Author Profile
Fairchild, Gregory B.
Road to Success
Fairchild, Gregory B.; Paes de Almeida Bittencourt, Isadora; Glickman, Theodore; Fairchild, Tierney
G-0659 | Published December 13, 2022 | 5 pages Case
Collection: Darden School of Business
This case introduces Aaron Johnson, a formerly at-risk youth who spent three years in prison, and who now faces many daunting tasks related to building his career: securing his first job, gaining admi... Read More
A Career Start for Jasmine
Fairchild, Gregory B.; Fairchild, Tierney; Doss, Aaron; Glickman, Teddy
F-2021 | Published October 11, 2022 | 9 pages Case
Collection: Darden School of Business
This fictional case introduces Jasmine Lawson, who has just been offered a position as an executive assistant after a grueling, months-long job search. Lawson, a formerly incarcerated woman with a you... Read More
Business Plan Development: Overview
Fairchild, Gregory B.; Temkin, Jacqueline; Becker, Buzz
ENT-0231 | Published September 12, 2022 | 3 pages Exercise
Collection: Darden School of Business
This exercise and its accompanying handouts, designed to be used in courses for non-MBA audiences that explore aspects of entrepreneurship, guide students through the development of their very own bus... Read More
What Are the Odds?
Fairchild, Gregory B.; Sinclair, Safiya; Corum, Kimberly
G-0655 | Published July 22, 2021 | 9 pages Case
Collection: Darden School of Business
Oscar Ramirez, an employee at the Whole Nine Yards Construction & Landscaping Company, has been assigned to manage the remodel of Mayor Lawrence’s family estate, which locals call "Lawrence Lair." One... Read More
The Living Roof
Fairchild, Gregory B.; Sinclair, Safiya; Corum, Kimberly
G-0654 | Published July 22, 2021 | 9 pages Case
Collection: Darden School of Business
Oscar Ramirez, an employee at the Whole Nine Yards Construction & Landscaping Company, has been assigned to manage the remodel of Mayor Lawrence’s family estate, which locals call "Lawrence Lair." One... Read More
How to Become a Minus
Fairchild, Gregory B.; Sinclair, Safiya; Corum, Kimberly
G-0656 | Published July 22, 2021 | 8 pages Case
Collection: Darden School of Business
Oscar Ramirez, an employee at the Whole Nine Yards Construction & Landscaping Company, has been assigned to manage the remodel of Mayor Lawrence’s family estate, which locals call "Lawrence Lair." One... Read More
It's All in the Signs
Fairchild, Gregory B.; Sinclair, Safiya; Corum, Kimberly
G-0653 | Published July 21, 2021 | 8 pages Case
Collection: Darden School of Business
Oscar Ramirez, an employee at the Whole Nine Yards Construction & Landscaping Company, has been assigned to manage the remodel of Mayor Lawrence’s family estate, which locals call "Lawrence Lair." One... Read More
A Universal Language
Fairchild, Gregory B.; Sinclair, Safiya; Corum, Kimberly
G-0652 | Published July 21, 2021 | 10 pages Case
Collection: Darden School of Business
Oscar Ramirez, an employee at the Whole Nine Yards Construction & Landscaping Company, has just been awarded his first major contract. Ramirez has been assigned to manage the remodel of Mayor Lawrence... Read More
Peerless Potato Chips
Fairchild, Gregory B.; Jones, Liz Ivaniw
OB-1370 | Published June 02, 2021 | 13 pages Case
Collection: Darden School of Business
The Peerless Potato Chip Company (Peerless) is a private-label, family-owned-and-operated, national potato chip manufacturer specializing in organic chips. The CEO, Kate Kelly, had been with the compa... Read More
Julia Madeline-Coho and Uptown Hound
ENT-0228 | Published April 29, 2021 | 8 pages Case
Collection: Darden School of Business
Julia Madeline-Coho has decided to start a business—Uptown Hound—that will entertain pets while their owners are away from their homes in the medium-sized mid-Atlantic city of Greenwood. Madeline-Coho... Read More
How Do You Solve a Problem Like Marcus?
Fairchild, Gregory B.; Sinclair, Safiya
OB-1310 | Published September 18, 2020 | 9 pages Case
Collection: Darden School of Business
This case follows Heather Grant as she begins her new role as manager of the Staunton, Virginia, branch of Loom & Ferris, a mid-sized call center specializing in printing, branding, and logos for corp... Read More
You Can Play, but Will You Win?
Fairchild, Gregory B.; Fairchild, Cole
F-1894 | Published July 06, 2020 | 9 pages Case
Collection: Darden School of Business
This case follows Jason, a high school student who is looking forward to going to college. He is an excellent student and a basketball star, which allowed him to receive two full-ride scholarships: th... Read More
Thursday Night Dilemmas
Fairchild, Gregory B.; Sinclair, Safiya
E-0433 | Published May 19, 2020 | 5 pages Case
Collection: Darden School of Business
This case focuses on how to think about personal and business ethical dilemmas. The case presents three ethical dilemmas: two hypothetical scenarios presented to Kiara in her ethics class, and one re... Read More
Getting Back to Business (A)
Fairchild, Gregory B.; Sinclair, Safiya
G-0647 | Published May 19, 2020 | 4 pages Case
Collection: Darden School of Business
Sam Washington is a young single mother looking to get back into the workforce six months after giving birth to her daughter, Kiki. Sam has lined up an interview for a secretarial position at Glass &... Read More
Getting Back to Business (B)
Fairchild, Gregory B.; Sinclair, Safiya
G-0648 | Published May 19, 2020 | 7 pages Case
Collection: Darden School of Business
Sam Washington is a young single mother looking to get back into the workforce six months after giving birth to her daughter, Kiki. Sam has lined up an interview for a secretarial position at Glass &... Read More
Jason Goes Job Hunting
Fairchild, Gregory B.; Sinclair, Safiya
G-0649 | Published May 14, 2020 | 6 pages Case
Collection: Darden School of Business
Jason has had a string of bad luck: he was fired from his job, his car got repossessed, he had to move back in with his mother when he was unable to make rent on his apartment, and his girlfriend dump... Read More
What Hank Did Next
Fairchild, Gregory B.; Sinclair, Safiya
E-0434 | Published May 13, 2020 | 7 pages Case
Collection: Darden School of Business
Hank Carlson, once a successful businessman and a well-respected member of his community, spent nearly two years in prison for check fraud. When he was caught, the community turned on him instantly, a... Read More
Tentacles
F-1922 | Published February 10, 2020 | 8 pages Case
Collection: Darden School of Business
This case follows Kaycee, who had just returned two weeks ago from a 27-month stay in prison, as she discovers that she is the victim of identity theft. To find out what steps to take, Kaycee reaches ... Read More
Bright Blue Scrubs: Going Back to School
Eades, Kenneth M.; Sinclair, Safiya; Fairchild, Gregory B.; Lucido, Aimee; Maiden, Stephen E.
