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In a crowded job market, many students struggle to answer the question: “What real value can I bring?”

At the same time, local organizations, nonprofits, businesses, and leaders face real challenges but often lack the resources to access strategic support.

What if both problems could be solved together?

That’s exactly what the BE-EDGE Consult-a-thon was built for. It’s not a competition. It’s not a classroom exercise. It’s a living bridge between global talents and community need.

The Consult-a-thon in Action

Over the 2 intensive weekend, students will step into the role of consultants. They meet with local business owners and community leaders who are facing tough, often urgent challenges — from growing a nonprofit’s reach to helping a restaurant bounce back post-pandemic.

Each student team chooses a project that aligns with what matters to them personally. They go deep — researching, strategizing, and building a prototype or plan that can be implemented immediately. And they don’t stop at recommendations. They pitch their solutions directly to the clients, take feedback, and often follow through.

For Students: The Future of Work Starts Here

The future doesn’t belong to those who simply have degrees. It belongs to those who can solve real problems, adapt fast, and communicate their value clearly.

BE-EDGE’s Consult-a-thon gives participants exactly that:

• Real stakes: They work on live cases, not hypotheticals.
• Real skills: Research, design thinking, teamwork, and communication.
• Real impact: Clients walk away with something they can actually use.
• Real relationships: Many students gain internships, long-term connections, and career references from the experience.

It’s career prep with soul and substance.

For Communities & Partners: Access to Global Talent That Cares

Every organization that joins as a Case Client brings a genuine challenge and leaves with new possibilities.

Whether it’s a community development office or a family-run food business, partners get:

• Fresh eyes and new thinking from globally diverse student teams
• A tailored action plan — whether it’s a marketing strategy, financial prototype, or user experience redesign
• Energized partnership: Many choose to continue working with students after the Consult-a-thon ends

This isn’t charity. It’s collaboration.

Why This Model Works

The magic of the Consult-a-thon isn’t just in the results. It’s in the mindset it cultivates.

• Students start seeing themselves as creators of value, not just job seekers.
• Organizations start viewing young talent as collaborators, not just interns.
• Everyone walks away with clarity, confidence, and often, a renewed sense of purpose.

This Is What The Future of Work Looks Like

It’s human-centered. It’s impact-oriented. And it’s already happening — right here at BE-EDGE.

If you’re ready to turn learning into action, talent into transformation, and connection into real community impact…

Join the next BE-EDGE Consult-a-thon You won’t just gain experience you’ll make one.

Want to Become a Partner Organization?

Whether you’re a nonprofit, a community group, or a small business — if you have a meaningful challenge and are open to collaborating with bright, purpose-driven talent, we’d love to work with you.

Partner with us here and become part of the next BE-EDGE Consult-a-thon.

Your Experience Matters More Than You Think

At BE-EDGE, we believe that everyone is a problem-solver—not just consultants. Whether you’ve led a team, managed a home, fixed complex business issues, or guided others through personal growth, your lived experience holds value.

That’s the idea behind our newest program:
Level 3 of Becoming a Case Consultant (BCC) Masters

This course helps people who are skilled in something—anything—to turn that knowledge into a structured, practical course that solves real problems for others. No consulting background? No problem. No fancy tech skills? We’ve got you covered.

You Don’t Need to Be a Teacher to Teach

Many hesitate to share what they know because they’re not “educators.” But you don’t have to be. BCC Masters guides you to:

• Identify a real-world problem you’ve solved

• Turn your process and insight into a story others can learn from

• Create a micro-course with easy step-by-step coaching

You’ll get clear instructions, templates, and support—so you never feel lost or overwhelmed. If you can talk someone through how you solved something, you’re already more than halfway there.

And the best part? You’ll be helping others while building something of your own.

Make a Difference with Your Voice—Start Today

Becoming a Case Consultant through BCC Masters is about more than just making a course—it’s about sharing your voice to help others grow. If you’ve ever thought, “I wish someone had told me this sooner,” this is your chance to be that person for someone else.

Ready to begin your journey?

Learn more and apply here

Still unsure or want to talk it through with someone first?
We’re happy to help—contact us here and we’ll guide you step by step.

You don’t need to be perfect. You just need to start.
And we’ll walk with you the rest of the way.

Employers Are Dropping Degree Requirements—in Favor of Demonstrated Skills

A recent feature in The Times highlights a global trend: companies like IBM, Google, Accenture, Kellogg’s, and Siemens are eliminating degree requirements, focusing instead on practical competence and portfolio work. Between 2021 to 2024, LinkedIn reported a 14.2% increase in job postings not requiring degrees, and nearly half of UK employers no longer view degrees as essential.

