Babson Case Number: BAB097 | Length: 21 Pages

Abstract

“MJINI – Urban Youth Experts” was founded by two recent college graduates as a research consulting firm, focusing on the buying patterns and lifestyle preferences of the urban youth who were setting many fashion trends but which marketers found difficult to reach. Not only could the founders leverage the backgrounds from which they came, but also help their communities by communicating, building respect and giving back to youth groups.

As they met with some success, however, they were faced with a number of questions that typically face start-up companies. How fast to grow, how and who to hire, how to train new recruits, how to finance growth, was their marketing and consulting product right, how should they determine its real market worth and billing rates, where did the greatest opportunities lie?

This case was written for undergraduate and undergraduate classes in marketing and entrepreneurship, offering a broad palette of issues typically faced by practitioners and a glimpse into the often foreign urban youth market. It is an easy and interesting read, yet rich in pedagogical opportunities.