Good Story Case Study
More than a Good Story Jake and Rocket, a cartoon guy and his cartoon dog, can be found on most of the apparel and other branded products sold by Life is Goon company. With his perky beret (or other appropriate head gear), Jake has that contented look of being able to enjoy life as it is and finding reasons to be happy right now.
And Rocket? Well, he’s just happy to be along for the ride. And what ride It’s been for the two! They’ve been part of the company’s growth to over $100 million In revenues. Company co-founders and brothers.
Bert and John Jacobs have a personal and business philosophy much like Jake: simplicity, humor, and humility. However, both understand that even with this philosophy, they need to be good managers and they need good managers throughout the organization in order to stay successful.
Bert and John designed their first tee shirts In 1989 and sold them door-to-door In college dorms along the East Coast and In Boston where they’d set up shops using an old card table In locations on one-way streets so they could pick up and move quickly if they needed to.
They used this simple sales approach because, like many young entrepreneurs, they couldn’t afford required business licenses. Although they met a lot of wonderful people and heard a lot of good stories during these early years, sales weren’t that great. As the company legend goes, the brothers “lived on peanut butter and Jelly, slept in their beat-up Van, and showered when they could. ” During one of their usual post-sales-trip parties, Bert and John asked some friends for advice on an assortment of Images and slogans they had put together.
Those friends (some of whom now work for the company) liked the “Life is good” slogan and a drawing of Jake hat had been sketched by John.
So Bert and John printed up 48 Jake shirts for a local street fair in Cambridge, Massachusetts. By noon, the 48 shirts were gone, something that had never happened! The brothers were smart enough to recognize that they might be on to something. And, as the old saying goes the rest Is history! Since that Jake and Rocket.
Bert attributes their success to his belief that “the ‘Life is good’ message, coupled with the carefree image of Jake, was simple enough to swallow, light enough to be mistaken for preachy, and profound enough to matter. He goes on to say that, “Note that we don’t say ‘Life is great! ‘ We say life is good, period.
Three simple words. People connect with instantly. ” Another Important facet of Life Is good is their commitment to good causes. And those arena Just “words” to Bert and John; they act on their words.
They are passionately involved with Project Joy, which is a non-profit organization that fosters the development of at-risk through acts of play.
Bert says their partnership with Project Joy aligns with Life is good’s whole philosophy. The financial commitment that he company has made is supported by its Life is good Kids Foundation, which raises funds through the popular Life Is good festivals and through sales of fundraising t- Today, Life is good, based in Boston, has a product line of more than 900 items. The Company continues to grow about 30 to 40 percent annually.
Bert and John’s style of managing is guided by another of the company’s mottoes, “Do what you like. Like what you As the company’s website states, “In addition to knowledge, skills and experience, we look to hire people who possess the same optimistic outlook on life hat Jake has. ” It’s an approach that seems to be working for Bert and John and for Jake and Rocket.
Discussion Questions 1 . As the top managers of their company, what types of issues might Bert and John have to deal with? Be specific as possible. Which management functions might be most important to them? Why? 2.
Using descriptions from the case, describe Bert and John’s managerial style. Would this approach work for other organizations? Why or why not? 3. How do you think the company’s motto “Do what you like.
Like what you do” might affect how managers manage? Be specific. 4. What managerial challenges might there be in having friends work for your business? How could these challenges be kept inconsequential? 5. Would you want to work for a company like this? Why or why not? 6. In what ways will the Life is good managers (corporate and retail store) have to deal with the challenges of the customer service, innovation, and sustainability?
Be specific in your description. Case Application 2 Flight Plans With a small year-round population, Brannon, Missouri, is in a location not easily accessible by air service.
The city, best known for its country music and music variety wows and family style attractions, also has the kinds of outdoor activities that attracted more than 8 million visitors last year, “earning it the unofficial nickname Vegas without gambling. ” About 95 percent of those visitors come by car or bus. But now there’s a new show in town – the Brannon Airport. The $1 55 million airport, which opened in May 2009, is an experiment that many people are watching.
The airport is generating interest from city governments and the travel industry because it’s the nation’s first commercial airport built and operated as a private, for- refit business with absolutely no government funding. As one expert said, “.
.. Unpretentious little Brannon Airport could have an outsize effect it if works. It could turn what now is a mostly regional tourist spot into a national destination for tourists. ” Steve Pete, the airport’s chief executive, admits that he had no idea where Brannon was in 2000. But by 2004, he was convinced there was money to be made flying tourists there.
He says, “If you were ever going to think about building a private come here if we made it easier and affordable for them? It seemed like an incredible opportunity. So, using private financing, he decided to build a new commercial airport a short distance south of Abrasion’s popular music shows district. Both Pete and Jeff Bourn, executive director of the airport, continue to tackle the managerial challenges of turning that dream into reality. Construction work on the airport terminal and the 7,140-foot runway (which accommodate most narrow-body Jets) went smoothly. Bourn believed that much of that was due to minimal red tape.
Because the airport wasn’t using federal assistance, it didn’t face the restrictions that accompany taking government money, which also meant it could pick and choose the airlines allowed in.
To attract those airlines, the airport agreed not to allow other competitors in. Also, the airport owners kept the airlines’ operating cost low since airport employees do much work usually done by an airline’s ground staff. Initially, the airport’s owners offered exclusive contracts to Raritan and Sun Country on certain routes to Brannon. Now, Frontier Airlines and the newly-formed Brannon Airspeeds have added service.
Mr.
. Pete emphasizes that they want the airlines to succeed. “We want to build real service, sustainable service. ” The airport earns money from landing fees (based on number of passengers, not on weight), aircraft fuel sales, a percentage of every sale at the airport’s facility, and a $8. 24 fee paid by the city of Brannon for each arriving passenger.
To reach Pet’s goal of 250,000 passengers a year, the airport needs only 685 passengers (five to six planeloads) a day. He says, “What we’re doing is going to work. ” But first, they have to deal with some significant turbulence.
Abrasion’s city officials (who have been elected and hired since the original agreement was signed) now say that the contract between the city and the airport regarding the arriving passenger fee may not be constitutional. Airport officials respond that, “We have legal document and we expect to be paid.
” And Bourn maintains that Brannon benefits from every tourist that goes through the airport. “We bring in high-quality tourists all over the country to spend money in Brannon for a cheap price of $8. 24. ” 1 . Using the four functions as your guide, what challenges would Jeff Bourn face in managing the Brannon Airport? . Again, using the four functions as your guide, do you think the managerial challenges Jeff Bourn faced when getting the airport up and running are different from what he faces now in actually overseeing the airport’s operation? Explain.
3. What management role would Jeff Bourn be playing as he (a) negotiates new contracts with potential airlines, (b) works with airport employees in providing a high level of customer service to arriving and departing passengers, and (c) resolves the contractual issues with the city of Brannon? Be specific and explain your choices.
