Latest case study: Prosper (formerly known as BillGuard)

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Latest case study: Prosper  

A huge thank you to Raphael Ouzan for working with us on our latest case study. This company is formerly known as BillGuard and the case study carefully examines what happens with an entrepreneur after he (she) successfully sells their entrepreneurial baby to a larger company. An excerpt of the case is below. Congratulations to BU Questrom School of Business MBA Graduate Assistant Simona Lazea for her analytical work and help writing the case.

On a crisp morning in late October 2015, Raphael Ouzan was walking briskly to his office, thinking about the whirlwind of activity that just took place. Prosper, a San Francisco-based company, had just acquired BillGuard1, the start-up Raphael helped establish and develop as founding partner. The transaction went quite smoothly, with the companies demonstrating great synergy relative to value-added and growth potential. Nevertheless, Raphael felt uneasy. “Why encourage myself with these positive affirmations? It is never that cut and dry!” he thought to himself.

For the rest of the walk, Raphael wondered what would happen next and how he might impact the outcome. The acquisition was finalized – but what were the plans for an effective integration? Will the two firms attain success as one entity? Would he achieve his financial earn-out? How will organizational restructuring influence the results? The company could pursue a number of different paths. Yet, one wrong decision could easily turn the entire plan into a fiasco. As Raphael walked into his office, he pondered the most important question – “How can I go back and work for someone else?”

 

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About Author

Greg Stoller is actively involved in building entrepreneurship and international business programs at Boston University's Questrom School of Business. He teaches courses in entrepreneurship, global strategy and management and runs the Asian International Management Experience Program, and the Asian International Consulting Project.

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