Reddit reviews Running Lean: Iterate from Plan A to a Plan That Works (Lean (O'Reilly))
We found 17 Reddit comments about Running Lean: Iterate from Plan A to a Plan That Works (Lean (O'Reilly)). Here are the top ones, ranked by their Reddit score.
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Stop. Building the app is one of the last things. The biggest mistake people make is that they build something no one wants.
Validate your idea. Try to get strangers interested (NOT friends and family).
To add to this, check out the book Running Lean. If you're serious, it gives you a great step by step process.
I like the lean canvas and lean start up theories.
Here is lean canvas
http://leanstack.com/
It's a more streamlined model of the traditional business model canvas.
And here is an excellent book about implementing lean startup
http://www.amazon.com/Running-Lean-Iterate-Plan-Works/dp/1449305172/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1410501116&sr=8-1&keywords=running+lean
The original book for this is The Lean Startup
http://www.amazon.com/s/ref=nb_sb_noss_1?url=search-alias%3Daps&field-keywords=lean+startup&rh=i%3Aaps%2Ck%3Alean+startup&ajr=2
If you haven't done a business before, I'd recommend you check out all of these resources. In addition to helping you plan and create your business model, it also gives fantastic advice on starting out. Including how to make sure you are actually creating a product someone wants, finding your customers, getting the product out there sooner than later and other great notes.
Also keep in mind that you can spend weeks and months on a business plan and it will most likely blow up as soon as you implement it. Nothing wrong with that, but the point is to make a plan that's "good enough" and then go out there and test your theory.
Good luck!
If you want to get started sooner:
If you want to build something that scales, something that can change the world, then the best bet is to build something online. It's difficult, but you're only 15 so you've got a lot of flearnings (failed learnings) ahead of you.
Learn to program here, here or here.
Learn about the lean startup: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lean_Startup
Read this and this.
Fail fast, fail often.
Here are my top three:
You may want to read them in reverse order (3, 2, 1) as Steve Blank influenced Eric Reis who influenced Ash Maurya -- but I really think Running Lean has more practical / applicable insights.
If you are going for a internet business or any product-oriented business here a are the best books
BEST ONES
"The Lean Startup: How Today's Entrepreneurs Use Continuous Innovation to Create Radically Successful Businesses" (Eric Reis) - 2011
https://www.amazon.com/Lean-Startup-Entrepreneurs-Continuous-Innovation/dp/0307887898/
"Running Lean: Iterate from Plan A to a Plan That Works" (Ash Maurya) - 2010
https://www.amazon.com/Running-Lean-Iterate-Plan-Works/dp/1449305172
"Sprint: How to Solve Big Problems and Test New Ideas in Just Five Days" (Jake Knapp - Google Ventures) - 2016
https://www.amazon.com/Sprint-Solve-Problems-Test-Ideas/dp/150112174X/ref=sr_1_1?qid=1550802301&s=gateway&sr=8-1
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ALSO GO FOR (these are the ones that started organizing the Startup world)
"The Four Steps to the Epiphany" (Steve Blank) - 2005
https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/0989200507/
"Business Model Generation" (Alexander Osterwalder) - 2008
https://www.amazon.com/Business-Model-Generation-Visionaries-Challengers/dp/0470876417/
Apart from the four steps to the Eppiphany, this is another one: https://www.amazon.com/Running-Lean-Iterate-Plan-Works/dp/1449305172.
Some good tactics to validate early early need.
Do you have an experienced designer/prototyper/PdM on hand? At this stage, you really shouldn't be putting anything down into code. Validation through testing and quick iterations are key. This parable, if it applies to you, may be a good read. Here's his book on running lean that should be invaluable if you don't have an experienced designer on hand. Much of your business model can be recreated manually (cheaply) for validation purposes. I wouldn't write a line of code until the business plan has been validated via the lean canvas approach.
I would nail down your target consumer a bit more than just 18-50yo women. Start thinking about the women who need and will pay a premium for on-demand personal care products. What do their day jobs look like? Salary? Viewpoints? At what point or scenario would they use this product? What is the user persona? My guess, based on past work experience, only, is that your target market is probably something like 25-35yo professional women who make $90k/yr-$250k in major cities like NYC. They likely already have such services as Amazon Prime, Caviar, Uber Eats, and shop at places like Sephora and Bloomingdales.
Instacart is probably a close competitor since they allow users to buy personal care products through CVS and Costco same day. But you'd have to examine your business model of working with contractors to do the shopping or shipping directly from the source.
Best of luck!
Edit: "IT man" lol are you a pill woman?
You may also be interested in reading Running Lean. That's been the most helpful book to me so far because it has very practical steps for launching a business. http://www.amazon.com/gp/aw/d/1449305172/ref=redir_mdp_mobile/192-1698409-8370512
Running Lean: http://www.amazon.com/Running-Lean-Iterate-Works-Series/dp/1449305172
Consider it book two of the lean startup. Ditches theory and motivation for a step by step plan to launching your business.
VERY actionable.
http://www.amazon.com/Running-Lean-Iterate-Plan-Works/dp/1449305172/ref=sr_1_1?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1450372070&sr=1-1&keywords=running+lean I haven't read lean startup, but I read "running lean" from the same series... I have no idea if i should read also "lean startup", but "running" is nuts, I can't believe this book hasn't been mentioned yet...
