{"id":17594,"date":"2025-10-30T13:28:03","date_gmt":"2025-10-30T18:28:03","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.maryville.edu\/mpress\/?p=17594"},"modified":"2025-12-08T16:32:05","modified_gmt":"2025-12-08T22:32:05","slug":"business-students-help-entrepreneurs-hone-business-plans","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.maryville.edu\/mpress\/business-students-help-entrepreneurs-hone-business-plans\/","title":{"rendered":"Ë¿¹ÏÊÓÆµAPPBusiness Students Help High School Entrepreneurs Hone Their Business Plans"},"content":{"rendered":"
On October 23 and 24, about two dozen Spark! students visited Ë¿¹ÏÊÓÆµAPP\u2019s President\u2019s Conference Room to meet one-on-one with MBS consultants for a business consulting workshop. The Spark! Incubator program is a high school career-preparation initiative that challenges students to develop and pitch business plans for competitions, including the <\/span>Progress 64 Entrepreneurial Scholarship<\/b><\/a>.<\/span><\/p>\n As the students worked to refine their business ideas, business students from Maryville\u2019s MBS team offered a marketing workshop, strategic guidance, and individualized feedback to strengthen each team\u2019s business plan and pitch.<\/span><\/p>\n \u201cThis experience gave both Spark! Incubator associates and our Ë¿¹ÏÊÓÆµAPPBusiness Solutions consultants an opportunity for authentic learning,\u201d said <\/span>Robyn Wand, Co-Director of Ë¿¹ÏÊÓÆµAPPBusiness Solutions.<\/b> \u201cSpark! students walked away with critical feedback and actionable insights for their business concepts. I’m so grateful to Spark! for their partnership, and I can’t wait to continue working with them!\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n What They\u2019re Saying:<\/b><\/p>\n Ë¿¹ÏÊÓÆµAPPstudents and their Spark! counterparts praised the opportunity to collaborate and learn from each other.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n \u201cAs I have a passion for empowering non-profit organizations, it was great to consult on a student\u2019s business plan that connects non-profit organizations to volunteers.\u201d\u00a0 —\u00a0 <\/span>Brennan Timmons<\/b>, Accounting Major, Ë¿¹ÏÊÓÆµAPP<\/span><\/p>\n Launched in 2024, Ë¿¹ÏÊÓÆµAPPBusiness Solutions is a student-led consulting firm housed within the John E. Simon School of Business. MBS gives students paid opportunities to apply classroom learning to real-world business challenges — partnering with organizations across industries on projects involving marketing, operations, accounting, finance, and strategy.<\/span><\/p>\n Student consultants gain experience solving business problems, building client relationships, and delivering professional results — while organizations benefit from fresh ideas and data-driven insights from emerging professionals at an affordable price.<\/span><\/p>\n Some projects to date have included cyber security risk assessments, cybersecurity penetration testing, phishing campaigns, search engine optimization, website development, AI consulting, business process optimization, and social media marketing.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n Each project is supported by Maryville\u2019s business faculty, ensuring that MBS clients receive high-quality consulting services while students gain mentorship and hands-on learning that prepares them for success after graduation.<\/span><\/p>\n Ë¿¹ÏÊÓÆµAPPBusiness Solutions is now accepting new clients. Businesses, nonprofits, and entrepreneurs interested in partnering with MBS can learn more and inquire about project opportunities by contacting <\/span>mbs@maryville.edu<\/span><\/a> or connecting with them on <\/span>LinkedIn<\/span><\/a>.<\/span><\/p>\n <\/p>\n Ë¿¹ÏÊÓÆµAPP Ë¿¹ÏÊÓÆµAPP
Student consultants from Ë¿¹ÏÊÓÆµAPPBusiness Solutions (MBS) recently welcomed high school students from the <\/span>Spark! Incubator program<\/b><\/a> to campus for two mornings of hands-on collaboration, creativity, and entrepreneurial learning.<\/span><\/p>\n\n
MBS Combines Experiential Education with Community Impact\u00a0<\/b><\/h3>\n
\n<\/b>Founded in 1872, Ë¿¹ÏÊÓÆµAPP is a comprehensive and nationally ranked private institution with an enrollment of well over 9,000 students. Ë¿¹ÏÊÓÆµAPPoffers over 90 degrees at the undergraduate, master\u2019s and doctoral levels, as well as several certificates that align with the undergraduate and graduate education levels. Ë¿¹ÏÊÓÆµAPPis recognized as the third fastest-growing private university in the United States by The Chronicle of Higher Education, serving students from 50 states and 56 countries. More than 50,000 Ë¿¹ÏÊÓÆµAPPalumni globally, many of whom work and live in the St. Louis region.<\/span><\/p>\n