F-1912 | Published February 06, 2020 | 12 pages Case
Collection: Darden School of Business
This case tracks a woman named Jodi as she dreams of going back to school in her early 30s to become a nurse. Jodi had put off higher education for 15 years after she became pregnant with her son as a... Read More
Tamara's New House (B)
Eades, Kenneth M.; Fairchild, Gregory B.; Sinclair, Safiya
F-1887 | Published January 16, 2020 | 9 pages Case
Collection: Darden School of Business
The second case in this three-case "Tamara's New House" series that started with “Tamara’s New House (A)” (UVA-F-1886) follows HR manager Tamara as she navigates the home-buying process. Once she choo... Read More
Tamara's New House (A)
Eades, Kenneth M.; Fairchild, Gregory B.; Sinclair, Safiya
F-1886 | Published January 16, 2020 | 10 pages Case
Collection: Darden School of Business
This case and its follow-up B and C cases simulate a quintessential part of the “American dream”: buying and financing a first house. For most people, buying a house is the largest purchase they will ... Read More
Tamara's New House (C)
Eades, Kenneth M.; Fairchild, Gregory B.; Sinclair, Safiya
F-1888 | Published January 16, 2020 | 6 Pages Case
Collection: Darden School of Business
This, the third case in the "Tamara's New House" series (which includes “Tamara’s New House (A)” [UVA-F-1886] and "Tamara's New House (B) [UVA-F-1887]), revisits Tamara as she negotiates the final ste... Read More
In Sickness and in Health (A)
Eades, Kenneth M.; Fairchild, Gregory B.; Sinclair, Safiya
F-1917 | Published December 23, 2019 | 13 pages Case
Collection: Darden School of Business
Cameron Harding has just opened his own business, and needs to get health insurance for himself and his fiancée, Audra. They are looking for a plan that will best meet their needs, but Harding knows l... Read More
In Sickness and in Health (B): Health Care Snapshots
Eades, Kenneth M.; Fairchild, Gregory B.; Sinclair, Safiya
F-1918 | Published December 23, 2019 | 6 pages Case
Collection: Darden School of Business
This case provides two snapshots of sudden health care crises. It walks the students through how health insurance works, and what questions to ask when receiving care. Read More
Fresh Start—Choosing a New Cell Phone Plan
Eades, Kenneth M.; Fairchild, Gregory B.; Sinclair, Safiya; Lucido, Aimee; Maiden, Stephen E.
F-1901 | Published December 17, 2019 | 9 pages Case
Collection: Darden School of Business
Kira Allen has moved to a new city, started a new job, and is ready to get herself a new cell phone and a phone plan as well. As she researches her options, Allen thinks about trade-offs and different... Read More
Carla's Vacation
Fairchild, Gregory B.; Fairchild, Tierney
F-1920 | Published November 20, 2019 | 9 pages Case
Collection: Darden School of Business
Carla is at a crossroads. She's in dire financial straits and seriously considering leaving her husband of 20 years. A group of her friends has invited her to vacation with them at the annual revival ... Read More
FICO Score
Eades, Kenneth M.; Fairchild, Gregory B.; Maiden, Stephen E.; Jackson, Sam
F-1909 | Published September 17, 2019 | 14 pages Case
Collection: Darden School of Business
This case teaches students the importance of maintaining a strong FICO score by illustrating the consequences of paying bills late or not at all. The protagonist is David Molina, a receptionist at a g... Read More
Living the "Unbanked Life": Jaime, Renting to Own
Eades, Kenneth M.; Sinclair, Safiya; Fairchild, Gregory B.
F-1900 | Published August 26, 2019 | 9 pages Case
Collection: Darden School of Business
This case follows a man named Jaime as he considers options for obtaining furniture for the new apartment he and his brother, Angelo, have leased. Jaime would like a new couch, a coffee table, and a T... Read More
Choosing a Bank Account
Eades, Kenneth M.; Maiden, Stephen E.; Fairchild, Gregory B.
F-1893 | Published August 22, 2019 | 12 pages Case
Collection: Darden School of Business
This case simulates the decision of choosing a bank account through the eyes of a new couple on the verge of getting married. Bill Donlon has no prior experience in banking, choosing instead to accumu... Read More
Spreadsheets or Michelangelo: Going Back to School
Fairchild, Gregory B.; Fairchild, Tierney; Black, Christina; Jones, Liz Ivaniw
F-1874 | Published August 21, 2019 | 12 pages Case
Collection: Darden School of Business
A financially struggling administrative assistant needs information to help her decide whether she can return to school. Read More
Planning for the Future: Savings and Retirement
Fairchild, Gregory B.; Fairchild, Tierney; Hunt, Brian; Black, Christina
F-1869 | Published August 09, 2019 | 13 pages Case
Collection: Darden School of Business
Marcy and Dan were high school sweethearts who married young and built a life together. Between Marcy's work as a waitress and Dan's as an electrician, they have raised their now-teenage children with... Read More
Reggie Needs a Car (A)
Eades, Kenneth M.; Sinclair, Safiya; Fairchild, Gregory B.; Lucido, Aimee; Maiden, Stephen E.
