Scaling Chicago’s Small Businesses

In the past, participating students and business owners would create detailed plans, but implementation often never happened, says Paul Cavalieri, associate director of small business operations at the Polsky Center. “We wanted to serve fewer businesses in a more focused manner,” he says.

Now, 10 businesses participate in the program across three quarters, focusing on “the what” in the first quarter—research, scoping, and discovery; “the how” in the second—implementation planning; and implementation in the third. A different student is paired with every business during the first two quarters.

The first-quarter match between Olson and Sharif was a strong one, Cavalieri says, especially given Olson’s interest in ultimately working in the food industry after graduation.

“Jennie’s background is unique, as she has worked with teammates and colleagues from a variety of backgrounds and skill sets. And she naturally connects with people,” Cavalieri adds.

Olson spent time in Sharif’s store leading up to Valentine’s Day, conducting surveys to gather feedback directly from Sharif’s customers. The survey included questions about whether customers would follow the business online and where they would shop if Sharif didn’t have a brick-and-mortar store.

Olson, for her part, was energized by the experience. Lessons learned—including how to discover customers’ needs, making your business stand out, and taking every opportunity to share your story—will help her carry out her future plans to one day open her own restaurant, she says. “I’ve been so inspired by Uzma and the other small-business owners I got to meet through the program,” Olson says. “Their passion and determination are undeniable, and they’ve each made such a positive impact on their customers and communities. Being a part of the Polsky Small Business Program has made me even more motivated to pursue entrepreneurship in the food industry.”

Sharif says the program also had a significant impact on her. “Jennie provided us with valuable insights and recommendations based on her findings,” she explains. “The program has shown me a clearer path for achieving my goals of expanding, and with the help of Jennie’s enthusiasm, my business has been propelled in a positive direction.”

Now, during stage two of the program, Sharif is working with another Booth student to turn the research and insights she gained from Olson into concrete steps.

While the revised Small Business Growth Program is only halfway through its first cohort, Cavalieri believes that the longer engagement is already helping to build stronger bonds among the participating businesses while also allowing students to learn more by diving deeper into business planning and execution.

“From our funders to the businesses, the students to the staff and faculty that participate—all of the stakeholders are working together toward the same goals,” says Cavalieri. “I feel great about the direction this program is headed in.”