Analysis: Wilde's Bramble
Wilde's Bramble is an organic food company started by Alder and Calla
Wilde. It began as a small farm that quickly gained popularity. As demand
grew, the couple expanded by leasing more land and investing in new
equipment. However, this rapid expansion led to severe financial stress, as
they relied on credit cards and mortgages to sustain operations. Despite
increasing sales, their financial struggles worsened due to poor cash flow
management and mounting debt. This analysis uses the Iceberg Tool and
the Behavior Over Time Graph to explore the systemic issues causing their
financial troubles.
Iceberg Tool Analysis
Events (What Happened?)
Wilde's Bramble experienced a surge in demand for its organic products.
The couple expanded by leasing more land and purchasing new equipment.
They initially used personal savings but later relied on credit cards.
Debt began to accumulate rapidly due to increasing financial obligations.
Calla took an outside job to supplement income, but financial stress
persisted.
Patterns (What Trends Are Emerging?)
Sales continued to rise, leading to expansion, but costs also grew
significantly.
Short-term fixes like credit card debt and mortgages worsened long-
term financial instability.
Cash flow became increasingly unstable despite additional revenue sources.
Profitability initially grew but later declined due to rising expenses and debt
payments.
Underlying Structures (What is Causing These Patterns?)
Scaling Challenges: The lack of a solid financial plan hindered the
expansion, which made sustainable growth difficult.
Debt Dependency: The business depended on borrowed funds instead of
reinvesting its earnings.