If you are just DECIDING WHAT YOUR ISSUES/TOPICS WILL BE FOR YOUR CASE see the right column of  this page for tutorials including our new video tutorial. They are helpful for focusing your issues and generally understanding the flow of the case from up here (pointing to head) to down here (pointing to paper/computer).

Below is sample text with some email advice to a Hot Mommas Project case author who sought feedback on her case.  This post will be updated as we have more similar sessions with case authors. [updated 1.17 08]

VIRTUAL COACHING 1

Q: Can you look at my case and tell me if it’s what you’re looking for?

A: Okay – I looked at your case.

Important to know up front: I am not a judge, so, I can only speculate as to what the judges will be looking for based on the judging criteria). www.hotmommasprojectjudging.wordpress.com.

FIRST:

a. It is perfectly fine to not worry about the competition. Many are not, and just want to help and share their experiences.

b. One way to be helpful, is to focus on this case from an educator’s perspective. What “lesson” can students learn from a professional standpoint? Are there any links/readings? The personal lessons are really something we “sneak in”.  We know that educators will, first and foremost, go for the professional/hard skills. Having the personal lessons and teaching points in there is a sneaky move on our part to get real examples of role models (in and out of the office) in front of students and readers everywhere.

Now, comments on the case:

1.You are awesome. The major categories you mention in Step 6 of the wizard are GREAT ISSUES. It takes bravery to discuss them honestly.

2. First section – Intro. I would continue to flesh out the intro and hint at the issues/challenges you mention as your major categories (Professional = scaling/growing business & Personal = Divorce). After the intro, head back in time (see 3).

3. Second section – Background. Go back farther in your background. Have it center on your first “ah ha” moment when you realized “Hey – I am motivated.” Then work back up to the present. Students really need this to identify with you. They don’t always “get it” when they see this uber successful and motivated person years ahead of them. How did you get there? A rinse repeat of the feeling from your “ah ha” moment. You may have been born running. That is okay too. Just put it out there.

4. Third section – Professional. Then bring the case back up to the current professional challenge. What is it?  If exit strategy, then e.g. “My business is successful, but I need an exit strategy. Where to start?  How does one get an exit strategy?”) What have you pondered? Include a few notes about this in the case or the “notes” section of the appendix. A link to an INC (or other) article on “How to Exit Your Business” adds something for readers to really learn from and sink their teeth into, and increases the chance educators will use it in the classroom (the project’s ulimate goal).

5. Fourth section – Personal. Then, transition into personal challenge. (E.g. This business happened because of a horrible personal situation. Vanessa remembered walking through an empty house one day and her heart dropped. What happened? The balance she had achieved was slowly melting away.)

6. Wrap up. Last, wrap up with a nice meaty challenge that gets people thinking and positions them – mentally – for the discussion questions. You don’t have to wrap it up with a nice little bow. Give them some tips and solutions, and then hold back on others – include in teaching notes – and let readers dig into it and solve for you.

7. Discussion questions

Professional – I would leverage the info put forth in the case (e.g., exit) and come up with a question that makes people think, and teaches something. For instance (Act as Vanessa’s growth consultant and do a Google search on growth articles. Pick your favorite three and share your #1 recommendation for the exit for Vanessa’s business. Why did you come up with this recommendation?) Another could be (Find a model of a similar business that has been sold, merged, or another exit strategy.  Could this be applicable to Vanessa’s company? Why or why not.). Personal preference – then, I would go in to more personally oriented questions (I tend to lead discussion questions with professional/hard skills).

Personal – Sharpen the questions to direct the readers…they will always go off on tangents on their own, so, to be specific is helpful (I think). For example: Look at Vanesa’s schedule, what time does she have left for her business? What would you change about your day if you were Vanessa, and why? Or “In the background section, Vanessa talked about an important mentor early in her career. Talk about a mentor you’ve had” or “Research a successful mentoring relationship. What impressed you about it?  Come up with 3 steps you’ll take to find your own mentor.”

8. Appendix – Use your appendix (Notes, links). Blowing it out of the water would be a You Tube video linked to the appendix. I am waiting for someone much more tech savvy than I to do that.

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VIRTUAL COACHING 2

I developed this worksheet for my students in my Women’s Entrepreneurial Leadership class at the George Washington University.

