business model, business model canvas, columbia, customer development, lean launchpad, lean startup, steve blank

1. MARA
Interviews done since the last class: 11
Interviews done to date: 79
1

2. Day 1 - Business Model Canvas
MARA | Cohort 2 Team 8 | 2
VALUE PROP.
For effortlessly stylish
women, MARA is an online
clothing brand that designs,
manufactures, and sells shift
dresses. Unlike traditional
fashion retailers, MARA
provides a curated and
uncluttered digital shopping
experience for a versatile
collection of shift dresses that
have a positive social impact.
CUSTOMER SEGMENT(S)
Woman.
20s to 40s
Working professional.
Disposable income.
Urban setting.
Digitally savvy.
Fashion sense: effortlessly
stylish.
Dissatisfied with “fast fashion”
Chooses brands that align
with her socially responsible
values when possible.
KEY ACTIVITIES
Trend watching.
Purchasing textiles:
readymade.
Purchasing textiles:
custom designed.
Dress manufacturing.
Supply chain management.
CRM.
Sales.
CRM
Get: social e.g. Instagram,
Google AdWords, subway
ads, direct mail, website,
referral program.
Keep: social, email.
Grow: additional products.
CHANNELS
Primary: direct to consumer
e-commerce.
Secondary: pop-up shops.
COST STRUCTURE
Variable (dress): materials, hardware, labor, duties, shipping/packaging,
warehouse.
Fixed: manufacturing equipment, rent, marketing, salaries, utilities.
REVENUE STREAM
Direct-to-consumer e-commerce.
KEY PARTNERS
Textile suppliers.
Logistics: shipping and
transport.
Marketing: photography,
copywriting.
KEY RESOURCES
Production: factory, workers,
oversight
HQ: website, cust. service,
cust. acquisition, product
design, inventory, warehouse

3. What we learned after Day 1
MARA | Cohort 2 Team 8 | 3
1. Everyone loves shifts
a. Results: Fit is what is most important, not the cut.
b. Iterate: We’re moving away from the “shift” term and talking more about “fit” since poor fit is
the main pain point.
2. Women want dresses that fit them well regardless of style:
a. Results: People don’t always have a set style, they are looking for the right fit.
b. Iterate: We’re going to focus more on fit and not necessarily a shift cut.
3. Women want to try on different sizes and cuts at home and receive a
semi-custom dress:
a. Results: There is some interest in this concept, but some hesitancy.
b. Iterate: We are moving toward emphasizing nuanced sizing.
4. Women have a hard time finding a dress that fits well. And it is frustrating.
a. Results: Yes, this is a consistent pain point. (They are ordering multiple sizes online and
wearing sizes that don’t really fit them.)
b. Iterate: We are focusing on offering the “perfect fit” and making it easy.

4. Day 2 - Business Model Canvas
MARA | Cohort 2 Team 8 | 4
VALUE PROP.
MARA designs,
manufactures, and sells the
perfect dress.
For women frustrated with
trying to find quality well-fitting
dresses for work and social
events. They want effortless
style in which they feel
comfortable and confident.
MARA is an online DTC
clothing brand that provides a
unique, classic designs, and
semi-custom fit dresses. Mara
provide a versatile collection
of your go-to dresses.
CUSTOMER SEGMENT(S)
Woman in late 20s–40s, living
in urban setting who is
digitally-savvy.
Looking for clothes
effortlessly stylish and are
dissatisfied with “fast fashion”
finding the right fit.
Sub-segments:
● True to size
body-type and will
order finished
dresses
● Unique fit
body-types and will
opt for semi-custom
option
KEY ACTIVITIES
Trend watching.
Purchasing textiles:
readymade.
Purchasing textiles:
custom designed.
Dress manufacturing.
Supply chain management.
CRM.
Sales.
CRM
Get: social e.g. Instagram,
Google AdWords, subway
ads, direct mail, website,
referral program.
Keep: social, email.
Grow: additional products.
CHANNELS
Primary: direct to consumer
e-commerce.
Secondary: pop-up shops.
COST STRUCTURE
Variable (dress): materials, hardware, labor, duties, shipping/packaging,
warehouse.
Fixed: manufacturing equipment, rent, marketing, salaries, utilities.
REVENUE STREAM
Direct-to-consumer e-commerce.
KEY PARTNERS
Textile suppliers.
Logistics: shipping and
transport.
Marketing: photography,
copywriting.
KEY RESOURCES
Production: factory, workers,
oversight
HQ: website, cust. service,
cust. acquisition, product
design, inventory, warehouse

5. Day 2 - Customer Segments
MARA | Cohort 2 Team 8 | 5
True to size body-type and will order
finished dresses
Looking for high-quality dresses in a
variety of unique fabrics
Wanting a streamlined online shopping
experience that encourages effortless
style
Likes wearing one style of dress in
multiple fabrics
Unique fit body-type and will opt for
semi-custom option
Wants to shop in the privacy of their
own home and get a fit “Just for them”
Looking for high-quality dresses in a
variety of unique fabrics
Wanting a streamlined online shopping
experience that encourages effortless
style
Likes wearing one style of dress in
multiple fabrics
Interested in supporting socially responsible manufacturing and companies that have social impact initiative. May not be a driver of their
decision, but is a contributing factor to supporting re-purchase and investment spends (over their budget).

