CHICAGO BOOTH BSG APPLICATION 2009-2010
The Business Solutions Group is a practical consulting group that provides experiential learning to
Chicago Booth students interested in pursuing careers in consulting, marketing, corporate strategy and
entrepreneurship.
This is an exciting year for the BSG. Several of this year’s projects involve start-ups or new concepts
launched by dynamic Chicagoland entrepreneurs. Our clients represent an incredible array of industries,
and their challenges cover a number of intellectual disciplines, including strategic planning, marketing and
branding, operations, new product development, financial modeling, venture capital prospecting, and
others.
The BSG is a fun and challenging way to tackle a pivotal dilemma faced by a businessperson who seeks
your perspective and insight as an MBA student. The work you do here is therefore not only a great
experience to add to your resume, but a way to give back to your new hometown by strengthening the
business community and effecting positive economic change. We hope you join us this year as a BSG
team member!
Instructions:
1. Fill-in the information and write the brief essay on the application.
2. Read the attached detailed client descriptions and select the projects listed based on your interest.
Rank the projects in order of preference.
3. Check the box indicating that you have read the BSG Guidelines.
4. Place a printed copy of the application, a copy of your RESUME, and a check for $65.00 payable to
the “The University of Chicago” in the “red” mailfolder labeled “Business Solutions Group” before
12:00 noon on Saturday, October 3, 2009.
BSG Membership Application
A. Your Name:
B. Phone Number:
C. E-mail Address:
D. Fall Quarter Classes:
E. Briefly describe your motivation to join BSG and what you expect to get out of it
(250 words or fewer):
F. Are there classmates you would like to work with on a project? Please include
their name(s), and the name of the project you would like to do together, and we
will do our best to accommodate you.
Project Preference Sheet - Please rank your top 7 projects from 1-7:
___
8giftshopinternational
___
Advanced Diamond Technologies
___
Air Cargo Containers
___
Bolder Thinking LLC
___
Bunkhouse Media/The Toilet Paper
___
Culinary Connections/FitDelicious
___
Ed Cruzat Tennis Academy
___
Element Bars
___
FamilyFarmed
___
The French Company
___
Gameday Housing
___
McDonald’s Corporation
___
ShoreCap Exchange
___
Southsidehealth.org
___
Tula Foods
___
University of Chicago Licensing
BSG Guidelines
1. Throughout your BSG project, we expect that you will positively represent Chicago Booth.
2. On average, we estimate that your project could require 5 hours/week. However, your time
commitments may vary quite a bit from week to week.
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3. We expect that your project team will produce an arrangement letter, a workplan (including a
scope of work to be formally presented to your client and consultants), and timely status
reports for your client.
4. We expect that your team will make a timely presentation of the final results to your client.
5. We expect that at least one member of your BSG team will communicate frequently with
your client to keep them apprised of your project progress and direction.
6. To mitigate problems, we expect that your team will alert the BSG Co-Chairs of problems
that may impact your ability to provide the client with high quality and timely results.
7. If your team requires additional resources, we expect you to utilize the library on online
research tools, 2nd-year advisors, your client, your consultant mentor, Chicago Booth
alumni, and the University of Chicago faculty.
8. Most importantly, enjoy BSG and make lots of connections. You’ll learn a lot!
Yes, I have read and understand the BSG Guidelines:
_____________________________ (Signature)
If you have any questions, please contact any of the Co-Chairs via e-mail:
Arnaud Comet
acomet@chicagobooth.edu
Scott Healy
shealy@chicagobooth.edu
Carolyn Jannace
cjannace@chicagobooth.edu
Talia Kaczaraj
nkaczara@chicagobooth.edu
Carlos Recuay
crecuay@chicagobooth.edu
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PROJECT LIST 2009-2010
Client
Project Summary
8giftshopinternational
8Source is a US and China based company that creates and wholesales authentic Asian and
Chinese giftware to middle and small retailers around the world. With a US office in Chicago
and several offices around China, 8Source’s unique business model allows it to provide high
quality products at the best price. The company also maintains personal relationships with
the artisans and craftsmen that create its products.
Type of Project
Industry
Strategy
E-Commerce
Product Launch
Materials,
Nanotech
Currently, 8giftshop offers two major product categories: jewelry and electronics. The
company needs, among other assistance, a cost accounting analysis to help it determine its
most profitable products and order sizes.