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CASE WRITING EXERCISE:

In this exercise, students write their own case to serve as role models to other young women – as well as promote class peer mentor relationships. The case has four sections: Introduction, Background (including Aha moment), Professional or academic Issue/Challenge, Personal Issue/Challenge. Students can start by thinking of major strengths, weaknesses, and stories associated with that. From there, a case outline can develop. The introduction is often decided upon last. (Cases can be written in 1st or 3rd person). Example:

Sample student brainstorming worksheet:

Professional or Academic Issue/Challenge

a. Challenge = Prioritization. “I did not always prioritize my school work as I should have. Recently, I made improvements in my academic performance by applying myself. I regret not doing it earlier.”

b. Story that describes this: “I remember getting my grades in the Fall semester of 2008. I was so disappointed. I dreaded telling my parents. I took out a piece of paper, wrote down some actions for how to improve, and scheduled talks with my professors to run the plan by them. When I went home for winter break, I was armed with that plan to show my parents. Things were going to be different.”

c. Interesting discussion point for a class reading my case: Is it too late? Karen is a junior now. Will grad schools and employers say her actions are a day late and a dollar short?

Personal Issue/Challenge

a. Challenge = Sacrifice. “I am now making many sacrifices in my personal life to improve my academic performance. Sometimes, this seems easy to do because my friends are not ‘grading’ me. But, how will I feel later about this?

b. Story that describes this: “My friends Jai and Erika walked out the door to go to the party. They looked great. I sat at my desk, in sweats, glasses on, looking at my computer. I had to believe that this decision was the right one. It seemed so juvenile…belly-aching about a party. But, that is such a big part of college life, and I was missing it.”

c. Interesting discussion point for a class reading my case: Is it worth it?

Background

a. What information will help lead us up to the challenges described in the case? “I was always a child of peaks and valleys. I’d start off on the wrong path, but, ultimately get on the right one”…..information continues, influencers, etc.

b. Ah ha moment when you began to realize “Hey – I can be successful at something”: “When I was 8, my friends all took a certain dance class each Wednesday after school. It was the social event of the week. However, I didn’t like dancing. I just had no interest in going. Looking back, I realize how unusual it was to escape peer pressure to follow my own path. At 8, I had the ability to say ‘Not interested.’ That ability to follow my own true instincts showed up during many key decision points in my life.”

c. Interesting discussion point for a class reading my case: Do you relate to Karen’s background and tapping into her sense of self? Why or why not?

Introduction

I walked in the door, suitcase in hand. I was home for winter break. This was going to be ugly. I reached in her bag and, without saying a word, handed my report card to my mom. My parents gazed at the paper, and I saw the same expression on both of their faces: Horror. That was their reaction. I could only imagine the thoughts racing through their heads, “We took out a second mortgage for this?” The next piece of paper I gave them would change everything. Throughout my life I had a way of turning bad situations around, and this would be no exception.

(To use third person, “I” would be replaced by “Karen”, “Her”, or “She.”)

To write a case:

1. Students login into www.HotMommasProject.org

2. Click “Write a new case”

3. Move through the case wizard, saving frequently.

4. Complete the case prior to 1/31/0912:00 MIDNIGHT EST (and click “publish”)

5. Identify your case as affiliated with the class by typing “UNCW – Waxman” in the last step of the case wizard under “How did you hear about us”

6. Click “Publish” and send Prof Frey the link to your completed case.

For those with morbid curiosity:

Here is the link to where I assigned it to my class

http://welgwu.wordpress.com/2009/01/15/session-1-assmt-hot-mommas-project-case-writing/

Here is a general blog post on the topic I did:

http://youngentrepreneurfoundation.wordpress.com/2008/12/06/finding-role-models-for-people-young-and-old/

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Hope this is helpful everyone!

Contact us if you’d like to request your own virtual coaching session (first come, first served).

Q: Where do I start in writing a Hot Mommas Project case?

A: Sign in, go to the case competition page, and browse the links on the right for tutorials and sample cases.

If it were me, I would approach it as follows:

1. Browse the steps of the case wizard after signing in and going to the case competition page.

2. Print the written tutorial, review the sample case. There are audio tutorials and most recently, a video tutorial (fast forward to 1.50).

