Scaling a Startup: Pacing Issues

Thomas  Eisenmann

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Background Note | HBS Case Collection | November 2011 (Revised November 2014)

Scaling a Startup: Pacing Issues

by Thomas Eisenmann

Keywords: Business Startups;

Language: English

Format: Print

10 pages

Educators Purchase

Citation:

Eisenmann, Thomas. "Scaling a Startup: Pacing Issues." Harvard Business School Background Note 812-099, November 2011. (Revised November 2014.) (request a courtesy copy.)

About the Author

Thomas R. Eisenmann

Howard H. Stevenson Professor of Business Administration

Entrepreneurial Management

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Case | HBS Case Collection | August 2019

Rand Fishkin at Moz (B)

Thomas R. Eisenmann

In 2016, senior management at Moz, a venture capital-backed startup providing software tools for digital marketing professionals, must decide how to address a looming cash flow crisis precipitated by failed efforts to broaden its product line. Seattle-based Moz had originally focused only on search engine optimization (SEO) software. Aiming to accelerate growth, over the past three years the startup had launched products targeted at content marketers, social media marketers, and small local businesses. Adoption of these new products had been disappointing, and the resource drain and distraction of launching them had reduced the growth of Moz's core SEO product. Management was wrestling with whether to either: 1) shut down or sell the new products; or 2) double down on the new products, funding further investment in them by selling the core SEO business or milking it as a "cash cow."

Keywords: Startups; scaling; Entrepreneurship; Failure; Diversification; Growth Management;

Citation:
Eisenmann, Thomas R. "Rand Fishkin at Moz (B)." Harvard Business School Case 820-003, August 2019. View Details

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Case | HBS Case Collection | August 2019

Rand Fishkin at Moz (C)

Thomas R. Eisenmann

In 2016, senior management at Moz, a venture capital-backed startup providing software tools for digital marketing professionals, must decide how to address a looming cash flow crisis precipitated by failed efforts to broaden its product line. Seattle-based Moz had originally focused only on search engine optimization (SEO) software. Aiming to accelerate growth, over the past three years the startup had launched products targeted at content marketers, social media marketers, and small local businesses. Adoption of these new products had been disappointing, and the resource drain and distraction of launching them had reduced the growth of Moz's core SEO product. Management was wrestling with whether to either: 1) shut down or sell the new products; or 2) double down on the new products, funding further investment in them by selling the core SEO business or milking it as a "cash cow."

Keywords: Startups; scaling; Entrepreneurship; Failure; Diversification; Growth Management;

Citation:
Eisenmann, Thomas R. "Rand Fishkin at Moz (C)." Harvard Business School Case 820-004, August 2019. View Details

Cite View Details Educators Related
Case | HBS Case Collection | August 2019

Rand Fishkin at Moz (A)

Thomas R. Eisenmann

In 2016, senior management at Moz, a venture capital-backed startup providing software tools for digital marketing professionals, must decide how to address a looming cash flow crisis precipitated by failed efforts to broaden its product line. Seattle-based Moz had originally focused only on search engine optimization (SEO) software. Aiming to accelerate growth, over the past three years the startup had launched products targeted at content marketers, social media marketers, and small local businesses. Adoption of these new products had been disappointing, and the resource drain and distraction of launching them had reduced the growth of Moz's core SEO product. Management was wrestling with whether to either: 1) shut down or sell the new products; or 2) double down on the new products, funding further investment in them by selling the core SEO business or milking it as a "cash cow."

Keywords: Startups; scaling; Entrepreneurship; Failure; Business Startups; Diversification; Growth Management; Technology Industry;

Citation:
Eisenmann, Thomas R. "Rand Fishkin at Moz (A)." Harvard Business School Case 820-002, August 2019. View Details

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Scaling a Startup: Pacing Issues

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