Founded in 1994, Motor Trike, Inc. produced kits that transformed a motorcycle into a three-wheeled vehicle or trike, providing increased safety and comfort for the riders. Trikes became increasingly more popular as the baby boomer generation aged. Jacquelyn Moore, marketing director at Motor Trike, faced decisions of whether to start an owners' group or brand community for the company and then, if so, how to start the group. Jacquelyn had marketing survey data available to help guide the decision making process, but the data needed to be properly analyzed and presented to the owners of the company.

Andy Lewis was the fourth-generation publisher and editor of a small family- owned newspaper in rural Mississippi. Lewis faced the challenges of operating a weekly newspaper in a changing industry amid concerns that members of the next generation of the Lewis family did not want to take on operation of either the 133-year-old newspaper or the family-owned insurance agency. The family firm leader is conflicted because he sees himself as both a steward of a family business as well as a steward of an important community asset. Although Andy had successfully managed the paper and the insurance agency and earned a good living for himself and provided for the needs of his family, he believed that he had paid a high price in the sacrifice of his time to achieve these results. The case examines alternative successors to Andy Lewis as editor and publisher of the newspaper; the economic, organizational, and logistical challenges associated with operating a rural weekly newspaper; and the role that an ancillary business played in generating revenue.