Four businesses will benefit from market research being done by York University students this year.

The students will examine Bermudian Ona Fletcher's new media venture which aims to increase the profitability of small to medium-sized companies on the Island.

As part of an MBA market research project starting this week at the university's Schulich School of Business in Toronto students will investigate the business model and ability to meet clients' needs.

"Currently small to medium-sized enterprise owners have access to generic business advice from magazines, newspapers, TV, radio and Internet about being successful," Ms Fletcher said. "No media programme is currently making the profound distinction between success, ie profitability, and building business value successfully. Just because a business is profitable doesn't mean that the business owner can realise its full cash potential upon retiring, or selling the business for example.

Ms Fletcher's company, Ona Fletcher Consulting, links world class consultants with Bermuda businesses.

"We know that most small to medium-sized enterprises fail or struggle primarily because they don't have the time, resources of the network of sophisticated business experts to provide advice and know-how needed to grow their business and value successfully" she said. "This program with its unique content model and programme design fits the need."

York Professor Ajay Sirsi said students would research four local companies that could benefit from Ms Fletcher's services and "fine tune" her business plan: "It is a first-class research project, which will reveal data about a vitally important area of business learning."

Ms Fletcher has partnered with a Toronto company, Business by Philosophy, to outline the key areas business owners need to know in order to be successful.

The venture is expected to be launched in Bermuda in 2009 after the research is complete.