What's the Matter with Living Social?
MIHIR RATHOD
CASE STUDY 2
BUSN 6610/6180
DATE – 11.14.2012
Case Questions BUSN6610 / ISMG6180
Fall 2012
Week 13
What’s the Deal with LivingSocial?, Harvard Business School Case, #9-512-065
Format: 2 pages max, single space if necessary, 1 inch margins all around, minimum10 pt font.
Assume you are working for a new Venture Capital firm here in Denver after graduating with your UCD Masters degree. While you would like a salary commensurate with your skills ($150,000 per year), you are given a subsistence wage of $30,000. However, you are given the opportunity to work as part of the management teams that are forced upon startups who are funded by your VC firm. Your payoff potential comes from earning equity in the startup firms. If your projects are successful, it is possible you could earn millions of dollars and launch a lucrative career in entrepreneurship.
Questions
1. Your first assignment is to work on a consulting project at LivingSocial for its CFO. He feels you can conduct an objective analysis since you are from the “outside”. First, analyze the business model of LivingSocial. Second, you need to provide a recommendation...how would you change the business model to build and grow long term, consistent profits that are above the industry average? Be sure to analyze the impacts of your recommendation in detail to provide support for your ideas.
2. Before you have a chance to see if your recommendations are adopted and ultimately successful, you are pulled way for a quick consulting gig at another company being funded and run by the VC firm. This firm is a fast casual hamburger chain that serves custom-made burgers using natural beef (you choose the toppings), fresh cut fries, milkshakes, and has a license to serve beer. The plan is for the hamburger company to come into Denver region and immediately open 30 restaurants in locations throughout the metro area. The hamburger company’s marketing VP wants you to develop a plan that uses
CASE STUDY 2
BUSN 6610/6180
DATE – 11.14.2012
Case Questions BUSN6610 / ISMG6180
Fall 2012
Week 13
What’s the Deal with LivingSocial?, Harvard Business School Case, #9-512-065
Format: 2 pages max, single space if necessary, 1 inch margins all around, minimum10 pt font.
Assume you are working for a new Venture Capital firm here in Denver after graduating with your UCD Masters degree. While you would like a salary commensurate with your skills ($150,000 per year), you are given a subsistence wage of $30,000. However, you are given the opportunity to work as part of the management teams that are forced upon startups who are funded by your VC firm. Your payoff potential comes from earning equity in the startup firms. If your projects are successful, it is possible you could earn millions of dollars and launch a lucrative career in entrepreneurship.
Questions
1. Your first assignment is to work on a consulting project at LivingSocial for its CFO. He feels you can conduct an objective analysis since you are from the “outside”. First, analyze the business model of LivingSocial. Second, you need to provide a recommendation...how would you change the business model to build and grow long term, consistent profits that are above the industry average? Be sure to analyze the impacts of your recommendation in detail to provide support for your ideas.
2. Before you have a chance to see if your recommendations are adopted and ultimately successful, you are pulled way for a quick consulting gig at another company being funded and run by the VC firm. This firm is a fast casual hamburger chain that serves custom-made burgers using natural beef (you choose the toppings), fresh cut fries, milkshakes, and has a license to serve beer. The plan is for the hamburger company to come into Denver region and immediately open 30 restaurants in locations throughout the metro area. The hamburger company’s marketing VP wants you to develop a plan that uses