F-1884 | Published August 07, 2019 | 13 pages Case
Collection: Darden School of Business
This case series simulates the decision of choosing and financing a car. Reggie Fuller is a fry cook on the verge of losing his job if he keeps arriving late to work due to inconsistent public buses. ... Read More
Reggie Needs a Car (B)
Eades, Kenneth M.; Sinclair, Safiya; Fairchild, Gregory B.; Lucido, Aimee; Maiden, Stephen E.
F-1885 | Published August 07, 2019 | 7 pages Case
Collection: Darden School of Business
In this case, fry cook Reggie Fuller, who wants to buy a car to ensure that he can consistently get to work on time, asks his mother if she and his sister would like to chip in with him so that he can... Read More
One Last Pedicure: Balancing a Personal Budget
Eades, Kenneth M.; Sinclair, Safiya; Fairchild, Gregory B.
F-1889 | Published August 06, 2019 | 12 pages Case
Collection: Darden School of Business
This case follows dance instructor Jackie McKenzie as she struggles to properly budget her expenses needed to support life with her youngest daughter, Millie. At the checkout aisle of her local grocer... Read More
Understanding FICO Scores
Fairchild, Gregory B.; Black, Christina; Jones, Liz Ivaniw; Fairchild, Tierney
F-1866 | Published August 06, 2019 | 14 pages Case
Collection: Darden School of Business
David Simmons is a part-time Uber driver trying to make ends meet as he pursues a career in finance. Money is tight for him right now because he just finished a 10-month program at one of the universi... Read More
Black Coffee and Black Cards (B)
F-1883 | Published August 05, 2019 | 11 pages Case
Collection: Darden School of Business
This case continues the story of Shane and Erin as they learn about credit cards. In the A case, "Black Coffee and Black Cards (A)," Shane researched credit cards and explained the fine print from the... Read More
Black Coffee and Black Cards (A)
F-1882 | Published August 05, 2019 | 14 pages Case
Collection: Darden School of Business
This case follows the recently married Shane and Erin as they explore the world of credit cards. Shane, a musician with an irregular salary and a spotty job history, was raised to avoid credit by his ... Read More
Living the "Unbanked Life": Maria
Eades, Kenneth M.; Sinclair, Safiya; Fairchild, Gregory B.
F-1892 | Published August 05, 2019 | 10 pages Case
Collection: Darden School of Business
This case follows a woman named Maria Alvarez as she explores financing options to cover costs for her young daughter's surprise respiratory illness. Alvarez has not opened a bank account since moving... Read More
Personal Budgeting Overview: One Last Pedicure
Fairchild, Gregory B.; Fairchild, Tierney; Black, Christina; Jones, Liz Ivaniw
F-1865 | Published July 23, 2019 | 12 pages Case
Collection: Darden School of Business
A daughter teaches her mother how to handle her finances by creating a budget. Read More
Willy Buys a Car
Fairchild, Gregory B.; Fairchild, Tierney; Black, Christina; Jones, Liz Ivaniw
F-1871 | Published July 01, 2019 | 13 pages Case
Collection: Darden School of Business
For the past three months, Willy Fuller has been working as a fry cook at Hal's Café. He has no car, and due to the unpredictability of the bus service, Willy has been late to work several days. His b... Read More
Umbrella of Protection: Health, Disability, and Life Insurance
Fairchild, Gregory B.; Fairchild, Tierney; Black, Christina; Jones, Liz Ivaniw; Van Hoof, Jim; Maiden, Stephen E.
F-1873 | Published June 28, 2019 | 13 pages Case
Collection: Darden School of Business
Matthew Andrews and Elizabeth (Liz) Graham had recently graduated college and planned to get married soon. They had both accepted jobs in Washington, DC, and would be moving to Gainesville, Virginia. ... Read More
Creating Your Own Personal Budget and Balancing Your Checkbook
Fairchild, Gregory B.; Fairchild, Tierney; Black, Christina; Jones, Liz Ivaniw
F-1868 | Published June 28, 2019 | 9 pages Case
Collection: Darden School of Business
Christine Angelo was going to be released from prison soon, after serving a combined three-year sentence for grand larceny and a probation violation. She was nervous and sometimes overwhelmed by all t... Read More
Rose Buys a House
Fairchild, Gregory B.; Fairchild, Tierney; Black, Christina; Jones, Liz Ivaniw
F-1872 | Published June 26, 2019 | 20 pages Case
Collection: Darden School of Business
Rose is a single, 35-year-old social worker from Virginia who has decided to foster two small boys, with the goal of eventually adopting them. She lives in a two-bedroom apartment, which she knows doe... Read More
Nate Chooses a Business Entity
Fairchild, Gregory B.; Maiden, Stephen E.
F-1795 | Published June 12, 2019 | 9 pages Case
Collection: Darden School of Business
This case follows Nate Jamison as he determines which business entity to form for his growing City Moving Company (City Moving) in Washington, DC. From the start, Jamison operated City Moving as a sol... Read More
Tentacles (Identity Theft)
Fairchild, Gregory B.; Fairchild, Tierney; Black, Christina; Jones, Liz Ivaniw
F-1864 | Published May 28, 2019 | 7 pages Case
Collection: Darden School of Business
Readers are given specific steps to take when digging themselves out from under the frustrating experience of identity theft. Read More
Black Cards and Banking
Fairchild, Gregory B.; Fairchild, Tierney; Black, Christina; Jones, Liz Ivaniw
F-1870 | Published May 20, 2019 | 10 pages Case
Collection: Darden School of Business
Cecilia and Luke were recently married and were beginning to build a life together. Although they were complete opposites, they had been able to work through their differences and have a good relation... Read More
A Quicksand of Loans: Loan Types
Fairchild, Gregory B.; Fairchild, Tierney; Black, Christina; Jones, Liz Ivaniw
F-1867 | Published May 20, 2019 | 8 pages Case
Collection: Darden School of Business
Rachel Moore was an optimistic, cheerful, friendly woman who had recently graduated with a bachelor’s degree in business management. She had used scholarships and grants while working 30 hours a week ... Read More
Henry Spots a Problem at Sunshine O.J. (A)
Fairchild, Gregory B.; Maiden, Stephen E.
