Overview
Throughout 10-sessions, you'll go under the hood of your business (or non-profit idea) using the Lean Startup Methodology. You will grow as a cohort, share ideas, and learn from each other with the goal of moving you towards achieving and sustaining revenue as a viable business. At the end of the course, you'll have the opportunity to pitch your idea to local business leaders and Venture College mentors in a Shark Tank style format.
The following articles and videos are supplemental information for the Spring 2021 Mission43 Venture College Entrepreneur Course.
** M43 Entrepreneurs will have opportunities to meet one-on-one with community subject-matter-experts. Venture College staff will help schedule these meetings.
Important Dates to Remember:
Lesson 1 - Intro to Startups
Feb 2
After Lesson 1, students should be able to:
See Class Notes
Articles:
What is a Side Hustle?
Five Reasons Why A Side Hustle Could Be Beneficial And Perhaps Even Lead To A Startup Company.
Startup vs. Lifestyle Business (a Short Comparison from a Guy Who’s Done Both)
Lifestyle Business vs. Growth-Minded Business
7 Signs That You Are Not Cut Out to Be an Entrepreneur
Videos:
Venture College Side Hustle Series
Steve Blank: What is a Startup?
Steve Blank: Startups Aren’t Just Small Versions of Large Companies
Lesson 2 - Value Proposition Canvas
Feb. 4
After Lesson 2, students should be able to:
Define a value proposition
Recognize value propositions from other companies
Explain why unique value propositions are critical to business survival
Begin to articulate their value proposition for their own business idea
See Class Notes
Articles:
The 31 Best Value Proposition Examples You Wish You Had
What is a Value Proposition? (Plus 3 Great Examples and 3 Common Mistakes)
Value Propositions: What They Are and How to Create Them (with Examples)
Value Proposition Canvas
Why Value Propositions Are Important (And How To Create Them)
Videos:
Strategyzer's Value Proposition Canvas Explained
Value Proposition Canvas Explained by Alex Osterwalder
The art of innovation | Guy Kawasaki | TEDxBerkeley
Designing your Value Proposition by Alex Osterwalder at Mind the Product 2014
Value Proposition Canvas explained through the Uber example
Lesson 3 - Customer Discovery
Feb 9
After Lesson 3, students should be able to:
Define customer discovery
Explain why customer discovery is crucial to finding value propositions
Know best practices behind customer discovery
Begin to practice interviewing customers and asking appropriate questions
See Class Notes
Articles:
The Four Steps to Customer Discovery
THE CUSTOMER DISCOVERY HANDBOOK
26 Resources to Help You Master Customer Development Interviews
Customer Discovery In the Time Of the Covid-19 Virus
Customer discovery according to the Lean Startup methodology
Videos:
Video 1: What is customer discovery?
Video 2: The Customer Development Process. 2 Minutes to See Why
Video #3: EMPATHY - BEST SPEECH OF ALL TIME By Simon Sinek
Video #4-13: Steve Blank Customer Interview Series
Lesson 4 - Testing a Value Proposition
Feb 11
After Lesson 4, students should be able to:
Define what is a Minimal Viable Product (MVP)
Explain the benefits of an MVP
Share examples of successful companies who used an MVP
Begin to plan their own MVP
See Class Notes
Articles:
How to test and validate your value proposition fast
Validating and Executing on Value Propositions
“What is MVP and why is it necessary?”
What is a Minimum Viable Product and How to Build an MVP for Your Startup
What are Key Minimum Viable Product Examples and How Can They Be Used?
