Student-run Velocity Consulting offers comprehensive services to area businesses

Company grows with latest project, an economic feasibility study for Kenosha County golf courses

Two years ago, a group of Carthage business students teamed up with two business professors to create Velocity Consulting, the first 100 percent student-run, full-service consulting company in the country.

Two weeks ago, that company presented a complete economic feasibility and market analysis for Kenosha County's golf courses to enthusiastic reviews from the Kenosha County Board. The report was completed for Velocity's first paying client, the Kenosha County Parks and Recreation Department.

"They did an outstanding job," said veteran County Board Supervisor Terry Rose about the Nov. 15 presentation by project leaders Catherine Rogers, '12; Aleksandra Romanovic, '13; and Max Grothman, '13. "It was clear, direct and well-presented. The County Board has had many consultants make presentations to us on various issues, but this Velocity group did the best job. I thought theirs was the most professional, most direct, most to the point, and head and shoulders above the professional groups I've seen."

Now business is growing for Velocity Consulting. The company offers area businesses and nonprofit organizations a new option for comprehensive consulting services at a bargain price, and gives Carthage students across disciplines the chance to help run a company before they even graduate.

"Velocity is both unique and exceptional," said Prof. Joseph Wall, chair of the Business Administration Department at Carthage. "It offers opportunities and experiences that students can only find by coming to Carthage."

It's a remarkable opportunity, agreed Catherine Rogers, a marketing and art history major and Velocity's senior CEO. "So often we're told as students, 'In the business world ...' or ‘In the real world ...'," she said. "With Velocity, we're already in the real world. It's a transition from school to actual business, from our courses to our career."

About Velocity

Velocity Consulting was conceived in 2009 by Prof. Wall and business professor J.J. Shields, along with Catherine and fellow student Lauren Baker, '11. The company was formed in 2010 and is run completely by students. Profs. Shields, Wall and three area business professionals sit on Velocity's advisory board.

"Velocity is the country's first — and only — 100 percent student-run, full service agency," Prof. Shields said.

The company offers a full slate of services to local businesses and organizations including financial analysis, marketing research projects, environmental studies, research surveys, geographic information analysis, economic impact studies, branding, public relations, and design and photography services.

This interdisciplinary approach is what makes Velocity stand apart. "At Carthage we have a full range of disciplines and people who are studying all of them," Prof. Wall said. "This means we can take different disciplines and combine them based on the specific need of the customer. There's a customized team and product for each client."

Students do not join Velocity the way they would a normal student organization. They submit their resumes to Velocity's executive board, which consists of a senior CEO, junior CEO, chief financial officer, and vice president of human resources — all students. At weekly staff meetings, account executives (also students) discuss team progress. Each project draws students from Velocity's talent pool.

The result? "The work is high quality and professional, but also reasonably priced with a fast turn-around," said Catherine. Students also bring innovative solutions to problems, she said. "We're hip. We know Web 2.0. We have all of these new ideas. You don't just get the same old, same old. You get a fresh approach from students who are passionate and driven."

The Kenosha Project

In May 2011, Velocity was hired by the Kenosha County Parks and Recreation Department to create an in-depth economic impact and feasibility study of the county's two golf courses, Petrifying Springs and Brighton Dale. Twelve students worked on the project, led by junior CEO Aleksandra Romanovic, '13, an economics and finance major from Kenosha. Aleksandra received a Summer Undergraduate Research Experience award from Carthage to work full time on the project over the summer.

"They wanted us to see where the golf courses could perform better, what areas could be improved," Aleksandra said. "When we started, it was just going to be numbers-based, looking at their financial statements and accounting spreadsheets. Then we realized that this is a bigger project, so why not go all out? We brought in marketing, photography, geographic information science, accounting. We were able to provide the client with so much more than they asked for."

The final report is 108 pages and includes financial analysis, market research, performance reports for the Kenosha courses and their competitors, more than 400 customer surveys, a marketing plan for each course, and other recommendations ranging from course size to concession pricing.

"We took into account basically every little detail, from the price of a hot dog to whether they serve alcoholic beverages," Aleksandra explained. "We wanted to know the customers: Where were they coming from, what they were spending at the course and in the community, whether they were getting gas in the community, if they spent the night here, how many times they golfed at that course, how long they spent at the course."

Said Daniel Drier, Kenosha County's general manager of golf operations: "I definitely appreciate all of Carthage's efforts. They put a great deal of work into the study and it shows. ... We look forward to implementing some of the suggestions." (Read the Kenosha News article about the report.)

Mr. Drier added that he's impressed that undergraduate students tackled a project of this size and scope. "I would have loved to have the opportunity to do this when I was in school. It's a practical business and really gives them a hands-on look at how their work can make a difference."

Rewarding work

That chance to tackle real work is exactly why Max Grothman joined Velocity. "I like having the opportunity to do real projects outside of class," said Max, an accounting major from Green Bay, Wis. From the golf course project, "I learned how to work in a business setting, under pressure, with deadlines. I learned how to take a project from nothing, and create a final product, present it, and pitch an idea."

Like all of the students, Max volunteers his time to Velocity. While Profs. Wall and Shields hope Velocity can one day pay its students, right now all company earnings go toward covering business expenses. Current clients include the Urban League of Kenosha and Racine and the Kenosha Achievement Center.

"As a faculty member, you have this great passion to see your students eventually succeed you and do better than yourself," Prof. Wall said. "With a project like this, you're getting them there really fast. This is the kind of thing you'd love to see your students doing a couple of years out of school, so when they're able to do something like this while they're in school, it's really exciting.

"And when a whole team is able to put their passions in it, and do top-notch work, for an actual client who is a government entity in a business setting? That's what the college experience should be about: Taking all that they've learned and applying it in a way that's very meaningful for an entire community."

Velocity Consulting

Advisory Board

Business professor Joseph Wall
Business professor J.J. Shields
Richard Fields
Pat Lyons
Lee Sucharda

Project Team

Economic Feasibility and Market Analysis, Petrifying Springs and Brighton Dale Golf Courses

Team Leader

Aleksandra Romanovic, '13

Finance and Accounting

Aleksandra Romanovic, '13
Max Grothman, '13
Tony Walek, '12

Census and Industry Data

Heidi Chronowski, '13
Sean Knudson, '12

Marketing

Catherine Rogers, '12
Chris Brucher, '12
Ellen Hughes, '13
Samantha DiCostanzo, '12

Marketing Survey

Aleksandra Romanovic, '13

Geographic Information Science

Kris Kordek, '12
Mei Yan Yuen

Public Relations

Stephanie Casstevens, '12

Review/Edit Team

Deborah Usinger

Carthage Liaison

Art Cyr