While much media hype continues to focus on "launching" new ventures, real value is created in actually "growing" them. The Growth Strategy Practicum course is targeted at students who wish to develop their business execution skills by working on a real-life project with a growth-stage enterprise, putting their knowledge and skills to work to benefit an existing business. The course will be especially beneficial to students who aspire to:

• Join a fast-growing enterprise in a senior management role
• Acquire an existing business with a view toward rapid enterprise value growth
• Execute growth initiatives in the context of a family-owned business

Student teams will be assigned to strategically-important projects with Chicago-area companies and will work with guidance from faculty and selected mentors. Teams will meet with their clients three times (during class sessions) for collaboration, presentation, and feedback. Other class sessions will be devoted to exploration of topics relevant to running a growing business, including strategy, finance, marketing, and team building.