Startup Lessons Learned

APRIL 14, 2009

Every board meeting, the metrics of success change. Their product definition fluctuates wildly – one month, it’s a dessert topping, the next it’s a floor wax. Stories like these are what has led me to this definition of progress for a startup: validated learning about customers. Great post! Great post!

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Customer San Francisco Lean Hockey Stick 167

Startup Lessons Learned

SEPTEMBER 30, 2008

We lack a consistent and clear definition of the job. With multiple people trying to work to the same standard, we had to be a lot crisper in our definitions. Ive been looking for a good definition (if that makes any sense) for a CTO. Case Study: Continuous deployment makes releases n. All I have to say it WOW!

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CTO Fractional CTO CTO Hire Technical Review 168

Startup Lessons Learned

JULY 3, 2009

Yet, I think this definition is too important to leave out. davemcclure : amazing concepts on Continuous Development => "Cluster Immune System" @EricRies #LeanStartup @fbFund [link] dalelarson : Because most features take longer to argue and prioritize than to build. Definitely like to see video of the full talk.

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Lean San Francisco Continuous Deployment Cofounder 60

Startup Lessons Learned

JUNE 5, 2009

Unfortunately, most decisions that confront startups lack a definitive right answer. In a startup context, numbers like gross revenue are actually vanity metrics, not actionable metrics. Luckily, we also discovered that certain other metrics, like LTV and CPA were much better than we initially projected.

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San Francisco Lean Continuous Deployment Startup 102

Startup Lessons Learned

NOVEMBER 17, 2008

Growth - when you have existing customers, the pressure is on to grow your key metrics day-in day-out. Your comment about the Innovation/R&D phase that it's hard to predict has definitely proven true in my experience. Case Study: Continuous deployment makes releases n. 1 comments: Andy Lawrence said.

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San Francisco Lean Continuous Deployment DC 88

Startup Lessons Learned

APRIL 29, 2013

The Lean Startup Conference is an event by entrepreneurs for entrepreneurs—except that our definition of “entrepreneur” may be different from the one you have in mind. Last year, the co -founders of B ack to the Roots talked about their innovation accounting and how they were ignoring sales metrics in order to grow.

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Lean Technical Review Startup Software Review 165

Startup Lessons Learned

OCTOBER 28, 2008

Now there was nothing wrong with their analysis: anyone who invents a technology as sophisticated as The Transformers is definitely going to make a lot of money. Startup Visa update ► February (5) Kiwi lean startup + Australia next Why diversity matters (the meritocracy business) Beware of Vanity Metrics (for Harvard Business Rev.

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San Francisco Lean Continuous Deployment DC 128

Startup Lessons Learned

AUGUST 24, 2009

So let’s turn our attention from what may happen in the future to what is definitely happening in the present. Despite all the energy invested in talking to authors about the size of their platform, very few gatekeepers have a rigorous set of metrics for measuring it. My blog has over 14000 subscribers, for example.

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San Francisco Lean Technical Review Distribution 113

Startup Lessons Learned

NOVEMBER 8, 2008

Thanks for this post, I was going to buy the book anyway after reading Stevens blog but this post definitely made me get it faster (just ordered). Startup Visa update ► February (5) Kiwi lean startup + Australia next Why diversity matters (the meritocracy business) Beware of Vanity Metrics (for Harvard Business Rev.

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Customer Development Developer San Francisco Customer 168

Startup Lessons Learned

JULY 29, 2009

To do that, we add specific speed regulators, like integrating source control with our continuous integration server or the more elaborate dance required for continuous deployment. It definitely can be useful to judiciously take on small amounts of debt. Case Study: Continuous deployment makes releases n.

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Technical Review Software Review San Francisco Lean 168

Startup Lessons Learned

MAY 14, 2009

I would definitely be interested any scholarship opportunities that might be made available. Startup Visa update ► February (5) Kiwi lean startup + Australia next Why diversity matters (the meritocracy business) Beware of Vanity Metrics (for Harvard Business Rev. Case Study: Continuous deployment makes releases n.

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Lean San Francisco Continuous Deployment Software Review 60

www.subelsky.com

FEBRUARY 25, 2010

Because it has an RSS feed, one could also use "Unresolved Hoptoad Errors" as a metric influencing the continuous deployment system. This isnt Rails-specific, but we use SimpleDB for dumping a lot of important metrics data, like performance measurements, which we then turn into metrics.

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Startup Lessons Learned

OCTOBER 20, 2008

I think where we get into trouble is we have many definitions of quality. Startup Visa update ► February (5) Kiwi lean startup + Australia next Why diversity matters (the meritocracy business) Beware of Vanity Metrics (for Harvard Business Rev. Case Study: Continuous deployment makes releases n. larry - well said.