3. Brainstorm a time in my life where I had a huge professional challenge, and then do the same for a huge personal challenge. Think of a specific story to embody those points in time (E.g. Vanessa walked into her office and saw a sea of paper and staff waiting for her….).

4. Write discussion questions to drive readers to really ponder and learn in the areas of yorur professional and personal challenge (e.g., Vanessa mentions her primary professional challenge is marketing her business. Review the appendix for her thoughts on marketing. Then perform a Google search on “guerilla marketing” and make 3 suggestions for Vanessa).

5. Click “Publish” by December 15 – You’ll be entered into a drawing for a fabulous Beijo bag.

Hint: As a wrap up, press rewind back to the time you were a student. If you were a case in a chapter of a textbook – what chapter would that be?  Then…

a. Include stories, thoughts, and a couple lessons in the text of the case to support a discussion of that “chapter” among readers. – Include some links in your appendix to drive home that focus.

b. If you are tempted to make your case 100% about “here’s what I’ve figured out,”press the pause button. Hold back, and let the readers figure out some of it. You can include your “here’s how I did it” in the teaching notes section (a guide to instructors).

Hope this helps! We have phone and email coaching, so, feel free to get online, throw something up there, have fun with it, and then send out a lifeline for help or feedback.

1. What is the Hot Mommas Project?

2. What is a case study?

3. What is the Hot Mommas Project Case Study Competition and Library?

4. Should I write a case study?

5. How do I nominate someone who (or is it “whom”?) I think would be a good case study?

6. Can men write a case study?

7. How do I go about writing the case study?

8. What, exactly, do you want to see in the case studies?

9. How is the contest judged?

10. What do people receive for writing their case studies?

11. What if I want to write my case in my own way?

12. What rights do case writers retain?

13. Can I use previously-published material?

14. If my case is published online or in a book, is my name used?

15. I want to know other stuff.

1. What is the Hot Mommas Project?

The Hot Mommas Project is an award-winning women’s leadership program housed at the George Washington University School of Business. Our mission is to increase the self-efficacy of women and girls across the globe through exposure to role models. To accomplish our mission, we are building the world’s largest women’s case study library. The Hot Mommas Project has been in existence since 2002, is the winner of a 2006 Coleman Foundation National Case Award. Our cases can be seen in the popular Prentice Hall college textbook Effective Small Business Management by Norman Scarborough. See our blog brief and about page for more. Prior to the publication of these cases, extensive research was completed between 2005-2007: Our National Hot Mommas Project Mentor Survey which focused on breaking down balance equations of high-drive women with strong family/personal lives. See our blog for the ongoing release of that information.

2. What is a case study?

A case study is an educational tool made famous by Harvard Business School. Cases can range in length from 2 to 30 pages and relay a story about a business or person. Each case has one or more teaching objectives. Overall, case studies serve as a bridge between theory and reality and move the reader as close as possible to a real-life experience. (Hot Mommas cases are short cases).

3. What is the Hot Mommas Project Case Study Competition and Library?

This is how it works: Women come online to www.HotMommasProject.org, tell their story using our case study wizard, and serve as online/on paper role models by writing their case. The cases will be available online and become part of our permanent, free case library. The primary audiences we expect to use these cases are educators, women, and girls. Our project takes the case studies a step further by allowing readers to interact with the role model/case protagonist via social media avenues such as Facebook, Twitter, and LinkedIn.

4. Should I write a case study?

The Hot Mommas Project is seeking dynamic women 18 and older to write their case studies.  “Hot Mommas” means “dynamic woman.” You do not need to be a mom. If you have ever experienced something in your personal, professional, and/or academic life from which you think others could learn – you should write a case study. Even those who originally thought they had nothing to share were surprised at the depth of their experience when going through our case interview. Beware of self-limiting behavior (e.g., “I know other people who should write a case, but not me.”) Now is the time to take the jump to further women’s education and help others.

Suggested Resources:

- Listen to the podcast tutorial and, soon, the video tutorial featuring live case study interviews.

- Read our super boring, yet helpful, written tutorial.

- See the Case Library at www.HotMommasProject.org for samples.

- If you have a question about your case study, email us.

5. How do I nominate someone who (or is it “whom”?) I think would be a good case study?

Email us and cc the nominee, or provide us the nominee’s contact information in the email. Their and your information will only be used for the Hot Mommas Project Case Competition. See the experience of one nominee here.

