The client offers a fantastic and thoughtfully created product and was receptive to team recommendations for process improvement.

Working with AumOui on their Supply Chain Optimization and Scaling Strategy was a great learning experience. I contributed to analyzing supply chain inefficiencies, improving inventory planning, and developing strategies for scalable operations. The team was supportive and collaborative, allowing me to apply my skills in a practical, results-focused environment.

So responsive and approachable. Thank you for a great opportunity.

My students loved collaborating with Valerie and helping her develop ideas for a marketing strategy that is both practical and sustainable. I also truly appreciate that she was willing to carve out time to meet with students given the demands of her business. Several of the students are interested in starting a business in the beauty and wellness industry and this was an excellent opportunity for them to learn about it firsthand.

I was satisfied with the experience and it was nice to have the opportunity to work with the team.

Valerie is passionate about her business but there was a lack of guidance and direction of what she wanted us to do. Once we established our deliverables on what she wanted us to complete it was great working with her. I hope the best for her business!

Overall, it was fun to work with you. I think that despite the rough starting we were able to achieve some of the benchmarks we had set at the beginning of the semester.

Thanks for providing the opportunities for my students to apply theories and methods in supply chain management to the real world. This is a great collaboration between us.

We truly appreciate the incredible support and collaboration from Valerie throughout the project. She was consistently responsive, engaged, and went above and beyond to support our students. Her willingness to meet with them, provide constructive feedback, and guide them through real-world challenges created a highly enriching learning experience. The students not only gained valuable industry insights but also felt encouraged and motivated by her approachable and professional demeanor. It was a pleasure working with her, and we look forward to future opportunities for collaboration.

I was originally very excited and eager to begin the project, but out of the 6 Riipen projects I have successfully completed, this was the only experience that left me disappointed and ultimately disheartened. The work itself was interesting, and I believe that I met the deliverables in a high manner and enjoyed doing so, but instructions were often very unclear and vague, mostly given verbally (seemingly on the spot) in an open-ended manner. This lack of clarity led to some miscommunications and misunderstandings, necessitating additional work on my part. Much of our scheduled mentorship time was spent with me explaining functionalities of social media platforms rather than receiving guidance and feedback. Furthermore, it was communicated that these extensive meetings (6 hours total) would not be considered part of hours worked, which is against Riipen policies. Additionally, there were inconsistencies in respecting time commitments. Valerie was notably late for two of our five meetings—15 and 30 minutes, respectively—without offering an apology. I normally would not mind, but this was particularly disappointing as she had previously insisted on strict adherence to scheduled times from my end, emphasizing the need to 'respect her schedule’. Professionalism during our meetings could also have been improved. Often, Valerie was engaged in personal activities such as cooking or having side conversations. Moreover, I was required to use (and find) my own resources for completing deliverables due to a lack of access to necessary software or platforms, also against Riipen policies. While I am always committed to supporting small businesses and adaptable to various management styles, the lack of professional conduct and structured guidance in this project was challenging. Despite these issues, I remain grateful for the learning opportunity and hope that this feedback will contribute to improving future collaborations.

Working with Valerie has been a pleasure, and I am happy to be able to continue the relationship while AumOui grows! She is communicative, creative, and ambitious to create something amazing. She is openly willing to provide information and help when needed, and is overall a great person to work with!

Working with for AumOui was a pleasure! Valerie is communicative, accommodating, and very flexible. Working with Valerie feels like working with a friend and working on her business processes side by side really gave me insight into what goes into a small business. I was not only able to expand my skills and capabilities and learn new things, but also contribute to AumOui. Amazing experience overall and would recommend to everyone!

Easy to work with, clear communication and expectations, valuable experience for students. Thanks Valerie!