By Marvelous Curtis Calder Caroline Blevins Elizabeth Loftin
By Marvelous (Curtis Calder, Caroline Blevins, & Elizabeth Loftin)
How They Formed • • • Jill wanted to open a cupcake business Family is in business Has funds to support her
Mission “Help the Virginia Tech community and give students a place to work that is flexible in relation to their class schedule. ”
Purposes/Goals • • Hokie tradition Involved with community "Fun job" "Become a part of the Blacksburg culture"
Traps • Don't be too casual • Continue being innovative • Stay dedicated • Room for error
Employees Owner Accounting Human Resources Baker/ Overseer Marketing Coordinator Storefront Employees
Theme #1 - Communication • Comfortable with each other • Communication is like a circle
Theme #2 - Environment • Laid back • Open communication • Shared responsibility
Theme #3 - Motivation • • Employees self-motivated by enjoyable and understanding work-environment Get two cupcakes per shift
Level 5 Leadership • Jill is humble, understanding, and fair • Ambitious character • Company successful despite her living in West Virginia
First Who, Then What • "Hire self-motivated individuals" • Employees usually work alone • Managers don't feel the need to get paid more than the other workers
Confront the Brutal Facts • Not putting everything on the line o Financial support • Most employees not local • Are all workers contributing/benefiting appropriately? • Changing careers soon • Is this job equally important to the owner as the employees?
Hedgehog Concept • • • Passion: creative, yet sophisticated, community-themed baking (as a hobby) Economic Engine: Money spent per customer over that customer's entire time here in Blacksburg Best at: Providing customers with a unique experience with their delicious yet creative array of cupcakes
Culture of Discipline • • At first quite strict with uniforms and division of labor in organization Has become more casual once Jill knew that she could trust her employees • Not afraid to tell Jill they made a mistake • One worker per shift for entire store
Technology Accelerators • Social Media o • Facebook & Twitter Email main form of communication
The Flywheel • • • Not caught up in trying to have some massive transformation They have a consistent direction of where they are heading They understand how to stay within their hedgehog concept
Recommendation #1 Gobble Cakes would sell many more cupcakes if they delivered. This could help drive their economic engine.
Recommendation #2 Develop a little bit more formal structure to ensure every customer receives the same experience regardless of who is working the shop.
Recommendation #3 Keep the flywheel moving DON'T fall into the doom loop Complacency can bring down an organization
Key Lessons Learned • • • Good communication internally and externally increase the organization's public image Important to have a good relationship with the community Built on self-motivated employees
- Slides: 20