• Developed an approach leading to valuable insights for business and strategy transformation to address the needs of millennial consumers and promote the digital deployment of their product offerings.

• Worked with the team in Zurich to propose sustainable, profitable business models, including go-to-market approach and organization capabilities to nurture and grow channel partner engagement and sales in the ABB Ability Marketplace™ ecosystem.

An MBA student team partnered with The East Cut Community Benefit District (CBD) - a neighborhood development organization in San Francisco that is focused on attracting businesses and enhancing quality of life for its residents. The team conducted research and stakeholder interviews, and also designed a comprehensive survey to identify commercial, residential and cultural opportunities within the district. Survey responses were analyzed using K-means clustering to reveal distinct community segments and preferences. The East Cut CBD will use the team’s findings to inform future development strategies and better align neighborhood initiatives with the needs of its growing residential population.

• Manufacturer of world-class LiDAR (Light Detection and Ranging) sensing devices for a variety of vertical markets sought a team to identify how autonomic vehicles could transform the relationship between domestic overland transportation and the logistics ecosystem, and to demonstrate cost-and lifesaving ideas based on the capabilities of LiDAR usage.

• Investigated data sources for key variables, designed and developed a predictive model and provided proof of concept and recommendations with the goal of supporting the company’s financial transformation using machine learning and artificial intelligence.
• Characterized the communication preferences of Agilent’s current and future customers, surveyed various communications strategies and vehicles, and developed actionable recommendations with respect to appropriate media mix and communications strategy.

• In conjunction with private equity firm, conducted an analysis of the future of the grain industry with respect to snack food trends and where to focus strategic efforts.

• Analyzed the impact of and created a framework for transitioning from direct mail marketing to digital marketing for AT&T Wireless products for both general and diverse market segments.
• Developed a clear market definition of eSports and surrounding industry landscape, projections for long-term profitability, conceivable competitors, trends in the market and potential advantages and pitfalls.

• Explored opportunities to partner with “hidden gem” universities and innovators to develop a competitive advantage for therapeutic pipeline assets.

• Market-leading American health and wellness enterprise wanted to explore how they might enter the personalized nutrition market to improve user health outcomes and create a new growth trajectory. The team developed recommendations based on discovery findings and company capabilities to deliver a financial analysis and business case for market entry.

• Company conscripted the team to research potential opportunities in promising areas for new verticals, partnerships and associated technology innovations in the almond industry and beyond.
• Generated a complete analysis of potential business features, opportunities, and comprehensive financial model and key recommendations for implementation of a farm-to-factory tour attraction in downtown Sacramento.

• Tested hypotheses for industry improvements in propane exchange purchase and delivery methods, including product cost efficiency and product enhancements, and provided actionable strategic recommendations for leadership team to gain market share.

• Provided insights into market-informed recommendations for continued improvement of their rotational leadership programs with respect to recruiting, onboarding, curriculum, retention and placement.
• Evaluated, benchmarked and provided recommendations for a pilot program intended to offer support and retraining to employees who will be displaced by evolving healthcare models and improved technological processes.

• Real-time market analysis of new, high-speed semiconductor product release and development of social media marketing strategy and how to engage target consumers. 
• Developed a branding and implementation strategy to increase awareness of technological improvements and position the company as a leader in Wi-Fi 6 technology.
• Prepared an independent market assessment for the Over-The-Top content delivery market.

• Analyzed data collected over three years to illuminate key findings and trends in diversity among insurer governing boards in California.

• Analyzed competitive advantages, evaluated team structure for scalable growth and developed overall strategy for branding, marketing, product positioning and extensions to continue growth and achieve revenue goals in the U.S. market.

• Developed a competitive positioning strategy for Chevron Energy Solutions; addressed market gaps and identified effective ways to communicate CES’ value proposition in the civic and public education markets.

• Profiled the likely drivers and detractors of the shift from Command Line Interface (CLI) to cloud-based infrastructure, including key beneficiaries, expected timing and placement, and defining potential value-added to companies.

• Explored the economic impacts of the transition to a legal cannabis industry, including labor demands, tax implications and consumer profiles, as well as industry forecasting.

