Customer Discovery talk by Sean Tierney for SEED SPOT 9/18/13
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Customer Development The framework I wish I could go back in time and teach my former entrepreneurial self. by Sean Tierney
description
This is a talk Sean Tierney gave for the 2013 Fall class of SEED SPOT on 9/18/13. It covers a basic introduction to concepts of Customer Development (and specifically focuses on the first phase, Customer Discovery).
Transcript of Customer Discovery talk by Sean Tierney for SEED SPOT 9/18/13
Customer DevelopmentThe framework I wish I could go back in time and teach my former entrepreneurial self.
by Sean Tierney
1.21 Gigawatts... Customer Development
is the answer!!
My creds
Google: “Simon Sinek Ted Talk”
Why?
Startups = Greatest Promise
Startups = Hardest Things
20k’ volcano(hard)
(way harder)
Pre Post
Product-Market Fit
Searching for b-model Focused on growth
Stages of Customer Development
Your greatest threat = apathy
CustDev Lean Canvas
What is Customer Development?
Brainchild of Steve Blank
“Four Steps to the Epiphany” = seminal work. The revised sequel 10yrs later is “Startup Owner’s Manual”
Answers don’t exist within the building... therefore, get out of the building and talk to your potential customers!
Need to intimately understand the problem & customer before pushing your solution
CustDev = framework for doing entrepreneurship. Focus on P-M fit first then worry about growth. Stages are like “orbits” - must achieve escape velocity to move to next.
Google: “Steve Blank Udacity”
Pre Post
Product-Market Fit
Stages of Customer Development
Searching Scaling
Hypotheses Formation(an art)
mainly qualitative
Hypotheses Testing(a science)
mainly quantitative
What is Customer Discovery?
Who do I talk to and how do I find them?Favor qualitative over quantitative early on
What do I do once I’m with a prospective customer? Where does my greatest risk/uncertainty lie?
Learn, Build, MeasureWhere does the greatest uncertainty lie and what is the risk to the success of the venture?
What testable hypotheses can we form to de-risk this?
What data would we need to collect to confirm or refute these hypotheses?
What experiments would we need to conduct in order to collect that data?
Now go run these experiments.
Rinse and repeat...
Fidelity of the prototype = f(objective / constraints)
Three apps that will dramatically accelerate your customer validation:
Fictitious Example
Why use this? To decouple emotionally from your idea and focus on the CustDev discipline itself.
Sean’s crazy idea for a fall prevention mechanism in the form of a rubberized shower curtain.
Need a volunteer!
Follow these three people:
Join LeanPhx.com
Sean [email protected]@scrollinondubs
@grid7480.221.5500
grid7.com
Office Hrs here every Tues 3-5pm
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