OM-1614 | Published May 16, 2019 | 7 pages Case
Collection: Darden School of Business
Henry Franklin works at Sunshine O.J. (Sunshine), a three-year-old, fast-growing organic orange juice manufacturer near Charleston, South Carolina. Before his employment at Sunshine, Franklin worked f... Read More
Henry Spots a Problem at Sunshine O.J. (B)
Fairchild, Gregory B.; Maiden, Stephen E.
OM-1615 | Published May 16, 2019 | 8 pages Case
Collection: Darden School of Business
The B case in this series picks up after the protagonist, Henry Franklin, has delivered his recommendation to use "first in, first out" (FIFO) accounting to the management of Sunshine O.J. (Sunshine).... Read More
Shanti Block and Tackle
Fairchild, Gregory B.; Goldberg, Rebecca
ENT-0217 | Published January 16, 2019 | 4 pages Case
Collection: Darden School of Business
With a $7,500 loan from a family member, Calvin Gorelick has started an online business selling specialty yoga blocks. His primary concern is whether or not the cycles of "purchase blocks, sell blocks... Read More
Vincent Buys a Lawn Mower
Fairchild, Gregory B.; Maiden, Stephen E.
F-1794 | Published January 08, 2019 | 7 pages Case
Collection: Darden School of Business
Vincent Chin's first "temporary" job after high school was with the lawn crew of Holiday Lawn Service. Ten years later, Chin has become a trusted employee and the company's second-in-command. His boss... Read More
GreenThumb’s Lawn and Design (A)
Fairchild, Gregory B.; Goldberg, Rebecca
ENT-0210 | Published December 20, 2018 | 6 pages Case
Collection: Darden School of Business
Friends Parker and Miles are brainstorming the possibilities of a local start-up—a landscaping venture that leverages their love of the outdoors and their self-taught green thumb skills in planting, m... Read More
GreenThumb’s Lawn and Design (B)
Fairchild, Gregory B.; Goldberg, Rebecca
ENT-0211 | Published December 20, 2018 | 4 pages Case
Collection: Darden School of Business
Business partners Parker and Miles have just launched their local landscaping company, GreenThumb Lawn and Design (GreenThumb). Their meetings with potential customers have resulted in multiple job of... Read More
Crystal Catering
Fairchild, Gregory B.; Goldberg, Rebecca; Jones, Liz Ivaniw
ENT-0209 | Published December 18, 2018 | 4 pages Case
Collection: Darden School of Business
When Ben Smith’s call-center job is outsourced, he and his wife, Jane, decide to open a catering company to build on Jane’s cottage business selling baked goods. They have an opportunity to cater a ho... Read More
Devils Backbone Brewing, LLC: An Idea Brews
Fairchild, Gregory B.; Floyd, Casey
S-0300 | Published June 18, 2018 | 11 pages Case
Collection: Darden School of Business
This case is used in Darden's required first-year course, "Strategic Thinking and Action." In 2015, Steve and Heidi Crandall, the founders of Devils Backbone Brewing, LLC (DBB), were looking back on ... Read More
MPOWERing Global Students
Fairchild, Gregory B.; Jones, Liz Ivaniw
ENT-0220 | Published May 25, 2018 | 21 pages Case
Collection: Darden School of Business
Emanuel Smadja and Mike Davis had cofounded the start-up MPOWER Financing, which offered loans to high-promise international students in US colleges through an application process that opened up credi... Read More
Crocs: On Rough Water
Fairchild, Gregory B.; Lipson, Marc L.; Loutskina, Elena; Gupta, Gaurav
F-1811 | Published April 24, 2018 | 19 pages Case
Collection: Darden School of Business
This case introduces Ron Snyder, CEO of Crocs, Inc., in 2007, a few years after Crocs went public on the NASDAQ in the largest shoe offering ever. Investor excitement at the time had been palpable—the... Read More
Which Kaptein to Choose? The Havoysund Fleet Question
Fairchild, Gregory B.; Parmar, Bidhan L.; Harris, Jared D.; Mead, Jenny
E-0419 | Published January 10, 2018 | 9 pages Case
Collection: Darden School of Business
Olaf Tryggvason, owner of a fleet of fishing ships in a small northern Norwegian town, has been offered and has accepted a reality television deal about the fleet to create a show along the lines of "... Read More
Emerson Process Management: Metran Acquisition
Fairchild, Gregory B.; Kassam-Adams, Shahir
S-0252 | Published October 22, 2015 | 29 pages Case
Collection: Darden School of Business
This case is used in Darden's first-year strategy course and is appropriate for MBA, Executive MBA, GEMBA, and executive education programs. The president of a key division of Emerson, a well-known di... Read More
Saks Fifth Avenue: Project Evolution
Fairchild, Gregory B.; Kassam-Adams, Shahir
S-0244 | Published October 21, 2014 | 21 pages Case
Collection: Darden School of Business
This case is used in Darden's first-year strategy course and is appropriate for MBA, Executive MBA, GEMBA, and executive education programs. The head of strategy for a well-known fashion retailer, Sak... Read More
American Express: Bank 2.0
Fairchild, Gregory B.; Thomas-Kennedy, Jackie
S-0242 | Published October 06, 2014 | 19 pages Case
Collection: Darden School of Business
In June 2011, American Express announced the formation of a new group, Enterprise Growth (EG). EG was designed to challenge existing credit and charge business models and extend American Express's lea... Read More
Hillenbrand: Thinking Beyond the Certain
Fairchild, Gregory B.; Yemen, Gerry
S-0243 | Published September 26, 2014 | 18 pages Case
Collection: Darden School of Business
For years, the death care business looked good on paper for Hillenbrand, Inc.: the company had EBITDA margins of more than 26% in an industry that historically presented itself as stable, profitable, ... Read More
Neal Hoffman and the Mensch on a Bench
Fairchild, Gregory B.; Apte, Gargi; McPhaden, Greer J.