• Developed a global sourcing strategy that identified how to support the launch of an emerging category expected to generate ~$4.0B by 2030; created a baseline for current production and recommended a robust supply chain plan with a phased strategy leveraging existing infrastructure until volume levels are achieved.
• In alignment with Coca-Cola’s World Without Waste initiative, the project goal was to connect understanding of consumer recycling behavior to deeper material trends and technological advances in the marketplace.
• The Coca-Cola Co. | Minute Maid Business Unit: Assessed the industry for whitespace opportunities in plant-based beverage categories, considered consumer usage and barriers, and identified new platforms and constructed an innovation pipeline.
• Provided insights on the impact of and drivers from other influencers (music, fashion, media and entertainment, beauty, health and food) on the beverage industry, and created a roadmap for how to synthesize trends to new products.

• This boutique startup contracts with farmers to grow heritage wheat locally, fairly, and sustainably to make flour, breads, and pasta. The company received a thorough analysis of variables that inform pricing strategy, customer segmentation analysis and recommendations on product pricing, consumer education and brand strategy.

• Developed an assessment of how the Internet of Things could be leveraged for the company’s future product development. Recommended opportunities to pursue in the “smart” and “solar” spaces.

• Assessed technological advancements in agricultural production, including evaluation of key issues, financial impact modeling and generation of a high-level deployment “road map” for targeted potential solutions.

• Analyzed the capability to optimize inventory throughout the enterprise through evaluating the benefits of rebalancing vs. production; demonstrated financial advantages via working capital; and created a prototype for the process.
• Proposed and analyzed various plant workflow and configuration alternatives to accommodate a 2x increase in production capacity. Recommended a solution that optimized both product throughput and end-to-end transportation costs.

• Explored blockchain processing technology for registering transactions to effectively challenge title-related business entities and disrupt current systems, incorporating an analysis of risks, practical implementation, and assessment of market opportunities.

• Evaluation of market readiness for personalized retail pricing technology and recommendations for market positioning.

• Identified innovative approaches to financial deal structures and evaluation of potential strategic partners and the competitive landscape, and made recommendations on approach best suited to the company’s target markets to drive company growth.

• Developed an approach, plan and set of initiatives to help First Northern Bank more effectively serve the small business market segment to increase profitability in a competitive landscape.

• Conducted field interviews, a survey and independent analysis to identify key traits associated with increased selling productivity by Gartner’s managing partners. Developed a recommended go-forward approach to drive the maximum productivity ramp.
• Defined a globally consistent onboarding process for new associates, which involved a market scan of onboarding strategy with comparable agencies, defining best practices, identifying cultural and geographical challenges, assessing KPIs and success criteria, and offering recommendations for implementation.

• Assessed key market trends, identified potential market opportunities and developed recommendations regarding new market entry, drivers and competitive sales projections for the company to broaden portfolio into reagents and consumables.

• Project supported the Environmental Health and Safety (EHS) team; interviewed team members to understand and codify internal best practices, determined pain points and analyzed solutions, integrated market-leading best practices and recommended Agile approach for the organization.

• Conducted industry analysis and gathered competitive intelligence for Get Satisfaction, an innovative SaaS company with an industry-leading community platform that helps customers unleash the power of conversation.

• Validated new cloud software value equation for enterprises moving to a hybrid and multi-cloud world, quantifying success metrics and understanding costs and benefits for technology and cloud adoption, and a competitive analysis of competitors and go-to-market approaches.

• Analyzed costs of relocating companies outside California including moving costs, hiring new staff, productivity down-time, etc., and created a predictive model to use in laying out a comprehensive value proposition to keep businesses in the region and state.

• High-end Napa Valley winery sought to segment their customer base through analysis of buying patterns and product preferences and values, and identify most attractive segments for growth and effective direct-to-consumer marketing channel mix. 

• Built out a national survey to help measure the most predictive indicators of happiness in retirement based upon the company’s framework.

• Explored exporting products to the U.S. with the goal of positioning high-end Moroccan olive oil to be competitive with European brands through market research (including FDA requirements and process for U.S. market distribution), competitive assessment and target markets, buyer value analysis, go-to-market plan and delivery roadmap.

• Explored, evaluated and tested go-to-market strategies and product features to accelerate growth of a personal nutrition app for HarvestMark, a late-stage venture building internet and mobile platform for farm-to-fork traceability and shopper feedback.

