Introduce Yourself

One of the most important aspects to success is making sure your team members, mentors and the judge panel have a strong understanding of who you are. Take the time to introduce yourself confidently and get to know the other competition participants you’ll be working with over the competition. 

 

Manage your Time

One of the most important tips we can give you is to effectively manage your time. In a case competition, your time is extremely limited and every minute counts.  Stay focused, create a to-do list, prioritize what needs to be done first, and decide which tasks can be completed at a later time. Set up a schedule for yourself so you know when you can tackle your action items.

 

Self-Care

In your time away from the case, make sure you take time to reset. Without enough sleep, time to eat healthy meals, and some exercise, you won’t be as efficient as you are focusing on the case. Make sure to take care of yourself!

 

Teamwork

Remember, this competition is a team effort. Make sure you’re including all members of your team and letting each team member contribute.Thank your team members for their hard work, and remember to ask questions on subjects that others may have insight to. Everyone will come to this challenge with different strengths…don’t be afraid to ask for help or lend a helping hand. Without each member’s significant contributions, it will be hard to succeed. Have meetings with team members or a group text thread to share progress, updates and be able to ask questions.

 

Split up Tasks

No one member of the team can handle all of the tasks. Figure out who really enjoys and excels at different components of the competition and let them own that item. A progress tracker can be helpful to see who is in charge of which tasks and where they are in the process. Create a spreadsheet with tasks, the team member assigned to it, a spot for questions, and any notes or relevant links/information. This way, the entire team can check in on progress, but all can handle different tasks or sections of the deck/presentation. For example, one member might be really strong with numbers and financial projections, where another might be better versed in editing and writing and can help with the wording of the presentation. Play to each member’s strengths!

 

Communication

Effective communication is one of the most important parts of a case competition. Remember to communicate with your team members and ask the right questions when you’re able to. If you’re unsure about who is handling a particular part of the case, ask! Overcommunication is better than under communication. Keep everyone on the team on the same page through emails, text messages, shared google docs and slides, or however your team decides they’d like to best communicate. Make sure all team members have access to all relevant information.

 

Research

In order to succeed in this competition, you’ll need to be able to find reliable resources. Use online sources such as business journals and studies, not necessarily opinion pieces or forums where anyone can chime in with their opinion. Brush up on your research skills before the competition and know where you’ll go for reliable information. Consider speaking to your school librarian or trusted teacher to ask for where they would go to research business practices and strategies. Regardless of the topic presented during the case, this will help you know where to go. Keep your research organized and save all of your links so you can cite them and return to them to revisit information.

 

Use Your Toolbox!

The case competition website has a list of resources to help you through this process. In addition, all registrants will be invited to a bootcamp to help you prepare for competition time. Make the most of these resources, attend the bootcamp classes, and ask questions!

 

Have fun!

Remember, this is a competition, but it’s all a learning experience. Do everything you can to succeed, but treat it as a growth and learning opportunity. Enjoy this time and get to know your team members and mentors. Enjoy the journey!