8giftshop ultimately seeks to expand to offer a wide variety of products similar to
Amazon.com. Based on the analysis done on its jewelry and electronic lines, the student
team will make a recommendation for a profitable expansion of the product line.
8giftshop also needs direction and advice on website layout, branding and positioning to
reinforce a clear message to consumers: that it can offer high quality products at competitive
prices due to its warehousing and shipping advantage.
Advanced Diamond
Technologies
Advanced Diamond Technologies (ADT) is a young, investor-backed company that spun out
of Argonne National Laboratory. ADT is the world leader in developing and applying diamond
film for industrial, electronic, medical and cleantech applications. In simple terms, the
company converts methane (natural gas) into thin, smooth diamond and applies it to a variety
of products to make them more durable, energy-saving and biocompatible.
The markets ADT targets include manufacturers of products known as tilt-pad thrust bearings
and tilt-pad journal bearings. To see them, visit:
http://www.waukbearing.com/tilting_pad_thrust.html
ADT makes the trapezoidal inserts that are readily visible. Potential customers include
companies such as Waukesha that, as an original equipment manufacturer, incorporates
ADT materials in components and assumes all sales and marketing of final products.
ADT is launching a new product that functions similar to a mechanical seal. The challenge: to
determine which segment ADT should now target.
Client
Air Cargo Containers
Project Summary
ACC is a newly-formed operating company sponsored by partners who are leaders in their
respective fields. ACC was established to manufacture and bring to market a uniquely
designed air cargo container with performance characteristics superior to models currently in
use. Target markets include the leading domestic and international air cargo carriers.
Type of Project
Industry
Branding, Pricing
Manufacturing
and Logistics
Product Launch/
Product
Development
Entrepreneurial
Business
Creation;
Technology
N-1 Technologies, a private Chicago-based asset management company, is a 50% owner in
Air Cargo Containers LLC.
ACC’s cargo container is constructed of lightweight composite polymers that are just as
durable as traditional aluminum containers but roughly half the weight. This weight saving
has great potential to reduce total fuel and shipping costs for freight carriers.
Currently, most freight companies make small “maintenance” orders, only replacing
containers too damaged to remain in service. Air Cargo’s goal is encourage purchases that
replace a customer’s entire aluminum container fleet. Air Cargo needs a student team to help
prove its value by showing potential clients a projected return on investment (ROI) that
justifies investment.
Bolder Thinking, LLC
Bolder Thinking, the brainchild of Booth alumni, was created with the intent to develop new
businesses based on the founders’ experiences in wireless, navigation, call centers, quick
service retail and high-technology. The company works closely with thought leaders in these
sectors, pursuing projects ranging from new product launches, company creation/seed
funding, and business process development around innovation and social networking. Bolder
Thinking principals have been involved in the development of several new businesses
including NAVTEQ, Digital Globe and Verety.
Bolder Thinking is exploring options to develop a new business to provide a highly automated
customer service capability that is based on human intelligence supported automation. This
would, in part, replace existing human-based call centers and live chat mechanisms on the
web. The vision is to support fairly complex transactions such as troubleshooting problems
with a computer, supporting a warranty request on a product, etc.
The BSG team will engage directly with Bolder Thinking to revise/refine the product offering,
with an eye towards recognizing the differentiators that will affect the new company’s
success.
Please note: Bolder Thinking will retain all rights to the work products. All team members
will be required to enter into non-disclosure agreements.
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Client
Project Summary
Bunkhouse Media/The
Toilet Paper
The Toilet Paper LLC (“TTP”) is a rapidly-growing email newsletter featuring intelligent, edgy,
and topical content. TTP launched six months ago and is experiencing 57% month-over
month-growth. The founders believe they are in the early stages of a geometric growth curve,
and are targeting a year-end subscription base of about 50,000 viewers.
Type of Project
Industry
Growth Strategy
E-Publishing/
E-news/ Web
2.0
Marketing,
Strategy
Food
TTP is a bootstrapped business with three experienced partners, a fully developed brand
(with a valuable top-level domain), a simple but robust open source technology platform, and
very low operating expenses. The company seeks low-cost channels to acquire high-quality
subscribers. Already, the publication uses a unique integrated advertorial platform that is
expected to command premium pricing. While its primary focus during launch has been
building audience, TTP has also made significant inroads into advertising and has formed
relationships with brand managers and media buyers with experience purchasing newsletter
products. In August, TTP sold its first advertisement (a dedicated advertorial email and inemail display) to a start-up energy drink company called HYDRIVE Energy.
