Fall Case Prep Workshop Session 1 the business of consulting is really the renting of brains, packaged and delivered with an engaging and confident personality Case in Point 7 September 27, 2012
Agenda Overview of Fall Case Prep Workshop: Scope (2 minutes) Objec9ves (2 minutes) Overview of Content (5 minutes) Case Interview Prepara9on: Sugges9ons for Ge@ng Started (2 minutes) Consul9ng Recrui9ng Process Overview (2 minutes) Case Interview Basics (10 minutes) Framework Introduc9on: Profit Tree (15 minutes) 1 on 1 Case Prac9ce (45 minutes) Key Takeaways (5 minutes) 2
Scope The 3 main goals of this workshop are to: 1. Create a sense of urgency 2. Provide materials & space to prac9ce 3. Ensure that you are using prepara9on 9me efficiently and that you are prac9cing successfully The ul'mate goal is that you are so well- prepared that the case interview is not the dis'nguishing factor, but rather, both you and the company are interviewing each other to determine if there is poten'al for a successful career and there is a cultural fit. 3
Objectives At the end of the workshop, you should Understand what case interviewing is all about Have a basic understanding of a very powerful framework Have prac9ced a case interview at least once Have a plan for your prepara9on throughout the summer 4
Increasing Sales 27-Sep New Product Marketing 4-Oct Pricing Strategies Marketing 4-Oct Industry Analysis New Business 11-Oct EVCC? Competitive Response 25-Oct Mergers & Acquisitions Finance 1-Nov Increasing Profits Finance 1-Nov Turnaround 8-Nov Entering a New Market Strategy 15-Nov Growth Strategies Strategy 15-Nov Reducing Costs 5 18-Oct 29-Nov 6-Dec 29-Nov 15-Nov 8-Nov 1-Nov 25-Oct 18-Oct 11-Oct Partner Club 4-Oct Case Type 27-Sep Overview of Content
Getting Started Buy a book (or borrow one from the BCC Library) and read it Case in Point Crack the Case MBA Case Check out online resources Job Juice Victor Cheng Other MBA Program casebooks (Wharton, Kellogg, HBS, others) WetFeet.com Find a partner Set a schedule and s9ck to it Come to these sessions! They are happening every week this Fall! 6
Recruiting Process Organized Events Meet the Firms Club events Workshops Informa9onal Interviews Job posted and resume drop Interviews Behavioral Case Interviews* Many types and levels of intensity 7
Case Interview Basics Why Focus on the Case Interview? Its different from all of the other stuff It takes prac9ce The interviewer is looking to see if the candidate Is confident, relaxed, mature. Is a good listener Is engaging and enthusias9c Has strong social skills Has strong presenta9on skills Asks insighaul, probing ques9ons Can find and discard red herrings Organizes informa9on effec9vely Has a logical framework for analysis 8 States assump9ons clearly Understands and discusses mul9func9onal aspects of the case Acempts to quan9fy responses at every opportunity Displays business sense and common sense Thinks crea9vely Rolls with the punches Defends himself or herself without being defensive.
Case Interview Basics Continued Case Interview Scenarios: Entering a New Market Competitive Response Industry Analysis Increasing Sales Mergers and Acquisitions Reducing Costs Developing a New Product Improving Bottom Line Pricing Strategies Turnarounds Growth Strategies Starting a New Business Other types of cases: Brainteasers Numbers cases Market sizing cases Factor cases 9
Framework Review 10
Market Analysis: Size, potential, growth, shares, macro, part of external analysis, PEST, Portfolio Analysis Consumer Analysis: B2B (Buying Center, Value Stack), Involvement, Utilitarian/Ego-expressive, pre & post purchase, B2B vs. B2C Company Analysis: Resources & Capabilities, SWOT, Portfolio Analysis Competitor Analysis: Identify, understand, predict, Portfolio Analysis Goals & Objectives: Market Share, Profit, ROI, Revenues, # of units, Image, Customer Satisfaction, NPV Segmentation, Targeting, & Positioning: Why, What, How, Product/ Market Selection, Positioning Statement, Perceptual map Marketing Programs Product Strategy: PLC, Multi-attribute Model, product vs. service, brand & line extensions, managing image... ) Promotion Strategy: 7Ms of Advertising, Advtg vs. SP ) Place (Distribution): Channel functions, selection, profits, management ) Pricing Strategy: Ceiling/Floor, Premium for Innovation, Economics & Psychology based approaches, factors influencing pricing ) Financial Projections: ProForma/P&L, Link with Goals/Objectives Organization, Implementation, Monitoring, Control: Factors aiding/ hurting implementation
Case Interview Execution Marc Cosen9no s Case Commandments: 1. Listen to the ques9on 2. Take notes 3. Summarize the ques9on (out loud) 4. Verify the objec9ves 5. Ask clarifying ques9ons* 6. Organize your answer* 7. Think before you speak 8. Manage your 9me 9. Work the numbers* 10. Be coachable 11. Be crea9ve and brainstorm 12. Exude enthusiasm and a posi9ve a@tude 13. Bring closure and summarize *Frameworks *Math Practice, Practice, Practice! 13
Case Practice #1: Cow Brothers Premium Ice Cream p. 93 - Case in Point7 14
Case Practice #2: Full Speed Ahead p. 150 - Case in Point7 15
Additional Case Practice: Full Speed Ahead p. 150 - Case in Point7 16
Key Takeaways - Increasing Sales Approach Assess the situation Note: Increasing sales doesn t necessarily mean increasing profits Considerations Growth relative to market share Changes in market share Customer polls Are prices competitive? Competitors strategies (marketing and product development) How Increase volume - more buyer, increase distribution channels, intensify marketing Increase amount of each sale - get each buyer to spend more Increase prices Create seasonal balance - increase sales in every quarter by catering to the season 17