I was somewhat underwhelmed by McMaster Universities CE program. We were (as an org) very excited when chosen by them, to have a set of business students help us verify a hypothesis. However, after the initial Professor (who selected us) was unable to deliver the course - it seemed our selection was 'somewhat contingent' on the students choosing us for their project. Which thankfully, they did. What was somewhat underwhelming was how 'disconnected' the instruction was from the organizations involved (outside of the Students). We had NO response from the instructor - when we relayed to the student/team that the regular on-cadence meetings were not 'occurring', nor did we have any reach-out from the instructor on our inputs, or feedback provided - e.g., based on the draft proposal that was provided to us (approximately 4 weeks prior-to final submission). While I believe the students did their best - it wasn't clear how much input or guidance they were getting from the instructor. This, based on the interaction and work-product received.

The Riipen partnership with the Marketing 101 course at McMaster was rewarding for us here at Paqt and helped to give us a good perspective about how students view the market appeal of our service. The instructor Chris was very clear at the outset about the project expectations and setting the groundwork well for working with the student team. This was a pleasant and gainful experience and we would certainly sign up for other McMaster Riipen courses in the future.

This group developed an VERY thorough report covering every aspect as detailed in their course description. They researched the overall market as well as my local competition and offered various strategies to grow on all levels, including a list of resources they used in their research. I am extremely grateful and satisfied!

Excited participants expanding their knowledge and experience. Very hands-on. Our report contained important information to help us move forward but there was still the impression that social media is the be-all and the end-all. It can be very effective if there is in-depth knowledge on the methods of participation. But not all products can just be posted. Some products fall under more regulations thus e-commerce is restricted until regulations are met, thus understanding regulations is key to understanding how to market. Marketing is not a one-size-fits-all. Our experience is to measure the suggestions and ensure that they have been well researched.