In March 2025, Jamie Salter, founder and chief executive officer of Authentic Brands Group (ABG), faced a pivotal challenge. Forever 21’s US operating company, F21 OpCo LLC, had filed for its second bankruptcy in six years, closing all physical stores in its home market. While Forever 21’s intellectual property remained with ABG and international franchises continued to operate, the brand’s US collapse underscored risks of overexpansion, weak digital .....more

This case examines the strategic dilemma faced by the founder of Iceberg Organic Ice Creams (Iceberg) in September 2024 following an unsuccessful attempt to raise equity through Shark Tank India. Since its founding in 2013, Iceberg had experimented with scaling models, including company-owned, company-operated (COCO) growth and rapid franchise-owned, franchise-operated (FOFO) growth. While franchising enabled rapid expansion, it also exposed deep .....more

In 2024, Sonal Gupta, director of sales and marketing, human resources, at Oraliga Healthcare (India) Ltd. (OHIL), faced a critical challenge. Over the previous two years, she and her team had driven women’s representation in field sales from 10 per cent to 17 per cent through a series of targeted initiatives, including industry benchmarking, internal studies, and new organizational practices. However, a slowdown in the fast-moving consumer goods .....more

Bouguessa Fashion Design LLC (BOUGUESSA), a luxury fashion brand known for its minimalist and high-quality designs, was exploring opportunities for growth in the Middle Eastern luxury market. Despite a relatively small team and a niche audience, BOUGUESSA had successfully leveraged organic marketing and word-of-mouth strategies to build a loyal following. The brand historically focused on women’s fashion but was now considering expansion into the .....more

In late 2023, Birkenstock Holding Plc (Birkenstock), the 250-year-old German shoemaker, stood at a crossroads as its Connecticut-based private equity (PE) owner L Catterton prepared the company for its initial public offering (IPO). Under the PE firm’s stewardship, Birkenstock had rapidly expanded its direct-to-consumer (DTC) sales channels, fueling growth and enhancing profitability, while rebranding itself for a new generation of global consumers. .....more

Cartel Coffee Lab Inc. had grown from a single location in Tempe, Arizona, into a thriving brand with 13 locations. The company was at an “inflection point” and needed capital, but its historical organic growth strategy had reached its limits. The chief executive officer wanted to raise capital, but without sacrificing the firm's independence. Inspired by a crowdfunding campaign from Mother Road Brewery in Flagstaff, Arizona, Cartel became intrigued .....more

In November 2025, Teamoure, a clean-label ready-to-drink iced tea brand with two validated flavours, owned by Gryffindor Organic Beverages Private Limited, stood at a crossroads. The company aimed to scale towards an INR 1 billion revenue target by 2028. However, growth was constrained by limited manufacturing flexibility, high logistics costs, restricted distribution reach, and a narrow product portfolio. Rising demand for healthier beverages and .....more

Despite the increasing trend of thrifting, in July 2023 the social enterprise director of the Mennonite Central Committee Centre Thrift Shop in Abbotsford, British Columbia, sought innovative solutions to reduce clothing waste and the landfilling or exporting of unsellable clothing while preserving donation flows, sustaining strong financial performance, and remaining aligned with the organization’s mission and community commitments. Her challenge .....more

Denver, a Hamilton Sciences Private Limited (HSPL) brand, was the best-selling men’s fragrance brand in India in 2025. It was characterized by its aspirational, masculine positioning. Denver’s core consumers were millennials, but to meet growth objectives, it needed to be attractive to Gen Z and Gen Alpha, who were significantly different from its core consumers. HSPL managing director and chief executive officer Saurabh Gupta was considering four .....more

By August 2025, Kirit Maganlal, cofounder of Magsons Group (Magsons), faced pivotal decisions about the supermarket chain’s next phase of growth. Magsons had added new store formats in recent years, yet profit margins remained persistently low. Competitive pressure was mounting from three fronts: well-entrenched local rivals, the entry of national giant Reliance Industries Ltd., and aggressive online delivery platforms backed by venture capital. Maganlal .....more