Like DailyCandy, Thrillist, Urban Daddy, Flavorpill, Ideal Bite, and The Daily Beast (just to
name a few), TTP seeks to prove that advertisers will pay for a customized, integrated
campaign that is highly targeted to a valuable audience.
TTP needs assistance from a student team to conduct an analysis of its growth strategy that
addresses customer acquisition and retention concerns. The analysis will help build the
business and support the founders’ preferred exit strategy.
Culinary Connections/
FitDelicious
Culinary Connections is an international food consulting and training company that
specializes in the evaluation, development, and implementation of cutting-edge fresh
prepared food products, meal solution programs, foodservice systems and take-out food
businesses. In addition, Culinary Connections is the publisher of the book FitDelicious: Lose
the Pounds, Not the Taste. The book was written by President and Founder Marcia Schurer,
a 30-year food industry insider who knows all the tools of the trade.
The book is currently marketed as a 1) book, 2) book plus health and wellness programs, and
3) healthy food products and programs to consumers and businesses including: food
retailers, health care agencies, health insurance companies, food organizations, food
manufacturers, government, schools, and more. Culinary Connections also creates custom
designed seminars and workshops for professional groups, businesses and organizations.
More and more companies are offering corporate wellness programs, particularly to decrease
healthcare costs. Culinary Connections would like to capitalize on this trend, evaluate market
potential and gain access into this emerging industry. Culinary Connections would like to
evaluate and shape its plan to bundle FitDelicious with its current menu of
workshops/programs designed for corporations.
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Client
Ed Cruzat Tennis
Academy
Project Summary
The mission of ECTA is to teach youth while integrating essential physical activities that are
core to enhancing athletic and intellectual development. Its classes are designed for children
between the ages of 4 to 18 years of age and provide a creative environment that is
engaging and fun as well as physically and educationally stimulating. The vision of ECTA is
to grow the interest for tennis and enhance the love of the game by engaging a broad set of
participants in the Chicagoland area.
Type of Project
Industry
Operational
Effectiveness
Sports
(Tennis)
Finance/ Venture
Capital
Food
The Academy’s summer camp is one of the most important programs for ECTA, but the
company is unclear about the true costs and revenues generated by the camp last summer.
An analysis of recent performance will help inform planning for future summer camps,
providing direction for increased profitability.
The challenge for the BSG team is to determine ways for ECTA to improve its visibility and
financial viability while implementing more successful operational practices into its core
programs.
Element Bars
Through a unique online ordering platform, ElementBars.com lets users design their own
custom energy bars by selecting organic and conventional ingredients and then naming their
bar. Each energy bar is hand-made, packaged, and then labeled with its custom bar name
and nutritional information. Element Bars is committed to using unprocessed or minimally
processed elements in each bar to retain the most nutritional value.
Recently featured on the ABC television show The Shark Tank
(http://abc.go.com/watch/shark-tank/225872/234285/week-6), Element Bars is seeking to
raise equity among private investors and venture capitalists.
The challenge for the BSG team is to help Element Bars determine the market for a
successful fundraising, answering the question: Which investors would be interested in
having ownership in Element Bars?
The team’s role in this project will not be to start the business plan from zero, but to update
the business plan and to provide a robust valuation of Element Bars. It will involve a strong
commitment from the team, and would offer a great opportunity for those interested in VC or
Investment Banking.
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Client
FamilyFarmed
Project Summary
Type of Project
Industry
FamilyFarmed.org is a Chicago-based non-profit that works to expand the production,
marketing and distribution of locally grown and responsibly produced food and goods to
enhance the social, economic and environmental health of communities. FamilyFarmed.org
partners with many of the leading buyers and sellers of local and organic food in the Midwest,
including Whole Foods Market, Goodness Greeness, Sysco, Chicago Public Schools, Bon
Appetit Management Company, Chipotle, Sodexo, Organic Valley, and others.
