Code2040 is a not-for-profit organization founded by two Stanford MBA classmates to build pathways for black and LatinX college students to gain experience with technology companies and successfully launch careers after graduation. This case continues an earlier case about the founding and early years of Code2040. It picks up with the 2016 election of US President Donald Trump. His election led to dramatic changes in the environment and support for diversity initiatives in which Code2040 operates. As a result of this singular external factor, in 2017, Code2040 faced unprecedented and unanticipated challenges in securing industry support for programs. This case presents the acute personal and professional questions and issues that faced founder CEO Laura Weidman-Powers at this critical juncture in Code2040's existence. Key questions included: • What shifts in strategy are required to ensure continued organizational survival and effectiveness in a vastly changed landscape? How should she manage the change? • How can a founder CEO devise and implement a successor plan that meets both personal and organizational priorities? • What can a board do to devise and implement a successor plan that meets an organization's priorities and will enable future growth and success in accomplishing its mission? The case is presented in two parts. Part A leads up to the founder CEO's decision to step down. Part B asks students to consider how to execute the CEO transition. Detailed teaching notes provide insights from key stakeholders, including board members, founder and new CEO, and member of the Code2040 staff regarding what actually occurred. Importantly, the case includes each person's recommendations for how to plan for and implement CEO transitions.
This case explores the Branch Metrics' cofounders' early days as a team and their pursuit of a viable idea for their startup. The three original cofounders, who met in business school, transformed their business concept entirely several times before finding the idea for Branch Metrics. Starting with a fitness collar for dogs, then starting over with developing a mobile application for low-cost, high-quality photobooks, and ultimately developing a deep app-linking solution for mobile developers, the team experienced multiple setbacks and product failures in their first two years as a team. The case explores the lessons learned through these failures, including how to find product-market fit, staying together as a team, maintaining investor relationships, facing burnout, and having difficult conversations.
The case tells the story of Kate Doerksen in her journey as founder and CEO of Ditto, an eyewear e-commerce company that introduced virtual fitting technology. The case covers the period from the founding of the company in 2010 to its situation in December 2012, when the company faced a number of decisions including facing lawsuits from a competitor and a patent troll. This case focuses on the following elements of Doerksen's story: How Doerksen became interested in starting her own company, built a solid foundation of experiences, and made some key decisions to start Ditto. How Doerksen developed and crafted the idea of building an eyewear e-commerce company powered by virtual fitting technology. The dilemmas that Doerksen faced in her quest for the ideal cofounder(s) of Ditto. Doerksen's decision to hire her own father, against investors' advice and how she balanced investors' needs against organizational needs. The lawsuits against Ditto from 1-800-Contacts and Lennon Imaging Technology, including Doerksen's way of dealing with the attacks, her perseverance, and innovative approach to keeping the business alive.