Steve Blank

JANUARY 22, 2014

Over the years Dino and I brainstormed about how Lean entrepreneurship would affect regional development. However, four critical advances over the past decade (cloud, accelerators, Lean, and Angels) not only changed the math for tech investing but made regional tech clusters possible. The Bend Experience. Build $10-30M funds.

Early Stage 286

Early Stage Silicon Valley Oregon Technical Review 286

Up and Running

JULY 31, 2015

This week Peter and Jonathan talk to Tim Berry, founder of Palo Alto Software, about lean business planning, strategy, tactics, specifics (milestones), and the forecast. Listen to Episode 9: Show notes: What is Lean Planning? Lean Business Planning by Tim Berry – (31:21). What’s the lean mean? – (:25).

Lean 60

Lean Business Plan Forecast Software Review 60

Startup Lessons Learned

JANUARY 19, 2009

Lessons Learned by Eric Ries Monday, January 19, 2009 Lean hiring tips In preparing for the strategy series panel this week, I have been doing some thinking about costs. Fundamentally, lean startups do more with less, because they systematically find and eliminate waste that slows down value creation. Another terrific post, Eric.

Lean 140

Lean Hiring San Francisco Continuous Deployment 140

Up and Running

MAY 12, 2020

Your plan doesn’t need to be a lengthy document either, especially if you follow a Lean Planning methodology. Now if you’re looking for an active plan that you can edit and adjust over time, you may want to consider creating a lean plan. Establish milestones and metrics for your business plan. Keep your business plan updated.

Software Review 153

Software Review Exit Strategy Technical Review Business Plan 153

Startup Professionals Musings

JUNE 22, 2016

That should make you wonder - how do you measure traction in a metric? While thinking about the parameters of traction, and how to measure it, I was impressed with a new book, “ Scaling Lean: Mastering the Key Metrics for Startup Growth ” by Ash Maurya, a serial entrepreneur, and creator of the one-page business modelling tool Lean Canvas.

Metrics 143

Metrics Advisory Board Startup Lean 143

SoCal CTO

OCTOBER 8, 2009

A post by Fred Wilson pointed me to Dave McClure's Startup Metrics presentation. Define what you need from a metrics and reporting standpoint. Startup Metrics for Pirates (SeedCamp, Sept 2009) View more documents from Dave McClure. In fact, this often becomes the mantra that we live by. Great stuff.

Metrics 225

Metrics Startup Retention Acquisition 225

ReadWriteStart

APRIL 8, 2023

Omnichannel: Diversity and Inclusion Every successful organization uses multiple channels to communicate with potential customers and advertise its products. Search engine optimization, paid search, social media channels, online stores, and even pop-up spots are examples of practical omnichannel usage.

eCommerce 185

eCommerce Technical Review Software Review Analytics 185

Startup Lessons Learned

SEPTEMBER 22, 2008

Master of 500 Hats: Startup Metrics for Pirates (SeedCamp 2008, London) This presentation should be required reading for anyone creating a startup with an online service component. He also has a discussion of how your choice of business model determines which of these metric areas you want to focus on. Choose one.

San Francisco 167

San Francisco CPA SEM CTO Hire 167

Steve Blank

JULY 13, 2021

Business plans presume that building a startup is a series of predictable steps requiring execution of a plan which assumes a series of known facts: known customers, known features, known pricing, known distribution channel. Let’s Teach Lean Via Experiential Learning. Designing the Lean LaunchPad/I-Corps Class – the “Pedagogy”.

Lean 433

Lean Agile Business Model Business Plan 433

ConversionXL

SEPTEMBER 3, 2021

We can’t rely on install metrics alone to substantiate success. Otherwise, you’ll live in an inflated metrics loop that doesn’t reflect true, long-term value. You’ll end up chasing false-positive click-to-install metrics that don’t improve conversion rate optimization. And, 65% of downloads happen post-search.

Metadata 121

Metadata Technical Review Retention Metrics 121

Up and Running

SEPTEMBER 6, 2016

To create this first year in business checklist, I turned to our in-house experts here at Palo Alto Software: Sabrina Parsons, CEO; Noah Parsons, COO; Josh Cochrane, Vice President of Product Development; and Josh Fegles, Academic and Government Channel Sales Director, and founder of gluten-free cookie company Jude’s Foods.

Forecast 60

Forecast Software Review Lean Finance 60

Startup Lessons Learned

OCTOBER 23, 2013

Guest post by Lisa Regan, writer for The Lean Startup Conference. Analytics spark more questions and discussion than almost any other aspect of the Lean Startup method. Alistair and Ben, co-authors of the book Lean Analytics, will help you sort it out in our next webcast, Lean Analytics for Non-tech Companies.

