Client 2 Case Studies





We would like to showcase case studies grouped in the 4 main industries that participated in the second cohort; Food & Beverage, Personal Services, Retail, and Professional Services

Food & Beverage

Personal Services

Retail

Professional Services

Food & Beverage


Espresso Pizza is a restaurant at Lowell that offers a wide selection of specialty pizza, subs, salads, and dinners

Business & Team Recognition: GROWTH MINDSET

In recognition for opening up an innovative idea to target a different market

COVID-19 Status

  • Espresso Pizza is open and will remain a takeout-only restaurant during COVID-19

Program Highlights

  • Going digital

  • New idea of DIY frozen pizzas

  • Reconnect with customers out of Boston

Next Steps

  • Update website

  • Evaluate the DIY pizzas for special holidays throughout the year

  • Continue with takeout


A worker-owned restaurant with Filipino-American cuisine and cocktails in Union Square

Business & Team Recognition: CREATING NEW EXPERIENCES

In recognition for creating a safe format for Tanam to re-open a patio and a set of at-home experience ideas

COVID-19 Status

  • Tanam used to host one-table communal dinning in the restaurant and will now open for outdoor patio service and pickup

Program Highlights

  • Catering

  • At-home-experience to-go-kits

  • Marketing strategy on “how-to videos”

Next Steps

  • Purchase protective equipment to open patio

  • Individual setting versus communal

  • Evaluate catering model and to-go kits


Cozy, old-school jazz & blues club that hosts nightly performances by students & locals

Business & Team Recognition: ADAPTING NEW BUSINESS MODELS

In recognition for helping Wally’s Café pivot the business to an online model and leveraging their loyal community

COVID-19 Status

  • Wally’s Café has had no choice but to close doors for customers

  • Unable to offer live music or beverages

Program Highlights

  • Live streaming concerts with no in-person audience

  • Selling of merchandise

  • Partnering with other venues

Next Steps

  • Livestream sessions on Facebook/YouTube

  • Connect with network to create brand awareness and brand ambassadors

  • Merchandise sales


Laid-back, cash-only neighborhood joint in Somerville offering beers on tap & live entertainment

Business & Team Recognition: INCRESING LOCAL DEMAND

In recognition for bringing creative ideas on how to attract and generate new demand in the local competitive market

COVID-19 Status

  • Union Tavern used to offer only drinks and live music but have decided to open the outdoor patio

Program Highlights

  • Included Portuguese food

  • New themed entertainment nights

  • Special promotions and seasonal drinks

Next Steps

  • Make journey at the tavern safe

  • Plan for promotions and themed nights

  • Test online ordering via Zuppler


A woman-owned & operated restaurant serving creative, locally-sourced Chinese-American cuisine with a twist

Business & Team Recognition: ACCELERATING IDEAS

In recognition for creating new ideas that were quickly tested and implemented throughout the program

COVID-19 Status

  • Mei Mei will remain closed for in-dinning services but open for takeout and groceries

Program Highlights

  • Hot take-out food bundling

  • Cold food/groceries

  • Delivery/catering

  • Virtual classes (individual and corporate)

Next Steps

  • Test cold food subscription model

  • In-house delivery – test Zippikind

  • Corporate virtual classes

Personal Services


Harry’s Laundromat is a family-owned business located at Dorchester offering coin user, wash & fold, and dry cleaning services

Business & Team Recognition: SAFETY FIRST

In recognition for helping Harry’s Laundromat for putting customers first and focusing on making all existing journeys safe for continuous demand

COVID-19 Status

  • Harry’s Laundromat opened late May and demand remained stable after re-opening during the pandemic

Program Highlights

  • There was an increase in wash & fold service

  • Demand remains stable & loyal clients

  • Safe journey for all stakeholders

Next Steps

  • Purchasing of safe solutions from cost-effective vendors

  • Communicate safe to old and new customers


Sueños Basketball is a non-profit organization providing comprehensive training & guidance as well as academic and moral support for children & youth

Business & Team Recognition: THINKING OUTSIDE-THE- BOX

In recognition for providing new outside-the-box ideas for Suenos Basketball to think of new online opportunities beyond basketball

COVID-19 Status

  • The summer program is open digitally

  • Requested submitted to conduct 1/3 of the program physically

Program Highlights

  • Online model of training and entertaining beyond basketball

  • Guest speakers & student online exercises

  • Video competition and virtual interactions

Next Steps

  • Define if entire program will be virtual

  • Plan online schedule and train coaches

  • Roll out the virtual program


Marvelous Cuts is a sleek barber lounge offering classic cuts, hot-towel shaves, and hair design

