Partner Name: Center for Business Analytics
Website: https://paulcollege.unh.edu/center-business-analytics
Industry: Technology/Analytics
Location: Durham, NH
Tell us about the Center for Business Analytics – What is your Mission?
The primary goal of the Center for Business Analytics is to empower businesses that want to become more data driven. Organizations have more access to data than ever before, but around 95% of companies admit to feeling held back by their inability to use and understand this data in a meaningful way.
As the world becomes more and more data-centric, more and more companies are falling behind.
For many, words like data and analytics are just buzzwords, abstract and therefore often perceived as inaccessible. Despite best intentions, many businesses don’t know where to start when thinking about analytics in the context of their operations.
The Center helps businesses take charge of their own data strategy. First, businesses need to learn how and why to collect data. Second, businesses need to learn how to interpret that data, and then they need to use it to make better future decisions. The CBA is here to help them discover, learn, and manage that process.
How does The Center for Business Analytics help New Hampshire businesses?
It’s been said that “data is the great equalizer,” but let’s face it: most businesses don’t have the time or the resources to compete with larger organizations in this arena, and are subsequently at a competitive disadvantage—a disadvantage that will only accelerate as reliance on analytics accelerates.
The Center wants to help organizations level the playing field, so to speak, by partnering with businesses to help them leverage their own data.
One big advantage of working with the Center for Business Analytics is we can connect them with the larger resources of the University of New Hampshire, including faculty on the cutting-edge of research and industry, and highly trained students who can help support analytical processes and real-world business problems.
There is an incredible amount of knowledge on the UNH campus, not to mention state-of-the-art technology and constant innovation. These powerful resources might otherwise be inaccessible for many small and mid-size organizations, and New Hampshire businesses should benefit from these resources.
How does the Center for Business Analytics partner with the NH Small Business Development Center?
The Center for Business Analytics works with the NH SBDC in support of clients who are looking to solve an analytics-related business problem, or who simply want to become more proactive when it comes to using their own data. NH SBDC advisors like Ed Miles and Julie Glosner have introduced us to numerous clients whom we’ve supported in a variety of ways: market research, competitive analyses, database management, and more. Together, the NH SBDC and the Center for Business Analytics are focused on supporting small businesses by providing resources that will help them grow and become more competitive.
We feel very fortunate to work alongside the SBDC; it is an exemplar of the power of advocating for small businesses. Its team of professional business advisors provides customized expertise and advising at no charge. In 2021, they served more than 4000 entrepreneurs in the Granite State, with a total economic impact estimated at around $196 million. It’s easy to skim over statistics, so we’re going to repeat them: 4,000 entrepreneurs and $196 million in economic impact in New Hampshire – they are staggering, especially given the context of Covid-19.
Tell us more about how business owners can engage with the Center for Business Analytics?
There are many ways to engage with us, both formally and informally, and the list of opportunities continues to grow. Do you have an analytics project you need help with? We’ll connect you with students looking to gain more real-world experience. Looking to recruit highly skilled students for a career or an internship? The Center works closely with the team at Career & Professional Success. Want to further your education? We’ll connect you with information on our academic offerings, such as the MS-Business Analytics or the flexible MBA. We also offer numerous networking opportunities throughout the year. Building a community with business owners is important to us; we’d love to talk!