15+ EXAMPLES OF SUCCESSFUL MVPS
How To Fill In A Strategyzer Test Card
Videos:
Minimum Viable Product Examples and Benefits (7 min)
Validate Your Ideas with the Test Card (3 min)
Strategyzer Webinar: The Basics Of Testing Business Ideas (1 HR)
3 Awesome Minimum Viable Products (MVPs) (5 Min)
Making sense of MVP (Minimum Viable Product) (12 Min)
13 Types of Minimum Viable Product (MVP): Wizard of Oz, Concierge, One Painkiller and 10 more
Lesson 5 - Measuring a Minimum Viable Product
Feb 16
After Lesson 5, students should be able to:
Explain how to measure the successfulness of an MVP
Learn how to create goals around an MVP using a Test Card
Begin creating measurable goals using their own Test Card
See Class Notes
Articles:
(MVP) Seek the qualitative and quantitative
How To Measure & Analyze MVP Performance
What Your Minimum Viable Product Should Be Measuring
How To Know If Your Minimum Viable Product is Actually Viable
How To Measure The Success Of MVP
Videos:
Measure an MVP with the Learning Card
Strategyzer Webinar with David Bland: Testing Business Ideas (55 min)
How I: Validated my idea in 2 days (with no code)
How to Use the Validation Board to Test Your Startup Idea
Lesson 6 - How to Pivot Your Idea
Feb 18
After Lesson 6, students should be able to:
Learn how to use a Learning Card
Define a pivot
Explain why pivots are critical for startups
Share examples of successful companies who made early pivots
Share examples of companies who made later-stage pivots
See Class Notes
Articles:
When, Why, & How to Pivot a Startup Business
Everyone Pivots: The Truth About A Startup Pivot
A Brief Guide To Startup Pivots (4 Types Of Pivots)
What 'Pivot' Really Means
What is a Pivot? Know When It’s Time to Pivot
The 7 greatest pivots in tech history
Videos:
Pivot or Proceed? How to Decide. 2 Minutes to See Why
The infamous Pivot: Explained!
Eric Ries explains The Pivot
Lean Startup Lessons: Changing Course on a Business Idea Without Giving Up
Pivot - How to Build a Startup
Lesson 7 - Business Model Canvas (BMC)
Mar 2
After Lesson 7, students should be able to:
Understand the difference between the Business Model Canvas (BMC) and the Value Proposition Canvas
Explain each section of the BMC
Fill out a BMC for their own idea
See Class Notes
Articles:
The Easy Guide to the Business Model Canvas
How To: Business Model Canvas Explained
Business Model Canvas Explained with Examples
5 key benefits of using a business model canvas instead of a business plan
How To Fill In A Business Model Canvas
Videos:
Business Model Canvas Explained
The Business Model Canvas - 9 Steps to Creating a Successful Business Model - Startup Tips
Business Model Canvas Tutorial - Uber Business Model
Business Model Canvas Tutorial - Lego Business Model
More Resources
Pitch Your Idea
Articles:
How to Create an Elevator Pitch With Examples
8 Great Tips For Creating A Winning Pitch Deck For Your Startup
11 tips for creating a pitch deck that will get you funded
7 Tips to Win A Business Competition or Pitch Contest
How To Win A Pitch Competition (Quick Guide)
Funding Your Idea
Articles:
The Pros And Cons Of Bootstrapping Startups
8 Options for Small Business Startup Loans
Convertible Note | Examples and How It Works
How are angel investors different from venture capitalists?
The Four Main Things that Investors Look for in a Startup
Marketing Your Idea
Articles:
Marketing Channels Guide: 30+ Different Channels Categorized and Explained
The 6 Marketing Channels You Should Prioritize in 2020
What is a Marketing Funnel?
How to Create the Ultimate Marketing Funnel (Templates Included)
The Growth Hacking Playbook: Your Ultimate List of Growth Hack Resources
Legal Steps for Your Idea
Articles:
16-Step Legal Checklist for Startups
How to Start a Business: What Government Forms to Fill Out
Alternatives to an LLC
How to Set Up a Vesting Scheme for Your Startup?
Don't File That Patent Yet. File A Provisional Patent Application First.
Monetizing Your Idea
Articles:
Recurring Revenue: An Increasingly Important Business Model
The 10 Most Popular Startup Revenue Models
How to Price Your Products
Cost vs. Price: What's the Difference?
How To Calculate Customer Acquisition Cost (CAC)