Entrepreneurship Bridge
Elective Spring 2005
Class Hours: Wednesday
Instructor:
Office hours: Wednesdays
Course
Description
The
course provides an overview of the major aspects of entrepreneurship and creating
a business. In a short five-week survey, we will attempt to cover the startup
lifecycle from idea generation and opportunity recognition to entry strategy,
growth and exit. Classes will be a combination of case study, discussion and
lecture. The structure may be more fluid than standard. In the spirit of
entrepreneurship we’ll be trying lots of new ideas. Be flexible!
Course Objectives
1.
To provide students an opportunity to learn
enough about the area and decide if this is something they’d like to pursue
further.
2. To
give students an opportunity to think more deeply about opportunity recognition,
by interviewing a local entrepreneur, and assessing business opportunities.
Course Project/assignments and
grading
This is busy. Please try to stay
on top of it!
Interview
an entrepreneur and assess their business: 30% Due Wednesday May 24th.
Either
an analysis of a business opportunity OR analysis of a business 20% Due
Wednesday May 17th
Class
participation 20%
Take-home
final: Analysis of a business opportunity. 30% Due May
31st
Reading
Background
(non-required) reading :
• Built to Last by
James Collins and Jerry Porras (How great companies
are built)
• New Venture
Creation: Entrepreneurship for the 21st Century, Jeffry
Timmons
|
Date |
Week |
Topic |
Assignment |
|
May
3rd |
Week
#1 |
Introduction
to the Class Goals
and expectations. Soup
to nuts on entrepreneurship
Case: Kevin |
Read
“Developing ideas and business opportunities”, by Jack Kaplan. Case:
Kevin Guest:
Scott Lipsky “Getting it right at the start” |
|
May
10th |
Week
#2 |
Case: Iceddelights |
“Buying an existing business” By
Peggy Lambing and Charles Kuehl. Case
Study: Icedelights Panel:
Joining a startup: Mike
Fridgen, Farecast; Sean
Bell, Free & Clear; Mark Ghazal,
QL2. |
|
May
17th |
Week
#3 |
Funding
the business –Staying alive
|
Read:
Bootstrap finance: The art of startups, by Amar Bhide. Guest:
Fred
Crosetto, CEO and Founder, Ammex. |
|
May
24thth |
Week
#4 |
Technology
startups and disruptive technologies Go-to-market Sales
traction Morphing
your business model Case: Zaplet |
Read
“Catching the wave” by Christensen. Case:
Zaplet Guest:
John O’Halloran,
CEO and Founder Ziggity |
|
May
31st |
Week
#5 |
Growth
opportunities and challenges In
class discussion of “live” business Case: Crunch |
Case:
Crunch Guest:
TBA |
Class
planning/timeline
Week
1: Plan your entrepreneur interview.
Please read
the guidelines for this interview at the front of your reading packet before you start. You need to call
someone this week to set this up in
time.
Week
3: Due Wednesday May 17th
Either
Propose
a business idea you would like to pursue:
In a two-page summary
outline your idea, the market, the customer, the distribution strategy and the
business model i.e. How will you make money? You
should have proposed revenues and costs. Points will be awarded for originality
and creativity. You are not expected to have exact numbers but you are expected
to list assumptions justifying any conclusions.
OR
Hot
Business Startup Areas.
List 5 areas that
look like hot prospects for startups. Say why: Market demographics: E.g.
Everyone is getting fatter, older and living longer; that creates a market of X
million people who need plus size workout gear and replacement joints. If you
need a better idea, read 13 Hot businesses for 2005. Pick 5 and say why you like
them. Obviously you get more points for originality.
OR
Business
assessment
Pick any three
businesses on your way to work, school or fun. In 2 pages or less tell me who’s
making money? What are the revenues and costs and a rough stab at the bottom
line. You can walk in and ask the entrepreneur or you can take a stab at
revenue: Number of people a day by average sale. Costs: See Bizstats.com for some average operating
costs if you need them. You can make any reasonable assumption. You will get
far more points for coming up with a an interesting
justification than just copying something as a given from Bizstats.
Week 4: Entrepreneur
Interview due May 24th.
Please read the guidelines for this interview at of your reading packet
before you start.
Week 5: Final exam due May 31st.
Case
Preparation Questions:
Kevin Mooney:
1.
What should Kevin Mooney do and why?
2.
What criteria and considerations should
be weighted, and how?
3.
What are the relevance, risks and
rewards of the two opportunities and their implications in terms of Kevin
Mooney’s apprenticeship?
Iced Delights
1.
Evaluate the ICEDDELIGHTS opportunity
2.
What are the critical risks faced by
·
the business
·
each of the individuals
3. What are the
potential rewards?
4. Evaluate the deal as finally structured.
Zaplet
1.
Upon his arrival at Zaplet,
Baratz discovered the company pursuing five very
different strategies. As the new CEO,
what information would you gather to make an informed decision as to the
direction of the company? How would you
bring the management team to convergence on the new direction?
2.
Why did the charter customer
opportunities fail to materialize? Is the cause the product, distribution
method, economy or some other cause?
What are the remedial actions for each situation?
3.
With downturn, Baratz
realizes that he can’t raise additional capital. What would you recommend as
the quickest path for Zaplet to achieve a cash flow
positive position?
4.
Analyze the course of decision-making
taken by Baratz.
What could Baratz have done differently to
avoid the challenges faced at the end of 2001
5.
What suggestions would you have about
their marketing/distribution plan? What has happened to this type of
enterprise-sales software model?
Crunch
1.
What is the crunch experience? What
does the brand stand for?
2.
What are Doug Levine’s strengths and
weaknesses?
3.
How have they financed growth? What are
the operational considerations in running a business like this?
4.
Is the acquisition a good fit?
5.
Is the organizational structure and
company skillset adequate to take the company to the
next level?