Newberry College business students Jomar Lugo, Brayden Gilson, Harlan Faircloth and Anna Hapner gained real-world knowledge through a consulting partnership with Voodoo Brewing Company, which will soon be opening a location in Newberry.
Courtesy photo
NEWBERRY — This spring semester, upper-level business students Jomar Lugo, Brayden Gilson, Harlan Faircloth, and Anna Hapner gained real-world experience through a consulting partnership with Voodoo Brewing Company. The brewery, which is currently renovating its future Newberry location, tasked students with addressing a series of business challenges critical to its local launch.
Working in teams of four to five, students acted as consultants, applying research, strategic thinking, and problem-solving skills to develop actionable recommendations. The project culminated in formal presentations and final reports delivered to Voodoo Brewing representatives at the end of the semester.
“This was an incredible opportunity for our students to bridge classroom theory with practical application,” said Dr. Carl Wells, professor of business at Newberry College. “They gained firsthand experience working with a growing business while also contributing to the success of an exciting new venture in our community.”
Voodoo Brewing Company outlined five key focus areas for the student teams to explore:
Consumer Behavior and Trends – Analyzing consumer demographics, psychographics, and purchasing behaviors.
Customer Acquisition and Loyalty – Developing strategies to attract and retain customers, including loyalty programs and inclusive experiences.
Employee Retention – Exploring workplace culture, compensation, and professional development.
Financial Analysis and Side Benefits – Examining cost structures, forecasting methods, and the financial impact of adaptive reuse of the historic facility.
Marketing Strategies – Recommending tactics for social media, local partnerships, and event-based marketing.
The project, structured in five stages, began with an initiation phase in late January and concluded in mid-May with final presentations:
Initiation Phase (Jan. 27–Feb. 3): Students met with Voodoo representatives and prepared an initiation paper.
Problem Framing Phase (Feb. 10–17): Teams drafted and submitted problem statements and objectives.
Research and Analysis Phase (Feb. 17–Mar. 30): Students conducted and summarized research on assigned topics.
Testing and Ideation Phase (Apr. 7–14): Proposed solutions were tested and developed into detailed proposals.
Presentation and Final Submission Phase (Apr. 28–May 13): Final recommendations were presented to Voodoo Brewing.
The initiative underscored Newberry College’s commitment to experiential learning by immersing students in meaningful, hands-on projects with community impact.
“We were genuinely impressed by the students’ professionalism, depth of analysis, and thoughtful recommendations,” said Kevin Rekiel, owner of Voodoo Brewing Company. “It was clear they dedicated significant time and effort, and we’re already looking at ways to incorporate their insights into our business. Collaborating with Newberry College has been both refreshing and inspiring—we’re excited to support more partnerships like this in the future.”
Throughout the semester, Voodoo Brewing Company engaged closely with the student teams, providing real-world context and feedback as they refined their consulting proposals. The collaboration not only enriched student learning but also yielded actionable strategies for the company as it prepares to open its Newberry location.