Case Study: Marketer or Entrepreneur
Case Study: Marketer or Entrepreneur
Case Study: Marketer or Entrepreneur
Lee Brown has been a market planning specialist for the sweet tooth candy company for
the past two years. This is her first job following graduation from college and she is quite
pleased with her progress in the organization. She has received 3 merit raises and expects
to be promoted soon to the position of senior market planning specialist. She enjoys her
work, and her immediate boss is one of the finest market planners she could ever hope to
work with. Her boss gives her autonomy, support and resources when she needs them.
Similarly, he seems to know when she needs help and gives it to her in a way that brings
out the best in her. Lee frequently wonders how anyone could be happier then she is with
her job and company.
Last week she met Jamie Wilson one of her former school mates, at the local shopping
center. Lee recalled that Jamie, an excellent student who majored in Human Resource
Management, had accepted a position as a compensation analyst with a local health care
corporation. While catching up on the events of their lives during the previous two years,
Jamie indicated she had a business proposition that she had been considering for
sometimes but didn’t believe she could pursue alone. She needed a partner and suggested
that Lee be that person.
Her proposition was that, child-care centers ware desperately needed in their area. The
city of approximately 35000 people had only one small child care facility, which had a
very long waiting list and very high rates. Jamie’s research had revealed that three
different churches in the area would gladly support additional child care centers by
furnishing their facilities, at little or no cost, provided the centers were managed s
separate business. Jamie had located a building that could be developed into an excellent
child-care center. Jamie responded that she and Lee could start the business in one or
more of the churches and expand into the building she had found. Financially the return
from operating one child care center would not quite equal lee’s current total
compensation. However, two or more centers would yield a very nice income for both
partners. Jamie had determined that appropriate licenses could be obtained in a few
weeks and that the financing required starting a business was available at very favorable
rates. Other materials and supplies were readily available as well.
Lee was intrigued with this proposition and told Jamie that she wanted a week to think it
over. She intends to discuss her interest in this proposition with Jamie tomorrow.