6. Day 3 - Business Model Canvas
MARA | Cohort 2 Team 8 | 6
VALUE PROP.
For women frustrated with
trying to find quality well-fitting
dresses for work and social
events. They want effortless
style in which they feel
comfortable and confident.
MARA is an online DTC
clothing brand that provides
unique, classic designs, and
semi-custom fit dresses. Mara
manufactures, and sells shift
dresses “the perfect go-to
dress for your body type.”
Mara provide a versatile
collection of shift dresses
your go-to dresses. that are
made in a socially responsible
way.
CUSTOMER SEGMENT(S)
Woman in late 20s–40s, living
in urban setting who is
digitally-savvy.
Looking for clothes
effortlessly stylish and are
dissatisfied with “fast fashion”
finding the right fit.
Sub-segments:
● True to size
body-type and will
order finished
dresses
● Unique fit
body-types and will
opt for semi-custom
option
KEY ACTIVITIES
Trend watching.
Purchasing textiles:
readymade.
Purchasing textiles:
custom designed.
Dress manufacturing.
Supply chain management.
CRM.
Sales.
CRM
Get: social e.g. Instagram,
Google AdWords, subway
ads, direct mail, website,
referral program.
Keep: social, email.
Grow: additional products.
CHANNELS
Primary: direct to consumer
e-commerce.
Secondary: pop-up shops.
COST STRUCTURE
Variable (dress): materials, hardware, labor, duties, shipping/packaging,
warehouse.
Fixed: manufacturing equipment, rent, marketing, salaries, utilities.
REVENUE STREAM
Direct-to-consumer e-commerce.
KEY PARTNERS
Textile suppliers.
Logistics: shipping and
transport.
Marketing: photography,
copywriting.
KEY RESOURCES
Production: factory, workers,
oversight
HQ: website, cust. service,
cust. acquisition, product
design, inventory, warehouse

7. Day 3 - Value Proposition
MARA | Cohort 2 Team 8 | 7
Problem Solution
Features of Value
Proposition
● Hard to find dresses
that fit their body type
● Takes effort to shop,
try on multiple stores,
order multiple sizes -
take back what
doesn’t fit
● Find something that
does fit and can’t get it
in different colors
● Classic, versatile
high-quality dresses
● A streamlined
semi-custom fit
shopping experience
● Consistently-sized
collection of dresses
in a variety of fabrics
● Flexibility in sizing (4.5x
the number of sizing
options, 59 sizes vs 13)
● Customization of fabric
and fit in buying process
● Easy to order, option to
try on in privacy of
home (free shipping)

8. What we found after Day 3
8
● Channels
○ We thought: Customers would be willing to purchase online.
○ We found: Customers are willing to do this.
○ Iterate: None
● “Get” Strategy
○ We thought: Customers like to use social media to talk about this topic.
○ We found: This is true.
○ Iterate: None.
● Revenue Model
○ We thought: Customers want a perfect dress and will come back to make multiple purchases
○ We found: Many respondents prefer same style in multiple colors.
○ Iterate: None.

9. Day 4 - Business Model Canvas
MARA | Cohort 2 Team 8 | 9
VALUE PROP.
MARA designs,
manufactures, and sells the
perfect dress.
For women frustrated with
trying to find quality well-fitting
dresses for work and social
events. They want effortless
style in which they feel
comfortable and confident.
MARA is an online DTC
clothing brand that provides a
unique, classic designs, and
semi-custom fit dresses. Mara
provide a versatile collection
of your go-to dresses.
CUSTOMER SEGMENT(S)
Woman in late 20s–40s, living
in urban setting who is
digitally-savvy.
Looking for clothes
effortlessly stylish and are
dissatisfied with “fast fashion”
finding the right fit.
Sub-segments:
● True to size
body-type and will
order finished
dresses
● Unique fit
body-types and will
opt for semi-custom
option
KEY ACTIVITIES
Trend watching.
Purchasing textiles:
readymade.
Purchasing textiles:
custom designed.
Dress manufacturing.
Supply chain management.
CRM.
Sales.
CRM
Get: social e.g. Instagram,
Google AdWords, subway
ads, direct mail, website,
referral program.
Keep: social, email.
Grow: additional products.
CHANNELS
Primary: direct to consumer
e-commerce.
Secondary: pop-up shops.
COST STRUCTURE
Variable (dress): materials, hardware, labor, duties, shipping/packaging,
warehouse.
Fixed: manufacturing equipment, rent, marketing, salaries, utilities.
REVENUE STREAM
Direct-to-consumer e-commerce.
KEY PARTNERS
Textile suppliers.
Logistics: shipping and
transport.
Marketing: photography,
copywriting.
KEY RESOURCES
Production: factory, workers,
oversight
HQ: website, cust. service,
cust. acquisition, product
design, inventory, warehouse

10. Day 5 - What does it take to build a fashion brand
Researched top brands:
● Tory Burch
● Kate Spade
● Tom’s Shoes
● Warby Parker
● Bonobos
Common themes include:
● Connection to fashion media and famous personalities
● Great story (Warby Parker)
10

11. What we are doing next
● Building out original story
● Testing story with potential
customers (identified segments
from this class)
● Testing story with PR
professionals
● Prototype testing of product
● Experiment with semi-custom fit
options and pricing models
● Contacting socially responsible
fashion bloggers
11

12. MARA | Cohort 2 Team 8 | 12
Appendix: Interview Tally
How many interviews
before the first
class?
How many interviews
since Day 1
(Monday’s class)?
How many interviews
since Day 2
(Tuesday’s class)?
How many interviews
since Day 3
(Wednesday’s
class)?
How many interviews
since Day 4
(Thursday’s class)?
Aaron 2 1 1 2 1
Julie 3 2 2 3 2
Averie 3 3 1 3 1
Alia 5 2 2 1 1
Victoria 2 2 2 26 6
Total 15 10 8 35 79