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The chief executive officer and founder of Global Metal Company (GMC), had been in the business of antique reproduction hardware for more than three years, having quit his successful corporate career to start GMC in his hometown of Aligarh in northern India. After seeing the initial response to the business, he was confident that within three years, GMC would realize the annual revenue of US$1 million he had envisioned. In 2018–2019, upon completing three years in business, GMC closed the year with $0.15 million in annual revenues. The CEO wondered what had gone wrong in those years. Had his target of $1 million been over-ambitious? Or had his assessment of the overall market potential been off the mark? During those three years, he had expanded his operations in baby steps from Europe—which was overly price competitive and served by a large number of exporters from Aligarh—to the United States. Now he was wondering whether he should plunge deeply into the US market to grow GMC, or seriously consider quitting this business and moving back into his corporate career.

The chief executive officer and founder of Global Metal Company (GMC), had been in the business of antique reproduction hardware for more than three years, having quit his successful corporate career to start GMC in his hometown of Aligarh in northern India. After seeing the initial response to the business, he was confident that within three years, GMC would realize the annual revenue of US$1 million he had envisioned. In 2018-2019, upon completing three years in business, GMC closed the year with $0.15 million in annual revenues. The CEO wondered what had gone wrong in those years. Had his target of $1 million been over-ambitious? Or had his assessment of the overall market potential been off the mark? During those three years, he had expanded his operations in baby steps from Europe-which was overly price competitive and served by a large number of exporters from Aligarh-to the United States. Now he was wondering whether he should plunge deeply into the US market to grow GMC, or seriously consider quitting this business and moving back into his corporate career.

In April 2017, the chief executive officer of Funskool India Limited (Funskool), was formulating a growth strategy to increase the company's annual revenues from ₹1.9 billion in 2016 to ₹5 billion by 2020. The Indian toy manufacturer had primarily catered to the local market while also exporting toys to developed markets. In 2006, the company expanded its line of products, set up an exclusive design department to develop new products, redesigned its advertising and promotional activities, and expanded into retail outlets. However, Chinese importers were upgrading and moving up the product segment ladder, where Funskool had a strong presence, and video games, which Funskool did not produce, were seeing exponential growth. How could Funskool augment the revenue obtained from the sale of its own brands? With Chinese competitors targeting consumers higher up the segment, should Funskool target customers in the lower economic levels? Should it enter the digital space to prevent a growth stall and catapult itself to the next stage in the growth cycle? The company needed to make some decisions and take steps to face these emerging challenges.

In April 2017, the chief executive officer of Funskool India Limited (Funskool), was formulating a growth strategy to increase the company's annual revenues from ₹1.9 billion in 2016 to ₹5 billion by 2020. The Indian toy manufacturer had primarily catered to the local market while also exporting toys to developed markets. In 2006, the company expanded its line of products, set up an exclusive design department to develop new products, redesigned its advertising and promotional activities, and expanded into retail outlets. However, Chinese importers were upgrading and moving up the product segment ladder, where Funskool had a strong presence, and video games, which Funskool did not produce, were seeing exponential growth. How could Funskool augment the revenue obtained from the sale of its own brands? With Chinese competitors targeting consumers higher up the segment, should Funskool target customers in the lower economic levels? Should it enter the digital space to prevent a growth stall and catapult itself to the next stage in the growth cycle? The company needed to make some decisions and take steps to face these emerging challenges.