Darden University of Virginia (USA)
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Jennifer Parks at PillarPoint Home Loans: Developing a New-Growth Initiative
Liedtka, Jeanne M.; Glinska, GosiaCase DARDEN-ENT-0102-EEntrepreneurshipJennifer Parks, a newly appointed business development officer at PillarPoint Home Loans, is given a mandate to identify and develop a new-growth initiative for her company, a small mortgage division of one of the largest U.S. credit card issuers. The company has more than 60 million accounts worldwide and a reputation as a leader in direct marketing and online services. After studying the industry, Parks identifies what she believes is a high-po...Starting at €8.20
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Credit Where Credit is Due: The Latino Community Credit Union
Fairchild, Gregory B.; Smith, Robert N.; Zienta, EllenCase DARDEN-ENT-0104-EEntrepreneurshipFive years after its launch, the Latino Community Credit Union had made remarkable progress, garnering 40,000 members and $22 million in assets. More extraordinary was the LCCU’s customer base: Hispanic immigrants, many of them undocumented. The credit union’s next bold step was to consider introducing credit cards for their customers. The question was how to make it work.Starting at €8.20
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Defender Direct, Inc.: A Business of Growing Leaders
Hess, Edward D.; Glinska, GosiaCase DARDEN-ENT-0115-EEntrepreneurshipDefender Direct, Inc., was a privately held company that sold and installed ADT security systems and Dish Network Satellite TV to homeowners in the United States. The president and CEO started the business out of his home in 1998. Under his leadership, Defender experienced an average annual growth rate of 60%, and in 2008 it became one of the largest security and satellite dealers in the Midwest, generating $150 million in revenues. The founder, ...Starting at €8.20
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James Abrams @ Clockwork Home Services, Inc.: Lessons from a Serial Entrepreneur
Hess, Edward D.; Glinska, GosiaCase DARDEN-ENT-0117-EEntrepreneurshipAppropriate case for students interested in entrepreneurship, growing a business, or developing a business model. The case presents the challenges that come with growth and examines the iterative entrepreneurial process across time and activities by following a serial entrepreneur as he builds three successful businesses within the same industry. It also reveals how he developed his business model.Starting at €8.20
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Trilogy Health Services, LLC: Building a Great Service Company
Hess, Edward D.; Glinska, GosiaCase DARDEN-ENT-0122-EEntrepreneurshipThis case is appropriate for teaching in the areas of entrepreneurship and managing the growth of smaller enterprises. It illustrates how an entrepreneur builds a premier service company by aligning culture, hiring practices, training, rewards, leadership, and business model.Starting at €8.20
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Eyebobs Eyewear, Inc.
Hess, Edward D.; Glinska, GosiaCase DARDEN-ENT-0139-EEntrepreneurshipThis case could be used in entrepreneurship and managing a small business courses. It describes how an entrepreneur grows her innovative idea into a successful business while managing the associated risks, pace, financing, channels of distribution, quality of manufacturing, and customer concentration. The case shows how a business grown at a slower-than-usual pace was able to survive the risks.Starting at €8.20
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Southern Bancorp, Inc.: Reviving the Rural Economy through Financial Products and Community Involvement
Fairchild, Gregory B.; Glinska, GosiaCase DARDEN-ENT-0203-EEntrepreneurshipThe case features Southern Bancorp, Inc. ("Southern"), a family of community development financial institutions (CDFIs) consisting of Southern Bancorp Bank, one of the largest and most profitable community development banks in the United States, and Southern Bancorp Community Partners, a nonprofit affiliate. Although the bank was expected to be profitable, the entire organization put community, not the financial interests of its shareholders, fir...Starting at €8.20
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Filling a Hole: The Reinvestment Fund and Progress Plaza
Fairchild, Gregory B.; Smith, Robert N.Case DARDEN-ENT-0110-EEntrepreneurshipIn underserved urban areas, commercial real estate development finance must often factor in government and local policy, community politics, environmental revitalization, ethnic markets, and mixed-use commercial development. In this case, the Reinvestment Fund and the Pennsylvania Fresh Food Financing Initiative join forces to provide access to quality groceries, something often lacking in urban areas. But redeveloping the Progress Plaza location...Starting at €8.20
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Cordia Harrington: The Rise of the Bun Lady
Hess, Edward D.; Glinska, GosiaCase DARDEN-ENT-0129-EEntrepreneurshipThis case could be taught in courses on entrepreneurship and marketing. It follows a born entrepreneur and former successful McDonald’s franchisee, who, guided by the motto No Is Not an Option, grows her business into world’s fastest automated bakery. In order to attract and retain a skilled workforce, her company provided the best benefits the company could buy and paid for the training its staff needed to succeed on the job, which, coupled with...Starting at €8.20
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Octane Fitness, Inc.: The Power of Focus
Hess, Edward D.; Glinska, GosiaCase DARDEN-ENT-0141-EEntrepreneurshipThis case could be used in entrepreneurship and strategy courses. It's the story of two men, already working in the physical-fitness-equipment industry, who build their own business designing and producing high-quality fitness equipment. The power of planning, strategic focus, disciplined adherence to core competencies, outsourcing, and aligning HR policies and rewards with the strategic focus are illustrated in the case.Starting at €8.20