In 1985 Ardent Computer was determined to create a market niche for personal supercomputers. To understand our potential markets, we started by analyzing the marketing literature from Cray Research then crisscrossed the country talking to prospective customers – scientists and researchers in advanced corporate R&D centers and universities – to understand their needs. A week might [...]
Filed under: Ardent, Customer Development, Marketing, Vertical Markets | 7 Comments »
This post makes sense when you read the previous three vertical markets posts first. In the last three posts, we drew the relationship of market risk and invention risk with vertical markets and pointed out verticals where customer development would be useful. (As a reminder, the Customer Development process says your business plan is just [...]
Filed under: Customer Development, Technology, Vertical Markets | 3 Comments »
This post makes sense when you read the previous two vertical markets posts first. Reducing Risk – Simulation versus Customer Development If you remember the first part of this discussion, startups face two types of risk; invention risk and/or customer/market risk. In either type of startup you want to put in place processes in place [...]
Filed under: Customer Development, Technology, Vertical Markets | Tagged: Customer Development, Early Stage Startup, Steve Blank, Tips for Startups | 7 Comments »
This post makes sense when you read the previous vertical markets post first. Customer/Market Risk Versus Invention Risk One day I was having lunch with a VC sharing what I learned from my students. “Steve,” he said, “you’re missing the most interesting part of vertical markets. Our firm has a portfolio of companies across a [...]
Filed under: Customer Development, Technology, Vertical Markets | Tagged: Customer Development, Early Stage Startup, Steve Blank, Tips for Startups | 7 Comments »
In the past entrepreneurship was viewed (and taught) as a single process, with a single approach to creating a business plan and securing funding for a startup. The best entrepreneurship textbooks and blogs assume that advice to startups is generalizable. But as I learned from my students this “one-size-fits-all” approach does not work for all [...]
Filed under: Customer Development, Technology, Vertical Markets | Tagged: Customer Development, Early Stage Startup, Entrepreneurs, Startups, Steve Blank, Tips for Startups | 11 Comments »
Preorder Your Path to Success
For Orders Outside the U.S.
Team, Student and Classroom discounts.
For International Orders
Now In Print! Steve Blank's 30 years of Silicon Valley startup advice.
Follow me on twitter @sgblank
Follow my speaking schedule on Plancast @sgblank
Get the Podcasts for Free