ENT-0205 | Published July 30, 2014 | 24 pages Case
Collection: Darden School of Business
Neal Hoffman and his wife, Erin, were an interfaith couple out shopping when they ran right into the dilemma of how to balance Hanukkah and Christmas. Hoffman saw his young son feeling left out by the... Read More
Kim Brown Morrish and Ground Control (A)
Fairchild, Gregory B.; Dagg, Amanda
ENT-0206 | Published July 30, 2014 | 14 pages Case
Collection: Darden School of Business
In December of 2003, Kim Brown Morrish and her husband, Simon Morrish, had just finished meeting with the owner of Ground Control, a landscaping business they were considering buying. They knew they w... Read More
Kim Brown Morrish and Ground Control (B)
Fairchild, Gregory B.; Dagg, Amanda
ENT-0207 | Published July 30, 2014 | 3 pages Case
Collection: Darden School of Business
This case is a follow-up to UVA-ENT-0206. After meeting with the Ground Control management team in the winter of 2003, Kim Brown Morrish and Simon Morrish decided to move forward and purchase the comp... Read More
Southern Bancorp, Inc.: Reviving the Rural Economy through Financial Products and Community Involvement
Fairchild, Gregory B.; Glinska, Gosia
ENT-0203 | Published June 18, 2014 | 18 pages Case
Collection: Darden School of Business
The case features Southern Bancorp, Inc. ("Southern"), a family of community development financial institutions (CDFIs) consisting of Southern Bancorp Bank, one of the largest and most profitable comm... Read More
Citizen Potawatomi Community Development Corporation: Financial Inclusion in Indian Country
Fairchild, Gregory B.; Glinska, Gosia
ENT-0202 | Published June 16, 2014 | 16 pages Case
Collection: Darden School of Business
The case features the Citizen Potawatomi Community Development Corporation (CPCDC), based in Shawnee, Oklahoma. The CPCDC provides microloans, business loans, short-term consumer loans, and other fina... Read More
Johnson Lumber: Bet on the Upside or Avoid the Downside?
Fairchild, Gregory B.; Rourke, Brad
ENT-0196 | Published March 04, 2013 | 5 pages Case
Collection: Darden School of Business
James Baker is general manager of a large lumber mill in rural Virginia, Johnson Lumber. While on a business trip with the owner (the founder's grandson) and the owner's son, he receives the news that... Read More
Jeffrey Offutt and Jita Printing: Getting to Yes
Fairchild, Gregory B.; Joyce, Mallory
ENT-0195 | Published January 29, 2013 | 7 pages Case
Collection: Darden School of Business
Jeffrey Offutt had overcome many hardships and personal difficulties to better himself and build his own graphic-design and corporate-printing business: Jita Printing. Just as it seemed his efforts ha... Read More
Syndicated Communications and WorldSpace
Fairchild, Gregory B.; Mubiru , Anthony
ENT-0064 | Published January 07, 2013 | 22 pages Case
Collection: Darden School of Business
This case concerns the development of WorldSpace, a direct-to-receiver satellite audio system that aimed to deliver information and entertainment to the population of developing nations. WorldSpace's ... Read More
Hiring at Huckle Buckle Beanstalk: Not All Fun and Games
Fairchild, Gregory B.; Johnson, Marc
ENT-0192 | Published May 04, 2012 | 6 pages Case
Collection: Darden School of Business
David Brown is the owner of Huckle Buckle Beanstalk, a small high-end toy store in Staunton, Virginia. Brown has recently fired his store manager, Jeff Gibson, for theft—a decision that affected the r... Read More
Selling a New Old Idea: Virginia Business Ventures
Fairchild, Gregory B.; Johnson, Marc
ENT-0193 | Published May 04, 2012 | 9 pages Case
Collection: Darden School of Business
Elizabeth Franks, CEO of Virginia Business Ventures Inc. (VBV), has a week until her July 2010 board meeting. VBV just completed a six-month marketing and advertising campaign for a new product line a... Read More
Bolt Newspapers: Is There a Future in Print Media?
Fairchild, Gregory B.; Warner, Brianne
ENT-0191 | Published April 30, 2012 | 6 pages Case
Collection: Darden School of Business
Jane Darcy is the editor of Bolt, a free daily newspaper in Richmond, Virginia, and she has been working since January 2007 to build a devoted readership. Published Monday through Friday, Bolt feature... Read More
A Better Yoga Block: Shanti Creek Yoga Products
Fairchild, Gregory B.; Rourke, Brad
ENT-0190 | Published April 27, 2012 | 6 pages Case
Collection: Darden School of Business
This case follows a protagonist as he tries to secure start-up capital to get his entrepreneurial venture going. With the company still in its conceptual stage, students must evaluate everything in a ... Read More
RelayFoods.com: Media Mix
Fairchild, Gregory B.; Rourke, Brad
ENT-0177 | Published April 26, 2012 | 6 pages Case
Collection: Darden School of Business
Arnie Katz was thinking about his company's recent expansion into Richmond. It was a different environment than Charlottesville, where the company had started up and experienced its first successes. I... Read More
New River Apparel: Trot or Gallop?