Business & Team Recognition: CREATIVE GO-TO-MARKET

In recognition for providing new creative go-to-market ideas for the new location on how to attract demand, build customer loyalty, and remain competitive

COVID-19 Status

  • The original location in Brockton remained open and they opened a brand new location in Boston on July 2nd

Program Highlights

  • Local partnerships

  • Art weekends, barber nights

  • Website content and live broadcasts

  • Loyal customer benefits and cards

Next Steps

  • Open new store with safe journeys

  • Go-to-market plan defined for new location

  • Create online content to promote it

Retail


Intriguing Hair is a one-stop solution offering high quality hair extensions and wigs, as well as custom coloring and installation

Business & Team Recognition: PATH FINDERS

In recognition for creating a safe format for Intriguing Hair to re-open in phases while making employees feel safe

COVID-19 Status

  • Intriguing Hair was forced to close and experienced a 70% decrease in revenues

Program Highlights

  • Employees no longer scared to return to work

  • Opening in phases – online sales first, light version of services next, and then full services

Next Steps

  • Communicate re-opening plan to customers

  • Update website with pre-booking COVID survey

  • Re-open physical store in July


Stop & Compare Markets is a family-owned and operated neighborhood supermarket, founded in 1996 by immigrants from Cuba

Business & Team Recognition: MAKING IT REAL

In recognition for proposing an actionable plan with short-term solutions to make business safe and long-term solutions to make it more efficient

COVID-19 Status

  • Remained open and experienced an increase in demand

Program Highlights

  • Team provided real-time solutions to make the business safe with long term solutions to improve efficiency and safety while managing increased demand

Next Steps

  • Decide which short-term solutions to implement first

  • Explore feasibility of developing online ordering


Tails Inc. is a family-owned and operated doggy daycare that offers daycare, boarding, walking, home visits, and products to pet owners in Boston

Business & Team Recognition: NEW APPROACH TO MARKET

In recognition for bringing new ideas to capture the lost demand and build offerings to engage with loyal customer base

COVID-19 Status

  • Tails was forced to close due to COVID

  • They re-opened at the end of May but have only experienced 30% of demand

Program Highlights

  • Re-opened the business

  • Leveraging loyal customer base

  • Targeting new audience

Next Steps

  • Update website

  • Explore Doggy Happy Hour option to attract new target market


As a member of America’s Food Basket LLC, Austin Morda is co-owner of two stores located in Mattapan and Randolph

Business & Team Recognition: MODERNIZING THE BUSINESS

In recognition for exploring an online ordering option to reduce foot traffic and improve safety

COVID-19 Status

  • Remained open and experienced an increase in demand

Program Highlights

  • Considering investments in digital tools to stimulate demand and limit in-store traffic, such as online pre-orders and pick-up

Next Steps

  • Explore implementation of online pre-orders

  • Communicate changes to staff and customers

Professional Services


Include Innovation is a digital design and development agency that helps social impact organizations tell their stories digitally

Business & Team Recognition: PIVOTING THE BUSINESS

Include Innovation received an actionable plan to create a digital accelerator to help local businesses transition from offline to online business models

COVID-19 Status:

  • Transitioned online to make business safe

  • 70% of pre-COVID revenues came from in-person events and interactions

Program Highlights

  • Committed to creating a digital accelerator to service minority-owned businesses in Boston

Next Steps

  • Finalize offerings and modules

  • Secure partnerships with both social impact and economic development organizations


Kornegay Kapital offers a variety of products to meet several needs such as, college funding, retirement, managing costs, and lifetime income strategies

Business & Team Recognition: STANDING TALL ONLINE

In recognition for uncovering the path for Rodney to move his personal brand and business online

COVID-19 Status:

  • Transitioned to digital to make business safe

  • Rodney easily stands out in-person, but is struggling to transition personal brand and business online

Program Highlights

  • Implemented a digital scheduler

  • Created first FAQ video session for clients

Next Steps

  • Create regular content schedule

  • Update website to reflect personal brand

  • Take business 100% online


Synergy Contracting in a union signatory that specializes in environmental remediation, demolition, and post-construction clean-up

Business & Team Recognition: ADOPTING NEW BUSINESS MODEL

In recognition for helping Jeysi identify a new service offering to pursue during COVID-19 using existing resources

COVID-19 Status:

  • Transitioned to digital to make business safe

  • Unable to conduct business until the state allows non-emergency construction

Program Highlights

  • Pivoting to offer COVID-specific commercial cleaning in offices and buildings

  • Created and distributed brochure with new value proposition & service

Next Steps

  • Continue distributing brochure

  • Secure first customer for commercial cleaning