In Response To Your Peers, Critique The Areas That Your Peer ✓ Solved

In response to your peers, critique the areas that your peer

In response to your peers, critique the areas that your peers would have liked to address more deeply. Ask probing questions to help your peers strengthen those areas that need more work. Meagan B: I received feedback. I could elaborate more in the market section about the success of other subscription-based boxes and add this to my audiovisual presentation to attract investors. I could also elaborate on our innovative process emphasizing bringing families together in person rather than online, while still using direct-to-consumer subscriptions. A suggested handout could outline financials. Goals: obtain $30,000 funding from investors by 2021; launch website in three weeks; site traffic 1,000–5,000 views; 100 customers in year one increasing by 100 each subsequent year. Sandra P: Feedback was beneficial. Expand company overview to discuss company culture, geopolitical issues, environmental issues, and corporate social responsibility (important at Pratt & Whitney). Expand financials, e.g., sample slide comparing DVD costs versus online savings. Address how COVID-19 has affected the airline industry and why funding may be difficult (Turak, 2020).

Paper For Above Instructions

Introduction

This response critiques the areas Meagan B and Sandra P indicated they would like to expand and proposes probing questions and specific recommendations to strengthen each area for presentation to stakeholders and potential investors. The guidance below focuses on market validation, financial presentation, experiential differentiation, corporate overview (culture, CSR, geopolitical/environmental risks), and scenario planning for COVID-19 impacts.

Critique and Recommendations for Meagan B

Strengths: Meagan has clear, quantifiable goals (funding target, website timing, traffic and customer milestones) which are essential for investor communication and for defining milestones (Ries, 2011). She also recognizes the value of comparative market success stories and the need to emphasize the in-person, family-focused innovation.

Market Section and Competitive Validation

Recommendation: Add a concise competitor map and three case studies of successful subscription-box businesses that demonstrate repeat purchase behavior, unit economics, and retention metrics (Zuora, 2018). For each comparator provide metrics: initial CAC (customer acquisition cost), first-year LTV (lifetime value), churn rate, and monthly recurring revenue models. This data will make the 'if others succeed, we can too' claim measurable (Osterwalder & Pigneur, 2010).

Probing questions:

  • Which three subscription brands best match your target demographic, and what are their CAC and retention benchmarks?
  • What pricing tiers will you test and what LTV/CAC ratio will you target for sustainable growth?

Highlighting the Experiential Innovation

Recommendation: Position the in-person family experience as the core value proposition with a short “experience journey” slide demonstrating how the product leads to shared activities, memories, and potential behavioral stickiness (Pine & Gilmore, 1999). Tie this to metrics you can track (event attendance, repeat bookings, social shares).

Probing questions:

  • How will you measure "bringing families together" (attendance rates, NPS, repeat purchase frequency)?
  • What minimum viable experience can be tested within 3 months to validate demand?

Financial Handout and Investor Materials

Recommendation: Create a one-page financial handout for investors including: use of funds breakdown, 3-year revenue forecast, break-even analysis, CAC/LTV assumptions, and sensitivity scenarios for sales +/- 20% (Kawasaki, 2004). Use simple visuals (bar charts, waterfall) to make the financial story clear (Duarte, 2010).

Probing questions:

  • What is the assumed average order value and contribution margin per customer?
  • What runway will $30,000 buy at your projected burn rate, and what milestones unlock the next funding tranche?

Critique and Recommendations for Sandra P

Strengths: Sandra recognizes gaps in her company overview and the need to address broader contextual risks (culture, CSR, geopolitical and environmental) as well as the pandemic’s effect on funding. She is right to prioritize these areas for a presentation intended for internal executives at Pratt & Whitney.

Company Overview: Culture, CSR and Environmental Issues

Recommendation: Add a slide that succinctly articulates company values, governance practices, CSR programs, and environmental commitments—ideally showing how these align with Pratt & Whitney’s established priorities (Porter & Kramer, 2006; Carroll, 1991). Include one concrete initiative (e.g., emissions reduction target or community STEM program) and KPIs to demonstrate accountability.

Probing questions:

  • Which specific CSR metrics will you report to align with Pratt & Whitney’s expectations (e.g., emissions, supplier audits, community investments)?
  • How does company culture enable or hinder project implementation and cross-functional support?

Expand Financials: Comparative Cost Analysis

Recommendation: Add a sample slide that models the costs and savings of DVD distribution versus an online/digital model, including unit costs, distribution logistics, and per-customer lifetime costs. Present a simple sensitivity table that shows cost per active user under three adoption scenarios.

Probing questions:

  • What are the fixed and variable cost components of DVD production and distribution versus online delivery?
  • How would a hybrid model affect gross margin and customer satisfaction?

Addressing COVID-19 and Funding Risks

Recommendation: Include a risk slide that quantifies pandemic impacts (e.g., industry contraction, funding availability) and outlines mitigation: deferred timelines, alternative funding paths, and pivot strategies (Turak, 2020). Align expectations by stating conservative, base, and optimistic funding timelines tied to industry recovery projections.

Probing questions:

  • Which contingency plans exist if investor sentiment delays funding by 6–12 months?
  • Can you identify non-dilutive funding sources or strategic partners to bridge gaps?

Presentation and Delivery Tips

Use narrative storytelling to connect emotionally and logically (Carriger, 2011). Keep slides visual and reserve detailed numbers for the handout. Practice a short Q&A module to anticipate investor concerns about unit economics and pandemic risk (Duarte, 2010; Kawasaki, 2004).

Conclusion

Both peers are on the right track; adding measurable market comparisons, robust financial handouts, CSR and risk analysis, and a short validated experiment for the in-person experience will materially strengthen their presentations. Answering the probing questions above and incorporating the recommended slides and metrics will make their stories more persuasive to investors and executives.

References

  • Turak, N. (2020). "The worst is not behind any airline": Qatar Airways CEO warns more collapses coming for industry. CNBC. Available at: https://www.cnbc.com (accessed 2020).
  • Ries, E. (2011). The Lean Startup: How Today's Entrepreneurs Use Continuous Innovation to Create Radically Successful Businesses. Crown Business.
  • Osterwalder, A. & Pigneur, Y. (2010). Business Model Generation: A Handbook for Visionaries, Game Changers, and Challengers. Wiley.
  • Kawasaki, G. (2004). The Art of the Start: The Time-Tested, Battle-Hardened Guide for Anyone Starting Anything. Portfolio.
  • Duarte, N. (2010). Resonate: Present Visual Stories that Transform Audiences. Wiley.
  • Carriger, M. (2011). Narrative approach to corporate strategy: Empirical foundations. Journal of Strategy and Management, 4(4).
  • Porter, M. E. & Kramer, M. R. (2006). Strategy & Society: The link between competitive advantage and corporate social responsibility. Harvard Business Review.
  • Carroll, A. B. (1991). The pyramid of corporate social responsibility: Toward the moral management of organizational stakeholders. Business Horizons.
  • Pine, B. J. & Gilmore, J. H. (1999). The Experience Economy: Work Is Theatre & Every Business a Stage. Harvard Business School Press.
  • Zuora (2018). The Subscription Economy Index. Zuora, Inc. Available at: https://www.zuora.com/resource/subscription-economy-index/ (accessed 2018).

Related Assignments