, balance sheet and cash flow for 2 years out with comments on how to interpret key profitability ratios and how they relate to recommendations
• Recommendations for achieving your company's goals

II. Strategic Analysis and Plan - Your firm, for-profit or non-profit, should be located in Dane County, have 5 or more employees. and be in existence 5 or more years. A team of students at the Wisconsin School of Business will facilitate with your firm a process to develop a strategic plan that evaluates your firm's current condition, identifies growth strategies, and ascertains the level of limited resources to achieve these objectives strategies. The project will result in a detailed five year plan/report. All is done confidentially. Areas that will be analyzed:

• Organization/Management - Background
• Describe the firm's five-year plan
• Describe and Analyze Organization Structure/Recommendations for Improvement
• Operations Analysis/Recommendations
• Sales and Marketing Analysis/Recommendations
• Financial Analysis and Projections/Valuation/Financing Strategy

To be considered for a student project, please complete online form. We have a limited number of project openings for this semester. To be considered for a project YOU MUST FILL OUT THE ENTIRE FORM.

The deadline to ensure consideration for the current semester is September 10, 2012.

These cooperative projects have proven to be very positive for both the businesses and the students. If you would like to discuss this opportunity, please call me at 608-263-0221.

For project sign-up form click here: http://sbdc.wisc.edu/forms/studentprojectformF12.asp

Thank you.
Neil Lerner, Director

Small Business Development Center