© <Your company name>

AWS 2 | Exercise 2: Case studies self-starting vs.

reactive behavior

Case 1 – self-starting business woman: Eden is in the carpentry business and

produces wardrobes and chairs. Eden was formerly employed in a big furniture
manufacturing company. For getting business knowledge she had joined a
bookkeeping course. Eden’s business has grown a lot within the past two years.
She has recently set herself the goal: “double the size of the business within
another two years”.
To reach her goal, she went to a larger furniture sales company in her
neighborhood and offered her products. After being rejected first, she made
another try and offered chairs of a special design she had seen in Europe. Finally,
she got a contract. In addition, Eden sends out an employee once a month to
distribute flyers announcing special offers. She also rents a van every second
Saturday for delivery service. Moreover, she regularly meets people in carpentry
business to exchange on problems and new designs.

Instruction: Identify self-starting behavior and its consequences.

What self-starting behavior does Eden What are the consequences of this
show? behavior?
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Action Working Sheet 02 – Overcoming Barriers - 12 -

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© <Your company name>

AWS 2 | Exercise 2: Case studies self-starting vs.

reactive behavior
Case 2 – reactive business woman: Marilyn started her carpentry business 10
years ago. She had acquired her business knowledge during her time as delivery
driver for one of the furniture manufacturers in town. So far, she has not taken
part in training. Since she has no ideas for new designs, she sticks to the same
designs for many years now. Her workshop is located in a suburb of the city so
that access is one of her biggest problems. She has no own vehicle what forces
her to sell her products at the roadside. She thinks that gaining access to her
customers would be necessary but until now she has not tried anything new.

Instruction: Identify reactive behavior and its consequences.

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© <Your company name>

What reactive behavior does Marilyn What are the consequences of th

show? behavior?
_______________________________________________ ______________________________________
_______________________________________________ ______________________________________
_______________________________________________ ______________________________________
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AWS 2 | Exercise 3: Daily routine

Instruction: Please write down the business activities you have done during
your last working day. Write down even small activities like cleaning up your shop or
organizing your desk.

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 © <Your company name>

DAY: ______________________

TIM BUSINESS ACTIVITY

E

Look at your daily plan: What was not good? Where have you been passive and reactive?
Where have you not acted in a self-starting way? Write down alternative good and
self-starting behavior you could have show
ALTERNATIVE BEHAVIOR:
___________________________________________________________________________

___________________________________________________________________________

___________________________________________________________________________

Every start-up implies taking risks. Thinking about potential critical risks in both phases – before you
start your business and when you run your business – helps you dealing with the risks when they
actually occur!

What are critical risks that might Critical Risks in the Pre-Launch Phase

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© <Your company name>

hinder the start-up of your

business?
(Consider all factors that might
negatively affect starting-up your
business. Such factors might
include:
 Entry barriers (such as
regulations  are there any
regulations affecting your
business? If yes, state these
regulations! Note down plans
how you will overcome these
barriers)
 Feasibility of Product
Development (such as
unavailable supplies or
technologies, unpredictable
shipping costs or currency
change rates  Are there any
factors that make it impossible
to produce your product or
service? If yes, describe these
factors and your back-up plans
to counter these obstacles!)
 Financing of Product
Development ( Is it possible
that developing your product or
service costs more than you
figured? If yes, note down
sources of funding you might
contact to acquire additional
capital or back-up plans to
reduce development costs, e.g.,
a product or service that is less
technologically advanced)

It is possible that not all points

apply to your business or that there
are other points that you have to
consider. Think about your
personal risks!)

What might be risks that you will Critical Risks in the Post-Launch Phase
face when you are running your
business?
(Start with noting down whether the
following risks apply to your
business and in what way they
might affect your business:
 Less customer interest than

Action Working Sheet 02 – Overcoming Barriers - 16 -

Bicol University & Leuphana University │STEP – Student Training for Entrepreneurial Promotion
© <Your company name>

expected
 Competitor actions and
retaliation
 Operating Expenses and
Financing
 Changes in the Environment
(such as changes in technology,
government regulations,
economy, trends, etc.)

Continue with plans how you will

counter the risks. For example, for
the points stated above the
following tactics might apply to your
business
 Using other advertising
strategies or identifying other
target customers
 Protecting your niche by
various means (e.g., low costs,
higher quality)
 Reducing costs for personnel,
marketing, etc. or listing
sources for acquiring additional
capital
 Describing your flexibility to
react to changes)

Action Working Sheet 02 – Overcoming Barriers - 17 -

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© <Your company name>

What has been a recent negative experience?

ABE-Analysis:
 Write down the activating situation, your beliefs and assumptions, and the emotional
consequences!
 What can be alternative beliefs and assumptions!

Activating Situation

Your Beliefs

Emotional Consequences

Alternative Beliefs and Assumptions

Action Working Sheet 02 – Overcoming Barriers - 18 -

Bicol University & Leuphana University │STEP – Student Training for Entrepreneurial Promotion