Evaluating a career transition opportunity, assignment help
Evaluating a Career Transition Opportunity
Yohannes Haile
Renee
Sanchez is a senior business executive who has spent more than twenty years
working in the high tech communications technology industry. She has held senior
management positions in several such firms and has supervised a dozen high-tech
development projects from idea development through project implementation.
But today’s working lunch meeting with her long time friend Gustav Salimon, who so far
has been a successful entrepreneur in several small tech start-ups, may have significant
implications on Renee’s future career. During their working lunch, Gustav shared his
vision for a small start-up business in distributed energy generation and exploration of the
mini smart grid market segment. He enthusiastically shared with her the identified
opportunities, spoke enthusiastically about the money to be made, his plans for delivering
value, and strategies to raise capital. After enthusiastically sharing his vision about this
business, he asks Renee if she would join his small start-up IDG, Inc., as the CEO. At the
time of this conversation IDG, Inc., has less than ten people working for it, and it has
secured initial funding for the first two years of its operations.
Renee is excited and concerned at the same time. She has several questions about the
opportunities and challenges of Gustav’s proposal before she makes such a major
decision about her career.
Her questions include:
1. What is the market potential for these products?
2. How difficult is it to find qualified staff for this project?
3. What skills will the CEO of this firm need at this time?
4. What challenges does Gustav see in this venture?
Gustav’s reply:
1. The market potential of this segment is estimated to be $40 to $70 million
annually for the first five years
2. Some challenges are expected in finding qualified people, but can be resolved
with some additional training of tech. professionals in the auto sector
3.Key skills the CEO needs include forming working relationships with utility &
power distribution industry, local regulators and policy makers, recruiting skilled
work force and keeping the work force engaged and motivated
4.Completing projects on time, and focusing on the primary business of the firm
Discussion questions:
1. What more information does Renee need before she makes a decision?
2. Should Renee take this job? Why or why not?