Abstract
This case is about an entrepreneur who reaches a crossroads in his relationship with the group that has taken over his company. It centres on the background leading up to the current crisis - should he buckle down as manager and continue to grow the company locally protecting his livelihood and thereby providing his family with security? Or should he start over anew and set up his own new venture targeting potential opportunities in the international market? The company, Below the Radar, specialised in the production of factual, and documentary television programmes that could be sold to UK broadcasters. It was taken over by Ten Alps a large established London based group three years after it was set up by Trevor Birney. At first the takeover worked well, Trevor stayed on as managing director along with existing staff as the Below the Radar brand was retained. Gradually however the autonomy he enjoyed slowly began to erode, increasingly replaced by bureaucracy and centralisation in Trevor's view. The time had come to make a decision. This was a company he had built and loved, should he protect its future and stay, or protect his own future and leave?