Steve Blank

SEPTEMBER 5, 2013

Over the last three years our Lean LaunchPad / NSF Innovation Corps classes have been teaching hundreds of entrepreneurial teams a year how to build their startups by getting out of the building and testing their hypotheses behind their business model. The next customer segment we tried was startup founders. Here’s how that happened.

Lean 322

Lean Customer Development Sales Cycle Business Model 322

Steve Blank

JANUARY 22, 2014

Over the years Dino and I brainstormed about how Lean entrepreneurship would affect regional development. Part 1: Bend, Oregon Ecosystem and Entrepreneurs. Success depends on finding startups that have identified acute customer pains in large markets where conditions are ripe for a new entrant.

Early Stage 295

Early Stage Silicon Valley Oregon Technical Review 295

Steve Blank

APRIL 16, 2013

In my 21 years as an entrepreneur, I would come up for air once a month to religiously read the Harvard Business Review. It was not only my secret weapon in thinking about new startup strategies, it also gave me a view of the management issues my customers were dealing with. Today, we’ve come full circle as Lean goes mainstream.

Technical Review 331

Technical Review Lean Venture Capital Customer Development 331

Startup Professionals Musings

SEPTEMBER 16, 2023

The rate of new entrepreneurs increased between 2013 and 2021, from 280 to 360 out of 100,000 of the adult population. Of course, that’s both the good news and the bad news for aspiring entrepreneurs, since it means more competition, and the business landscape is changing faster than ever. The cost of social media done well is low.

Intellectual Property 261

Intellectual Property Entrepreneur Angel Groups Social Media 261

Startup Professionals Musings

NOVEMBER 28, 2020

The rate of new entrepreneurs increased between 2013 and 2019, from 280 out of 100,000 to 310 out of 100,000 of the adult population. Of course, that’s both the good news and the bad news for aspiring entrepreneurs, since it means more competition, and the business landscape is changing faster than ever.

Intellectual Property 404

Intellectual Property Startup Angel Groups Social Media 404

Steve Blank

JUNE 8, 2021

This class is built on conducting in-person of interviews with customers/ beneficiaries and stakeholders, but due to the pandemic, teams now had to do all their customer discovery via a computer screen. How would customer interviews work via video? See here for an extended discussion of remote customer discovery.).

Lean 417

Lean Security Asia SBIR 417

Startup Professionals Musings

JULY 8, 2022

Today more than ever, the evidence is clear that business people need to find and communicate a purpose that goes beyond making a profit, in order to ensure customer engagement, as well as your own, and drive results in the marketplace. As you grow, so will your team and customers. Driven to reduce personal hardship and suffering.

Technical Review 357

Technical Review Green Social Media Lean 357

Steve Blank

FEBRUARY 23, 2013

To get some perspective on this question, I recently talked with Steve Blank , a serial entrepreneur, co-author of The Start-Up Owner’s Manual, and father of the “lean start-up” movement. So why doesn’t innovation thrive in mature organizations?

Business Model 334

Business Model Technical Review Business Plan Search 334

Startup Professionals Musings

NOVEMBER 17, 2014

I strongly recommend a dramatic departure from this model, called “planned iteration” or Lean Startup methodology, where you assume you won’t get it right the first time, so you launch with a minimum viable product (MVP). Then you assess feedback, adjust your offering, and iterate until you get it right (have some very satisfied customers).

Agile 253

Agile Startup Social Network Software Developers 253

Steve Blank

JUNE 26, 2015

—– Lean Innovation Management. In the last five years “ Lean Startup ” methodologies have enabled entrepreneurs to efficiently build a startup by searching for product/market fit rather than blindly trying to execute. The result will be: a new, Lean version of the Three Horizons of Innovation. Here’s how.

Lean 120

Lean Management Business Model Incubator 120

Startup Professionals Musings

APRIL 28, 2014

VCs and Angel investors like to see a startup that is running lean and mean, with no more than three or four of the conventional C-level or VP titles. This person may be an extraordinary communicator, who rallies employees, customers, and colleagues around the vivid future he sees. c-level entrepreneur funding startup titles'

CTO Hire 252

CTO Hire Fractional CTO Angel Investor Public Relations 252

Steve Blank

JUNE 12, 2020

Second, this class – which is built on the idea of interviewing customers/beneficiaries and stakeholders in person – now had to do all their customer discovery via a computer screen. How on earth would customer interviews work via video? At first this seemed to be a fatal stake through the heart of the class.

Oakland 315

Oakland Asia Lean Video 315

Up and Running

AUGUST 30, 2021

The outdoor industry wasn’t helping itself, so he did what all entrepreneurs do: start a business to solve the problem. It’s difficult to be an entrepreneur — whether you’re a recent college graduate or have managed multiple companies. It’s why the average age of an entrepreneur is 42 years old. Go lean with your planning.

