Preferred learners
- Anywhere
- Academic experience
Categories
Project scope
- What is the main goal for this project?
-
Would you like a real-world project for your portfolio that shows a great blend of hands-on skills and strategic thinking? This might be the project for you.
Plan Forward Coaching provides coaching and business advisory services to new and early-stage small businesses.
But here’s a painful statistic:
Almost 20% of businesses fail within their first year.
And within the first 5 years? It’s 45%.
New businesses face an uphill battle.
Plan Forward wants to change that. We want to help our clients defy the odds and thrive, with a new, high-touch, high-ticket product that gives new (and new-ish) business owners everything they need to survive.
But to do this, we need to confirm the major challenges faced by young businesses, and their top priorities. After all, why build a product that no-one needs?
This project is the cornerstone. Plan Forward needs a few capable, research-savvy students to take on early market research.
- What tasks will learners need to complete to achieve the project goal?
-
What’s needed:
- Identify and connect with 15-30 small business owners in their first year of business, and people planning to start a business in the next year.
- Conduct short market research ‘problem’ interviews with each of them, exploring pain points, knowledge gaps, existing solutions, and priorities.
- Synthesize findings into a clear summary report that includes actionable recommendations for the new product.
- Work with Plan Forward’s owner to create a compelling product offer, along with positioning and pricing.
- Conduct followup ‘solution’ interviews with the original interview group to gather feedback on the proposed product.
Stretch goal!
If possible, survey an additional 200+ people matching the two ICAs to validate the research at greater scale. (What’s involved: Plan the survey, recruit participants, conduct the research, and report on the results.) This would add confidence to the interview findings, and let you build and showcase more quantitative research skills.
What you’ll get:
- A stellar portfolio project that showcases work that (if done well) will immediately shape a new product.
- The chance to change lives! Your work will make a difference. You’ll have a hand in helping new business owners realize their dreams, and in helping fledgeling businesses survive.
- On-the-job training on how to do ‘problem’ and ‘solution’ interviews, as well as ongoing research mentorship from a professional researcher.
- Access to an experienced coach who has helped literally hundreds of students launch their careers.
Does this sound exciting? Are you ready to help new businesses succeed, while building your portfolio along the way? Let’s talk!
- What is the main goal for this project?
-
Would you like a real-world project for your portfolio that shows a great blend of hands-on skills and strategic thinking? This might be the project for you.
Plan Forward Coaching provides coaching and business advisory services to new and early-stage small businesses.
But here’s a painful statistic:
Almost 20% of businesses fail within their first year.
And within the first 5 years? It’s 45%.
New businesses face an uphill battle.
Plan Forward wants to change that. We want to help our clients defy the odds and thrive, with a new, high-touch, high-ticket product that gives new (and new-ish) business owners everything they need to survive.
But to do this, we need to confirm the major challenges faced by young businesses, and their top priorities. After all, why build a product that no-one needs?
This project is the cornerstone. Plan Forward needs a few capable, research-savvy students to take on early market research.
- What tasks will learners need to complete to achieve the project goal?
-
What’s needed:
- Identify and connect with 15-30 small business owners in their first year of business, and people planning to start a business in the next year.
- Conduct short market research ‘problem’ interviews with each of them, exploring pain points, knowledge gaps, existing solutions, and priorities.
- Synthesize findings into a clear summary report that includes actionable recommendations for the new product.
- Work with Plan Forward’s owner to create a compelling product offer, along with positioning and pricing.
- Conduct followup ‘solution’ interviews with the original interview group to gather feedback on the proposed product.
Stretch goal!
If possible, survey an additional 200+ people matching the two ICAs to validate the research at greater scale. (What’s involved: Plan the survey, recruit participants, conduct the research, and report on the results.) This would add confidence to the interview findings, and let you build and showcase more quantitative research skills.
What you’ll get:
- A stellar portfolio project that showcases work that (if done well) will immediately shape a new product.
- The chance to change lives! Your work will make a difference. You’ll have a hand in helping new business owners realize their dreams, and in helping fledgeling businesses survive.
- On-the-job training on how to do ‘problem’ and ‘solution’ interviews, as well as ongoing research mentorship from a professional researcher.
- Access to an experienced coach who has helped literally hundreds of students launch their careers.
Does this sound exciting? Are you ready to help new businesses succeed, while building your portfolio along the way? Let’s talk!
- How will you support learners in completing the project?
-
You'll have regular support from Plan Forward's owner, which means you'll benefit from:
- On-the-job training from a research expert, in highly desirable skills
- Portfolio development advice from an experienced hiring manager
- A capstone project that shows real-world impact on both a business and real people
- What skills or technologies will help learners to complete the project?
-
Useful skills:
- Previous experience with: Interviewing, research recruitment, survey creation, analysis
- Strong written and interpersonal communication skills
- Marketing and market research methodologies
- Small business knowledge
- Demonstrated work ethic & initiative
- Ability to work fairly independently
About the company
- https://www.planforwardcoaching.com/
- 0 - 1 employees
- Business services
Plan Forward Coaching & Plan Forward Careers both aim to help people create fulfilling work lives.
Plan Forward Coaching serves small businesses and solopreneurs. It offers a mix of coaching and advisory services, seeing clients from 'great idea' to launch to scale-up.
Plan Forward Careers supports experienced employees through the major transition moments in their careers (job searches, career changes, transitioning into leadership, layoff recovery, and more).