Spring 2015 Case Questions 1
CASE QUESTIONS: ENTREPRENEURIAL FINANCE
General Instructions: Unless instructed otherwise, please answer all questions concisely and accurately on one page.
Aristotle Onassis
1. What was the key to Onassis’ success as an entrepreneur? Please give me 5 specific examples when he demonstrated his entrepreneurial talents (e.g., identified new opportunities, took risks, took action, and displayed courage)?
2. How did Onassis take advantage of his knowledge of finance and willingness to take risk to his advantage?
3. How did he manage to live a colorful life mixing business with fun? Please give me 2 examples.
Feed Resources Recovery
1. What is your assessment of the business for the short and long term? Please be specific and state your reasoning.
2. Please give 3 reasons as to why venture capitalists are interested in the overall sector.
3. If you were a venture capitalist, would you invest now in Feed? Why or Why Not? What would you change your mind?
4. Who should Shane and Ryan approach for financing and how would you prioritize the order between family & friends, angels, the government, customers, and others you can think of?
PunchTab
1. Now that he is raising capital for his second business, how is Kamara’s situation different now versus when he was starting YousendIt? What are the three primary reasons?
2. Please name three qualities that would make an ideal angel investor for PunchTab?
3. Why does Sturiale say that deal terms (e.g., valuation, % ownership) are irrelevant? Is that what determines how wealthy an entrepreneur will be? What is meant with that statement?
4. What should Kamaran do? (1) Raise seed with VC; (2) Raise with angels; or (3) Skip seed investment and raise Series A?
Honest Tea
1. How is Honest Tea doing? Give me SPECIFICS.
2. What does Honest Tea need to do to become a successful company?
3. How was the past financing structured between the founders and why?
4. Whom should Goldman and Nalebuff explore for financing in the current
General Instructions: Unless instructed otherwise, please answer all questions concisely and accurately on one page.
Aristotle Onassis
1. What was the key to Onassis’ success as an entrepreneur? Please give me 5 specific examples when he demonstrated his entrepreneurial talents (e.g., identified new opportunities, took risks, took action, and displayed courage)?
2. How did Onassis take advantage of his knowledge of finance and willingness to take risk to his advantage?
3. How did he manage to live a colorful life mixing business with fun? Please give me 2 examples.
Feed Resources Recovery
1. What is your assessment of the business for the short and long term? Please be specific and state your reasoning.
2. Please give 3 reasons as to why venture capitalists are interested in the overall sector.
3. If you were a venture capitalist, would you invest now in Feed? Why or Why Not? What would you change your mind?
4. Who should Shane and Ryan approach for financing and how would you prioritize the order between family & friends, angels, the government, customers, and others you can think of?
PunchTab
1. Now that he is raising capital for his second business, how is Kamara’s situation different now versus when he was starting YousendIt? What are the three primary reasons?
2. Please name three qualities that would make an ideal angel investor for PunchTab?
3. Why does Sturiale say that deal terms (e.g., valuation, % ownership) are irrelevant? Is that what determines how wealthy an entrepreneur will be? What is meant with that statement?
4. What should Kamaran do? (1) Raise seed with VC; (2) Raise with angels; or (3) Skip seed investment and raise Series A?
Honest Tea
1. How is Honest Tea doing? Give me SPECIFICS.
2. What does Honest Tea need to do to become a successful company?
3. How was the past financing structured between the founders and why?
4. Whom should Goldman and Nalebuff explore for financing in the current