Entrepreneur 132

Entrepreneur Lean Colorado Engineer 132

Hearpreneur

JULY 3, 2020

Some entrepreneurs will say the future is definitely bright but to others, some of these changes are meant to work against their expansion and business operations. We asked entrepreneurs their thoughts on the future of entrepreneurship and here’s what they had to say; #1- Rise in the speed of tech innovations.

Technical Review 147

Technical Review Entrepreneur Software Review Artificial Inteligence 147

Hearpreneur

JUNE 9, 2023

We asked entrepreneurs and business owners how they deal with economic uncertainty and here are the responses. #1- Focusing on products and services that are extremely valuable to your customers is essential as it helps them rely more on you and ensures your business weathers the tough economic times.

Entrepreneur 139

Entrepreneur North America Employee Retention 139

Hearpreneur

MARCH 4, 2022

Being in love with your business, when you’re an entrepreneur, is even better. Although there are days when tossing in your hat seems like a viable option, remembering how much you love your “job” can quickly snap an entrepreneur out of that mentality. When you're an entrepreneur, you have to make a lot of compromises.

Entrepreneur 133

Entrepreneur Technical Review Restful Colorado 133

ReadWriteStart

JUNE 1, 2020

I have often been asked about Startup Funding by entrepreneurs. Here is Startup Funding, a Comprehensive Guide for Entrepreneurs. The primary source of your funds should be your paying customers, i.e., your business should generate enough revenues and profits to fund the growth and expansion. Pre-Requisites of Funding.

Startup 150

Startup Entrepreneur Elevator Pitch Seed Stage 150

The Startup Magazine

JANUARY 25, 2024

Using Agile Methodology a Flexible Framework for Challenges The Agile technique is a guiding light for entrepreneurs looking for flexibility in project management. Utilize Lean Project Management As a strategic framework, lean project management is useful for startups in an environment where resources are limited.

Framework 158

Framework SCRUM Management Agile 158

Steve Blank

MAY 23, 2016

It said, “teach us to number our days that we gain a heart of wisdom “ Since then I’ve had a series of interesting careers: technician in the Air Force, tech writer, marketer, entrepreneur, CEO and now educator and mentor. Over the last decade I’ve watched the Lean Startup approach to entrepreneurship take off.

Lean 224

Lean Technical Review Vietnam Engineer 224

Hearpreneur

DECEMBER 29, 2021

Often entrepreneurs and business owners create their New Year’s Resolutions around their business. We asked entrepreneurs to share their biggest goals and what they were looking forward to in 2021. #1- Your customer is the determining factor in whether or not you succeed. 1- Expanding skillset. Photo Credit: Gabriel Dungan.

Entrepreneur 139

Entrepreneur Social Media Employee Los Angeles 139

Steve Blank

MAY 6, 2015

I am always surprised when critics complain that the Lean Startup’s Build, Measure, Learn approach is nothing more than “throwing incomplete products out of the building to see if they work.”. It’s time to update Build, Measure, Learn to what we now know is the best way to build Lean startups. Here’s how. Waterfall Development.

Lean 120

Lean Agile Business Model Customer Development 120

ReadWriteStart

OCTOBER 6, 2020

Startups and entrepreneurs have a unique challenge they need to face to effectively promote their solutions in a digital environment. The days of creating amazing content, paying for advertisement, and then leaning back on your chair to get great results are essentially over. But how to get started? Let us help you with that!

Marketing 156

Marketing Entrepreneur Social Media Startup 156

SoCal CTO

SEPTEMBER 14, 2011

Have you tested the concept with customers using paper? Have you signed some test customers? Don't try to hunting programmers until you've pushed this as far as you can on paper and get early customers. In the case of the entrepreneur that was the genesis of this post, he had done a lot on paper. Do you have wireframes?

Fractional CTO 349

Fractional CTO Southern California Startup Mobile 349

Hearpreneur

DECEMBER 23, 2020

So that’s why we are excited about 2021 because there will be more and more entrepreneurs and businesses. Here’s the pivot other entrepreneurs are making next year: #1- Investing my energy into speaking engagements. 9- Focusing on lean operations. For us at CEO Blog Nation, we get it. Photo Credit: Edward Gorbis.

Entrepreneur 133

Entrepreneur Technical Review Software Review Employee 133

Hearpreneur

JANUARY 21, 2022

We asked entrepreneurs and business owners of a word that could represent their business in 2021. With all of the challenges created by the global pandemic– supply chain shortages, hiring difficulties, new technology– Improovy remained transparent with its customers and employees. Here's what they had to say: #1-Evolution.

