Business Case Studies & Business Publications

Cordia Harrington: The Rise of the Bun L...

Hess, Edward D., G...

Case

Cordia Harrington: The Rise of the Bun Lady

Hess, Edward D.; Glinska, Gosia

ENT-0129 | Published September 24, 2009 | 11 pages Case

Collection: Darden School of Business

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This case could be taught in courses on entrepreneurship and marketing. It follows a born entrepreneur and former successful McDonald's franchisee, who, guided by the motto No Is Not an Option, grows her business into world's fastest automated bakery. In order to attract and retain a skilled workforce, her company provided the best benefits the company could buy and paid for the training its staff needed to succeed on the job, which, coupled with a policy to promote from within, increased employee loyalty. By 2008, she is ready to take the next step and "build bakeries around the world for McDonald's."

1. Emphasize the role of coexistence in entrepreneurial success 2. Examine how a successful entrepreneur deals with the issues regarding other people in business 3. Understanding the need for policies and procedures in the right amount at the appropriate time during the growth of a business 4. How much growth is enough? Is the bun lady taking on too much risk by expanding internationally?