Venture Capital/
Investor Relations
Agriculture,
Trade Shows/
Events
Business-toBusiness
Marketing
Equipment
Maintenance
The organization is seeking to expand and spinoff its signature FamilyFarmed.org EXPO, an
event poised to become a national model in connecting buyers and sellers of local and
organic food. Over the last four years, its 9,000-plus attendees have included producers,
distributors, retailers, restaurants, and consumers. To realize the potential of the EXPO,
FamilyFarmed.org has created a new for-profit company, FamilyFarmed Partners, that will
purchase and own the EXPO. The for-profit spin-off is intended to generate enough capital to
create an EXPO in another market as a proof of concept. The process of spinning the EXPO
off as a for-profit requires the development of an investor presentation in order to sell a stake
in FamilyFarmed Partners to investors.
The BSG team will will help FamilyFarmed.org shape its pitch to potential investors. The
challenge: to study the market for similar national events, gain insight into the needs and
expectations of targeted investors, and determine the value proposition of
FamilyFarmed.org’s ground-breaking EXPO.
The French Company
As the largest nationwide service provider in its field, The French Company® primarily
provides maintenance and repair of retail store rolling stock, with a focus on shopping carts
and backroom material-handling equipment. Its clients include several regional and national
specialty and big box retailers (BJ’s Wholesale Club, Babies R Us, PetSmart, Safeway,
Staples, Toys R Us, Walmart) that are serviced through the company’s channel of field
technicians stationed throughout the continental US. French Company technicians use stateof-the-art laptops to collect service data and submit invoicing information to the corporate
office using proprietary software. The company has had steady growth historically and
enjoyed a 25% increase in business in 2008.
The BSG team will provide The French Company with an innovative business-to-business
marketing model. To develop this model, students will benchmark other similar national
service firms through qualitative and quantitative interviews and other research, determining
the best way for The French Company to market itself to its target customer.
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Client
Gameday Housing
Project Summary
Type of Project
Industry
Gameday Housing LLC is a sports-themed vacation rental business that helps fans from out
of town find lodging for large groups that is comfortable, a great value, and as close as
possible to their sporting event. In Gameday’s model, local property owners provide their
homes and set their prices and the company provides a safe and trustworthy way for the two
parties to transact. Fees are commission-based with little or no up front cost for either party.
Gameday manages collection of payments, rental contracts, and offer expert advice on how
to rent homes.
Strategy/ Business
Modeling
Sports,
Housing
Management
Innovation,
Network
Structures,
Operations
Optimization
Food
A primary strategic concern is identifying and prioritizing attractive markets for future growth.
Gameday seeks BSG students to conduct an analysis of the opportunity available in serving
various professional sports markets, geographies, and related activities that drive demand for
recreational housing. The student team will consider the relative size of the opportunity, the
fit within the current commission structure, and Gameday’s ability to serve the market through
its existing technology platform. The key questions for BSGers: Does Gameday’s business
model need adjustment to achieve maximum scale and market share in these new markets?
What competencies can help us grow more quickly and is our technology platform in-line with
our strategy?
McDonald’s
Corporation
McDonald’s is a recognized leader in the area of quick service food. The company is
currently working to develop new approaches for stimulating innovation, converting
innovations into new products/service models/company capabilities, and deploying these
innovations throughout the company.
As part of this effort, McDonald’s is looking to develop new business processes and incentive
systems, deploy social networking technology to facilitate communication amongst its 1+
million employees, and improve its technology and operating platforms to facilitate the
creation of innovation across its systems. McDonald’s also seeks to improve its ability to tap
into third party suppliers, improve its ability to willfully select projects for further development
and reduce time to market.
Recognizing that some localized innovative production practices may be difficult to scale and
deploy in other markets, the BSG team will help McDonald’s evaluate several proposed
processes and related incentives for managing the innovation value chain.
Please note: All project team members will be required to enter into non-disclosure
agreements with McDonald’s Corporation. All work products will need to be the property of
McDonald’s Corporation.
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Client
ShoreCap Exchange
Project Summary
Type of Project
Industry
ShoreCap Exchange (SCE) is a not-for-profit capacity building company, founded in 2003 by
ShoreBank, focused on assisting microfinance institutions and small business banks serving
the poor and underbanked communities in Africa and Asia. SCE has two main lines of
business: 1) onsite capacity building for investee institutions and 2) knowledge exchange and
peer learning for the broader industry. It works closely with ShoreCap International, a $28.3
million fund that invests equity and debt in these institutions, thereby creating the financial
and economic infrastructure necessary to alleviate poverty and improve the standard of living
in emerging economies.
