The startup process: there is none. Much like the debate around business plan competitions being bad (too much making up stuff) and a potential solution being business model competitions, startups shouldn’t be viewed as having a formula. Rather, they should be viewed as a multi-year marathon with a series of iterations (some people say pivots, but I prefer iterations).
Generally, from my experience, here’s one way to look at the startup process:
- First six months – Build the beta product and get it in the hands of the early adopters
- Second six months – Refine the product and get ready for launch
- Second year – Focus on optimizing the customer acquisition process
- Third year and beyond – Scale and grow the business
What else? What would you include in a simple startup process?
David Cummings on Startups 