• Built out a set of goals and metrics that would support the execution of strategic initiative plan to maintain overall competitive advantage; identified KPIs and ways to monitor execution, operational effectiveness, and other critical aspects of culture and engagement using “balanced scorecard” methodology.
• Evaluated the evolving market for vegetable production in protection production systems and identified the implications for overall vegetable production in North America. Proposed new market strategies that identified top opportunities, key success factors, required investment and potential risk factors.

• Identified three, high-value opportunities for the company to pursue in the energy solution space to make effective use of renewable energy to meet carbon neutral company goals, specifically, opportunities that utilize renewable energy such as solar power generation, offshore wind power generation, fuel cells, mobile batteries, and battery systems for electric vehicles through a PEST analysis.

• Developed a growth strategy focused on providing value-added services to small- and medium-sized businesses for HP’s imaging and PC business.

• Developed detailed go-to-market strategy for a Chilean winery seeking to enter the U.S. market including industry and market research and comprehensive recommendations on prospective import channels and navigation of COVID-related industry challenges.

• Produced a detailed market analysis of engagement models, trends, success criteria, tools, campaigns, use cases and recommendations for increased collaboration between industry and academia in addressing the skills gap in emerging technology sectors.

• Assessed potential for a broad shift to plant-based milk including understanding consumer preferences, market size, price points and purchase drivers, and developed business case for a new plant-based product that rivals cow milk in taste, nutrition, functionality and cost.
• The company sought a team to valorize co-products created from plant-based meat alternative production, create a bio-refinery business plan, and a strategy for monetizing co-products including key opportunities and risks.

• Supported the development of the company’s transportation management platform (TMS) through an assessment of competition, identifying points of differentiation, and recommendations for how best to position and communicate the value of the platform to customers.

• Facilitated understanding of current market opportunities for a specific PC user segment through an understanding the feasibility of these PC users using a Linux-based OS; researched market trends, conducted primary user research, analyzed data and provided recommendations for investment, partnership and acquisition.
• Developed an analysis of thermal solution vendors regarding technology and market position and provided recommendations for investments, partnerships and/or potential acquisition targets to allow the company to increase vertical integration as a component supplier.

• Developed a business plan for entry into the building/energy management system solutions space.

• Prioritized potential market segments, developed theory of competitive advantage, and evaluated potential go-to-market strategies to introduce the company’s successful self-limiting insect technology to US fruit and vegetable producers.

An MBA student team collaborated with Invasive Species Corp. (ISC) to evaluate the market potential for Zequanox®, a product designed to combat zebra and quagga mussel infestations in lakes and industrial water systems. These mussels cause millions of dollars in economic damage annually. Zequanox® offers an effective, yet more environmentally friendly, solution for reducing the presence of zebra and quagga mussels when compared to existing alternatives.

The student team assessed the target market size to inform ISC’s go-to-market strategy, then developed various vertical positioning strategies using a bottom-up approach. It also conducted a price multiplier evaluation, comparing Zequanox® with competitor’s products. This analysis helped determine various pricing strategies and assessed the potential impact of those strategies on market penetration. The team’s analyses provided ISC insights on specific trade-offs inherent in evaluating pricing strategies, sales volumes, and profitability. This approach identified potential price points to drive consumer interest and sales conversions. ISC will leverage the team’s findings and recommendations to prioritize market segment strategies. In addition, the team provided recommendations for refining ISC's sales strategy and distribution partnerships to enhance overall market success.

• Developed a framework to measure and value Johnson & Johnson’s sustainability initiatives in the medical device and diagnostics business; identified key sustainability-related customer purchase drivers, and recommended areas of focus to address emerging needs and the competitive landscape.

• Analysis of U.S. and foreign investments in a new targeted area of the world including growth trends and barriers in the agriculture market to inform their overall company strategy.
• Conducted targeted market research and analysis on the key strategies and trends in the food and agriculture industry to help inform the company’s overall roadmap for providing consulting services

• Focused on implementing the learnings from recent organizational shift around industry segments and customers and resultant higher level, strategic relationships and an increase in the company’s growth rate to identify additional opportunities that leverage the company’s full portfolio for specific industry-focused bundled solutions.
• Made recommendations to inform company’s transformation from a product-centric hardware company to a software-centric solutions company including how to dynamically adapt the consumption, delivery, monetization models and associated operational processes to the markets they serve.