In the UK, Neal Clifford, CEO of Kurt Geiger chose to scrap degree requirements altogether, saying “it takes away the paper ceiling” and allows talented candidates to shine based on real-world ability, not academic pedigree.Read more

We’ve reached the second and final weekend of the 2025 BE‑EDGE Consult‑a‑thon, and something truly special is unfolding. Over the past week, four teams of emerging consultants have partnered with local organizations to tackle real-world challenges—and now, they’re preparing to deliver their final presentations.

This is more than a simulation. It’s consulting in action, guided by the BE‑EDGE method, and grounded in one of its most powerful principles: Excite with Impact.

Why this matters — Excite with Impact

The last step of the BE‑EDGE method, “E” for Excite, is all about delivering ideas that spark change and doing so with impact.

That means creating strategies that don’t just look good on paper, but that truly matter to clients and their communities. It means helping local organizations grow stronger while showcasing your voice, your value, and your consulting skillset.

Our participants are doing just that, contributing to local progress and proving their capability as problem-solvers in the real world.

This is consulting with head and heart. Strategy and service. Learning and leadership.

What’s happening this weekend?

• Four local organizations – each with a pressing challenge will receive strategic consulting presentations from their assigned teams.

• Each team of four consultants has spent the past week researching, problem-solving, and refining their solutions with input from mentors and stakeholders.

• This weekend, it all comes together as they present their final recommendations, ready to hand over fresh, practical, and community-conscious strategies.

Real teams. Real issues. Real impact.

Here’s a glimpse at what these talented consultants have been working on:

Team Greater Ashmont Main Street – Jacob, Krisha, Timothy, Gaethan

Team Hyde Park Main Street – Ajay, Kevin, Bilguissa, Liza

Team Greater Grove Hall Main Street – Jack, Eldar, Lin, Philip

Team JP Centre/South Main Street – Jasper, Arjav, Tracy, William

In every case, the consulting teams are not just analyzing problems—they’re helping organizations evolve, thrive, and better serve their missions.

What they gain and give

The beauty of the BE-EDGE Consult‑a‑thon lies in its dual impact:

• For participants: Hands-on consulting experience, confidence in their voice, and a clear demonstration of their value to future employers or clients.

• For organizations: Insightful strategies, fresh perspectives, and the momentum to move forward with clarity and purpose.

• For the community: Stronger local ecosystems, more resilient service providers, and a reminder that real change often begins with collaboration.

To our participants, client partners, mentors, and supporters, thank you for being part of something that is intellectually challenging, emotionally rewarding, and socially meaningful.

As our teams prepare to present this weekend, we celebrate more than just solutions. We celebrate the spirit of Exciting with Impact, of using our skills not only to solve problems, but to uplift people, strengthen communities, and grow as purposeful professionals.

Let’s keep building futures with strategy, empathy, and a whole lot of heart.

The first-ever International “Making Your Consulting Case” (MYCC) 2025 competition wrapped up in Kelowna, BC, spotlighting the next generation of global case consultants. Hosted in this vibrant Canadian city, the event brought together innovative minds from around the world to present real-world strategy cases.

After a series of rigorous presentations and impressive insights, the winners of MYCC 2025 have been announced:

First Place

Iryna Colon
Case: NOVA POSHTA: Expansion into West Europe

Second Place

Jack Jamroz
Case: KYIVSTAR: A Telecommunications Company in the Face of an Invasion

Third Place

Katelyn Guevara
Case: I Did It My Way: Pacific Air’s Journey in Management

Honorable Mentions

Vanessa Kwakye
Case: ALLY PHARMACY: Providing Reliable Healthcare Solutions Across Africa

Julia Adrian
Case: DTEK Renewables – International Extension

Congratulations to all participants for their strategic thinking, bold ideas, and commitment to delivering value. The 2025 MYCC competition has once again proven the power of case consulting to drive meaningful impact in a global marketplace.

Stay tuned for what’s next at BE-EDGE. 

Want to practice your consulting skills while waiting for the next MYCC?

Take our free course on Making Your Consulting Case (MYCC) and start making an impact.

On March 20, 2025, Dr. Julia Ivy will take the stage as a keynote speaker at the Western Casewriters Association 2025 Conference, sharing her expertise on how consulting cases can transform employability. In her talk, Dr. Ivy will explore how career changers and students can use consulting cases to sharpen skills, boost their marketability, and create meaningful professional connections.

Her innovative approach offers practical strategies for leveraging real-world cases to stand out in competitive job markets. Don’t miss the chance to learn from one of the leading voices in employability strategy! Stay tuned for more updates as Dr. Ivy prepares to share her insights at the WCA 2025 Conference!