Relationships are important to us here at SMHeuristics. That’s why, as we became better acquainted with two of our clients, SGW Designworks and Megaforce Medical, we could see a connection and similar goals between them. (We are honored to be connectors; it’s one of the ways SMHeuristics adds value for our clients.)
As we have watched the relationship between SGW and Megaforce grow, we are thrilled they are joining us in building a bridge between Boise and Taiwan.
A couple of weeks ago, we attended a formal ceremony during which these two companies signed a memorandum of understanding (MOU) at Boise State University.
The event took place during Professor Jack Marr’s International Management class, giving students a chance to witness an international business relationship in the making.
Mark Bannister, Dean of the College of Business and Economics (COBE), spoke to those in attendance about “opportunities that exist and the bridge between countries, bridge between cultures, and the bridge between different economies” — and how important these kinds of relationships are.
As Don Bush, advisor to SMHeuristics, introduced the two companies, he reminded us that “companies don’t do business with companies; [people] do business with people.” That is why forming these relationships is so important. “Relationships are what we want to foster,” Bush continued, “and one of the keys to success for SMH has been relationships. They’ve got relationships not only in the community here but across the sea in Taiwan... the force of those relationships is what drives business innovation, partnerships, joint ventures, allowing companies to go from one country to another.”
In conjunction with this event, Professor Marr’s International Management students will also have an opportunity to participate in a research project with SMHeuristics and Megaforce where they will work alongside and glean valuable business insights from both companies.
On September 17, International Management students visited the SMHeuristics office where they learned more about their roles in this project. There will be two groups: one will be working with SMHeuristics, and the other will be working for Megaforce. Both groups are to be involved in international market research, which entails collecting valuable information regarding products, prospects, and more.
Recent Megaforce hire Nate Farris was a student at Boise State in May 2019. After graduation, he participated in Boise State’s Asia Biz Tech program, which allowed him to travel to Taiwan and help Megaforce in its Biomedical R&D division. (Nate’s background is in Material Science with an emphasis in Industrial Engineering.)
After interning with the company and building relationships with Director of International Business Development Doris Graff and Eric Chen, Director of Megaforce's Biomedical Business Unit, Nate moved back to Boise, where he continues to work with Megaforce Medical in establishing sales channels for its products.
We’d like to offer a warm thank you to Boise State University’s College of Business and Economics, Dean Bannister, and Professor Marr for allowing us to visit their students to share this unique experience. Also we'd like to thank the Idaho Business Review and KIVI Channel 6 for covering the story. We are looking forward to partnering with COBE more in the future as we continue to develop additional business opportunities for students and the local community.