Fairchild, Gregory B.; Tucker, Charles
ENT-0194 | Published April 05, 2012 | 6 pages Case
Collection: Darden School of Business
Marjorie Burnett, who runs a clothing outlet with lagging revenues in Tennessee, is considering taking a gamble on starting a new business. She has to decide whether expansion—offering even more produ... Read More
From Blues Brother to Industry Leader: Growing Revenues at ParknPool
Fairchild, Gregory B.; Rourke, Brad
ENT-0176 | Published February 29, 2012 | 6 pages Case
Collection: Darden School of Business
With humble and unconventional roots, Jim Fonner's outdoor furniture company, ParknPool, began in Florida selling patio furniture door to door to hotels. Fonner and his then-partner dressed as the Blu... Read More
Boston Community Capital and The Solar Energy Advantage: Let There Be Light
Fairchild, Gregory B.; Race, Natalie; Bothwell, Jamie
ENT-0175 | Published February 27, 2012 | 15 pages Case
Collection: Darden School of Business
Dick Jones had just received a voice mail from Jigar Shah at SunEdison, a solar energy services firm, informing him that his venture-financed firm would not be able to partner on the solar project the... Read More
Haynsworth's Inc.: Should I Stay or Should I Go?
Fairchild, Gregory B.; Rourke, Brad
ENT-0171 | Published February 22, 2012 | 6 pages Case
Collection: Darden School of Business
Charles Haynsworth III is the president of Haynsworth's Inc., an office-supply firm in Danville, Virginia, that his grandfather founded. The store is a town institution and has been in operation and r... Read More
iCompute: The Marsh/Jones Dilemma
Fairchild, Gregory B.; Rourke, Brad
ENT-0178 | Published February 22, 2012 | 7 pages Case
Collection: Darden School of Business
Jane Ryan is founder, owner, and CEO of iCompute, a computer-services firm. Ryan founded the company in 1995 and it has grown steadily, providing computer and networking services to a variety of clien... Read More
Quail Cove Farms (B): Catching the Organics Wave
Fairchild, Gregory B.; Tucker, Charles
ENT-0169 | Published February 17, 2012 | 6 pages Case
Collection: Darden School of Business
This case continues the story of Bill and Elaine Jardine from "Quail Cove Farms (A): One Night and a Big Decision." The Jardines, having moved into distribution, now face two decisions. First, they ... Read More
Lab Mice and Bank Loans: General National Bank and Salazar Services
Fairchild, Gregory B.; Rourke, Brad
ENT-0172 | Published February 17, 2012 | 7 pages Case
Collection: Darden School of Business
It was 2010, and Raphael and Minerva Salazar wanted funding to expand their animal husbandry support services business. They believed the time was right to pursue a bigger share of the expanding marke... Read More
Quail Cove Farms (A): One Night and a Big Decision
Fairchild, Gregory B.; Tucker, Charles
ENT-0168 | Published February 17, 2012 | 4 pages Case
Collection: Darden School of Business
Nearly every dollar Bill and Elaine Jardine had earned over the previous decade had been invested in their farm and warehouse. They had spent more than $150,000 in land and equipment. And they had sun... Read More
Longview Services
Fairchild, Gregory B.; Rourke, Brad
ENT-0170 | Published February 17, 2012 | 4 pages Case
Collection: Darden School of Business
John Mangum is a partner in Longview Services (Longview), an engineering consulting firm he began with his friend and former coworker, Frank Edmonds. The firm has seen steady growth over the past few ... Read More
Thompson & Litton: Risk, Risk, Reward
Fairchild, Gregory B.; Rourke, Brad; Orr, Emma
ENT-0166 | Published February 17, 2012 | 5 pages Case
Collection: Darden School of Business
This field-based case introduces Ron Helton, a partner in a civil-engineering and design firm called Thompson & Litton. The firm has just learned that it did not get two major contracts it had bid on.... Read More
NCFCU: Serving the "Sinks" in the City by the Bay
Fairchild, Gregory B.; Race, Natalie; Jia, Ruo
ENT-0186 | Published February 10, 2012 | 22 pages Case
Collection: Darden School of Business
The CEO and manager of Northeast Community Federal Credit Union for over 20 years, Lily Lo was familiar with the financial needs of low-income people in the Bay Area, but the credit union's future was... Read More
BandyWorks (B): Tom Bandy—Growing, Letting Go
Fairchild, Gregory B.; Rourke, Brad
ENT-0182 | Published February 10, 2012 | 8 pages Case
Collection: Darden School of Business
Tom Bandy was no stranger to entrepreneurship and the problems brought about by success. Having honed his programming skills in the 1980s, he had already founded a database company that had seen great... Read More
A Bowl of Good: Defining the Partnership
Fairchild, Gregory B.; Rourke, Brad
ENT-0183 | Published February 08, 2012 | 6 pages Case
Collection: Darden School of Business
Katrina Didot is founder and owner of A Bowl of Good, an organic soup business in Harrisonburg, Virginia. A Bowl of Good has been part of a café selling original soups and other foods, and has also so... Read More
Coalfields Coffee: Where to Go?
