Printful: Growth Amid Crisis

Tatjana Titareva, Fariss-Terry Mousa

Product #:W39246

Supplier:Ivey

Discipline:Entrepreneurship, International Business

Setting:Latvia, 2020

Details:Case (PDF) • 7 pages • 2024-11-26

Subjects:

Geography:

Europe Latvia

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$10.54

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With the beginning of the COVID-19 pandemic, Lauris Liberts and Davis Siksnans, co-founders of Printful, a print-on-demand (POD) company from Latvia, saw the gloomy picture of the world borders closing and business operations slowing down. At the same time, an unprecedented and sudden online demand for Printful’s products and services took off. In March 2020, the top managers of Printful found themselves discussing the options in front of them.

Learning Objectives

This case study on how a company can embrace a crisis as an opportunity instead of a limitation provides valuable insights and holds significant relevance for a wide range of audiences, including upper-division undergraduate courses in international business and strategic management, entrepreneurship and innovation, leadership, and human resources, as well as graduate-level classes focusing on similar topics. This case study challenges students to apply skills in critical thinking, problem-solving, creativity in crisis management, resilience, and risk-taking. By working through the case and assignment questions, students will have the opportunity to do the following:

Consider the roles of agility, resilience, communication, mindful leadership, and innovation in firms during a crisis.
Develop a crisis manual and training for a company’s leadership and employees.
Develop expertise and understanding in non-Western businesses and their chances of competing in Western economies.
Take a deep dive into the thinking and mindset of a top manager and founder of a major company during extreme situations.
Appreciate and understand how even the most difficult times can be incredible opportunities for some.