MBA Students Bring Data-Driven Strategies to Local Businesses
ALBANY, N.Y. (May 5, 2026) — In a Massry School of Business MBA course this semester, students are working directly with local organizations to solve real marketing challenges, developing strategies grounded in research, industry insight and real-time collaboration.
Under the direction of Associate Professor of Marketing Aleksandra Kovacheva, student teams have partnered with organizations ranging from fin — your fishmonger to the Times Union, Bast Hatfield Construction and the UAlbany men’s basketball team, tackling projects focused on brand growth, audience engagement and strategic positioning.
From classroom to client work
For a pair of teams, that work took shape at fin — your fishmonger, a Guilderland seafood market and restaurant built on sustainably sourced seafood and strong community roots. Each group took on a distinct challenge: one focused on attracting new customers, the other on strengthening engagement with existing ones.
Martyna Boczar, a marketing MBA student from Queensbury, helped develop a brand identity strategy and social media plan.
“With fin, my group's challenge was to deliver actionable insights into how they can acquire new customers,” she said. “We created a marketing strategy for a small business, which reflects what I see for a potential career path.”
Carson Leombrone, from Binghamton, said working directly with business owners added another level of responsibility.
“We are working with a real business where we have met with the owners, got to know their business plan and find out where they want to be as a brand,” he said.
Ryan Tomchik of Valatie said the hands-on nature of the project stood out.
“This class really gave me the experience and confidence needed to work in the role of a marketer,” he said. “It was different because we were working with a real client and developing solutions that could actually be used.”
At fin, co-owner Erika Thompson said the students took a thoughtful and collaborative approach to understanding the business before offering solutions.
“They came to the shop, asked thoughtful questions and made a clear effort to align their ideas with our vision,” she said. “That level of listening and collaboration made their recommendations feel much more relevant and actionable.”
Thompson said the students’ outside perspective helped the business step back and think more intentionally about how it communicates with customers and continues to grow.
Learning through real-world experience
“There is no textbook or step-by-step roadmap in this course — and that’s intentional,” said Kovacheva. “Students have to navigate real marketing challenges, make decisions and develop solutions for actual clients. That kind of experience-driven learning is what stays with them beyond the classroom.”
Other student teams carried that same approach into projects across different industries, tailoring their strategies to each organization’s audience and goals.
Maddy Goodwin, of Waverly, worked with Bast Hatfield Construction as the company refines its brand and shifts toward private-sector clients.
“The research, recommendations and presentations weren’t graded — they were going to sit in front of an actual client who would use them to make real decisions,” she said. “There is no answer key for that.”
Caleb Sapp, originally from Islip, partnered with the Times Union to explore new ways to reach younger audiences and develop digital products.
“I started to see how successful products are built around specific information gaps and daily habits,” he said. “That changed how I think about marketing and strategy.”
Students said the experience helped them better understand how to apply classroom concepts in professional settings while building skills in communication, collaboration and strategic thinking.