Lean Startup Coaching Programs

 

Lean Startup is the Innovation Center’s signature set of coaching services.

All ventures, spin-offs, or expansions share the same life cycle.  They break new ground and evolve with the same 4 steps.

  1. Create & Validate a Business Model
  2. Get Funded
  3. Complete Development & Launch
  4. Accelerate Performance Excellence

Entrepreneurs and new ventures must literally form something out of nothing except for a good idea.  Our first 3 programs help you manage these steps and hone your entrepreneurial skills.  Once the venture has achieved stable and repeatable revenue, it is time to concentrate on continually growing performance and results - in other words, accelerating excellence.  Our 4th program helps you do just that, using the criteria from the Malcolm Baldrige National Quality Award.

Each of our four programs is valued at $1,795, but is available at a greatly reduced price, due to sponsors and donors who believe in you and your venture concept, of only $495 for entrepreneurs or ventures located in Northeast Indiana.  You receive personal one-on-one coaching over a long enough period of time to see dramatic results.  We meet with you once a week for 2-3 hours for 6 weeks and work together with you hands-on, like a member of your team.  Between meetings, you take the next steps – to research, create, build, and validate.

To register, contact Steve Franks at 260-407-1754 or sfranks@niic.net.

1.  Lean Startup Business Model

This program helps your move from idea to a validated business concept. 

We use the 9-element business model designed by Alexander Osterwalder.
  1. Customer Segments & Big Want
  2. Value Proposition
  3. Customer Relationships
  4. Channels
  5. Key Activities
  6. Key Resources
  7. Key Partners
  8. Revenue Structure
  9. Key Cost Drivers

You’ll create your initial business model, test it with customers to validate your raw idea, and iterate it as needed.

2.  Pitching and Planning

This program prepares you to pitch or present to investors or other stakeholders.

We use selected elements of the pitching techniques employed by Venture Hacks, founders of Angel List.
  1. High concept pitch
  2. Elevator pitch
  3. Investor pitch slide deck

We will help you prepare to pitch anywhere:  a casual inquiry on a street corner, a follow-on casual conversation, or a formal setting in an investor or banker’s boardroom.  The same information that you use to prepare these pitches can be easily re-written in the form of an executive summary or a business plan.

You’ll think through your venture and hone how you articulate it.

3.  Product Development

In this program you will create your product development management systems.

We use the general stage gate development model proposed by Robert G. Cooper, along with other product development tools.
  1. Definition of your own 3 to 5 gate Stage Gate Development Process
  2. Criteria for go/no-go decisions
  3. Your initial product roadmap

You’ll map out how your new product or services ideas flow through your company from conception to launch.

4.  Accelerate Excellence

In this program you will make your plan to accelerate performance excellence.

We use the performance excellence criteria used by the Malcolm Baldrige Performance Excellence Program.  Program facilitator Steve Franks has served as a Baldrige Examiner at the state level.

  1. Leadership
  2. Strategic planning
  3. Customer focus
  4. Measurement, analysis, and knowledge management
  5. Workforce focus
  6. Operations focus
  7. Results

You’ll create a system to assess your performance and establish cycles of ongoing learning and improvement.