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Software Review Engineer Management Technical Review 164

Startup Lessons Learned

JUNE 21, 2010

So let’s begin with a definition of a startup that captures its essential nature, and tries to leave behind the specific associations of the most famous startups. Isn’t the word human redundant in this definition? And yet the newness of a startup’s product or service is also a key part of the definition.

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San Francisco Startup Lean Continuous Deployment 168

Startup Lessons Learned

AUGUST 3, 2009

First, a definition: the minimum viable product is that version of a new product which allows a team to collect the maximum amount of validated learning about customers with the least effort. In a lot of cases, this requires a lot of energy invested in talking to customers or metrics and analytics. Thanks Eric, great blog!

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San Francisco Product Lean Continuous Deployment 168

Startup Lessons Learned

OCTOBER 21, 2008

Basically, the definition of waste is different when you know less about your customer. Startup Visa update ► February (5) Kiwi lean startup + Australia next Why diversity matters (the meritocracy business) Beware of Vanity Metrics (for Harvard Business Rev. Case Study: Continuous deployment makes releases n.

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Lean San Francisco Continuous Deployment Startup 121

Startup Lessons Learned

SEPTEMBER 19, 2009

By definition these 10,000 founders wouldnt be taking jobs from Americans: it could be part of the terms of the visa that they couldnt work for existing companies, only new ones theyd founded. Case Study: Continuous deployment makes releases n. They wouldnt all grow as big as Google, but out of 2500 some would come close.

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San Francisco Founder DC Washington 150

Startup Lessons Learned

SEPTEMBER 15, 2009

Given the time constraints, I organized my presentation around two simple ideas: STARTUP = EXPERIMENT FASTER STARTUPS = MORE EXPERIMENTS PER DOLLAR I tried to make clear my usual definition of a startup, one that has nothing to do with size of company or sector of the economy. Case Study: Continuous deployment makes releases n.

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San Francisco DC Washington Lean 92

Startup Lessons Learned

FEBRUARY 28, 2009

But lean startups cant afford to be satisfied with just that definition, because there are situations where working code is itself a form of waste. I used to think that investments in metrics were a form of waste. Customers dont care if you have good metrics, only if you have a good product. that justify decisions already made.

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San Francisco Continuous Deployment Lean DC 98

Startup Lessons Learned

APRIL 9, 2009

dalelarson : "Metrics are people, too." leanstartup ericnsantos : #w2e #leanstartup Metrics should be Actionable, Accessible and Auditable. Metrics are a key questions startups face. Metrics are people too" is a reminder I constantly needed when I was a manager. Case Study: Continuous deployment makes releases n.

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San Francisco Continuous Deployment Lean Agile 132

Startup Lessons Learned

MAY 1, 2009

Heres the working definition Ive started using: A startup is a human institution designed to deliver a new product or service under conditions of extreme uncertainty. In a future post, Ill attempt to unpack this definition in detail. Case Study: Continuous deployment makes releases n. farazq : Awesome session @ericries.

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Lean San Francisco Startup Continuous Deployment 60

Startup Lessons Learned

OCTOBER 19, 2009

The theory predicts this, of course, because the definition of a startup as “a human institution creating a new product or service under conditions of extreme uncertainty&# says nothing about sector, size of company, or industry. Case Study: Continuous deployment makes releases n.

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San Francisco Product Lean Continuous Deployment 137

Startup Lessons Learned

FEBRUARY 11, 2009

Definitely interested in the perspective of the open-source contributor solicited with a job offer. Im definitely curious about your thoughts on how to present the company right. Case Study: Continuous deployment makes releases n. Labels: hiring 4comments: deskin said. Excellent post all around. Thats some awesome advice.

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Software Review Software Hiring San Francisco 68

Startup Lessons Learned

JULY 31, 2009

I'll definitely try this out. Startup Visa update ► February (5) Kiwi lean startup + Australia next Why diversity matters (the meritocracy business) Beware of Vanity Metrics (for Harvard Business Rev. Case Study: Continuous deployment makes releases n. August 4, 2009 10:01 PM Eric said.

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San Francisco Lean Startup Continuous Deployment 68

Startup Lessons Learned

JULY 9, 2009

And speaking of Facebook, I definitely didnt think it was a good idea when I first heard about it. Definitely one of the best posts from you. Startup Visa update ► February (5) Kiwi lean startup + Australia next Why diversity matters (the meritocracy business) Beware of Vanity Metrics (for Harvard Business Rev. And Google?

