Lead High-Impact Consulting Workstreams
As part of QXLconsult, the Questrom Consulting Lab connects motivated student consultants with real client projects under the guidance of industry-seasoned faculty.
Through live client engagement, students move beyond theoretical strategy to ask sharper questions, navigate real constraints, and see their recommendations make an impact before they graduate.
Every year, students participating in the Questrom Consulting Lab work with a wide range of organizations from large corporations to start-ups and municipalities to nonprofits. Students contribute to high-caliber consulting work grounded in AI, analytics, and market intelligence. Guided by experienced faculty, student teams tackle real business challenges, build strategic recommendations, and see how their ideas can create value for industry partners. Explore the example projects below to see the kinds of work students can help lead.
The Questrom Consulting team focused on growing LG.com sales through competitive research, UX, and digital marketing analytics to drive online conversion rates.
We worked with Movado to drive gross margin improvement. Working with large data sets, the team developed predictive product pricing and cost estimation models.
We partnered with Pizzeria Uno to revitalize their brand through a comprehensive digital marketing program with a focus on driving awareness and engagement among younger consumers.
Orange Moldova engaged Questrom Consulting to study service monetization, improve UX to drive diaspora engagement, optimize channel mix and strengthen brand positioning.
The SharkNinja AI & Analytics Lab
In partnership with SharkNinja, the Questrom Consulting Lab applies advanced analytics, artificial intelligence, and business insight generation to strategic business priorities. Graduate students work with faculty advisors and Lab leadership to design and deliver AI-driven, data-powered solutions for a fast-moving global consumer products company.
The Sikich Intelligence Engine
The Lab is developing a scalable private LLM to help professional services teams access client intelligence, industry best practices, and operational insights faster. The project gives students hands-on exposure to AI-enabled consulting and intelligent delivery models across life sciences, insurance, and professional services.
Terumo BCT
The Lab is helping Terumo BCT understand the therapeutic market across Africa, where unmet clinical needs remain significant. Students contribute to rigorous market research tied to advanced therapies for conditions such as sickle cell disease, Guillain-Barré syndrome, myasthenia gravis, and thrombotic thrombocytopenic purpura.
As part of QXLconsult, Questrom Consulting Lab students deliver rigorous solutions to companies both small and local, and large and world renowned. For partnerships beyond the Questrom Consulting Lab, find more QXLconsult examples below.
Student Consultant Voices
For many students, the Consulting Lab becomes one of the most practical parts of their Questrom experience. It gives them a way to test classroom learning in a real consulting environment, build confidence with client-facing work, and develop stories they can carry into interviews, internships, and full-time roles.
“Working with an actual client meant dealing with ambiguity, evolving feedback, and real constraints, not just solving a clean problem with a clear answer.
What I found most compelling about the client-based format was how much responsibility it placed on us as students. We had to listen carefully to the client, interpret feedback that was sometimes vague or emotional, and turn it into thoughtful, actionable recommendations.”
“The Questrom Consulting Lab was the best place to apply everything I learned in the classroom while solving diverse, real-world business challenges. Every project pushed me to deliver my best and helped unlock my full potential.
What made the experience even more impactful was the mentorship from Professor Howard and the incredible Questrom Consulting Lab team, especially Sandy, who supported us every step of the way. It was truly one of the most valuable parts of my BU journey.”
“Working with Questrom Consulting Lab was the perfect complement to classroom learning. Not only did I have the opportunity to put my academic lessons (such as those from Digital Marketing Analytics) into practice for real clients, but I also strengthened the necessary soft skills (such as running client check-ins with the CEO and CMO).
While the stakes may have been high, I always felt supported and empowered by the guidance of the professors and administrative team. I frequently referred back to these experiences in job interviews and, ultimately, I would not have landed my job had it not been for Questrom Consulting Lab.”
“I recently joined Tiger Analytics, an analytics consulting firm, and I’m currently working with Discover Financial Services (client). As I reflect on my MBA journey, I’m grateful for the opportunity to work with the Questrom Consulting Lab and the guidance you provided along the way.”
Meet the Faculty Leads
Peter Howard
Executive Director
- Professor of the Practice
- Over 35 years global consuting and executive experience
- MBA in Marketing and Finance, University of Chicago
Julie Kurd
Engagement Lead
- Lecturer in Marketing
- Fractional CCO, Intuify
- 20+ years consuting experience
- MBA, Boston University
Brock Tibert
Engagement Lead
- Senior Lecturer, Information Systems
- 20 years of experience in data-driven product leadership
- M.S. in Finance and B.A. in Economics, Clark University.
Ben Lubin
Engagement Lead
- Professor, Information Systems
- Director, Masters in Digital Technology Program
- 10 years industry experience as a CTO and Engineer
- PhD, Computer Science, Harvard University
Ready to take on real consulting work?
Could your organization use fresh insight on a complex business challenge?
Reach out to the Center for Action Learning to be considered for a Questrom Consulting Lab client project.