Small Business Consulting Services

• Marketing
• Management
• Strategy
• Business development
• Long-range planning
• Cash management
• Need for increased capital

Given the limited resources of many of the clients, our Small Business Consulting Program has operated on a voluntary fee schedule. Private support enables the program to better support the students, the client experience and the quality of the final product.

The Nazarian College works with a range of diverse partners to identify and refer potential clients for the program. The partners include:

• Valley Economic Alliance
• Small Business Development Centers
• National Association of Women Business Owners (NAWBO)
• Valley Industry and Commerce Association (VICA)
• Elected officials
• Chambers of Commerce in the San Fernando Valley
• Los Angeles Chamber of Commerce
• Opportunity Fund
• Lenders
• Professional advisors (accountants, business managers, etc.). 

A significant percentage of the businesses served are women-, minority-, immigrant, and LGBTQ-owned with figures reaching as high as more than 50 percent in some years.

At the program’s conclusion and one year following the consultative period, each business is asked to complete a survey to document the impact of the consulting services. Questions explore the program’s impact on revenue, job growth and financial health. 

Each business is invited to attend a reception to share the impact of the consultative services on their businesses including the implementation of any recommendations, the impact of those recommendations on revenue and their business goals. 

This annual reception will provide an opportunity to secure detailed feedback from the businesses supported, develop marketing to recruit new clients and develop a supportive networking community of entrepreneurs and small business owners. 

Following the initial intake interview, students will delve into the challenges identified by the business owner and work to find solutions. Student teams will meet with their clients to discuss the client’s goals, review their financial statements and determine the scope of work.

By the end of the semester, the consulting teams will provide a comprehensive report detailing their findings and recommendations. The clients may use the analysis and recommendations as a roadmap for risk mitigation, growth and future success. In addition to receiving the written report, clients will receive a presentation detailing the team’s analysis with an opportunity to discuss in detail.

Small business clients must provide:

• At least two years of financial statements
• An annual revenue of at least $100,000
  • The students and faculty reserve the right to take on clients who have a lower revenue threshold if they believe the students and the small businesses can benefit from the partnership.

Below are four companies that have participated in the Nazarian College Small Business Consulting programs. Each has reaped significant benefits.

• Pacific Shores Stones sought services through the program in 2011. On the verge of bankruptcy following the 2008 recession, the business owner embraced the students’ suggestion to change significantly its business model. The company has seen explosive growth by moving from wholesale to consumer sales. Growing from a single location in the San Fernando Valley, Pacific Shores Stone now has 19 locations nationwide, double-digit annual revenue increases, and employs more than 1,000 employees. Grateful for the company’s successful turnaround, it made a scholarship gift to support students in the Nazarian College Small Business Consulting program.

Clients and COVID-19 Response Experience

• KidsDream designs and manufactures dressy children’s clothing in its manufacturing facility in downtown Los Angeles. In response to the COVID-19 crisis, student consultants suggested that KidsDream quickly pivot to making masks and PPEs for the healthcare industry.
  • By taking this action, the company maintained its previous revenue stream and retained its pre-COVID-19 employees. 
  • KidsDream also saw a significant uptick in its online traffic, so students provided a data analysis and drafted a plan to capitalize on the opportunity as well as use the information to expand in the future.
• In the Spring 2019 semester, the Valley Economic Development Center referred a Latina-owned small business specializing in food for Latino grocery stores and markets for participation in the program. The client wanted to purchase her own manufacturing and packaging facility but was unable to identify a way to secure the capital and revenue for the purchase. She needed a plan to accelerate revenue growth, reduce expenses and improve operations.
  • The students analyzed the company's cash flow, revenue and expenses and determined it was spending a significant amount of revenue on leasing and re-leasing delivery trucks. The students recommended purchasing the trucks as the leases expired. 
  • The client began implementing the recommendation even before its participation in the program was complete. The client immediately increased its monthly revenue while reducing its expenses. 
  • With the recommendations presented by the students, the client accumulated the capital needed for the down payment and qualified for a loan since its expenses had declined and revenue had increased.
  • Fourteen months after participating in the program, the client purchased a manufacturing and packaging facility and hired additional staff to support the expansion. 
• Wanderlust Creamery joined the Fall 2020 Small Business Consulting Cohort for assistance in COVID recovery, resilience and expansion. Specializing in gourmet ice cream with travel-inspired flavor combinations, Wanderlust Creamery is a small chain that wanted to increase revenue and product offerings. Additionally, COVID-19 had shuttered its stores so it needed an immediate way to survive the pandemic.
  • The students evaluated Wanderlust’s production capabilities and determined that its operations could increase production to support their future expansion. Based on Wanderlust’s ability to increase production, the students suggested it join Goldbelly, a curated online marketplace for regional and artisanal foods crafted by local food purveyors throughout the United States.
  • This would enable Wanderlust to develop a new source of revenue and client base while its stores were closed and allow them to scale up their operations in the future.
  • Wanderlust Creamery immediately acted on the students’ suggestions and quickly saw a significant increase in revenue and geographic reach. As a result, Wanderlust increased production and staffing to meet the online demand.
  • The students also provided digital marketing solutions that increased brand awareness and drove local and geographically remote customers to online purchasing.
  • Wanderlust is now shipping to locations throughout the western United States. Demand for its unique ice cream flavors continues to increase, and it has established an online presence that has provided a path for expansion and increasing revenue.  

By embracing the recommendations provided by the Nazarian College Small Business Consulting Program, these clients have created more than 1,000 jobs and generated millions of dollars through increased revenue.  

Our Small Business Consulting programs provide valuable experiential learning opportunities for the students thereby increasing their marketability and earning power upon graduation.  

For the past 10 years, the students have participated in the Small Business Institute’s (SBI) international national small business consulting competition, placing among the top three teams each year and in seven of those 10 years, they have taken the top prize.

The Small Business Institute is the premier national organization for those engaged in student-led small business consulting. SBI is the link between business, education and community.