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San Francisco Lean Continuous Deployment DC 94

Startup Lessons Learned

SEPTEMBER 27, 2010

Which takes us right back to the original definition of minimum viable product : the minimum viable product is that version of a new product which allows a team to collect the maximum amount of validated learning with the least effort. No vanity metrics should be looked at. No vanity metrics should be looked at.

San Francisco 167

San Francisco Lean Continuous Deployment Software Review 167

Startup Lessons Learned

OCTOBER 11, 2009

Now they first had to go through a ritual that involved complex math, reached no definite outcome, and then proceeded to have a battle of opinions anyway! Every experiment has to be evaluated based on a single standard report of 5-10 (no more) key metrics. To their surprise, the metrics didn’t move at all.

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San Francisco Lean Metrics Continuous Deployment 133

Startup Lessons Learned

DECEMBER 14, 2009

Some companies definitely should. Others definitely shouldn’t. A business that strives for something like this should absolutely be charging money from day one, in order to establish baselines for their two key metrics: CPA (the cost to acquire a new customer) and LTV (the lifetime value of each acquired customer).

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Customer San Francisco Viral Lean 156

Startup Lessons Learned

NOVEMBER 29, 2008

You should definitely follow up with how you organize the multiple interviews. Startup Visa update ► February (5) Kiwi lean startup + Australia next Why diversity matters (the meritocracy business) Beware of Vanity Metrics (for Harvard Business Rev. Case Study: Continuous deployment makes releases n.

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San Francisco Lean Agile Java 146

Startup Lessons Learned

AUGUST 1, 2009

Maybe Steve Jobs just has a different definition of "viable"? Startup Visa update ► February (5) Kiwi lean startup + Australia next Why diversity matters (the meritocracy business) Beware of Vanity Metrics (for Harvard Business Rev. Case Study: Continuous deployment makes releases n.

San Francisco 166

San Francisco Lean Continuous Deployment DC 166

Startup Lessons Learned

SEPTEMBER 13, 2010

Lessons Learned by Eric Ries Monday, September 13, 2010 The Superbowl ad test I am a firm believer in the danger of vanity metrics , numbers that give the illusion of progress but often mask the true relationship between cause and effect. Vanity metrics are generally bigger. Vanity metrics. The solution? Is that really news?

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San Francisco Metrics Lean PR 154

Startup Lessons Learned

DECEMBER 7, 2008

As a last disclaimer, please consult the definition of the word hacker if youre not familiar with the controversies surrounding that term.) Startup Visa update ► February (5) Kiwi lean startup + Australia next Why diversity matters (the meritocracy business) Beware of Vanity Metrics (for Harvard Business Rev.

Software Review 94

Software Review Technical Review Part-Time VPE San Francisco 94

Startup Lessons Learned

DECEMBER 16, 2008

Our goal is to understand the metrics, mechanics, and levers of engagement. Lets look at a specific example, and start to think through what the metrics might look like if we attempted to measure it: Customer gets a synthetic message saying: "upload some photos!" Case Study: Continuous deployment makes releases n.

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Viral San Francisco Lean Continuous Deployment 140

Startup Lessons Learned

NOVEMBER 22, 2008

In fact, there were some definite skeptics about whether they measured anything of value at all, since it is always dismaying to get data that says the changes youre making to your product are not affecting customer satisfaction one way or the other. Case Study: Continuous deployment makes releases n.

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.Net Operations San Francisco Lean 158

Startup Lessons Learned

OCTOBER 23, 2009

BUT it definitely does NOT have the super-duper-hyper-ultra-cool Web 2.0 It definitely explores ethical boundaries. BUT it definitely does NOT have the super-duper-hyper-ultra-cool Web 2.0 It definitely explores ethical boundaries. Case Study: Continuous deployment makes releases n. spit and polish about it.

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San Francisco Customer Wiki Lean 144

Startup Lessons Learned

JANUARY 28, 2009

I would also suggest, and the engineers will almost certainly hate this suggestion, that the decision-maker asks for hard metrics to justify the refactoring effort in the first place. Only one occasion was a substantial rewrite justified based on performance metrics. And we all know what the success rates of rewrites are! Homer said.

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San Francisco Lean Continuous Deployment DC 79

Startup Lessons Learned

FEBRUARY 12, 2009

One definition of a market I like comes from Geoffrey Moores Crossing the Chasm: "a high tech market is a set of actual or potential customers, for a given set of products or services, who have a common set of needs or wants, and who reference each other when making a buying decision." Case Study: Continuous deployment makes releases n.

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San Francisco Continuous Deployment Ruby Lean 89