I find the original Steve Blank and Eric Reis books tough to recommend these days as they tend to ramble and have since spawned much more approachable work since being published. The two below are part of Blank and Reis's official "Lean" series and much better (and easier to implement) than the original works.
https://www.amazon.com/Lean-Customer-Development-Building-Customers/dp/1492023744/ref=sr_1_fkmrnull_1?crid=3HD1KWE1NUKRB
https://www.amazon.com/Running-Lean-Iterate-Plan-Works/dp/1449305172/ref=sr_1_2?crid=30ZKXBRBIBAZO
I'd recommend you spend a small portion of that $40k on:
http://www.amazon.com/Running-Lean-Iterate-Works-Series/dp/1449305172
http://www.amazon.com/Startup-Owners-Manual-Step---Step/dp/0984999302/
http://www.amazon.com/The-Lean-Startup-Entrepreneurs-Continuous/dp/0307887898
Then get creative and figure out how to validate your idea without writing a single line of code (validation = get customers willing to sign up and/or pre-purchase).
My favorite example of getting 70k users without building a thing: http://techcrunch.com/2011/10/19/dropbox-minimal-viable-product/
If you could generate that kind of buzz without a line of code written, you could get the investment required to build your MVP.
Feel free to PM me, btw. I love the SaaS space and I have 17 years software development experience.
The TLDR of /u/GaryARefuge 's comment is my own personal mantra: "Make something someone will pay for". SOOO many would-be entrepreneurs have a 'fantastic idea' that is neat, but no one needs it, is looking for it, or wants it enough to pay for. So, #1: Build an MVP, even if it's just in powerpoint, and be very blunt and straightforward in contacting your target market and asking them if they would pay for your product. This TLDR came from [Running Lean](http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/1449305172/ref=as_li_tl?ie=UTF8&amp;camp=1789&amp;creative=390957&amp;creativeASIN=1449305172&amp;linkCode=as2&amp;tag=regreddit-20&amp;linkId=KQN6MFRDGHTBSZJH"&gt;Running Lean: Iterate from Plan A to a Plan That Works (Lean Series)</a><img src="http://ir-na.amazon-adsystem.com/e/ir?t=regreddit-20&amp;l=as2&amp;o=1&amp;a=1449305172) , and is a fantastic to cheaply validate a business model. ONLY after you understand the target market, and possibly even iterate on your 'powerpoint' product version, will you know if your idea is really great enough to actually build and sell.
Now, to specifically answer your question, yes, it's common. You might seek out a technical co-founder to help you (after you validate the business model).
If there was a proven framework to evolve startup ideas everyone would be using it. But there isn't because it depends a great bit on your business and the environment your business is in. A framework for a B2C business may not work so well for a B2B enterprise business. It sounds like you're actively looking for something to build out but don't want to 'waste your time,' so i'll ask, what do you have experience in personally and professionally? Because a lot of the startup founders I've known had some previous experience in the industry they're now trying to do business in, investors like to see this type of experience too.
Be realistic with the fact that you you may be having trouble finding a good opportunity because your have fairly few working years and haven't had much time to identify peoples pain points via personal or professional friends/connections and their contexts. If you think this is a possibility then get out there and be social and network, get to know people and get to know their problems and maybe you could solve one of those problems with a business idea.
also, read. There are books on all these frameworks, buy/rent them. read them.
some to look at
https://www.amazon.com/Running-Lean-Iterate-Works-OReilly/dp/1449305172/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&amp;qid=1504892840&amp;sr=8-1&amp;keywords=running+lean
https://www.amazon.com/Lean-Startup-Entrepreneurs-Continuous-Innovation/dp/B005MM7HY8/ref=sr_1_2?s=books&amp;ie=UTF8&amp;qid=1504892862&amp;sr=1-2&amp;keywords=lean+books
https://www.amazon.com/Innovators-Dilemma-Technologies-Management-Innovation/dp/1633691780/ref=sr_1_sc_1?s=books&amp;ie=UTF8&amp;qid=1504892879&amp;sr=1-1-spell&amp;keywords=inoovators+delimm
Many of these answers give you advice on changing various elements of your website, etc.
IMO it boils down to one thing first: customer research. If you do not know your customer BEFORE you attempt to make sales, all of your work, time, money will be wasted.
The 2 sales in one day that you mentioned, find out as much as you can about these customers. What was their referral channel? Where are they most active socially? At what price point did they purchase?
Ultimately, you need to minimize the money you're throwing at "driving traffic". Do some customer research, then double-down on the channel that has the most potential (based on data) to drive purchases like the 2 you received in one day.
I would encourage you to read [Running Lean] (http://www.amazon.com/Running-Lean-Iterate-Works-Series/dp/1449305172) and pay attention to the customer development section. Though it's written with a different product in mind, the same development concepts 100% apply to your problem.
It's hard work, but it can be done in a short period of time if you dedicate yourself to it & it will absolutely be worth the effort!
Good luck.
Ash Maurya wrote Running Lean. Eric Ries (established the "Lean Startup") wrote the forward and the book is part of the "official lean" collection. Also a little interesting background, Eric was a student of Steve Blank, who created the whole "customer development" cycle. Steve is also a professor at Stanford. You can find an article he wrote last year for the Harvard Business Review about the lean startup at http://hbr.org/2013/05/why-the-lean-start-up-changes-everything/
Steve Blank also has many books on this topic, but I'd suggest Running Lean as your first intro. It's a quick and eye-opening read to how to validate your ideas.
Running Lean can be found at http://www.amazon.com/Running-Lean-Iterate-Works-Series/dp/1449305172/