Entrepreneur Cases: Live Case Interview (Structured Format) 5 pages

You are to locate and interview an entrepreneur who has started a legitimate business within the past 5 years and has plans to grow it.  Use this opportunity to practice several skills necessary for successful entrepreneurship: cold calling, networking, communicating, gathering and assessing information.  Be professional in your conduct and represent yourselves appropriately. Be mindful of maintaining the good reputation we have with the business community.  Please note that you may not interview an apparel retailer, or a food or beverage retailer (i.e., restaurant &/bar) or yourself. Deliverables for this project include (A) a written paper (required 5 pages single space in Times New Roman12 point font) and (B) a mini case presentation (3-4 minutes)  Maximum Points  = 100 points (Part A=90 points; Part B =10 points)

Part A: The cover page for your interview paper should contain the following information

(1) the name, address, telephone number, email address of the business.  I may contact these businesses as a routine check at any time.  (Note that if I cannot verify the authenticity of the business and interview, then the interview will not count and no grades are given for the presentation or paper).  (2) the interviewee’s name and title – preferably, include a business card. (3)Also mention the date and time of interview and the duration of time.  I have set aside class time for this - if planned well, you should be able to get all needed information within an hour.  Follow format and sub headings provided!  Unstructured work cannot be graded

The body of your paper should be have the following information and structured as such:

1. Introduction and background of the interviewee and the firm.

2. Brief history of the firm and major milestones that were reached, and its significance

3. The entrepreneurship cycle  – 4 steps (how the individual recognized opportunity, exploited it, started the new venture, and enables the continued existence of the firm)

4. Major challenges and responses – those dealt with in the past, those currently faced in the present, and those anticipated in the future. 

5. Reflections of the entrepreneur – Given a choice, what is the one thing they would have done differently or wished were different (may need persistence on your part to get this), and the one thing they are most proud of in their new venture.

6.  Your own question and the response – You are free to ask your most “burning” question.  This should be something that you are most curious about finding out (e.g., sustainability)

7. Provide a current resume (one page maximum) of the entrepreneur or create one from your information. The resume and cover page are in addition to the 5 page requirement.

Grading Criteria for Case Interview (Max 100 points: Paper=90; Presentation = 10)

Going over and beyond minimal expectations, and high quality work will result in higher grades.

Part A: The cover page  (sum of 5 points)

(1) Name, address, telephone number, email address of the business. 

(2)Interviewee’s name and title – preferably a business card. 

(3) Date and time of interview and the duration of time. 

Main body of paper  (sum of 85 points)

1. Introduction and background of the interviewee and his/her firm. (5 points)

2. Brief history of the firm and major milestones why was it a milestone (10 points)

3. The 4 steps of entrepreneurship cycle – (20 points)

  Recognized opportunity

 Opportunity exploitation 

 Started the new venture 

 Enables the continued existence of the firm

4. Major challenges and responses (30 points)

  those dealt with in the past, 

 those currently faced in the present

 those anticipated in the future. 

5. Reflections of the entrepreneur (10 points)

 one thing they would have done differently

 one thing most proud of in their new venture.

6.  Your own question and the response (5 points)

7. Provided current resume of entrepreneur/created one from information. (5 points)