Betts Supply is a plumbing and heating wholesaler with a single location and approachable luxury showroom in Westfield, Massachusetts. The 100% woman-owned and -operated company has been proudly serving the industry for more than 65 years. 

“We were founded in 1959 by Russell Betts, my grandfather,” says now President and CEO Kim Betts.  “After his passing in 1961, my grandmother made the bold decision to continue running the business by herself (no employees) at a time when few women were in the industry.” 

In 1992, Robert Betts, son of Russell, ascended to run the business, but in 2011, when he had an unexpected double lung transplant, his daughter Kim Betts took to the helm as president, running the family company. “Remembering my grandmother’s determination to keep the company going without a team, technology or experience, I committed to continuing our legacy,” she beams.

Today, Betts Supply is experiencing strong double-digit growth. “We attribute this to our core belief: our job is to make our customers’ jobs easier and help them succeed,” Kim Betts explains. “Beyond providing products, we offer guidance and support to all our customers because when our customers succeed, so do we.”

So where does a small-business owner turn when looking for help and guidance in developing a marketing campaign? For Betts, it was an easy solution — reaching out to a local university for consideration as a project for its students. 

The Wholesaler: What inspired you to reach out to the local college for this marketing project?

Kim Betts: As a small, independent supply house, we’re deeply focused on the customer experience, which often leaves little time or resources to work on the business rather than in it. We don’t have the capacity to hire dedicated marketing staff, so stepping back to look at the big picture has been a challenge. That’s what inspired me to reach out to the local college for this project.

Over the years, I’ve noticed that new employees, especially those from outside the industry, often bring fresh perspectives, energy and ideas that help us grow. I believed that students might offer the same value: new ways of thinking, creative processes and a different lens through which to view our business.

Young people today often inspire me. Their ideas may be raw or unconventional, but they spark thought and help me blend modern approaches with time-tested principles. I saw this project as an opportunity to learn from them — and, in turn, to give them real-world experience in a live business environment.

TW: What was the scope of the project and what did you hope the students would accomplish? 

Betts: The original scope was to create a social media campaign aimed at procurement specialists, highlighting the value of partnering with small, diverse and independent businesses like ours. As a woman-owned, multigenerational business, our history reflects the broader struggles diverse businesses have faced.

In earlier decades, women were largely excluded from professional networks, making it difficult to build the relationships that fuel business growth. Business lunches or networking events were often off-limits — it was considered inappropriate for a woman to attend alone. Access to capital was also limited; women historically couldn’t even open bank accounts or obtain credit without a male co-signer. These barriers made building and sustaining a business significantly harder.

This project provided an opportunity to educate procurement professionals not only on our capabilities, but also on the resilience and innovation that come from operating in the face of many challenges. I hoped students would help craft a message that inspires buyers to see the impact of supporting diverse businesses, so that these businesses can integrate into the existing networks, and all businesses can play on a level playing field. 

TW: How did you select the college or program, and what was the process of initiating the partnership? 

Betts: I learned about the XN program during a meeting at Northeastern University, where I was presented with the findings of a study focusing on the challenges small and diverse businesses face in the construction industry. 

At the very end of the presentation, there was mention of a program that offers any businesses the opportunity to collaborate with students and faculty on project-based work. The project would be embedded directly into the classroom, allowing students to gain real-world experience while organizations receive meaningful, research-driven insights.

To start the project, I had an initial conversation with the program coordinator, where she reviewed the program’s criteria. My project needed to be research-based, actionable and able to be completed within a six-week timeframe.

I then submitted a brief description of my project, outlining its goals, scope and desired deliverables. This helped ensure alignment between the students’ learning objectives and my business needs. It also allowed the faculty to find projects that would work within their classroom. 

Once submitted, my project was shared with faculty, and a professor selected it as one of several for inclusion in a marketing-focused course. I then pitched the project to the class in a five-minute presentation. Students had the option to choose which company they wanted to work with. I was lucky enough to have a team of students who chose to work on my project, other than being assigned to my company.

TW: What kind of insights or creative ideas did the students bring to the table that surprised or impressed you?

Betts: The biggest surprise was the scope and depth of the final deliverable. I didn’t get exactly what I was expecting; I got far more. The students delivered a complete marketing package that included demographic and industry research specific to our field, competitive analysis and a review of our customer base. 

They evaluated our website, provided email marketing templates and even analyzed proposals we had received for TV commercials. They researched print media options and made thoughtful recommendations on which social media platforms to use across different parts of our business. They even proposed a customer rewards program — and the most unexpected idea was a jingle!

What truly impressed me, beyond the content, was their professionalism, enthusiasm and genuine interest in Betts Supply and our industry. Their energy was refreshing, and their ability to apply classroom learning to real-world business challenges was remarkable. 

TW: How did your team interact with the students during the project? Was it a one-time presentation or an ongoing collaboration?

Betts: After the initial pitch presentation, I met with my student team via Zoom to expand on my company, our values and our specific needs. They took that information, developed a plan and scheduled a follow-up meeting to present their ideas. I provided feedback, and they incorporated it into their final deliverable: a comprehensive marketing plan presented during our last meeting.

The level of interaction was ideal. As a business owner with limited time, I appreciated that the project was embedded in their class. It allowed me to clearly communicate my goals while the professor guided the students through the curriculum to produce a meaningful outcome. The structure ensured the students had support, and I didn’t have to manage the project on a day-to-day basis.

The students also had the option to reach out to me at any time for additional input or clarification, which created a good balance of independence and collaboration. Overall, it was an efficient and rewarding experience for both sides.

TW: What impact has the project had on your business, whether in branding, marketing strategy or customer perception? 

Betts: The project had a meaningful impact on my business by helping me clarify where, when and how to market more effectively. The students provided a strategic framework that highlighted which channels would be most effective for reaching our target audience and offered insight into customer behavior, industry trends and competitor positioning. Their recommendations gave me a clearer understanding of how to align our branding and marketing efforts with our overall business goals.

Although I haven’t yet had the opportunity to fully implement the strategies they proposed, the project has created a strong foundation for future marketing initiatives. It gave me direction and confidence to move forward with decisions that had previously felt overwhelming or uncertain. I now have a better sense of what’s worth investing in — and how to prioritize my time and resources.

Overall, the experience not only informed our marketing strategy but also reinforced the value of outside perspective and collaboration, especially for small, diverse businesses that often operate without dedicated marketing teams.

TW: What advice would you give to other distributors thinking about partnering with local schools or colleges? 

Betts: My advice  is simple — do it! Since participating in this project, I’ve discovered countless opportunities at colleges, ranging from internships and capstone projects to programs such as XN. There are even options to hire college students for specific projects. For businesses like ours that struggle to find qualified individuals, these programs offer a chance to “test drive” potential employees while giving students real-world experience.

The process was seamless and reinforced how valuable academic collaboration can be for both students and businesses. It’s a win-win: businesses receive “free” work, while students gain practical experience. It’s also a great way to spark interest in the industry. I recently received a call from one of the students who worked on my project, reaching out for pricing on a project he was managing.

On top of that, I had the collective brainpower of six people —, five students and a professor — working on one topic. For every hour of my time, I got countless hours of valuable work done. That’s hard to beat!