It’s always a challenge for a small business to create their online identity and get their name known. For some, it’s needing a better online purchasing interface, while for others, the challenge may be an entire rebranding of the company. Whatever the problem small businesses face, the Voucher for E-Business and Technology Adoption (VEBTA) program is there to help support.
The VEBTA program is funded by Ontario Centres of Excellence (OCE) and provides small and medium-sized businesses with up to $2,500-worth of expertise and resources from colleges, such as Humber, to help scale up their profile online.
Hanadi Alnawab, Program Coordinator of the Digital Business Management degree program, and her multidisciplinary team of students took on six of these business challenges and helped innovate the way these businesses present themselves online. Students collaborated from various programs in The Business School such as the Digital Business Management degree program, the Human Resources Management degree program, and the Graphic Design program to help these e-solutions come to life.
Some companies needed a new informational website, while others needed a Shopify overhaul, and one even needed a re-branding, but all of the businesses collaborating with Humber were very impressed with the results.
“Each member of the project team that designed my website did a superior job,” said Nadine Galszechy of Career Path Coaching. “Irina’s web design, coding skills and recommendations were top notch. Spencer has a very creative and skillful ability both with video and photography as well as overall input into the site. And Pedro came up with such bright, eye catching logos that it was difficult to choose just one. Overall the team is extremely gifted and the contributors far surpassed my expectations.”
The projects were beneficial to the students involved, as well.
“Together with business entrepreneurs, from various fields and industries, we work together solving their real world marketing problems,” said Human Resources Management student, Spencer Fu. “The soft skills that I have developed in problem-solving issues, collaborating with clients, communicating with the team, and project and task management have been an invaluable part of my Humber experience.”
“Knowing that we were able to deliver the vision they had in mind and help make it a reality just goes to shows that all of the hard work put into the VEB projects is worth it, and pays off,” said Digital Business Management student, Farihah Chowdury.
These collaborations have resulted in small businesses gaining the online profile they require, and Humber students gaining the real-world experience they need in order to be successful in their fields. Visit humberveb.com to see the results of each of the VEBTA projects!
Research team:
Faculty lead: Hanadi Alnawab
Students: Kiran Bajwa, Farihah Chowdhury, Irina Gorea, Christine Howald, Alina Kniazeva, Pedro Oliveira, Spencer Fu, Shyren Husham
Partners: Tantu Designs, Ingenium, Milton Youth Theatre Productions, Living Farmacy, Canadian Foods Distribution, MS Mohindru Professional Corporation