Watertown Development Company Selected for USD Business Consulting Program

Northeast Radio SD News - Watertown, SD - The Watertown Development Company (WDC) has been selected to participate in the University of South Dakota's Coyote Business Consulting (CBC) initiative. The program pairs students from the Beacom School of Business with small businesses in South Dakota to provide no-cost consulting services.

WDC's project for the initiative will focus on creating and implementing a Business Health Survey. The survey is a tool designed to assess the financial health and operational vitality of local businesses by evaluating key indicators such as revenue, cash flow, and workforce dynamics. The goal is to identify business strengths and areas for improvement and to provide data to guide long-term growth.

"This initiative represents a meaningful opportunity to better understand the needs of our business community," said Angie Yahne, who is leading the project for the WDC. "By partnering with CBC, we’re not only gaining valuable data—we’re also helping students gain real-world experience that will shape their future careers and strengthen our local economy.”

The survey will allow businesses to opt in for follow-up support from the WDC. This data-driven approach will help the organization proactively support business retention and strategic planning in the community.

The project is scheduled for completion by November 7. WDC and the students will present their findings at a CBC Showcase event on November 12 in Sioux Falls.

For more information about the Business Health Survey or WDC’s involvement in the CBC initiative, don't hesitate to get in touch with Angie Yahne at ayahne@wdcsd.com.