Lonnie Hamm’s phone didn't exactly ring off the hook. Hamm, who is the Business Development Strategist for Randolph County Community College (RCC), had reached out to every MBA program director in the state of North Carolina. His mission was to find an able partner who would help determine the feasibility of establishing a small business incubator in Randolph County.

Only one said “yes”.

Dr. Sheldon “Shelly” Balbirer, who at the time was serving as the Bryan MBA Program Director, responded within just three hours. Immediately, the partnership Hamm was hoping for was formed. Within a week,a team of MBA students were offered a great opportunity to make a lasting impact for their futures – and for local business.

Tackling tough issues
According to Hamm, the feasibility study provided by Balbirer’s hand-picked team has set the course for greatly needed economic growth in Randolph County. “Shelly and his students have single-handedly changed the economic entrepreneurial climate in Randolph County. He assigned his best and brightest to the project. We were thrilled to have access to sharp student leaders who represented Guilford County and three foreign countries. We met right away to discuss the task of conducting a feasibility study for a small business incubator in Randolph County, and the rest is history.”

Well, not quite.

With collaboration ongoing in Randolph and surrounding counties, there is no “end” to this story. Bryan MBA students are involved in a variety of consulting projects aiding client organizations all over the state with strategic planning, marketing and business development, operations support, and – yes – economic development initiatives. As projects evolve and more and more organizations seek to partner with the Bryan School, new teams of MBA students continue to tackle the pressing issues facing local business communities. One graduating class seamlessly hands off initiatives to another; so while each semester must come to an end, there is no stopping the possibilities.

Counties coming together
In the case of Randolph County, the Randolph Entrepreneurial Resource Center that resulted from the consultancy was just the beginning. Following referrals made by their client contacts at RCC, Bryan MBAs have gone on to partner with the NC Zoological Society, Polymer Concepts in Randleman, the Small Business Center in Alamance County, The Alamance County Chamber of Commerce and The Winery at Iron Gate Farms. In addition, students are currently designing and implementing a virtual small business incubator in Randolph County to build on the momentum that began three years ago. This semester, the program has expanded its reach to Rockingham County where it is helping ShiloK9 – a small dog-training business – expand operations.

“Over time, we've demonstrated how a doctoral-granting institution can work with community colleges to foster economic development. Every county is facing the same challenge of how to reinvent themselves. This will require cooperation across counties – not competition. The Bryan MBA Program through its consulting course is facilitating that cooperation. The fact that our clients are referring us to others who can benefit from our students’ vision is indicative of the professionalism and quality of our students,” said Balbirer.

Victor Dau, Director of the Small Business Center at RCC agrees. “We did not hesitate to wholeheartedly recommend Dr. Balbirer and his squadron of MBA teams to our good friends in Alamance County. Most of the students working on projects already had some experience in the corporate world – many at the international level. They tackle a situation with the training received at one of the most prestigious business schools, combined with passion and a fresh approach to resolving issues. Their careful analysis of a situation results in convincing and verifiable conclusions and pertinent recommendations.”

Capping it off
Jessica Bays ’04 ’07 is a recent graduate of the MBA program. She served as the team leader on a project that conducted demographic and market research to determinewhether Alamance County was in need of a small business incubator, if there was community support for the idea, what services should be offered, and what type of incubator would be most appropriate (virtual/online, brick and mortar, technology, etc).

Jessica currently works as the Inventory Manager for Team Connection, a sports apparel and footwear wholesaler in High Point.Her responsibilities include vendor relations and purchases, inventory control and liquidation, and operational process management.“The most valuable aspect of the consulting experience is the professional interaction required, and the knowledge gained about how to research, present and persuade,” she said.“I came away from the project feeling confident in my ability to interact with professionals and proud of a complete recommendation that I could discuss with any potential employer.”

-January 2008