The Jill Draeger case is designed as an introduction to a general course on entrepreneurship. It is appropriate for many levels of students. It attempts to portray the archetype of opportunity-focused, resource-constrained behavior that is the hallmark of entrepreneurship. The case describes the career of Jill Draeger, an MBA with a background in the consumer electronics industry, principally smartphones. After a career hiatus, she has the idea of licensing the right to create Olympic-themed watches for the 2016 Winter Olympics in Pyeongchang, Korea. The case then describes the hurdles she confronts in terms of obtaining the license, attracting the resources, and building the capabilities required to pursue the opportunity.
The Meridian Systems case focuses on a start-up in the restaurant point of sale (POS) systems market. In early 2018, Meridian is getting ready to roll out a POS system based on a new technology-a tablet-based, Wi-Fi-enabled POS system (the "tablet" system, or GingerSnap). This product has a far lower price point than Meridian's existing terminal-based system does. It also has a different target customer. The company's leadership is thus faced with several questions about how to deploy the sales force for GingerSnap. Should the product be integrated into Meridian's existing field sales force, should it be sold with a new, dedicated field sales force, or should it be sold by an inside sales force, that is, primarily by phone or web contact and limited in-person selling? Or should a hybrid of these approaches be used? The overlay to these issues is the fact that the new product is less profitable than Meridian's legacy system. These choices must be made not only with the customer and market in mind, but also with an awareness of the margin structure of the new product, and what kind of activity it will support. Given the array of topics it explores, Meridian Systems can be used in courses on marketing, selling, sales management, business marketing, new products, distribution channels, entrepreneurial management, technology ventures, and strategy.
Two recent MBA graduates are considering a business opportunity in the boutique hotel industry. Having found a seemingly attractive property in Savannah, Georgia, Yvonne D'Arcy and Elisabeth Whiting face questions about financing, deal structure, and unequal power dynamics. This case covers opportunity analysis, financing and deal structuring, and partnership issues. Students are asked to assess the overall financial returns on the project and how those returns should be parsed between investors and owners. Students also examine how the deal with investors should be structured. Exhibits include a Letter of Agreement between the founders, the hotel's historical performance data, the project budget, financial forecasts, and cash flow and return projections. The HBS Brief Case series contains two cases on Hotel Vertu. Both cases are set within the same disguised context, but take place two months apart. The earlier case, Hotel Vertu: Analyzing the Opportunity in the Boutique Hotel Industry (917-501) overlaps with this case, but focuses more on the nature of the opportunity itself, an industry analysis of the boutique hotel segment, issues related to early career entrepreneurship, and only hints at the power dynamic between investors and entrepreneurs. Although each case can be taught on its own (i.e., students do not require data or knowledge from one case in order to benefit fully from the other), the two can be paired in order to give students a more complete sense of the challenges that aspiring entrepreneurs may face. If both cases are taught, it is recommended that instructors begin with Hotel Vertu: Analyzing the Opportunity in the Boutique Hotel Industry.
Two soon-to-be MBA graduates are considering a business opportunity in the boutique hotel industry. Having found a seemingly attractive property in Savannah, Georgia, Yvonne D'Arcy and Elisabeth Whiting face questions about career issues, planning, financing, and the possibility of unequal power dynamics. Students assess the merits of the proposed project, as well as the overall attractiveness of the boutique hotel industry and the career opportunity it presents. Exhibits include a Letter of Agreement between D'Arcy and Whiting, the hotel's historical performance data, lodging statistics for the Savannah market, and the project budget. An associated case, "Hotel Vertu: Financing the Venture in the Boutique Hotel Industry" (#917505), overlaps with this case, but delves into the issues around financial forecasts, financial returns, deal structure, equity splits, and the power dynamic between investors and entrepreneurs. Although each case can be taught on its own (i.e., students do not require data or knowledge from one case in order to benefit fully from the other), the two can be paired in order to give students a more complete sense of the challenges that aspiring entrepreneurs may face. If both cases are taught, it is recommended that instructors begin with "Hotel Vertu: Analyzing the Opportunity in the Boutique Hotel Industry."
The case describes the effects of a proposed change in Excel's manufacturing strategy as seen through the eyes of the company's VP of Manufacturing, Caroline Regis. Following a merger with Gemini, Excel's new CEO advocates a new manufacturing strategy: outsourcing. Regis is threatened by the diminution in the role of in-house manufacturing and by the VP for Supply Chain Management at Gemini. The case traces Regis's reactions to the proposal. She seems ready to accede to the organizational politics and support the new strategy, only to change her mind and anger her superiors, who thought she would support the plan. She tries to seize control of the situation and threatens to resign if she is not allowed to determine the appropriate strategy. The case facilitates analysis and discussion of career and personal development issues regularly faced by high-potential employees by showing that particular career and behavior strategies that are successful at one point can become dysfunctional as professionals advance through an organization.
This Reading takes a deep look at the venture capital (VC) industry in the United States. VCs have a unique perspective on opportunity evaluation, deal structure, new venture support, and exit strategy. Their work at all stages of the entrepreneurial life cycle offers many lessons to company founders, even those whose ventures are not backed by VCs. This Reading follows the chronological cycle of VC activity from the entrepreneur's vantage point: deal evaluation, deal pricing, structure and terms, working with VCs once the deal has been signed, and exit. The topics of deal pricing, structure, and terms are treated in particular depth through a detailed examination of a term sheet -- the contract that sets out the terms of the VC financing.
This case describes the evolution of a tech startup, WebTracker, and focuses on the decision of two aspiring entrepreneurs (Julie Stern and Mark Foster) who have just received offers for Venture Capital (VC) financing for the company. These offers, or term sheets, are similar in some respects and different in others. The two firms offering financing are also different. The heart of the case involves comparing these term sheets and determining the "best deal" for them and for their company. The "deal" ultimately cut will parse the economic rewards of success and implement control and governance provisions that are designed to reduce risk for the VC. The term sheet is a great place to see these complex tools and tradeoffs play out.
Martin Blair is a first-time entrepreneur who draws on his experience in the food service industry to develop two different restaurant concepts almost simultaneously. In relating his experiences, he reveals several important concerns of the thoughtful entrepreneur, ranging from securing financing to building out physical spaces. Both restaurants are successful, and Blair now wants to grow the business. In particular, he must decide whether to grow one or both of the concepts, and whether to use franchising as a growth strategy for either, or potentially both. He must consider the pros and cons of franchising, which apply differently to each of his restaurant brands.
The case describes the growth of Coupa, a software as a service platform for procurement / expense management. The issues in the case are around how fast to grow and how to finance that growth. The case includes a detailed financial model that will help students analyze the impact of hiring additional sales people and the consequent impact on sales and profits.
The funded search model is one alternative for individuals who, at some point in their career, want to run their own companies. This note looks at the funded search, as a means to entrepreneurship through acquisition and describes the path to buy and run a business using debt and equity as a means of financing the purchase. While applicable to an early career choice, many of the process steps are applicable to unfunded searches at later stages of a career.
The case describes a Turkish brother-sister team who are evaluating the option of acquiring and operating a franchise of a US bakery/cafe in Turkey. They are comparing this option to that of simply starting a similar business.