InsideSales.com (A) and (B)

Frank  Cespedes

Teaching Note | HBS Case Collection | April 2018

InsideSales.com (A) and (B)

Abstract

Teaching Note for HBS Nos. 817-018 and 817-042. InsideSales.com (ISC) has been successful selling its software to small- and medium-sized businesses (SMB). But for various reasons, the founders see “the next stage of growth” as building a scalable sales and service organization for large enterprise customers and are evaluating three options for doing that. The case and teaching note examine a number of common challenges in scaling a venture, why inside sales models have been a fast-growing go-to-market model in the 21st century, and the impact of new customer segments with different buying processes on that sales model. The (B) case explains the decisions made at ISC and outlines the implementation issues inherent in that decision.

Keywords: Corporate Entrepreneurship; Organizational Change and Adaptation; Organizational Design; Customer Relationship Management; Growth Management; Marketing Strategy; Salesforce Management; Talent and Talent Management; Technology Industry;

Language: English

Format: Print

13 pages

Purchase

Citation:

Cespedes, Frank. "InsideSales.com (A) and (B)." Harvard Business School Teaching Note 818-122, April 2018.

Fred Shilmover and Sam Clemens prepared for their fourth quarter board meeting. They were excited to have scaled their software startup, InsightSquared, to $2 million in revenue and secured an $8 million round of venture capital. However, they disagreed on the path ahead, specifically on the sales and marketing plan. Shilmover preferred a sales-centric approach to growth while Clemens preferred a marketing-centric one. Which strategy was optimal for their venture’s next phase of growth?

Teaching Note for HBS Case No. 819-010. Shindigz sells party and celebratory items through its branded direct online channel, third-party retail and wholesale channels, and online marketplaces. Shindigz has for decades successfully executed a premium-priced branded strategy across its distribution channels. But market developments put this approach at risk. The teaching note discusses the impact of omni-channel buying processes on marketing requirements in an event-driven product category; the links between channel choice, pricing, and business strategy; and the requirements for change in response to market conditions that put pressure on established processes in a business model.

In August 2017, Cumplo’s Founder Shea and CEO Kirberg meet to discuss growth and strategy issues faced by this Chilean fintech startup. What sales and marketing strategy will best foster the compny’s growth? Are changes needed in the product lineup? How and when should Cumplo begin to expand beyond Chile, to other countries in Latin America? The company raised $1.4 million in its first three years, mainly from individual investors, and then issued new shares for $3 million in 2015. By June 2017, Cumplo was debt-free, had achieved break-even, and had raised an additional $2.3 million.

Faculty & Research

InsideSales.com (A) and (B)

Abstract

Citation:

About the Author

More from the Author