Want to develop a great idea? Then come hear Zach Nies, CTO of Rally Software, who will present some great strategies for creating ideas and testing and refining good ideas until they become great ones.

1. Startup Ideas
Silicon Flatirons – New Venture Challenge

2. h"p://www.flickr.com/photos/nateone/3768979925

3. Zach Nies
@zachnies

4. Why I care
about startups

6. Font Sampler
http://media.kelbymediagroup.com/layersmagazine/images/columns/artoftype/may06/glyph-set.jpg http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:Caslon-schriftmusterblatt.jpeg

10. I love to change
industries

11. Your ideas
h"p://www.flickr.com/photos/rkeefer/164636147

13. Look past the idea
to something more
lasting & meaningful

14. Think about your
business ideas…

15. in a larger context

16. Stay grounded
while the idea
changes

17. The idea is the only
thing that matters.
Right?

18. Tim Westergren

21. The idea
will likely change

23. At Rally, we provide world-
class software, coaching and
community services for
companies adopting Agile.

24. That’s what we do

25. Let’s try
a different approach

26. At Rally, we believe empowered
people who actually want to
come to work are essential for
solving today’s big, complex
problems.

27. We inspire continuous
innovation and collaboration in
our customers, helping them
empower their people and
deliver a factor of four increase
in value to their business.

28. We do this through our world-
class software, coaching and
community services.

29. What we do, alone,
isn’t that inspiring

30. The idea is NOT the
only thing that
matters.

31. What does matter?
According to Simon Sinek

33. As a founder,
it starts with
your personal why

34. Your personal Why
h"p://www.flickr.com/photos/rkeefer/164636147

35. Finding what works

36. Getting to a plan that works
Vision
&
Empathy
Culture
Business
Model
Frame Frame Frame Frame
Build & Ship
Build & Ship
Build & Ship
Build & Ship
Learn
Learn
Learn
Learn
Test & Measure Test & Measure Test & Measure Test & Measure

37. Guesses
Frame
Build & Ship
Learn
Test & Measure
Knowledge

38. What could go wrong
with this?
Frame
Build & Ship
Learn
Test & Measure

42. Why & Vision
h"p://www.flickr.com/photos/klearchos/4541072707

43. Your personal why & your ideas
h"p://www.flickr.com/photos/rkeefer/164636147

44. Customer
Development
A disciplined way
to find what works

45. Explore Execute
h"p://www.slideshare.net/sblank/the-­‐startup-­‐owners-­‐manual-­‐sxsw-­‐11954724

46. Frame Frame
Build & Ship
Build & Ship
Learn
Learn
Test & Measure Test & Measure
Explore h"p://www.slideshare.net/sblank/the-­‐startup-­‐owners-­‐manual-­‐sxsw-­‐11954724

47. Startups are NOT
smaller versions
of big companies

48. Discover and solve
customer’s problem

49. Business Model

51. Why What How Who
Where
How much How much

52. First big Guess:
We understand the
problem a customer
wants solved

53. Next guess:
Our product solves
the customer’s
problem

54. Next guess:
Our business model
can be profitable

55. Next guess:
We can sell our offer
or
We can acquire
and retain users

56. Next guess:
We know how to sell
our product

57. Next guess:
Our draft sales plan
will close or activate
customers

58. Next guess:
We can position
our company

59. Evaluating your ideas

60. 1. Category
2. Company
3. Market
4. Offer
5. Execution

61. 1. Category
2. Company
3. Market
4. Offer
5. Execution

62. Vs.

63. 1. Category
2. Company
3. Market
4. Offer
5. Execution

64. You

65. 1. Category
2. Company
3. Market
4. Offer
5. Execution

66. Customer segments

67. 1. Category
2. Company
3. Market
4. Offer
5. Execution

68. Your product or idea

69. 1. Category
2. Company
3. Market
4. Offer
5. Execution

70. Can you
get things done?

71. Do you love the why?

72. Look past the idea
to the why

73. Articulate your Why,
How, and What

74. When the
What changes
you won’t get lost

75. Books that informed this talk

76. People who informed this talk
David Ash Clayton
Snowden Maurya Christensen
Eric
Ries
Geoffrey Steve
Moore Blank

77. h"p://www.flickr.com/photos/fla"op341/224597838

78. @zachnies