Fairchild, Gregory B.; Johnson, Marc
ENT-0184 | Published February 08, 2012 | 23 pages Case
Collection: Darden School of Business
Gary and Renee Harris are a husband-and-wife team of entrepreneurs who are planning on opening a coffee shop in southwest Virginia. Gary has worked in food service and Renee has been a business manage... Read More
The Bottom Line at CC's Gourmet Kitchen
Fairchild, Gregory B.; Johnson, Marc
ENT-0185 | Published February 08, 2012 | 5 pages Case
Collection: Darden School of Business
Carl Coleman fulfilled his retirement dream by opening a restaurant in Bristol, Virginia, called CC’s Gourmet Kitchen. Coleman had a passion for cooking and was excited for the success of his restaura... Read More
BandyWorks (A): Founding a New Business (Guided by the Past)
Fairchild, Gregory B.; Tucker, Charles
ENT-0173 | Published February 01, 2012 | 6 pages Case
Collection: Darden School of Business
Now in his mid-40s, Tom Bandy was not a novice entrepreneur. He was a veteran of the IT revolution two decades earlier. He had started a company after college that successfully exploited a market nich... Read More
On the Ropes: Knock Out! Panties
Fairchild, Gregory B.; Race, Natalie; Joyce, Mallory
ENT-0187 | Published January 09, 2012 | 10 pages Case
Collection: Darden School of Business
This case traces the thought process and decisions Knock out! Panties founder Angela Newnam must make in establishing her company. Read More
Arbor Days: Trumann Landscaping and ACCION USA
Fairchild, Gregory B.; Race, Natalie
ENT-0188 | Published January 09, 2012 | 17 pages Case
Collection: Darden School of Business
ACCION USA was a nonprofit organization that began operations in 1991 to provide financing to small businesses that did not have access to traditional sources of credit. In this case, Sarah Gomez, a r... Read More
Macro Questions for Microfinance: ACCION New York and ACCION USA
Fairchild, Gregory B.; Thomas, Jackie; Race, Natalie
ENT-0181 | Published January 04, 2012 | 10 pages Case
Collection: Darden School of Business
The new president and CEO of ACCION New York, a community development loan fund, was considering leading her organization in a combination with an affiliate organization, ACCION USA, and that morning,... Read More
Pacific Community Ventures & Galaxy Desserts: Community Development through Private Equity Investing
Fairchild, Gregory B.; Innamorati, R. Matthew
ENT-0174 | Published December 06, 2011 | 22 pages Case
Collection: Darden School of Business
A managing partner of Pacific Community Ventures, a San Francisco-based private equity fund, had until the end of the week to decide if he wanted to invest in Galaxy Desserts, a Bay Area manufacturer ... Read More
Letting the Sun In: Redeveloping a Derelict Office Building in Chicago
Fairchild, Gregory B.; Smith, Robert N.; Race, Natalie
ENT-0156 | Published November 23, 2010 | 20 pages Case
Collection: Darden School of Business
Obtaining community development bank support for renovating a derelict city-owned building in Chicago's South Side was just part of the challenge. Despite being seasoned residential real estate invest... Read More
Finding Its Niche: Community Development Venture Capital
Fairchild, Gregory B.; Brissett, Wilson
ENT-0111 | Published May 20, 2009 | 10 pages Technical Note
Collection: Darden School of Business
Underserved urban and rural areas have found venture capital support via U.S. Community Development Venture Capital institutions, which numbered 68 and managed $870 million as of 2008. Suitable for MB... Read More
Breaking Down Barriers, Rebuilding Walls: The Role of Community Development Loan Funds
Fairchild, Gregory B.; Thomas-Kennedy, Jackie
ENT-0108 | Published April 08, 2009 | 11 pages Technical Note
Collection: Darden School of Business
Community Development Loan Funds (CDLFs) make up the largest sector of the community development finance industry, with more than 800 certified CDLFs. Ninety-eight percent of CDLFs are nonprofit, serv... Read More
What Is Strategic Management?
Harris, Jared D.; Chen, Ming-Jer; Fairchild, Gregory B.; Freeman, R. Edward; Venkataraman, S.; Mead, Jenny
S-0166 | Published January 11, 2009 | 3 pages Technical Note
Collection: Darden School of Business
A brief introduction to the field of strategic management, including basic concepts and scope. Read More
Developing and Nurturing Strategic Capabilities
Harris, Jared D.; Chen, Ming-Jer; Fairchild, Gregory B.; Freeman, R. Edward; Venkataraman, S.; Mead, Jenny
S-0167 | Published January 11, 2009 | 4 pages Technical Note
Collection: Darden School of Business
Brief discussion of resources and capabilities, their importance, and their role in the creation of competitive advantage. Read More
Competing for Advantages: From Industry Analysis to Competitive Dynamics
Harris, Jared D.; Chen, Ming-Jer; Fairchild, Gregory B.; Freeman, R. Edward; Venkataraman, S.; Mead, Jenny
S-0168 | Published January 11, 2009 | 6 pages Technical Note
Collection: Darden School of Business
Technical note on industry analysis and competitive dynamics. Read More
Creating Value for Stakeholders
Harris, Jared D.; Chen, Ming-Jer; Fairchild, Gregory B.; Freeman, R. Edward; Venkataraman, S.; Mead, Jenny
S-0169 | Published January 11, 2009 | 5 pages Technical Note
Collection: Darden School of Business
Brief discussion of managing for stakeholders and the role this plays in achieving value creation and competitive advantage. Read More
Credit Where Credit is Due: The Latino Community Credit Union
Fairchild, Gregory B.; Smith, Robert N.; Zienta, Ellen
ENT-0104 | Published December 31, 2008 | 12 pages Case
Collection: Darden School of Business
Five years after its launch, the Latino Community Credit Union had made remarkable progress, garnering 40,000 members and $22 million in assets. More extraordinary was the LCCU's customer base: Hispan... Read More
The Dime that Started a Movement: The History and Development of Credit Unions
Fairchild, Gregory B.; Smith, Robert N.
ENT-0103 | Published December 11, 2008 | 9 pages Technical Note
Collection: Darden School of Business
This note provides students a rich background on the history, evolution, and current challenges in the credit union industry, with a particular focus on community-development credit unions. The case m... Read More
Filling a Hole: The Reinvestment Fund and Progress Plaza
Fairchild, Gregory B.; Smith, Robert N.
ENT-0110 | Published April 20, 2008 | 23 pages Case
Collection: Darden School of Business
In underserved urban areas, commercial real estate development finance must often factor in government and local policy, community politics, environmental revitalization, ethnic markets, and mixed-use... Read More
Lawrence Berger and Allied Screens, Inc.
Fairchild, Gregory B.; Ganz, Adam
ENT-0081 | Published July 18, 2006 Case
Collection: Darden School of Business
Having acquired Allied Screens two years earlier, Lawrence Berger is now facing a set of challenges: First, he has lost his largest customer; second, recent sales initiatives were showing mixed result... Read More
Green Room Productions, LLC
Fairchild, Gregory B.; Kelly, Dorothy C.; Singer, Susan
ENT-0080 | Published July 13, 2006 | 15 pages Case
Collection: Darden School of Business
Three MBA graduates have combined their talents to provide professional and technology services to companies in the travel industry seeking to do business via the burgeoning Internet commerce sector. ... Read More
Sammy Snacks (A)
Laseter, Timothy M.; Eakes, David; Fairchild, Gregory B.
