Bringing Business Simulations to Life at Kent State Ashtabula

For the past few years, Professor Joe Kuvshinikov has been using the Income|Outcome business simulation in his undergraduate accounting courses—and he’s taken an especially creative approach.

Joe has used the simulation in a Sister Cities project in Poland and a Rotary Club Entrepreneurship effort in Uruguay. At Kent State Ashtabula, he’s brought that same innovative mindset to his students.

A Multi-Disciplinary Business Experience

Joe runs the Income|Outcome simulation over three consecutive Fridays, bringing together students and faculty from five different courses.

This year, they took it up a notch—inviting Smith & Wesson Chief Executive Officer Michael F. Golden to participate.

Golden held a shareholder meeting with each student team, challenging them to:

• Explain their business strategy
• Justify why it was strong for shareholders

This kind of real-world interaction is an incredible experience—not just for undergraduate business students, but for anyone in business.

Student Takeaways: What They Learned from the Simulation

Students shared how the Income|Outcome simulation helped them develop business acumen in ways that traditional coursework often can’t.

Here’s what they said:

• “Helped me physically see how a business runs.”
• “I can see real-life situations without losing real money.”
• “Gave me a good idea of competition.”
• “Gave me more knowledge of how my clients’ businesses actually operate.”
• “I feel the simulation will benefit my professional career by preparing me for what I may run into by wanting to own my own business.”

And there were many more.

The exit survey was clear: 100% of students recommended the simulation to other students.

Why Business Simulations Work

Bringing business education to life requires more than lectures and spreadsheets. Experiential learning—like Income|Outcome—allows students to:

• Make strategic decisions in a risk-free environment
• Compete in real-time against other teams
• See the impact of financial and operational choices firsthand

This hands-on approach prepares students for the challenges of running a business and strengthens their ability to think like decision-makers.

Interested in Bringing Business Simulations to Your Program?

Whether you're a professor, trainer, or business leader, Income|Outcome can help develop financial literacy and business acumen in an engaging, competitive, and interactive way.

Contact us today to learn how our simulations can be tailored to your needs.

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