6. Can men write a case study?

Yes. Click “M” under the gender section of your profile page. You will be part of our “Cool Daddies” pilot. You do not need to be a dad.

7. How do I go about writing the case study?

1. Brainstorm: Think about your story: Your background and leadership aha moment, a professional issue, a personal issue.

2. Go to www.HotMommasProject.org and go through the case wizard step by step, or, just enter your contact information and skip to authoring the main body of the case in step

We have your back:

- Listen to the podcast tutorial and, soon, the video tutorial featuring live case study interviews.

- Read our super boring, yet helpful, written tutorial.

- See the Case Library at www.HotMommasProject.org for samples.

8. What, exactly, do you want to see in the case studies?

The 500 to 1500-word main body of the case has the following primary sections:

1. Introduction

2. Background with emphasis on “aha” leadership moment

3. Primary professional issue/challenge/learning

4. Primary personal personal/family/life challenge

While the point of a case study is to allow readers to ponder answers to the questions, the case writer should also be sure to communicate useful data in the case. See the links at the column of “Case Competition” section for a full list of resources.

Bookending the case (Step 3 of the Case Wizard) are the following

- 3 to 5 discussion questions and answers.

- An optional appendix.

- A profile and a warm-up question up front (in the case wizard) for research purposes.

Throughout the case-writing process, you can click “Preview” and see – real time- how what you just filled out will show up in your case.

Suggested Resources (for the millionth time):

- Listen the podcast tutorial and, soon, the video tutorial featuring live case study interviews.

- Read our super boring, yet helpful, written tutorial.

- See the Case Library at www.HotMommasProject.org for samples.

- If you have a question about your case study, email us.

9. How is the contest judged?

All cases published online by January 31, 2009 will be first screened as to whether they meet the below criteria.  Those case will then advanced to the final round in which judging will take place by a select panel in February 2009. Winners will be announce din March, 2009. No judge will score more than 10 cases. Cases will be judged on the quality of:

a. Business or professional issue set forth in case

b. Personal or family issue set forth in case

c. Formatting, grammar, spelling, and adherence toward word limit

d. Discussion questions & answers

e. Clear, compelling writing style including use of stories and background information

f. Additional useful information provided to enhance learning experience for reader (links, appendices, etc.)

See more on judging.

10. What do people receive for writing their case studies?

In addition to serving as a role model for girls and women across the globe and making a difference in women’s education, you will receive:

Winner – Publication in a major Prentice Hall textbook plus other media outlets, a $1000 SEPHORA gift card, a Beijou bag, Apple TV, Morten Fadum Art, David & Goliath “Chicks Rule” memorabilia, and other prizes worth thousands of dollars.

First runner up – Publication in a major Prentice Hall textbook plus other media outlets, a $300 SEPHORA gift card, a Beijou bag, David & Goliath “Chicks Rule” memorabilia, and other prizes.

Second runner up – Publication in a major Prentice Hall textbook plus other media outlets,  a $200 SEPHORA gift card, a Beijou bag, David & Goliath “Chicks Rule” memorabilia, and other prizes.

Top 10 most popular cases -  The top 1O scoring as judged by a student panel will receive Hot Mommas Project “SWAG” bags including a $100 SEPHORA gift card, David & Goliath “Chicks Rule” memorabilia, and other goodies.

See this link for more information – http://hotmommasprojectprizes.wordpress.com/

11. What if I want to write my case in my own way?

Go for it. You may not win, but you’ll be sharing important lessons.

12. What rights do case writers retain?

Case writers grant Vision Forward, LLC (of which Hot Mommas is a registered trademark) a non exclusive license. This means we have the right to use the material on the site and for other publications (books, research publications, online, in video, curricula, and media outlets) as well edit for publishing. You can use your own case as you wish, but will have limitations on using the “Hot Mommas” or “Cool Daddies” brand.  For more information read the sections Contents, Services and Proprietary Rights in our Terms of Service.

13. Can I use previously-published material?

Yes. You just need to be the author of it, and have rights to use it as described above.

14. If my case is published online or in a book, is my name used?

Yes.  A version of the case protagonist name is used (e.g., Julie K).  Among other reasons, anonymous cases are discouraged because if the case protagonist wins, they will be featured in the media.

15. I want to know other stuff.

Just ask us.

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