The document provides an overview of strategies for startups based on analyses of explosive companies and industries. It discusses 7 explosive startups, in-depth analyses of the travel, food, and payments industries, and 10 startup strategies. Key takeaways include types of marketplaces, defensibility, effort to reward balance, and why the "Uber for X" model does not always work. The document aims to provide overall strategic guidance for startups.

1. Confessions of a Dev Shop Owner
Web and Mobile
Strategy

2. Raised: $35M / 3 rounds
Notes: Engineers from
Google and Square
Raised: $40M / 4 rounds
Notes: Y-Combinator
backed
Raised: $336M / 11 rounds
Notes: Once valued at $1B,
sold for $15M
Faster to 1M users than
Facebook, Groupon
FAT CATS

3. It can’t be a lack of talent or money. So, what is
missing?

5. 7 Explosive Companies:
Including: Uber, Rent the
Runway, Airbnb, and Square
Industry Deep Dive:
Travel
Industry Deep Dive: Food
10 Startup Strategies:
Including:
Acquisition Tools,
Barrier to Entry,
Moat, Monopoly,
Value of the User Base,
How is it disruptive?
Takeaway: Types of
Marketplaces
Takeaway: Defensibility
Takeaway: Effort to
Reward
Takeaway: Beauty in
Constraint
Takeaway: Why Uber for
X doesn’t work
Takeaway: Trading
Margin for Insight
Industry Deep Dive:
Payments
Overall Strategy of any
Startups

6. 7 Explosive Companies:
Including: Uber, Rent the
Runway, Airbnb, and Square
Overall Strategy of any
Startups
Industry Deep Dive:
Travel
Industry Deep Dive: Food
Industry Deep Dive:
Payments
10 Startup Strategies:
Including:
Acquisition Tools,
Barrier to Entry,
Moat, Monopoly,
Value of the User Base,
How is it disruptive?
Takeaway: Types of
Marketplaces
Takeaway: Defensibility
Takeaway: Effort to
Reward
Takeaway: Beauty in
Constraint
Takeaway: Why Uber for
X doesn’t work
Takeaway: Trading
Margin for Insight

7. “
Industry Deep Dive: Food

11. Hasastorefront
Has their own delivery people
YesNo
Caterers

12. Whomakesit?
Food prep condition when received
ChefCivilian

13. “
Industry Deep Dive: Payments

14. In Q3 2014, credit card companies processed $470B
in total payments
Card issuers earn a fee equal to a percentage of the
transaction value each time a customer swipes his
or her card

20. “
Types of Marketplaces

21. High Variation
Low Engagement
Low Variation
High Engagement

22. “Defensibility
“For a hardware company pursued by cheap clones, "run
upstairs" = make the product consist of as much software as
possible.” - Paul Graham

27. “
Why an Uber for X does not always work

28. ⊡Right Margin
⊡Frequency
⊡Natural Habit Zone
⊡Ease of Use
⊡Training

29. Question?
book.citadinesgroup.com