Consult Your Community

CYC

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EMPOWERING SMALL BUSINESSES ACROSS AMERICA

What We Do

Consult Your Community is a registered 501(c)(3) nonprofit that inspires communities into action. Through semester-long, skills-based consulting projects, we mobilize college students to leverage their education, digital fluency, mentorship networks, and knowledge as customers to empower small business owners and drive change in their communities.

We support pursuit of the American Dream

Our work

THEORY OF CHANGE IMPACT MISSION
STRATEGIES
  • Industry/Competitor/ Company/Customer Analysis (Current State Assessments, Benchmarking)
  • Capital Infusion
  • Access to mentors

Business Development

Coaching

OUTPUTS
  • Implementation of strategy, extension of engagement with CYC, or referrals
  • Launch of new programs/services (especially digital)
  • Response to competitive threat

Better Business Practices

OUTCOMES
  • Reduced risk tolerance to invest strategically in business
  • Better understanding of customer or bridging the digital divide (especially for older SB owners)
  • Improved competitive positioning

Increased Profitability

Better Customer/Product-Fit

Improved Business Acumen

IMPACT
  • Increased economic productivity of small businesses in college communities from increased business growth and long-term profitability
  • Improved business acumen of small business clients on how to respond and deploy resources to strategic challenges

Economic Resilience

Better Services for Community Needs

Small Business Owner Empowerment

Business Development

Coaching

Better Business Practices

Increased Profitability

Better Customer/Product-Fit

Improved Business Acumen

Economic Resilience

Better Services for Community Needs

Small Business Owner Empowerment

~90

Small businesses in an academic year

300+

Volunteers across the country

25K+

Approximate hours of pro bono counsel dedicated to directly helping small businesses

15

University chapters founded within 6 months

7.2K

# of plays on our last Community Voice Podcast

Changing Communities from Within

Consult Your Community started in a Leadership seminar at UC Berkeley with two simple questions: Can students be using what they learned in school to make a tangible impact on their community? And would small businesses be interested in receiving help from students?

Our hypothesis is yes. After 4 years since we started, here’s what we realize works about the model:

  • Customer Voice: Students are customers of small business services in college communities and are incentivized to want better products and services from local businesses
  • Access to Resources: University students have access to incredible professors, mentors, industry advisors, college resources
  • Digital Divide: Millennials have grown up in the Information Age and are tech-savvy and resourceful
  • Extra Support: Many small businesses are understaffed and could use a helping hand to not only advise on strategy but assist with operational execution

Service does not need to be about handouts. In fact, it shouldn’t be. Service is about collaboration. We strive to create inclusive collaboration within communities by mobilizing leaders who create results using empathy, active listening, and hard work.

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