• In conjunction with ZHAW School of Management and Law in Switzerland, provided an outsider view on how an existing or new competitor might disrupt the market and impact Logitech’s leadership position in workplace innovation.

• Identified potential opportunities for natural herbicides and pesticides in the legal cannabis market, assessing product needs and positioning and developing an understanding of how to approach and market to key players in the industry.

• Working with Global Sustainability Team, assessed commercial viability of various carbon capture solutions to help Mars meet their sustainability and carbon footprint reduction goals.
• Built a tool used to evaluate available technologies and potential strategic value of investment options for digital marketing analytics.
• Assessed the commercial viability of new technology; helped the firm develop product applications and identify opportunities based on new and existing consumer insights, effectively serving as the initial marketing team for this cutting-edge techno

• MedSim is a web-based patient simulator developed by UC Davis cardiovascular and thoracic anesthesiologist allowing trainees and practitioners to gain experience in a replicable, low-risk setting. The goal of the project was to provide recommendations on how best to commercialize the product, develop market analysis and marketing strategy, pilot with user base to test viability of marketing strategies.

• This project focused on helping Micron understand artificial intelligence developers’ requirements, pain points and challenges with integrating AI technology into their target hardware and software platforms and provide strategy and business opportunity recommendations for Micron based on key findings.
• Developed and recommended disruptive strategies that Micron could adopt to offset competitive moves and maintain market leadership in the autonomous vehicle semiconductor market.

• Microsoft’s Airband Initiative aims to bridge the digital divide by enabling internet access to rural America. In partnership with Cal.net and Synnex, the project focused on developing a model to drive business opportunities in targeted verticals through untapped technologies like TVWS and IoT.

• Start-up breastfeeding assistance app engaged a team to define target customers and company valuation; project involved efforts in customer discovery, market research, product pricing, and financial modeling.

• Analyzed the changing strategic context for NetApp and data storage as more businesses move to cloud solutions. The team built business cases and associated pricing models for hybrid cloud/on-premises solutions evaluating both the data storage industry and comparable industries that have experienced disruptive changes.

• Developed innovative options to reduce, recover and reuse wastewater from the company’s reverse osmosis water filtration system. Identified recommendations to reduce the need for additional municipal water and provide long-term sustainability advantages for the company.

• Identified operational and cost savings opportunities in order to improve efficiency and profitability in prepared food offerings including an analysis of operations and production flow and timing, and developed an inbound forecasting tool based upon sales data as well as a scorecard to measure loss of inventory.

• Provided direction surrounding opportunities to expand the scope of demand for spices in a targeted $20B+ industry including segmentation, identifying possible entry points, product format recommendations, and go-to-market and channel positioning strategy.

• Team conducted market research aimed at understanding customer base for the company to target potential small and medium-sized business customers and effectively meet their needs.

• Completed Smart Cities opportunity assessment based on analysis of customer needs and client capabilities. Delivered a customer targeting methodology and framework.

• Developed a creative strategy to access long-term, patient capital in the US in order to invest in expansion of the direct-to-consumer distribution platform for this fast-growing coffee company, owned by thousands of family farmers.

• Defined and developed a ubiquitous ROI calculation approach to be used throughout the company’s selling platform; plans are to deploy the ROI calculator to demonstrate the value in sales cycles and calculate results in implementation across all verticals.

• Provided updated framework for setting measurable, shared goals focused on enterprise-wide model transformation and strategic planning, establishing prioritization standards, and building processes to effectively review progress.

• Assessed current delivery model for urgent care and recommended future paradigms through an assessment of patient needs and perceptions of urgent care, current workflow and process mapping, and modeling costs and staffing needs for maximum efficiency and an optimal patient care experience.
• Assessed current access points for care delivery systems to help leaders understand what strategic options can be implemented to provide quality care to members, with a special emphasis on the millennial patient population.

• The project sought to understand how best to implement a portfolio transition with an emphasis on new CPUC requirements and how that impacts working with internal partners, and developed tools for leadership as they put into operation changes in energy efficiency.
• Developed a comprehensive benchmarking effort to define and assess a major organizational transition and business model change, and recommendations for how to move forward through the shift.
• Presented a business case to assess opportunities to use Big Data enterprise-wide.

