This program focuses on the product creation calendar starting from consumer/market research all the way to a global and domestic go-to-market plan. We are assigned teams of 5-6 people and are tasked with applying what we learn in class, to a real life example in the sport and outdoor industry throughout the entire 18-month program. This is to emulate the industry standard of an 18-month product creation calendar.

 

We begin by researching different markets within the sport/outdoor world and get to know the consumers and what their needs are. Based on that information, we select a problem that needs to be solved that hasn't been done before, or that hasn't been done well enough. Following the process of nailing down our insights, we then design and develop our product and produce our technical package for our product. We then pass on our technical package to factories the program has a good relationship with, or factories that we met on our abroad trip to Munich, Germany for ISPO and made a connection with. We then get to fully be immersed in the process that is global communication with factories to receive samples of our product. Finally, we develop go-to-market plans for not only our domestic markets, but also our international market and what that may look like in terms of strategy on how to enter a global market that is very different compared to the US market. At the end of the program, we pitch our entire business to potential investors and have the opportunity to follow through and bring it to the marketplace.