DATE
11/01/2023
Shared Success Through Scalable Services
A nonprofit organization dedicated to empowering Black-owned businesses in the Greater Madison area through advocacy, networking, and business development resources.
Nonprofit
Systems & Infrastructure
Website Development & Management
Execution & Delivery
Marketing Strategy
Digital Marketing Execution
Services
Systems & Infrastructure
Category
Nonprofit
Client
Madison Black Chamber of Commerce (MBCC)
Analysis
The Shared Services Program was designed to help accelerator graduates access professional business services that are typically out of reach for small businesses. While many participants had strong products and services, they often lacked branding, websites, marketing strategies, and digital infrastructure needed to grow sustainably.
The challenge was not talent or demand.
The challenge was access to professional services and structured business support.
Through the Shared Services Program, Adapt served as a key implementation partner, delivering marketing and digital infrastructure services to accelerator participants and helping transition businesses from informal operations to more professional, growth-oriented companies.
Over the course of the program, Adapt provided more than 200 hours of specialized support across 60+ individual projects, supporting businesses across multiple industries and stages of growth.
Problem
Many businesses within the Madison Black Chamber of Commerce network faced similar structural challenges:
No website or digital presence
No brand identity or professional marketing materials
No clear marketing strategy or growth plan
Informal operations and inconsistent messaging
DIY logos, websites, or no digital presence at all
At a broader level, the Chamber was trying to solve a larger economic development challenge:
Improve business sustainability
Support revenue growth
Professionalize small businesses
Strengthen the overall business ecosystem
However, most small businesses could not afford high-level marketing, branding, or website services on their own.
The Chamber needed a scalable way to provide professional services to many businesses without hiring full-time internal staff.
Solution
Solution
Adapt functioned as a primary marketing and digital services provider within the Shared Services Program, delivering structured services and consulting to accelerator participants.
Businesses received subsidized service packages funded through the program, allowing them to access professional services that would normally cost significantly more.
1. Service Delivery Across Multiple Businesses
Adapt completed over 60 projects including:
Website development
Branding and logo design
Marketing plans and roadmaps
Flyers and promotional materials
General marketing and business consulting
2. Consulting and Strategic Guidance
In addition to delivering design and marketing services, Adapt provided consulting during client meetings to help businesses:
Prioritize marketing efforts
Clarify services and pricing
Improve messaging and positioning
Establish clearer growth strategies
This helped ensure that businesses were not just receiving marketing materials, but improving their overall business structure and direction.
3. Scalable Service Model
To support a large number of businesses efficiently, Adapt developed:
Templates
Processes
Service packages
Standard workflows
This allowed services to be delivered consistently and efficiently across many businesses and industries.
Impact on the Chamber
The program also strengthened the Chamber’s ability to support its members and accelerator participants:
Increased value of the accelerator program
Stronger and more professional member businesses
Ability to provide high-level services without hiring full-time staff
Improved program outcomes and member engagement
A scalable model for supporting small businesses through shared services
The Shared Services Program allowed the Chamber to support more businesses at a higher level than would otherwise be possible.
