Publications

February 2014
Background Note

Raising Startup Capital

By: Jeffrey Bussgang

Entrepreneurs typically focus their full energies on business-building. But raising capital is a core part of building a valuable business. Developing expertise in raising capital is more than a necessary evil, it is a competitive weapon. Master it and you will be in a... View Details

July 2022 (Revised February 2024)
Teaching Note

The DivaCup: Navigating Distribution and Growth

By: Ayelet Israeli

Teaching Note for HBS Case No. 519-055. When the mother-daughter founders of DivaCup set out with a mission to disrupt the menstrual care industry with an innovative product form, they initially struggled to gain legitimacy and convince retailers to carry their unique... View Details

March 2019 (Revised April 2021)
Case

The DivaCup: Navigating Distribution and Growth

By: Ayelet Israeli

When the mother-daughter founders of DivaCup set out with a mission to disrupt the menstrual care industry with an innovative product form, they initially struggled to gain legitimacy and convince retailers to carry their unique product. Fifteen years later, the... View Details

June 2013
Supplement

AME Learning Inc. (Video Supplement)

By: Jim Sharpe

This is the Video Supplement for AME Learning, Inc., HBS Case #810065. View Details

Keywords: Entrepreneurial Management; Entrepreneurs; Angels; Angel Investors; Growth Planning And Management; Growth Strategy; Family Businesses; Family-owned Business; Careers; Venture Capital; Entrepreneurship; Personal Development and Career; Family and Family Relationships; Family Business; Publishing Industry; Education Industry; Canada; United States

June 2013
Teaching Note

Eric Weston (TN)

By: Jim Sharpe and Noah Fisher

This is the Teaching Note Associated with case #813045 (Eric Weston). View Details

Keywords: Acquisitions; Bankruptcy; Financing; Turnarounds; Liquidation; Negotiation; Entrepreneurial Management; Crisis Management; Entrepreneurs; Bank Loan; Career Planning; Financial Analysis; Insolvency and Bankruptcy; Entrepreneurship; Acquisition; Retail Industry; United States

November 2012 (Revised September 2013)
Case

Learning Resources: A Hands-On Toy Company Deals with New Challenges and Opportunities

By: Boris Groysberg and Anahita Hashemi

Learning Resources is a family-owned educational toy company that, by late 2011, was facing a myriad of challenges, including increased competition, entry into new markets, new distribution methods, rising costs of production in China, and changing customer behavior.... View Details

Keywords: Leading Teams; Strategy Formulation; Strategy And Execution; Innovation; Corporate Culture; Industry Analysis; Organizational Alignment; Entrepreneurs; Sales Channels; Leadership; Strategy; Change Management; Innovation Leadership; Family Business; Entrepreneurship; Product Design; Sales; Retail Industry; United States

July 2012 (Revised April 2013)
Case

Eric Weston

Facing bankruptcy or keeping the doors open, Eric Weston assesses his continued survival in the retail garden supply business he has owned for seven years. View Details

Keywords: Acquisitions; Bankruptcy; Financing; Turnarounds; Liquidation; Negotiation; Entrepreneurial Management; Crisis Management; Entrepreneurs; Bank Loan; Career Planning; Financial Analysis; Insolvency and Bankruptcy; Entrepreneurship; Acquisition; Retail Industry; United States

August 2019
Case

ClearScore, 2018

By: John R. Wells and Benjamin Weinstock

In October 2017, Experian, one of the “Big Three” consumer credit reporting agencies in the United Kingdom made an offer to acquire ClearScore for a total consideration of £293 million. Founded by Justin Basini, Dan Cobley, and Nigel Morris in 2014, ClearScore was the... View Details

20 Feb 2020
Blog Post

Black Visionary Leadership and Redefining What's Possible

(DEI) and I’m the co-president of AASU. After we graduate, we’re going to work in those spaces in finance and tech—I’m going into Venture Capital (VC) at Goldman Sachs, and Tyler is heading to Facebook. The statistics regarding black View Details

February 2013 (Revised September 2013)
Case

Elasto Therm: The Next Step

By: Jim Sharpe and James Weber

Julia and Nate Burstein were living their dream running their own business and balancing the demands between their work and family obligations while creating a company that was responsive to their employees' and their customers' needs. The Bursteins had joined a large... View Details