Technical Review 133

Technical Review Entrepreneur Curation Software Review 133

YoungUpstarts

JANUARY 28, 2020

When Netflix began streaming media directly to customers in 2007, it changed the face of home entertainment. If your community has robust job growth and economic development, then you’ll have more potential customers to serve. Dan is a long-standing, successful entrepreneur who’s founded multiple companies, including Lauer Toys Inc.

Los Angeles 218

Los Angeles Green San Francisco Community 218

ConversionXL

NOVEMBER 10, 2021

To steal customers away from competitors without throwing endless amounts of money at major advertising platforms, work smarter, not harder. Detail the customer demographics that purchase certain products or services. That Databricks is contributing to Entrepreneur shows they know their stuff. Which actions do visitors take?

Advertising 131

Advertising Cost Customer PR 131

Steve Blank

JANUARY 19, 2022

SAVE THE DATE for the 5th Lean Innovation Educators Summit on The Role of Educators and the University in Building Sustainable and Innovative Ecosystems February 3rd, 2022 from 1 to 4pm EST, 10 to 1pm PST Join me, Jerry Engel, Pete Newell, and Steve Weinstein as well as educators from universities around the world for this upcoming event.

Lean 375

Lean Milwaukee San Francisco Wisconsin 375

Hearpreneur

NOVEMBER 27, 2021

Here are the various ways entrepreneurs and business owners stay motivated in business. #1- Most entrepreneurs start their businesses with specific aims and objectives in mind. This is not something you can afford to disregard because you most likely have reasons for being an entrepreneur in the first place. 6- Customer focus.

Entrepreneur 133

Entrepreneur Cofounder Community Employee 133

Women Entrepreneurs Can

NOVEMBER 27, 2024

According to industry reports, the global cleaning services market is projected to grow significantly, making it an attractive option for aspiring entrepreneurs. Each niche has its unique demands and customer expectations. Excellent customer service, on the other hand, builds long-term relationships with clients and fuels referrals.

Entrepreneur 40

Entrepreneur Demand Technical Review Early Stage 40

View from Seed

MARCH 19, 2015

He’s dubbed the approach “ pretotyping ,” and it shares many of the same principles as both its similar-sounding (if later-stage) cousin, prototyping, as well as the more well-known lean startup movement. NVV: Lots of entrepreneurs reading this will think about the lean startup movement when they hear about pretotyping.

Product 120

Product Technical Review Marketing Lean 120

Steve Blank

JUNE 23, 2020

As the economy reopens companies are finding that customers may have disappeared or that their spending behavior has changed. While there’s agreement that companies need to adapt to changing markets, rapidly find new markets, new customers and new revenue models, the question is how ? Accounts receivables are stretching way out.

Customer 436

Customer Marketing Customer Development Lean 436

Steve Blank

AUGUST 5, 2013

It’s been fun watching a 20th Century entrepreneur learn new tricks as he builds his next startup, FindTheBest using Lean Methodology. We’re both serial entrepreneurs. Lean Start-up Connection: Business Model Canvas. By leaning on our technology, we knew we could build cheaply, we just didn’t know how cheaply.

Lean 302

Lean Agile Customer Development SEO 302

Steve Blank

JANUARY 21, 2015

I was in New York last week teaching my annual 5-day version of the Lean LaunchPad class at the Columbia Business School. We had 130 students in 30 teams who got out of the classroom and did 2154 customer interviews in 5 days – a remarkable effort for 120 hours. Filed under: Family/Career/Culture , Lean LaunchPad , Venture Capital.

Silicon Valley 120

Silicon Valley New York City New York Venture Capital 120

Up and Running

SEPTEMBER 15, 2021

Improper requirement analysis can leave entrepreneurs suffering longer project schedules, higher costs, and producing poorer quality products. Follow lean product development strategy (MVP strategy). It may also increase the churn rate of your customers, who sign up only to realize the product is not what they’re expecting.

Cost 158

Cost Developer Azure Churn Rate 158

The Startup Magazine

APRIL 14, 2022

The life of an entrepreneur can be exciting and filled with ups and downs. Any entrepreneur who has faced failure or encountered challenges along the way knows how important it is to have a good support network. A good support network can give entrepreneurs the encouragement they need to continue with their business.

Startup 173

Startup Early Stage Naming Public Relations 173

NZ Entrepreneur

JUNE 19, 2023

A new batch of enterprising New Zealanders are being given the opportunity to fast track their ventures from idea through to startup, thanks to an online education initiative backed by Callaghan Innovation and entrepreneur education platform Startup NZ. Dr Jenny Douché, Callaghan Innovation.

New Zealand 105

New Zealand Technical Cofounder Early Stage Entrepreneur 105