Case Studies

The following success stories offer just a sampling of our capabilities. No two situations are exactly alike; rest assured, we can tailor a project that specifically addresses the concerns you’re facing.

Situation
A specialty instruments manufacturer was planning a new product entry into the pharmaceutical industry. Management and board of directors were reluctant to fund the launch without understanding more about likely product acceptance and price sensitivity.

Approach
The First Resource team probed the issues in-depth with a number of industry experts and thought leaders; conducted extensive online research; attended the major industry conference and trade show; interviewed relevant industry decision makers; explored value proposition in detail. Our analysis led to alternative go-to-market scenarios.

Outcome
The client’s go-to-market premise was not validated due to a number of subtle market barriers. An alternative go-to-market scenario was discovered and developed in the above process that led to a lucrative and strategic OEM contract with a Fortune company. As a result, the company was able to fund further development of the product and reinforce their intellectual property claim.

Situation
Large specialty healthcare provider was concerned about dwindling market share in a specific therapeutic category. They suspected that a key competitor was grabbing that share and wanted to verify their assumptions.

Approach
Our approach was to learn as much as possible about the competitor’s approach in the marketplace so the company could determine how to counter these moves and restore their category leadership and to verify the market share impact of the competitor’s actions. We examined other specific competitive forces that were suspected of playing a role in the market flux gathering input from multiple sources to build a reliable picture of the category. Our analysis bundled key insights from multiple intelligence streams and set the stage for management to reconsider their strategy alternatives.

Outcome
The company was able to build quick consensus about needed changes in this and other therapeutic categories with the confidence that they had accurate, current market information.

Situation
Successful applications software firm which had reached near complete penetration of the Fortune 1000 needed platform to maintain double-digit growth pattern and to position well for a planned exit for the founding equity holders. The company needed to determine the best path for continued high levels of growth and position for a planned acquisition in a way that would optimize valuation for the shareholders and leverage their deep market penetration.

Approach
First Resource developed scenarios for each of the short-listed strategies; conducted broad and deep research with existing users of the product to understand how they used the product in their workflow; determined the best case scenario for product positioning and enhancement; lead an in-depth team process at a senior management retreat to gain consensus on the preferred strategic path.

Outcome
Within just a few months, we were able to bring critical strategic insight that was needed to complete the deal. The company reached exit with an industry leader as the acquiring party.  Management achieved its goal of keeping the team intact through the merger and the valuation for the transaction far exceeded standard deal metrics based on EBITDA.

Situation
Boutique provider of analytics services to Fortune companies wanted to assess their potential for growth beyond where they had previously found success in the Consumer Packaged Goods industry. 

Approach
Conducted a comprehensive market assessment including an in-depth review of 24 known competitors and a scan of 50 others. Conducted in-depth customer insight interviews in the industries under consideration and performed both a SWOT and Porter 5-Forces analysis.

Outcome
Important areas of innovation were identified, customer value elements were validated, and the customer was able to focus on the industry in which they had the most strength and experience.