George Mason MBAs Provide Business Report to Artist Alumni

Students in MBA 711, the fundamental entrepreneurship course for those seeking their MBA degree at the George Mason School of Business, recently gave a business analysis to Nathan Loda— a professional artist and alumni of George Mason who was looking for new ways to expand his business.

According to the School of Business, students working with Loda treated the artist as a sole practitioner, completed a financial analysis and explored various pricing models when preparing a feasibility study that included different approaches Loda could use to move his business forward.

The feasibility report provided by the students made Loda reasses his art and prompted him to update his website, form an LLC, open a business checking account and craft a social media presence.

What was most beneficial for Lona? For the first time his art was presented to him as a business. He admitted that “hearing their questions and comments encouraged me to think more business-minded and focus on growing my art practice as a business.”

Jim Wolfe, entrepreneur-in-residence and assistant professor in Mason’s School of Business, says that projects like these are a win-win for both students and business owners: MBA students gain consulting experience and business owners get great ideas to apply to their businesses. Wolfe says he brings in real-life businesses for analyzing in all of the classes he teaches, reaching out to the many Mason alumni entrepreneurs whenever possible.

regions: Washington, DC

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