Analytics 167

Analytics Lean Widget Metrics 167

Startup Lessons Learned

AUGUST 24, 2009

Mass blasts of information are ineffective, because the broadcast channels are suffering from information overload (even in social media). Test-marketing is now easier than ever before, thanks to leveraged distribution channels like AdWords and Facebook. There are too many products clamoring for attention. Is that a lot?

San Francisco 113

San Francisco Lean Technical Review Distribution 113

Steve Blank

FEBRUARY 25, 2014

The startups in our Lean LaunchPad classes and the NSF I-Corps incubator use LaunchPad Central to collect a continuous stream of data across all the teams. The Power of the Investment Readiness Level: Different Metrics for Different Industry Segments. Investment Readiness Level (IRL) for Corporations and Investors. Medical Devices.

Incubator 310

Incubator Intellectual Property Startup Lean 310

Startup Lessons Learned

OCTOBER 4, 2008

Maybe youd like to start with The lean startup , How to listen to customers , or What does a startup CTO actually do? ) Eventually, I came to summarize these themes with the phrase " the lean startup." Lean is one of the major trends shaping our world, and its impact goes beyond just optimizing our supply chains.

San Francisco 155

San Francisco Technical Cofounder Fractional CTO CTO 155

Steve Blank

DECEMBER 17, 2009

Gathering real-world feedback from customers is a core concept of Customer Development as well as the Lean Startup. Customer Development suggests that founders have continual and timely customer, channel and market information. Metrics tell you that something is happening. But what information to collect? Only 57 Questions.

Metrics 239

Metrics Customer Customer Development Lean 239

Steve Blank

DECEMBER 7, 2010

If you’ve read any of my previous posts, you know I believe that: 1) a product is just a part of a startup, but understanding customers, channel, pricing, etc. How does it differ on the web versus other channels? Dave McClure, “Startup Metrics for Pirates”, [link]. Class Lecture/Out of the Building Assignment: What’s a channel?

Wiki 311

Wiki Lean Management Business Model 311

ConversionXL

FEBRUARY 12, 2019

As Alistair Croll and Benjamin Yoskovitz detail in their book, Lean Analytics, cohort analysis has special relevance for the customer lifecycle, enabling marketers. As Alistair Croll and Benjamin Yoskovitz detail in their book, Lean Analytics, cohort analysis has special relevance for the customer lifecycle, enabling marketers.

Retention 126

Retention Analytics Campaign eCommerce 126

Startup Lessons Learned

SEPTEMBER 7, 2008

One major theory that has influenced the way I think about processes comes from Lean Manufacturing , where they use these same techniques to build cars. The Lean Startup Intensive is tomorrow at Web 2.0. Amazing lean startup resources Is Entrepreneurship a Management Science? Expo SF (May. for Harvard Business Revie.

Customer Development 131

Customer Development Engineer San Francisco Developer 131

Startup Lessons Learned

NOVEMBER 7, 2008

They would make commercials about a new book series, and then run the commercials at times when the TV rates were low (late night, UHF channels, etc) If they got enough orders, they then decided to print the series. The Lean Startup Intensive is tomorrow at Web 2.0. Otherwise they just canceled the orders with some excuse.

Demand 167

Demand San Francisco Lean Continuous Deployment 167

Startup Lessons Learned

DECEMBER 31, 2010

My belief is that the lean startup is that theory. Lean Startup Meetups are now in more than 75 cities, with more than 12,000 combined members. The Lean Startup Cohort program. Teaching Lean Startup concepts in a fixed order really didn't work, since all active companies face different challenges at different times.

Lean 153

Lean Programming Software Review Channel 153

crowdSPRING Blog

OCTOBER 28, 2012

Third, have we improved our performance across the key metrics of speed, quality, and efficiency? We offer customer service through a number of channels: email, chat, social media, and phone and we collect and analyze the data from each of these channels. The metrics I mention above are just that – metrics.

Small Business 89

Small Business Customer Startup Software Review 89

Steve Blank

APRIL 9, 2009

Five Easy Pieces – The Marketing Mission After a few months of talking to customers , talking to our channel and working with sales we defined the marketing Mission (our job) was to: Help Sales deliver $25 million in sales with a 45% gross margin. Two paragraphs, Five bullets. It didn’t take more. I couldn’t care less about those.

Silicon Valley 259

Silicon Valley Technical Review RSS PR 259

Startup Lessons Learned

APRIL 14, 2009

Every board meeting, the metrics of success change. Because they have no presence in the market, they have to find distribution channels to bring in customers. Time-to-complete-a-sale is not a bad metric for validated learning at this stage. The Lean Startup Intensive is tomorrow at Web 2.0. Expo SF (May.

