Making the Case: Support Small Business
These student teams show you how.
Small Business Corps (SBC) was founded on the belief that when small businesses grow, local communities thrive. Through project-based fellowships, the program mobilizes the skills, energy, and creativity of Georgetown students to empower and support small businesses in under-resourced communities in the D.C., Maryland, and Virginia region.
Over the course of several months, SBC students are matched with select small businesses to address complex problems facing their organization and to help them achieve long-term stability and success in the local economy. Here is a look at three of the companies the SBC fellows supported during the inaugural year of the program, the challenges addressed, and the solutions provided to support their goals.
Aishwarya Mulay (MBA’25), Fabiola Gonzalez (MBA’25), Saloni Jain (MBA’25), Simran Dubey (B’26)
The Problem: Peel Haus is a premium aesthetic and medical center located in the heart of Capitol Hill. The center has an ambitious growth strategy but needs more human capital to build a financial growth model, a multichannel brand strategy, and a pricing structure that meets their business objectives.
The Solution/Pitch: The team built a financial model to evaluate Peel Haus’s growth strategy and created a roadmap for maximizing key revenue streams. To address brand challenges, the students implemented a comprehensive brand guide to shape Peel Haus’ brand persona, standardize their brand assets, and develop a tailored digital strategy. They also performed a competitive analysis and customer survey to assess the member pricing structure, which provided the insights necessary to streamline the pricing structure.
Kartik Agarwal (MBA’25), Jinay Deliwala (MBA’25)
The Problem: Sustainable Facilities Management Services (SFMS) is a minority-owned and woman-owned small business operating out of D.C. since 2014. After a decade of steady growth, the founders are looking to scale the company, including developing the operations, systems, and technology needed for this plan.
The Solution/Pitch: Agarwal and Deliwala developed a comprehensive growth strategy for SFMS. They created a framework to monitor financial performance, designed a phased five-year expansion plan to five states, and restructured the organization based on a diagnostic and employee capability assessment. Additionally, they redesigned the company’s website to enhance its brand perception. These strategic initiatives aim to position SFMS for successful scaling, improve internal operations, and support long-term growth while maintaining its commitment to sustainability and quality.
Saloni Jain (MBA’25), Andrew Pagan (B’25)
The Problem: AMAR Group LLC, a small architecture f irm focused on social impact projects, has primarily relied on word-of-mouth for client acquisition. To expand its reach and secure more projects aligned with its mission, AMAR needed a structured marketing and networking strategy.
The Solution/Pitch: Jain and Pagan developed a targeted marketing strategy to identify key client segments, including local developers and nonprofits. They recommended a website overhaul to better showcase AMAR’s portfolio and created structured outreach materials to enhance networking. To boost brand recognition, they identified industry awards and affiliations and suggested hiring a marketing intern to support long-term efforts.
This story was originally featured in the Georgetown Business Spring 2025 Magazine. Download the Georgetown Business Audio app to listen to the stories and access other bonus content.