How to Start a Successful Startup. Or - Why Are Startups Like Real Estate?

How to start a successful start-pup?  Well, its kind of like real estate.  
It's all about customers, customers and customers.


Or at least that is what serial entrepreneur Steve Blank says in his new book, The Startup Owner's Manual.  And here is the beginning of an article and interview with Blank by Drew Hansen of Forbes. 

In case you missed it, Steve Blank published a new book titled, The Startup Owner’s Manual, and it’s billed as a step-by-step guide for building a great company.
He’s spent 34 years in Silicon Valley and worked on eight startups in 21 years. He’s been an educator for the last decade. That adds up to a wealth of knowledge and experience — which he’s distilled in this book.
Last week I referenced it while teaching a handful of first-time entrepreneurs the basics of his Customer Development methodology.

1. Customer discovery

1. Customer validation

1. Customer creation

1. Company building

We reviewed these four steps before capturing the hypotheses for our business ideas in a Business Model Canvas.
This is the beginning of a sea-change: the democratization of entrepreneurship. Don’t be surprised when hundreds of versions of his Lean Launchpad class roll out across the globe in the next couple years.
Thanks to FounderLY for giving me an early look at their interview with him. To view the second half of their interview, click here.
Follow me on Twitter @drewhansen26