Growth
Strategy/Operation
s
Microfinance
and Small
Business
Banking in
Emerging
Economies
Business Model
Monetization
Healthcare
The global microfinance and small business banking industries have rapidly expanded in
recent years and are constantly evolving to take advantage of innovation in the marketplace.
SCI, SCE’s private equity affiliate, will be deploying additional capital in the next couple of
years to take advantage of attractive investment opportunities. SCI’s expansion will double
the number of clients for which SCE will manage onsite capacity building. In addition, SCE is
in the process of repackaging its knowledge exchange and peer learning business into a
scalable, first-of-its-kind organizational model that will have significantly improved reach.
ShoreCap Exchange seeks a BSG team to evaluate and enhance its business strategy,
helping the organization focus and plan for growth in the next three to five years. The goal: to
ensure that SCE will be well-positioned to meet the demands of its client banks, provide a
broader range of services to the larger industry, create a visible identity niche for itself and
develop innovative performance measurements in the process. The BSG team will help SCE
develop current areas of exploration, identifying new growth opportunities and scope out
ways to leverage assistance from affiliates and existing players in the microfinance field.
Southsidehealth.org
The goal of the Urban Health Initiative at the University of Chicago is to improve the longterm health outcomes of residents from the south side of Chicago. Through its website,
SouthSideHealth.org, the Urban Health Initiative seeks to use an innovative wiki framework
and social computing tools to address a major problem that has long existed in healthcare
and social services: the abysmally poor quality of information given to patients and clients for
the purpose of referring them to other agencies that offer a related service.
A pilot site of SouthSideHealth.org was recently funded by a grant from the Chicago
Community Trust (CCT), and the next phase of this project is to assess whether this project
has the potential to become a self-sustaining business, either for-profit or non-profit. This
assessment would include analyzing how this site has the potential to earn revenue and
developing a sustainable revenue model.
The BSG team will be asked to resolve two key questions: Does SouthSideHealth.org have
the potential to become a self-sustaining business? How would a realistic revenue model be
structured?
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Client
Tula Foods
Project Summary
Tula Foods has developed and is marketing a line of science-based, functional foods under
the Better Whey of Life® brand. Better Whey of Life® is the first brand to enhance everyday
foods with Whey Protein, a superior protein for building lean bodies. Better Whey of Life®
has five flavors of yogurt on the market in 15 states (concentrated in the Midwest and the
New York tri-state area). Plans are in place to have Whey Protein-enhanced products in a
variety of product categories throughout stores.
Type of Project
Industry
Market Research
and New Product
Development
Food/Consum
er Packaged
Goods
Retail, Brand
Management
University
Licensing and
Royalties
Better Whey of Life is entering a new category of refrigerated desserts and wants to enter
with a category-changing product. The challenge for the BSG team is to determine the best
way to position this product so that Tula can capture the strongest growth within its targeted
market segments.
Please note: All team members will be required to enter into non-disclosure agreements.
University of Chicago
Communications
Department
(Licensing)
The University of Chicago Communications Department seeks to improve the global footprint
of the University of Chicago brand. As the organization responsible for marketing and
branding the Chicago name, the Licensing office faces a number of opportunities: the
growing world presence of the University and its alumni; increasing media recognition of
Chicago’s faculty during the global financial crisis; Chicago Booth’s recognition in key media
outlets as the world’s top business school; and even a White House with deep, abiding ties to
Hyde Park. Capitalizing on each of these opportunities could translate not only into increased
sales of logo-imprinted products, but also into an enhanced brand awareness of the
University of Chicago name.
The University of Chicago’s licensing staff is working to build an entrepreneurial business
model that redefines how universities design, manufacture and distribute logo merchandise.
To do so requires significant insights into retail sales (both in-person and online) at key retail
sites and an understanding of product preferences among those consumers most likely to
purchase University of Chicago-branded products.
To shape the University of Chicago’s licensing strategy, BSG students will attempt to answer
the following questions:




What are other schools (in the Chicago area) selling? What is the product
placement in similar bookstores/campus shops?
What kind of products would get current students and alumni excited/interested?
Currently, the Gleacher Center bookstore outperforms the Hyde Park store. Who is
coming to Gleacher, and why? What products sell better there?
Overall, what products should the U of C sell? Where should it place them and how
should it display them to increase royalty revenues and visibility?
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