Each of these two cases delves into the journey of an entrepreneur in Bahrain at a critical juncture, navigating strategic decisions and growth opportunities in their small businesses.
In The Nourishers: Navigating the Challenges of a Digital, Two-Sided Marketplace in Bahrain case, Hamad Al Saad has built a digital platform business, The Nourishers, which connects health and well-being professionals. Despite gaining traction over the past two years, he faces significant operational challenges, prompting him to question his current strategy.
In the Strategizing a Recipe for Success: Chef Fajer Al Mansoori Looks to Grow case, Chef Fajer Al Mansoori aims to double her revenues over the next two years and become the “Martha Stewart of the Middle East.” At the same time, she grapples with the challenge of managing five revenue-generating activities and narrowing her focus as a solopreneur.
Students are asked to assume the role of mentor to each of these entrepreneurs, understanding their goals, their path to-date, their challenges, and helping to chart a profitable path forward.
The cases are designed to be flexible and appropriate for a wide range of audiences and contexts. While these cases are set in Bahrain, they encapsulate universal lessons in entrepreneurship applicable to classrooms worldwide. The cases are appropriate for adoption in both entrepreneurship training programs and university courses.
After reading and discussing the cases, students should be able to identify key entrepreneurship concepts and apply them to address business challenges and to design entrepreneurial growth strategies, considering factors such as market dynamics, resource constraints, and competitive landscapes.
Case Development Background
These cases were completed as part of the Center for International Private Enterprise (CIPE) Project “Economic Diversification and Access to Finance” designed to support inclusive and sustainable development by expanding opportunities for Bahraini small and medium enterprises. The project was supported by the U.S. Department of State. The program was designed to strengthen the Bahraini entrepreneurial ecosystem through encouraging investment, advancing business growth for Bahraini startups and micro, small and medium enterprises; and increasing access to finance and strengthening the Foreign Trade Agreement-based US-Bahraini commercial relations. Under this project, funded by the Middle East Partnership Initiative (MEPI) of the U.S. State Department, WDI supported Tenmou with the delivery of a mentorship program, which matched 50 Bahraini entrepreneurs with a mentor over two cohorts.