Deakin Business School recently teamed up with e-commerce agency The Hope Factory and platform Shopify, to deliver a transformative workshop for modern eCommerce challenges. 

Hosted at Deakin’s prestigious Downtown campus, the workshop was led by Deakin Professor of Practice Pete Williams and represented a collaborative effort to tackle industry hurdles head on.

A product of a strategic alliance with The Hope Factory, a former client of Deakin’s Business Development Clinic, and eCommerce platform Shopify, the workshop was designed to deliver actionable solutions for eCommerce stakeholders.

Seamlessly merging academic expertise with entrepreneurial acumen, the day’s learning was keenly appreciated by the participating entrepreneurs.

Participant Charley Valher encapsulated its significance: ‘The opportunity to step back from day-to-day operations and focus on strategic growth at Deakin was invaluable. It arrived precisely when our business needed it.’

Small businesses in the e-commerce space often face challenges like dealing with fierce competition, navigating digital marketing, ensuring a seamless customer experience, and coping with the overwhelm of tactics and tools to generate leads and convert customers; and the solutions often come from a return to strategy and business planning.

Professor-of-Practice Pete Williams delved into the ‘7 Levers Framework’, a practical approach to strategy developed especially for small businesses, furnishing attendees with a comprehensive toolkit for sustainable business and profit growth.

More than a theoretical exercise, the session empowered participants to implement these models for immediate and tangible business impact.

Participants were guided through a series of interactive exercises, ensuring they departed with not only newfound knowledge but also a ‘one-page strategic plan’ and actionable insights for applying the 7 Levers Framework to their enterprises.

Deakin Business School is making inroads on its commitment to support small business with cutting edge knowledge.

DBS’s Dr Wade Halvorson outlined its vision: ‘Our primary mission is to equip the next generation of business leaders. But through workshops like this, we can apply academic principles to support real-time business enhancement.’

It just underscores the pivotal role academia can play in driving immediate industry advancement.’

‘And on a personal note,’ he adds, ‘translating our classroom teachings into industry practice is immensely gratifying.’

The synergy between Deakin Business School, The Hope Factory, and Shopify underscores a shared commitment to elevating eCommerce through education.

Andrew Cox of The Hope Factory remarked, ‘Collaborating with Deakin to empower Shopify business owners and the broader eCommerce sector has been a resounding success.’

‘Managing an eComm venture can be daunting, but resources like the 7 Levers Framework and events such as those at Deakin Downtown are invaluable to businesses of all sizes.’

Events like this workshop provide evidence that Deakin is not merely responding to industry demands but proactively anticipating them.

By equipping both students and industry professionals with practical, learning opportunities based in experience, Deakin Business School is delivering on its promise to be a catalyst for innovation and prosperity in the digital marketplace.