Nov '12 talk at Boston University Entrepreneurship Club, focusing on early stage startup endeavors, and only thing that truly matters.

1. BUSINESS MODEL GENERATION MEETUP
NOW ???
DATE NOVEMBER 27, 2012 HOSTS CORT JOHNSON, HOWARD KAPLAN, DAVE BISCEGLIA, IGOR BRATNIKOV

4. The only thing that
matters is getting to
product market fit.

5. Traction Measures PM-fit
$ Scalable Profits
Rev$
$ Customers
No-pay / Pilot Cust
Validated Hypotheses

6. Traction Measures PM-fit
$ Scalable Profits
Rev$
$ Customers
No-pay / Pilot Cust
Validated Hypotheses

7. 3 Stages of a Startup

8. 3 Stages of a Startup
3 Stages of a Startup
Problem/Solution Product/Market
Scale
Fit Fit
Stage 1 Stage 2 Stage 3

9. 3 Stages of a Startup
3 Stages of a Startup
Problem/Solution Product/Market
Scale
Fit Fit
Stage 1 Stage 2 Stage 3

10. 3 Stages of a Startup
3 Stages of a Startup
Problem/Solution Product/Market
Scale
Fit Fit
Stage 1 Stage 2 Stage 3

11. 3 Stages of a Startup
3 Stages of a Startup
Problem/Solution Product/Market
Scale
Fit Fit
Stage 1 Stage 2 Stage 3

12. 3 Stages of a Startup
3 Stages of a Startup
Problem/Solution Product/Market
Scale
Fit Fit
Stage 1 Stage 2 Stage 3

13. 3 Stages of a Startup
3 Stages of a Startup
Problem/Solution Product/Market
Scale
Fit Fit
Stage 1 Stage 2 Stage 3

14. Life’s too short to build
something nobody wants

15. 3 Stages of a Startup
3 Stages of a Startup
Problem/Solution Product/Market
Scale
Fit Fit
Stage 1 Stage 2 Stage 3

16. 3 Stages of a Startup
3 Stages of a Startup
Problem/Solution Product/Market
Scale
Fit Fit
Stage 1 Stage 2 Stage 3

17. 3 Stages of a Startup
3 Stages of a Startup
Problem/Solution Product/Market
Scale
Fit Fit
Stage 1 Stage 2 Stage 3

18. 3 Stages of a Startup
3 Stages of a Startup
Problem/Solution Product/Market
Scale
Fit Fit
Stage 1 Stage 2 Stage 3

26. I Believe...
My best customers are
________________________
Who experience pain from
________________________
That I solve by
________________________

27. PROBLEM #1 BENEFIT #1
PROBLEM #2 BENEFIT #2
PROBLEM #3 BENEFIT #3

30. Do or do not.
There is no try.

31. Thank You.
Howard Kaplan
@HowardKaplan
howardk@cobblehillinteractive.com