Discovery Dollars explores eight principles in determining whether an idea you have for a business can actually be turned into a business. This presentation was originally given at Harvard Business School.

1. Determining Whether Your
Idea is a Business
presented by ross beyeler
discovering dollars

2. ross beyeler
Growth Spark Founder
BusinessWeek Top 25 Entrepreneurs
Babson Alumni

3. You’re here because you all
want to start a business.
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4. But this is not about starting a business,
it’s about discovering if there is a
business to be had in the first place.
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5. This is a collection of lessons
learned on taking the first steps
in exploring an idea . . . that might
one day become a business.
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6. Lessons Learned

7. Obsess around the problem and
audience - not the ideal solution
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8. Make Interacting With Customers
Your Primary Focus.
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9. Ask for Money
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10. Intentionally Use the
Lowest Tech Possible
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11. Prioritize Your Assumptions
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12. Set a Defined Period of Time
to Run Your Experiments
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13. Focus Your Branding On Experience
Rather than Visual Identity
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14. Don’t Let Your Ego
Get In the Way
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15. Download Resource Guide
discoveringdollars.com
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16. Thank you!
ross@growthspark.com / @growthspark
the end!
any questions?