Testimonials
"I would ask you to kindly thank each and every one of those incredible souls for
their intellect, passion, curiosity and generosity of spirit. I know they will all
be out there doing great things to make the world a better place.
I hope they will all stay in touch as they make their individual ways in the world.
We will miss them all terribly.
And, thank you, Colleen, for your vision – and your sense of connection. The SSCP
program is truly one of Saratoga’s most treasured gems and we feel privileged to have
participated in the magic."
Elizabeth Sobol, CEO of The Saratoga Center for Performing Arts (SPAC)
"I’ve always been impressed with the work of your students and the precision and coordination
it takes to oversee this program. Your students, under your leadership, have made
transformational impacts on so many Saratoga businesses and non-profits. I continue
to hear owners like Cathy Hamilton, Chad Beatty and Christel MacLean, and non-profit
leaders like Teddy Foster and Barbara Glaser, sing the praises of the SSCP teams."
Linda Toohey, Former Chairperson, Â鶹Æƽâ°æ College Board of Trustees
"Thank you very much for the strategic plan that the SSCP team completed for our Habitat
for Humanity affiliate. The plan is very comprehensive and includes the budget, staffing,
organizational structure and partnership elements that will lead to successful growth.
The depth of research, comparative analysis and level of understanding about Habitat
are very impressive. The plan provided both actionable information and served to motivate
us. The Board of Directors appreciates the time invested in the project and has already
started taking action to implement the team’s recommendations. The SSCP is a valuable
partnership element between Â鶹Æƽâ°æ and the local community. Thank you for partnering
with us and we look forward to working with Â鶹Æƽâ°æ on other projects in the future."
Keith Bohling, board member, Habitat for Humanity for Northern Saratoga, Warren and
Washington Counties
"Each week our SSCP team asked us thoughtful questions that helped us to see our business
challenges from a different angle. In looking at our business through the lens of
the academic material they were covering in class, they made the case that our challenges
are common, and through market research they found examples of how these challenges
had been addressed successfully by others. For example, they were very interested
in how the long history of Caffe Lena could be used as a marketing asset without allowing
it to hold us back from exploring new musical styles and reaching out to a younger
demographic. They focused on the positive potential of our legacy and interviewed
the owners of other historic venues to find out how they maintained their retro vibe
while adding assets that appealed to today's listeners. It was interesting to hear
these real life examples and it gave us some interesting ideas to explore."
Sarah Craig, executive director, Caffe Lena
"Saratoga Spring Water Company’s experience with the SSCP team was an entirely positive
one. Not only did they bring a level of commitment and dedication to the project,
but they helped to identify and flesh out both strengths and weaknesses in our business
strategy. Having an objective perspective allowed us to think more broadly about the
topics essential for growing our business, and the SSCP team was the catalyst for
this change."
Adam C. Madkour, COO, Saratoga Spring Water Co.
"In the fall semester of 2013, the 21-year-old Saratoga Film Forum, a nonprofit film
arts venue in downtown Saratoga Springs, was selected by the Â鶹Æƽâ°æ Saratoga Consulting
Partnership as its nonprofit client for strategic consulting. Students in this program
met weekly with board officers and immersed themselves in every feature of the Film
Forum’s operation, with the goal of making a final presentation on our organizational
strengths and weaknesses, and offering some recommendations on how we might better
meet our goals.
"Truthfully, we weren’t sure what the SSPC students could tell us we didn’t already
know, but the semesterlong collaboration was a revelation. Each student assumed responsibility
for the analysis of a particular component of the Film Forum’s operation, and through
interviews, statistical and financial analyses, sophisticated projections and some
tough talk about board structure, the SSPC task force presented to our board a raft
of well-developed recommendations that held all of us in thrall. New ideas for diversifying
our audience, balancing our program, working on a more goal-oriented, purposeful business
model, rethinking the board—we needed it, and we soaked it up.
"And it didn’t hurt that the SSCP students were in every way a joy to work with—energetic,
tactful, probing, patient, articulate and good-humored; they made these meetings fun.
To any nonprofit in need of a fresh perspective and new ideas, you can’t do better
than work with a team from SSCP team. We can’t recommend them enough."
Amy Goodine, former president, Saratoga Film Forum
"Working with the Â鶹Æƽâ°æ students from SSCP was an incredibly positive experience
for us at the Inn at Saratoga. Meeting with the students each week encouraged us to
set aside time to reflect on our business model and strategize how we wanted to improve
and grow. The students showed professionalism and maturity and offered an insightful
and academic prospective on ways the inn could remain competitive in the hospitality
market. We continue to refer to an impressive consultancy report provided by the students.
I highly recommend the Â鶹Æƽâ°æ Saratoga Entrepreneurial Partnership. I believe any
local business would find great value from participation in this program."
Liz Israel, director of sales, the Inn at Saratoga
"SSCP provided a vital link to take Saratoga WarHorse from a hopeful idea to a sound
and sustainable plan. We tribute a great deal of our success to the two SSEP teams
who worked so effectively to develop our business plan and the framework for organizational
history. The experience was as pleasurable as it was helpful."
Saratoga WarHorse
"Working with the Â鶹Æƽâ°æ students involved in SSCP was a valuable and rewarding
experience for our organization. Our SSCP team was engaged, proactive and thoughtful
in their analyses and recommendations. They were also fun to work with, which made
it even better. I highly recommend any firm considering engagement with SSCP to do
so. They can help you and you can help them. Yep, win/win all around!"
Mike Myers , owner, Peabody's
