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HBSP (USA)
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The New-Market Conundrum
McDonald, Rory; Eisenhardt, Kathleen M.Article HBS-R2003D-EEntrepreneurshipBrand-new markets are like the wormholes of science fiction, where the usual rules of time and space do not apply. When a market has just been born, the forces of competition there are constantly in flux, it's unclear who your customers really are, and conventional strategies just don't make sense. How then can you navigate this constantly shifting terrain? Over the past few years, two business school professors have interviewed entrepreneurs and...Starting at €8.20
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The Soul of a Start-up
Gulati, RanjayArticle HBS-R1904E-EEntrepreneurshipThere's an essential, intangible "something" in start-ups--an energy, a soul. It inspires enthusiasm and fosters a sense of deep connection and mutual purpose. While this spirit persists, engagement is high and businesses keep their edge. But all too often, companies lose their souls as they mature. Firms add new systems and structures and bring in experienced professionals--and in the process somehow crush their original energizing spirit. In re...Starting at €8.20
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When Your Moon Shots Don't Take Off
Furr, Nathan R.; Dyer, Jeffrey H.; Nel, KyleArticle HBS-R1901H-EEntrepreneurshipMany companies looking for breakthroughs struggle to move beyond incremental ideas, because cognitive biases trap people in the status quo and prevent them from seeing big opportunities. But four tactics can help firms overcome biases and think far more creatively: (1) Science fiction. Sci-fi writers have foreseen all kinds of innovations. When Lowe's invited some in to envision its future, it got ideas for augmented reality phones, service robot...Starting at €8.20
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Can I Step Back from My Start-Up (Commentary for HBR Case Study)
Dixon, David R.; Leak, Candace; Olson, ToddArticle HBS-R1805Z-EEntrepreneurshipElena Pelc is the founder and CEO of 2 Proud Pups, a maker of all-natural dog care products. Sales are good, but revenues have plateaued at about $1 million annually. Plus she's pregnant with her first child. She must decide whether to sell the company--which would give her more time with her family and help her start-up grow--or hire a new CEO and continue to exert some control over its future. With commentary from Candace Leak, the founder and ...Starting at €8.20
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Do Entrepreneurs Need a Strategy
Gans, Joshua; Scott, Erin L.; Stern, Scott; Schramm, Carl; Shah, Niraj; Sabet, Bijan; Lum, Jennifer; McGinn, Daniel; Frick, WalterArticle HBS-R1803B-EEntrepreneurshipSome start-up founders follow a business plan; others operate by the seat of their pants. This package looks at how entrepreneurs can carefully craft a strategy in advance--and whether that's what they should do. In "Strategy for Start-Ups," Joshua Gans, Erin L. Scott, and Scott Stern write that in their haste to get to market first, entrepreneurs often run with the first plausible strategy they identify. They can improve their chances of picking...Starting at €8.20
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Are You Suited for a Start-Up
Bussgang, Jeffrey J.Article HBS-R1706M-EEntrepreneurshipRelative to established organizations, start-ups can be hard to figure out. What are the jobs to be done? The best entry points? How can you tell whether a company has potential for success and is the right fit for you? The author advises that you first assess whether you're suited for a young, entrepreneurial organization. Start-up joiners need to do three things well: manage uncertainty, push the limits, and think like an owner. He then outline...Starting at €8.20
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When Founders Go Too Far
Blank, SteveArticle HBS-R1706F-EEntrepreneurshipSilicon Valley venture capitalists used to routinely oust start-up founders--who were viewed as green and unskilled--as part of the process leading to an IPO. The author, an adjunct professor at Stanford and a well-known entrepreneurship thinker, describes how VCs gradually came to see founders not as a problem that needed to be solved but as a valuable asset that needed to be retained. In July 2009, when Mark Andreessen cofounded the VC firm And...Starting at €8.20
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It's My Turn (HBR Case Study)
Sharpe, Jim; Weber, JamesArticle HBS-R1310X-EEntrepreneurshipSusie Gordon and Antonio Barile, a married couple, own a manufacturing company together. When their first child was born, they agreed that Susie would stay home with the kids while Antonio ran the business, and then, after a few years, they would swap roles. Now Susie is itching to get back to work, but Antonio is reluctant to step out of the CEO's job and return home. Does he have to honor their original deal--and what will happen if he doesn't?...Starting at €8.20
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It's My Turn (HBR Case Study and Commentary)
Sharpe, Jim; Weber, JamesArticle HBS-R1310K-EEntrepreneurshipSusie Gordon and Antonio Barile, a married couple, own a manufacturing company together. When their first child was born, they agreed that Susie would stay home with the kids while Antonio ran the business, and then, after a few years, they would swap roles. Now Susie is itching to get back to work, but Antonio is reluctant to step out of the CEO's job and return home. Does he have to honor their original deal--and what will happen if he doesn't?...Starting at €8.20
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How Much Is Sweat Equity Worth (Commentary for HBR Case Study)
Marquis, Christopher; Margolis, Joshua D.Article HBS-R1212Z-EEntrepreneurshipBrooks and Tyler are first cousins who are running Erbe, a line of sustainably produced herb-infused vodkas. Brooks put up all his savings--$250,000--to get started, and just a month later Tyler quit a lucrative private equity job to join the new venture. The time has come to decide how to divide the remaining 90% stake in Erbe (the company's investors hold 10%). Brooks feels he's entitled to the lion's share; Tyler believes he should get half. W...Starting at €8.20