OM-1177 | Published November 10, 2005 Case
Collection: Darden School of Business
Sam, a Labrador retriever, is the inspiration behind his owner's retail business that sells super premium pet food. As she expands the company's retail footprint, the founder considers two options wit... Read More
All Means ALL: Maintaining Success in Norfolk Public Schools
Fairchild, Gregory B.; Gillespie, Kate; Kelly, Dorothy C.
OB-0855 | Published October 07, 2005 | 29 pages Case
Collection: Darden School of Business
Stephen Jones, the newly hired superintendent of Norfolk Public Schools (NPS), wants to pick up where his predecessor John Simpson left off. During his six-year tenure, Simpson had managed a successfu... Read More
John "Rooster" Clagett: Visual Training Solutions Group, Inc. (A)
Fairchild, Gregory B.; Banyard, Richard
ENT-0059 | Published December 10, 2004 | 19 pages Case
Collection: Darden School of Business
What makes an industry attractive? What role do innovation and entrepreneurial initiative play in building and sustaining a new business in a competitive industry? The A case presents the story of 14-... Read More
John "Rooster" Clagett: Visual Training Solutions Group, Inc. (B)
Fairchild, Gregory B.; Banyard, Richard
ENT-0060 | Published December 10, 2004 | 1 pages Case
Collection: Darden School of Business
What makes an industry attractive? What role do innovation and entrepreneurial initiative play in building and sustaining a new business in a competitive industry? The A case presents the story of 14-... Read More
Ascend Ventures into Education
Fairchild, Gregory B.; Guthrie, Elizabeth; Yemen, Cory; Andrews, Carla
ENT-0058 | Published November 30, 2004 | 35 pages Case
Collection: Darden School of Business
This case describes the decision by Ascend Ventures to invest in a firm that falls outside their investment strategy. Ascend Ventures is a relatively young private equity firm that has targeted techno... Read More
BioSidus: Biotecnologia en la Patagonia
Fairchild, Gregory B.; Garcia Diez, Manuel; Com, Antonio; Carrera, Alejandro; Vassolo, Roberto
S-0115 | Published July 19, 2004 | 18 pages Case
Collection: Darden School of Business
The case follows an Argentinean biotech firm as it sets future firm strategy and decides how to fund it. Specifically, the firm is working on a method to produce human growth hormone through the milk... Read More
Saunders Karp: Striking the Proper Balance
Fairchild, Gregory B.; Scott, Thomas; Short, Marc
ENT-0050 | Published July 19, 2004 | 13 pages Case
Collection: Darden School of Business
This case involves the decision making process of Saunders Karp, a private equity firm, which was considering investing in Dollar Tree, a single-price-point discount store chain. The case requires stu... Read More
Dollar Tree Stores: Choosing a Financial Partner
Fairchild, Gregory B.; Scott, Thomas; Short, Marc
ENT-0035 | Published July 07, 2004 | 14 pages Case
Collection: Darden School of Business
This case involves the decision making process of single-price discount store Dollar Tree in considering taking on Saunders Karp, a private equity firm, as an investor and partner. The case requires s... Read More
Black Entertainment Television: Creating, Building, Extending and Protecting a Brand
S-0108 | Published January 07, 2004 | 13 pages Case
Collection: Darden School of Business
Robert L. Johnson accomplished what many thought couldn't be done: he founded a company that leveraged managerial talent, largely African American, and grew into one of the leading media companies in ... Read More
Tostadas, Tortilla Chips, and Bank Loans: Wells Fargo and Salinas Y Salinas
Fairchild, Gregory B.; Carrales, Catharine
S-0104 | Published September 16, 2003 | 22 pages Case
Collection: Darden School of Business
This case is designed to illustrate the methods that small-business lenders use to evaluate the creditworthiness of potential commercial borrowers. It is set in South Central Los Angeles, the commerci... Read More
El Diablo: The Corner Cleaner Affair
E-0218 | Published June 20, 2003 | 9 pages Case
Collection: Darden School of Business
This case involves the decision of a publishing company, El Diablo, to target a traditionally underserved market with a series of books about gang life and street vigilantism. The decision has repercu... Read More
Dogloo and Opportunity Capital Partners
Fairchild, Gregory B.; Jamison, Michael
ENT-0057 | Published May 16, 2003 | 27 pages Case
Collection: Darden School of Business
Lewis Byrd, a partner in the private equity firm Opportunity Capital Partners, is managing a number of interconnected issues. First, in his role as investment professional responsible for the firm's i... Read More
Urban Brands and TSG Capital Group, LLC
Fairchild, Gregory B.; Toomer, Joe
S-0105 | Published May 14, 2003 | 24 pages Case
Collection: Darden School of Business
This case is designed to illustrate the methods private-equity investors use in assessing the value of market opportunities--in this instance, a plus-size clothing retailer targeted to African-America... Read More
Pluria Marshall, Jr. and the Wave Community Newspapers
Fairchild, Gregory B.; Stunson, Charles
ENT-0012 | Published August 30, 2001 | 29 pages Case
Collection: Darden School of Business
This case explores the challenge of creating and sustaining entrepreneurship in the very competitive newspaper industry. The case also opens channels to discuss techniques for managing costs in urban ... Read More
Gatewood and Daugherty: Minding Their Own Business
Fairchild, Gregory B.; Yemen, Gerry
ENT-0013 | Published August 16, 2001 | 25 pages Case
Collection: Darden School of Business
Nathaniel Gatewood and Sean Daugherty were MBA students at the University of Virginia Darden Graduate School of Business Administration. They each held strong entrepreneurial desires and headed back t... Read More
Pizza Hut Moscow
Weiss, Elliott N.; Matosich, Bonnie K.; Fairchild, Gregory B.
OM-0719 | Published April 24, 1992 | 20 pages Case
Collection: Darden School of Business
This case recounts the story of the opening of Pizza Hut Moscow, in 1991. The case details the decisions made as of spring 1992. The decisional issues in the case concern the transfer of control of th... Read More