MBA students strengthen global business skills through consulting projects in Chile and Japan

This semester’s Global Immersion Experience (GIE) for the MBA students was more than a week-long business trip; it was an opportunity to immerse in global business and the cultural landscapes of different countries. This semester, the MBA students traveled to Chile and Tokyo for a week to hear from exceptional speakers, participate in cultural experiences and work with local companies on a consulting project. 

Global Marketing & Digital Presence in Chile

Laurie Newcomb (MBA ‘26), Megan Diamond (MBA ‘26) and Andrew Wiginton (MBA ‘26) traveled to Santiago, Chile, with an MBA student team to work with De Martino Wines. For almost a century and across four generations, this Chilean family-owned winery has had a rich history of traditional winemaking. 

The team was tasked with strengthening De Martino Wines’ global marketing and digital presence while staying true to their heritage and identity as an authentic, craft-driven winery. In preparation for the trip, the team researched local companies and developed background materials on De Martino Wines. 

Throughout the week, the team enhanced digital storytelling and online engagement by researching customer trends, reviewing their current branding and marketing strategies and expanding their reach. Navigating the balance between upholding the winery’s tradition and modern digital marketing, the team focused on authentic storytelling that highlighted the winery’s heritage in a contemporary way. 

“Our team approached the challenge by researching competitors’ online strategies, reviewing De Martino’s existing digital touchpoints and identifying opportunities for stronger storytelling around sustainability, heritage and innovation,” Diamond said. “We structured our final presentation around actionable insights, balancing global best practices with recommendations that respected the brand’s local roots.”

“This experience reinforced my interest in international business and showed me how meaningful it is to connect with people across cultures,” Newcomb said. “It helped me see how topics like sustainability, strategy, public-private partnerships and cultural intelligence play out in real business situations.”

Beyond the consulting project, the team toured some of Santiago’s historical areas and visited Valparaíso. They even had the chance to go white water rafting on the Maipo River in the mountains. 

“This was a life-changing trip,” Wiginton said. “[This experience] allowed me to grow personally as I learned a lot about different cultures and experienced the unique backdrop of Chile. I can not wait to go back to South America.”

Global Expansion and Marketing in Japan

Alyssa Noll (MBA ‘25), Zachary Rose (MBA ‘25) and Jennifer Crime (MBA ‘26) brought their MBA studies to Tokyo, Japan, to work with Asilla, a Japanese artificial intelligence company. 

Asilla specializes in security and behavior recognition technology. The company asked the MBA team to determine the best market for international expansion and develop a go-to-market (GTM) strategy. 

After defining their goals and what ‘successful expansion’ would entail, the team analyzed privacy regulations, market readiness and potential partnership opportunities across Europe and the United States. They wanted to ensure their selected market aligned with Asilla’s values, capabilities and long-term strategy, while offering clear opportunities for sustainable growth. 

While navigating this project, the team learned to balance cultural respect and strategic recommendations. 

“Japanese companies tend to value long-term relationships, careful consensus building, and measured decision-making,” Noll said. “In contrast, the U.S. business culture rewards speed and bold execution. We had to make sure our recommendations respected Japanese values while still encouraging confident action. We overcame this by framing our proposal in a way that aligned with Asilla’s mission and by showing how U.S. partnerships could strengthen their credibility and vision.”

They also implemented AI into their strategy to navigate the legal and operational challenges tied to their proposal.

The team ultimately recommended the United States as the best expansion path, citing their familiarity with the country’s business environment. They also created a phased GTM plan with clear messaging, partners and next steps for Asilla. 

“[The consulting project] reminded me that cross-cultural success depends on emotional intelligence as much as it does on technical skill,” Noll said. 

The team also explored the cultural landscape of Tokyo, visiting the Sensō-ji Temple, Meiji Shrine, the Ginza district, a Kimono museum and the Tokyo Tower. The city’s balance of modern life and spiritual tradition made Tokyo a place of breathtaking sights and unforgettable cultural lessons.

“Professionally, this experience pushed me to think more strategically and confidently when dealing with real clients,” Crime said. “It strengthened my ability to make recommendations even when information is limited and helped me practice communicating clearly across cultures. Personally, it made me more adaptable and open-minded. Being in a different country, seeing new work styles, and collaborating with a diverse team helped me step out of my comfort zone and trust myself more.”