The Lean Startup by Eric Ries

And why we should care.

The Book-

• Problem: Most startups have a vision, raise money, put their heads down and work toward that vision. Only to find out they have perfectly executed a vision and nobody wants to buy or use.

• Solution: Create an MVP (Minimum Viable Product), get people using it and iterate until the market leads you to what they will use or buy.

The Solution-

• MVP

• Iterate, iterate, iterate

• You “steer” in the direction the market takes you, not the destination.

• Decision points are Persevere or Pivot.

Is Ries a Genius?

• No

Is this important?

• Hell yes.

• This is Google’s DNA restated. They don’t have a lot of meetings to fine-tune ideas. They test, iterate, test, iterate (perpetual Beta). Then persevere (Gmail, Maps) or pivot (Wave, Buzz, Video).

• The internet is the perfect medium for this type of approach.

Resources. . .

• Buy the book (it came out #2 on the NYT Best Seller list in October of 2011)

• Buy the Kindle edition• Buy the Audible audio edition• And no, I’m not an Amazon affiliate • www.theleanstartup.com• Wired Magazine article

Presented by Hamilton Wallacewww.SmallBusinessMarketingConsultant.com