• The leading designer, manufacturer, and marketer of headsets and other communications accessories sought a team to assess and refine a business model, competitive positioning and pricing strategy for an innovative and high-potential new product. 

• Evaluation of the competitive market for a SaaS model-based feature, recommendations for business model covering competitive pricing and marketing messages, and a benchmarking strategy to evaluate model success.
• Evaluated go-to-market strategies for the software to identify the right customer segment, studied existing business models, and made recommendations for competitive market positioning, pricing strategy and messaging.

• Researched operational and functional key performance indicators to understand relevance of vital information to key stakeholders; conducted a market analysis of industry benchmark information and created a strategic plan for adoption and framework for presentation of new KPIs.  

• Analyzed the viability of adding a subscription-based service for team’s fans to engage with the team and the brand throughout the year, building a model for reaching new fans as well as reinforcing commitment from existing fanbase.

• Analyzed the bourgeoning market of e-Sports competitions and how to best leverage Kings Guard Gaming and NBA 2K league competitions, and further, how gaming will drive interest in the Sacramento Kings and create new and deeper relationships with the franchise and the community at large.

• Assessed what employees are looking for at various stages in their career and how regional businesses are meeting those goals with an evaluation of KPI benchmarks used to measure employment opportunities, deployment of survey to address workforce needs in the region, and development of a KPI scorecard.

• Built an operational and financial model intended to enhance, develop and rebrand the club’s soccer camps and clinics programs, and support this with a marketing strategy to drive participation and revenue.

• Addressed need of Chilean salmon processor to develop a digital transformation strategy; assessed current industry technological trends, researched key innovations and developed a method to analyze business impacts and a proposal for the prioritization of projected ventures.

• The MBA team was asked how this Business Process Intelligence unit should position itself through a competitor positioning analysis and an examination of market sizes (TAM, SAM, SOM); the team identified market trends, industry-specific user needs and pain points, and created an evaluation framework for selected industries to assess market maturity.

• Developed an implementation plan to integrate the S3i business model into the existing Sims Recycling Solutions operations.

• Explored pursuits of new verticals, competitors and market opportunities in the complete real estate transaction from contract to close for this rapidly-growing software company.
• Assessed how the next generation of home buyers envision the ideal home buying process and developed strategic recommendations for the company to disrupt the space, including building a blueprint of needs for new homebuyers and recommendations for market positioning to meet evolving demands.

• Conducted an analysis of comparable upward mobility programs in order to create a comprehensive career path model to attract and maintain qualified talent allowing employees to recognize opportunities for advancement, and developed recommendations for an internal marketing campaign and phased roll-out of program.
• Researched and developed recommendations for a rotational employment program to complement the existing corporate culture while addressing emergent issues in a competitive labor environment.
• Conducted an analysis of the benefits and challenges of creating a regional Security Operations Center (SOC) to provide a proactive approach to cyber-security risks and vulnerabilities within its infrastructure. 

• Assessed the global market for their certified products, and identified the most impactful opportunities and markets to grow awareness, interest, and purchase intent for Snell certified headgear. 

• Analyzed and proposed strategic investments that would advance the goal of driving increased, long-term renewable energy adoption within the bitcoin ecosystem including an assessment of emerging technologies, recommendation for company focus, and a financial model to illustrate ROI.
• Developed creative ways to use data to inform strategic priorities and investments and make sound financial decisions for the company including an analysis of data and summary of outcomes, key correlations and recommendations for next steps.

• Researched development of products that will compile a digital history and record of data about a house that can be used and referenced by homeowners through identification of customer segments and needs, product roadmap, competitive analysis, feasibility and go-to-market strategy.

• As the U.S. workforce continues to evolve and change, how will Starbucks continue to attract and retain top talent? Through an analysis of partner (employee) sentiment, management interviews, evaluation of current market trends and competitive analysis, the team identified gaps and provided recommendations for a three-year talent retention plan.

• Evaluated prototypes of care models, technical feasibility and user desirability for unmet millennial user needs, and a forecast of how each model might perform against those demands.

• Conducted an analysis of what kinds of devices will have video or voice processing at the edge of a network as opposed to in the cloud, including market study and product positioning. 