Customer 167

Customer San Francisco Lean Hockey Stick 167

ConversionXL

FEBRUARY 3, 2022

You’ll also learn how to apply growth marketing to five key channels and how to plan and execute experimentation. Growth marketing borrows a concept from the lean startup methodology. If your campaign works and your brand awareness metrics improve, you win. What are “pirate metrics?”. What is growth marketing?

Framework 102

Framework Marketing Acquisition Retention 102

Up and Running

JULY 26, 2016

Lean marketing. This is when metrics come into play. Cost of Acquisition (CAC): The total cost of acquiring a user through a given channel. If the CAC is above the LTV, but not too much—there’s some potential in this channel. See Also: The Top 10 Tools for Tracking Your Web Metrics. Big press (cheap or free).

Revenue 60

Revenue Acquisition Channel Campaign 60

The Next Web

DECEMBER 4, 2013

Metrics on keywords, follower profiles and competitors all help define your target listener. As a startup, you’re working with limited resources and a lean business model. Ignore these pioneering risk-takers, and say goodbye to social channels of conversion. Startup Example: Zappos. Prioritize social networks.

Social Media 158

Social Media Media Viral Startup 158

Startup Lessons Learned

JANUARY 18, 2010

Recently, he was bitten by the lean startup bug and has started writing about his experiences attempting to apply lean startup and customer development principles. Ive previously named his post Achieving Flow in a Lean Startup as one of my favorite blog posts of 2009. I am not advocating adding no features at all.

Continuous Deployment 151

Continuous Deployment San Francisco Lean Wiki 151

Steve Blank

APRIL 30, 2009

SuperMac sold our graphic boards for the Macintosh through multiple distribution channels: direct sales to major accounts, national chains, independent rep firms, etc. But the computer retail channel was a large part of our sales. Or blame my MarCom department who approved it. Worry about the sales results. What did we learn?

Sales 120

Sales Silicon Valley RSS Las Vegas 120

Startup Lessons Learned

JUNE 5, 2009

She has a separate team, with its own culture and office, and a mandate straight from top management to innovate without regard to the company’s historic products, channels, or supply chain. In a startup context, numbers like gross revenue are actually vanity metrics, not actionable metrics. So far, so good.

San Francisco 102

San Francisco Lean Continuous Deployment Startup 102

ConversionXL

MARCH 19, 2020

Greater discipline during boom times offered more flexibility during lean years. And getting it right during the lean years, Bain reports , has a massive impact on companies’ growth rate after things improve: ( Image source ). As the recession wrapped up, they had to remind consumers of lean times.

Marketing 121

Marketing Campaign Non-Compete Lean 121

Steve Blank

FEBRUARY 9, 2012

Offers a ton of detail and great tips on how to get, keep, and grow customers, recognizing that this happens very differently between web and physical channels. and finally it teaches a “new math” for startups: “metrics that matter.”. The Lean LaunchPad Online Class. The Lean LaunchPad Online Class.

Entrepreneur 289

Entrepreneur Lean Business Model Customer Development 289

crowdSPRING Blog

APRIL 30, 2019

But, there’s plenty that you can do… if you embrace lean marketing principles. Lean marketing is a philosophy that emphasizes executing campaigns quickly, getting feedback from your audience, analyzing the results, and optimizing the campaign – all in rapid succession. National television campaigns are definitely out.

Lean 91

Lean Small Business Software Review Marketing 91

ConversionXL

MARCH 31, 2021

For this article, let’s consider just two metrics—an engagement metric—social shares and an SEO metric—keyword rank. Shares are often considered a ‘vanity metric’ in the sense they don’t always directly help a business generate more revenue. We care about bottom-lines, not vanity metrics. “Shares = meh. .”

SEO 163

SEO Metrics Social Media Audience 163

ConversionXL

MAY 29, 2019

What does it take to grow a YouTube channel? Is a channel more than the sum of its video parts? Some solutions are simple—you need a consistent visual presentation on your channel page and across videos. If YouTube channel growth has felt unattainable, you’re not alone. Are most companies’ YouTube channels succeeding?

Channel 106

Channel Video Audience Software Review 106

This is going to be BIG.

JULY 25, 2022

Metrics around these efforts. Whether or not you were successful can be measured with not only objective metrics on the outcomes but also on the inputs and the effort. Some efforts don’t have more complicated metrics than just, “Did this work, yes, no, or still in process?”

Equity 118

Equity Metrics Widget Bandwidth 118

Steve Blank

APRIL 2, 2009

Metrics – Mine is Bigger Than Yours The first thing SuperMac needed to do was to change how our potential color desktop publishing customers viewed our products versus our competitors’ products. As hokey as it is, when confronted with uncertainty or unknowns, human beings like to be reassured by comparative metrics.

Silicon Valley 124

Silicon Valley Technical Review RSS Software Review 124