When we met Michael and Jill, Michael had started to notice that Jill did not seem interested in taking over the family car dealership.

When confronted, Jill admitted that while she was interested in running a business, selling cars conflicted with her values around environmentalism.

When Michael suggested they find another way to get her involved in the business, she approached her colleague Ross about the idea of selling electric cars in the dealership. Together, they refined their idea and began researching the best ways to implement their intrapreneurial venture.

There was skepticism among the business employees as to why Jill was starting a rival company, until it was made clear that the two initiatives – the car dealership and the electric car project – were aligned.

This is a key element of success in intrapreneurship – make sure there is alignment between the original business and the new venture, even if that alignment is only seen in the values of the company.

Jill worked alongside her father, and approached him with questions and concerns. However, they thought it would be more effective for her to have a coach to work with her specifically on this project. She approached her aunt Nathalie, who happily agreed.

Jill and Ross moved forward, but found it was difficult to get all of the work done on their own. Using the resources available at the car dealership, a project team was assembled to get them ready to bring their idea to the board.

This is another key to success – use the resources that are already available!