• Analyzed the IoT device landscape and evaluated potential paths to fill the most promising opportunities with current or acquired resources, and an assessment for how such an effort would integrate with existing Cloud and Mobility businesses.
• Analyzed sales data, and interviewed and surveyed customers to identify opportunities in Software-as-a-Service products for Fortune 500 information technology supply chain services company. Developed sales and customer segmentation strategies to accelerate cloud services adoption.

• Performed market research, evaluated key competitors and tested consumer interest in potential products and brand concepts to assess overall market attractiveness and next steps for high-impact Peruvian textile exporter, developing a sustainable clothing brand intended to reach the North American market in 2021.

• Conducted a complete analysis of methods, recommendations, opportunities, challenges and barriers for successful execution of a project converting the campus heating system from steam to hot water, supporting the Carbon Neutrality Initiative, which commits the campus to net-zero greenhouse gas emissions by 2025.

• This project sought to modernize the interview process as part of the talent acquisition system in the Human Resources department. The student team conducted research and provided recommended solutions for standardizing and updating the interview process in order to meet institutional compliance and strategic goals. 

• Traveled to Santiago, Chile to participate in the startup phase of an international venture intended to strengthen UC Davis’s visibility and presence in regions around the world. Pinpointed the UC Davis center in Chile as a prototype to develop KPIs and engagement strategy in the region and globally.

• Major regional medical center is advancing their Maternal Fetal Medicine (MFM) program treating and monitoring high-risk pregnancies and keeping mothers and babies healthy throughout gestation, birth and recovery. Deliverables included recognizing existing capacity and resource requirements, identifying best practices in MFM services and recommendations to capitalize upon market size and volume projections.
• In partnership with the Digital Health Research Center, explored new product targeted at the aging population wishing to be more actively involved with their health and wellness from home; assessed potential market viability to provide strategic guidance on development.
• Identified and analyzed opportunities to develop specialized state-of-the-art training programs across myriad surgical specialties, evaluating current facilities and making recommendations for how they should be repurposed to meet the needs of stakeholders.
• Explored opportunities to launch a University-supported business incubator or accelerator with an eye on alignment with the institution’s mission. 

• Determined resources necessary to support and sustain palliative care clinic based upon recent growth and projected demand; demonstrated impact and key variables in allocating resources and support, organizational structure needs and defining the value proposition of the clinic to the health care system.

• Completed a strategic evaluation the veterinary medical school’s pricing across major clinical lines of service in order to complete a comparative analysis and economic model to inform the impact of shifting pricing strategy on services. 

• Researched and analyzed aspects of creating a marketable product from a removed invasive species in order to create a revenue source, improve lake clarity and restore the natural food chain balance.

• Created a nonprofit entity that will work to facilitate legal wine transfers and generate revenue that can be returned to the program.

• Developed a marketing plan to build awareness focused on the consumer (patient) audience.

• Project was to create an overall business strategy encompassing marketing, outreach and partnership to reach objectives for their Knowledge Graphs for Social Good (KG4SG) initiative.

• Evaluated competitive landscape and economic pricing models to optimize commercial strategy for introduction of new, “game-changing” cancer therapy within radiation oncology.
• Provided guidance on how a new therapy within radiation oncology might become a robust, standalone business unit including evaluating commercial models to drive business value, assessing patient access, and options for providing the technology in the U.S. and selected international markets.
• Analyzed factors involved in Varian’s Cloud initiative, including competitive intelligence offerings, value propositions and adoption challenges that should be considered in order to create a leading market position.
• Assessed potential new market size and structure, analyzing the competitive and regulatory landscape, and developing and testing hypotheses on the most successful way to enter the veterinary oncology market.
• Created objective metric strategy to assess engagement performance across the ways that the company interacts with customers and other constituents at the user level, and developed specific set of measurable, achievable, and relevant standards to improve the company’s performance.

• VinZymes is pursuing the discovery of enzymes and data algorithms to help improve measurement and remediation of smoke taint in wine. The project’s focus was to develop a business model and plan specific to measurement of smoke taint as an initial product offering including a cost structure for analytical testing, key customer deliverables, pricing and roll-out strategy.

• Proposed actionable marketing and business strategies to expand the company’s individual vision care line of business.

• Identified attractive target markets and developed strategies in support of Wells Fargo’s goal to become a leader in mass market retirement savings.
• Cleantech banking unit worked with student team to maximize market intelligence and developed recommendations to establish a competitive EV finance practice.