Five founders find clarity — and community — during West Valley business lab

As small businesses navigate growth, staffing pressures, and emerging technologies, five owners reflect on the value of stepping back to think out loud with academics and peers.

When Debbie George began worrying about how to scale her custom cookie business without losing the personal touch that made it successful, she didn't turn to a consultant or a venture capitalist. Instead, she sat down with professors, students, and fellow entrepreneurs — and laid her company's challenges bare.

George was one of five local business owners who participated in W. P. Carey's Small and Medium-sized Business (SMB) Lab during the fall 2025 semester. It brought together founders from Cookie Mill, Olivine Salon, Cosic Transportation and Logistics, WayLucid, and Ridge Valley Co. for two sessions focused on solving real-world operational challenges through collaboration with academic and industry experts.

Gopalakrishnan Mohan, senior associate dean of faculty and director of the School of Technology, Innovation and Entrepreneurship (TIE), and Hitendra Chaturvedi, supply chain management professor of practice, created the lab in 2022. Housed within TIE's Center for Small and Medium-sized Businesses (CSMB) on ASU's West Valley campus, the lab creates an ecosystem for small businesses across the Valley by bringing together ASU faculty, students, business leaders, economic development professionals, and Southwest Valley Chamber of Commerce (SWVCC) members.

"The SMB Lab session was hands-on, inspiring, and honestly a breath of fresh air," says George, founder and chief visionary officer at the custom sugar cookie marketing company Cookie Mill. "I loved chatting with other Arizona business owners and ASU folks who really understand small business life. Even after just one session, I walked away with useful feedback and fresh motivation to put into Cookie Mill. The sense of community and encouragement made me feel like Cookie Mill had a whole new cheering squad."

For many participants, the lab offered something difficult to find in day-to-day business life: time to step back, articulate challenges, and pressure-test ideas with people outside their organizations.

"The opportunity to discuss challenges and hear solutions was incredibly insightful," says Bobby Cosic, founder and CEO of Cosic Transportation and Logistics. "It gave me perspective on obstacles and highlighted innovative approaches to new technologies and AI tools."

Stephanie Smith, owner of Olivine Salon and its counterpart, Ametrine Salon, joined the lab with a similar mindset.

"I believe more minds are always better, and I value different opinions and expertise," Smith says. "I joined the lab because I welcome constructive feedback and want to keep growing while building the best work environment possible for my team."

George, Cosic, and Smith participated in the first lab of the fall 2025 semester. Each founder presented an overview of their business, sharing their company's strengths, weaknesses, and challenges. Participants then broke into groups to brainstorm potential solutions and identify practical next steps.

The impact was immediate. Smith implemented a 90-day fast-track training module to address assistant onboarding challenges and began exploring management and leadership programs to support team development. George is introducing new technology and automation tools to help scale production for larger branded orders, while also exploring partnerships with other local businesses. Cosic is investigating scalable technology — particularly AI tools — to streamline internal processes and is pursuing alternative funding sources to support sustained growth and innovation.

The second fall session included Brenden Dearie, CEO and founder of WayLucid, a local startup focused on the geospatial gamification and loyalty spaces, and Dylan Thornton, president of the distribution company Ridge Valley Co.

Dearie describes the lab as an invaluable experience, saying he left with more confidence, a clearer vision, and a renewed energy for the team he is building.

"The lab is more than just a program — it felt more like a community," Dearie says. "It's a place where you can be vulnerable about your business challenges and get genuine, insightful feedback without any fluff. The brainstorming session was a highlight for me. It's not every day you get to have your ideas challenged and sharpened by such a diverse group of people."

As an augmented reality solutions provider, WayLucid's greatest challenge is clearly articulating how its technology helps businesses connect with customers in meaningful and innovative ways. During the lab, they also discussed how to present return-on-investment data to potential clients considering new technology.

"We had a great debate about the soul of our user experience," Dearie says. "Should we lean more into the fun of gamification, or the immediate value of deals? The brainstorming session was electric. We walked away with ideas around crafting a more compelling brand story and being radically transparent about our data practices to build real trust with users."

For many of the founders, the most valuable takeaway wasn't a single tactic or tool, but the rare opportunity to think out loud — with people willing to challenge assumptions, ask harder questions, and help sharpen ideas before the next decision.

Learn more about how the SMB Lab supports the Valley's small business ecosystem.