Keywords: Entrepreneurial Management; Entrepreneurs; Pricing; Pricing Policies; Pricing Strategy; Pricing Structure; Sales Force Management; Acquisitions; Work/family Balance; Family-owned Business; Entrepreneurship; Growth and Development Strategy; Expansion; Work-Life Balance; Manufacturing Industry; Rubber Industry; United States

May 2013
Supplement

Elasto Therm: The Next Step

This is the spreadsheet supplement for case ElastoTherm: The Next Step(813030). This contains the electronic copy of exhibits 1 and 2. View Details

Keywords: Entrepreneurial Management; Entrepreneurs; Pricing; Pricing Policies; Pricing Strategy; Pricing Structure; Sales Force Management; Acquisitions; Work/family Balance; Family-owned Business; Entrepreneurship; Growth and Development Strategy; Expansion; Work-Life Balance; Manufacturing Industry; Rubber Industry; United States

July 2012 (Revised May 2024)
Supplement

Lyric Dinner Theater (B)

By: Richard G. Hamermesh and Jim Sharpe

Supplements the (A) Case. Deborah Denenberg reflects on the results and actions taken during the 12 months following her first 6 months on the job. View Details

Keywords: Entrepreneurs; Entrepreneurial Management; Crisis; Turn; Family Business; Financial Crisis; Boards Of Directors; Operations Management; Strategy Implementation; Career Planning; Entrepreneurship; Entertainment and Recreation Industry; United States

April 2018
Article

We Ask Men to Win & Women Not to Lose: Closing the Gender Gap in Startup Funding

By: Dana Kanze, Laura Huang, Mark Conley and E. Tory Higgins

Male entrepreneurs are known to raise higher levels of funding than their female counterparts, but the underlying mechanism for this funding disparity remains contested. Drawing upon Regulatory Focus Theory, we propose that the gap originates with a gender bias in the... View Details

Keywords: Business Startups; Finance; Gender; Prejudice and Bias

Find at Harvard

February 2015 (Revised February 2017)
Case

Winnan Metal: Fulfilling the Dream

By: William R. Kerr, Jim Sharpe and James Weber

Neil Kashyap and Neil Lombardo (HBS '08) acquired Winnan Metal, Inc., a metal fabrication shop, after raising a search fund and an 11 month search to fulfill their dreams of becoming business owners. Two weeks after they took control of the company, Winnan's largest... View Details

Keywords: Entrepreneurs; Entrepreneurial Management; Turnarounds; Bank Loan; Crisis Management; Financial Analysis; Search Funds; Acquisitions; Financial Capital Needed; Management; Operations Management; Sales; Entrepreneurship; Decision Making; Change Management; Manufacturing Industry; United States; Indiana

2014
Discussion Paper

The Promise of Microfinance and Women's Empowerment: What Does the Evidence Say?

By: Dina D. Pomeranz

The microfinance revolution has transformed access to financial services for low-income populations worldwide. As a result, it has become one of the most talked-about innovations in global development in recent decades. However, its expansion has not been without... View Details

Read Now

John J-H Kim is a Senior Lecturer and part of the Social Enterprise Initiative at the Harvard Business School. He created and teaches the course Transforming Education Through Social Entrepreneurship—leaders and entrepreneurs who are improving the... View Details

June 2013
Teaching Note

Elasto Therm: The Next Step

By: Jim Sharpe

Keywords: Entrepreneurial Organizations; Entrepreneurs; Careers; Empowerment; Job Design; Sales Channels; Sales Force Management; Pricing Strategy; Pricing; Pricing Policies; Employee Empowerment; Customer Focus; Entrepreneurship; Salesforce Management; Customer Focus and Relationships; Rubber Industry; United States

June 2013
Supplement

To JV or Not To JV? That is the Question (for XTech in China) - Video Supplement

By: Jim Sharpe

This is the Video Supplement for To JV or Not To JV? That is the Question (for XTech in China) HBS Case 807118. View Details

May 2013
Supplement

To JV or Not To JV? That Is the Question (for XTech in China)

This is the Spreadsheet Supplement for To JV or Not To JV? That is the Question (for XTech in China) HBS Case 807118. Includes Exhibit 1. View Details