HomeResearch & Knowledgeback to HomeStrategyback to Research & KnowledgeBeekeeper: From pivoting startup to disrupting scaleupback to Strategy

Case Study

Beekeeper: From pivoting startup to disrupting scaleup

By Benoit F. Leleux and Marc Chauvet

15 pages

March 2019

Order this case study

Reference: IMD-7-2027

ZURICH (SWITZERLAND), MAY 2018 – Cristian Grossmann arrived early in the office that day. It had not been a breeze for Beekeeper to reach its current situation: a quickly expanding company with over 130 employees across the world, with a plethora of large clients. It was not so long ago that he had started a side-project with a university friend to develop an anonymous flirting platform for students. Several pivots later, the project had started getting a lot of traction and disrupting the hospitality industry’s way of working. The last 12 months had been much more turbulent than expected, and Grossmann was mulling over how the next 12 months would look like. It was crucial for Beekeeper to continue growing, yet there were more and more indications of the organization’s rapid growth leading to overwhelming complexity. So how could Grossmann steer the company towards even more growth while staying agile and exciting?

Learning Objective

From start up to scale up
Managing growth and complexity
Human resource management in hospitality industry
Professionalization
Strategic pivots
Crossing the chasm
Growth as objective
Team dynamics
Motivation
Deskless employees

Keywords

Growth Management, Expansion, Disruption, Agility, Lean Management, Human Resource Management, Hospitality, Professionalization, Deskless Workforce

Settings

World/global, Switzerland
Beekeeper, Travel and Leisure, Hospitality
2014-2018

Type

Field Research

Available Languages

English

Related material

Teaching note, Video

IMD case studies are distributed through case clearing houses. In order to browse the collection and purchase copies please visit the links below.

The Case Centre

Cranfield University

Wharley End Beds MK43 0JR, UK
Tel +44 (0)1234 750903
Email [email protected]

Harvard Business School Publishing

60 Harvard Way, Boston MA 02163, USA
Tel (800) 545-7685 Tel (617)-783-7600
Fax (617) 783-7666
Email [email protected]

Asia Pacific Case Center

NUCB Business School

1-3-1 Nishiki Naka
Nagoya Aichi, Japan 460-0003
Tel +81 52 20 38 111
Email [email protected]

IMD retains all proprietary interests in its case studies and notes. Without prior written permission, IMD cases and notes may not be reproduced, used, translated, included in books or other publications, distributed in any form or by any means, stored in a database or in other retrieval systems. For additional copyright information related to case studies, please contact Case Services.

Contact

Research Information & Knowledge Hub for additional information on IMD publications

2019 JOHN MOLSON MBA CASE WRITING COMPETITION AWARD WINNER

Keep reading

Article

Taking political risk out of the equation - David Bach

With half the world going to the polls this year, how do businesses manage political risk? IMD’s David Bach suggests businesses must look beyond th...

Where Mario Draghi’s €800bn industrial strategy for Europe falls short

The former Italian premier and ECB president’s call for massive EU investment is a wake-up call to Europe’s economic stagnation. But can the contin...

Embedding responsible innovation in corporate strategy

Innovation is a core element in the business toolbox. A new framework is helping corporate leaders integrate social sustainability in their innovat...

Innovation Sustainability Strategy

By Bala Mulloth, Jill Kickul and Tatiana Iakovleva

in I by IMD

9 September 2024

Article

Generational wealth: Embracing "Lotus" model for family business succession

There is a Chinese saying that wealth does not last beyond three generations, and the reality is that sustaining family businesses is a significant...

Family Business Strategy Organizational Design

By Marleen Dieleman

in The Edge Malaysia

5 September 2024

Video

Embracing circularity - Long-term profitability

Julia Binder and Manuel Braun delve into why a circular approach to business can help build more resilience and boost profitability.

Strategy

By Julia Binder and Manuel Braun

in I by IMD

Video

International SOS’s Arnaud Vaissié: ‘The job of a CEO is to be a stress absorber’

Arnaud Vaissié of International SOS shares how the firm’s resilience and innovation have driven its 40-year success amid crises, from financial sho...

Crisis Management Entrepreneurship Innovation Leadership

in I by IMD

Video

International SOS’s Arnaud Vaissié: ‘The job of a CEO is to be a stress absorber’

Arnaud Vaissié of International SOS shares how the firm’s resilience and innovation have driven its 40-year success amid crises, from financial sho...

Crisis Management Entrepreneurship Innovation Leadership

in I by IMD

Article

Abstract thinking: how artworks can sharpen decision-making

Peter Lorange explains how artworks support his decision-making process and can also help new businesses thrive.

Decision Making Strategy

By Peter Lorange

in I by IMD

Article

How a new approach to demand planning can redefine success

Demand Planning Key Performance Indicators (KPIs) are frequently criticized for being too complex or irrelevant. However, an emerging approach is g...

Strategy

By Ralf W. Seifert, Richard Markoff and Matthew Spooner

in I by IMD

Article

How a new approach to demand planning can redefine success

Demand Planning Key Performance Indicators (KPIs) are frequently criticized for being too complex or irrelevant. However, an emerging approach is g...

Strategy Supply Chain

By Ralf W. Seifert, Richard Markoff and Matthew Spooner

in I by IMD

5 August 2024

Embedding responsible innovation in corporate strategy

By Bala Mulloth Jill Kickul and Tatiana Iakovleva
in I by IMD 9 September 2024

Summary

Innovation is a core element in the business toolbox. A new framework is helping corporate leaders integrate social sustainability in their innovat...

Contact

Research Information & Knowledge Hub for additional information on IMD publications

Related topics

Innovation

Sustainability

Strategy

Browse all topics

Generational wealth: Embracing "Lotus" model for family business succession

By Marleen Dieleman
in The Edge Malaysia 5 September 2024

Summary

There is a Chinese saying that wealth does not last beyond three generations, and the reality is that sustaining family businesses is a significant...

Contact

Research Information & Knowledge Hub for additional information on IMD publications

Related topics

Family Business

Strategy

Organizational Design

Browse all topics

International SOS’s Arnaud Vaissié: ‘The job of a CEO is to be a stress absorber’

in I by IMD

Summary

Arnaud Vaissié of International SOS shares how the firm’s resilience and innovation have driven its 40-year success amid crises, from financial sho...

Contact

Research Information & Knowledge Hub for additional information on IMD publications

Related topics

Crisis Management

Entrepreneurship

Innovation

Leadership

Browse all topics

International SOS’s Arnaud Vaissié: ‘The job of a CEO is to be a stress absorber’

in I by IMD

Summary

Arnaud Vaissié of International SOS shares how the firm’s resilience and innovation have driven its 40-year success amid crises, from financial sho...

Contact

Research Information & Knowledge Hub for additional information on IMD publications

Related topics

Crisis Management

Entrepreneurship

Innovation

Leadership

Browse all topics