Bob Dorf

The Startup Owner's Manual

1. IDEA 1

   A startup is not small business

   Blank and Dorf define a startup as a temporary organisation searching for a business model that works. Unlike established companies, it cannot rely on known customers or plans. It is searching, not executing.

2. IDEA 2

   Plans are just guesses

   The authors argue that a startup's business plan is a set of untested hypotheses. Founders must treat ideas about customers, prices and channels as guesses to be checked. Testing replaces planning.

3. IDEA 3

   Get out of the building

   The book's key instruction is to talk to real potential customers rather than staying in the office. Only direct contact reveals whether people have the problem and want the solution.

All 8 ideas from The Startup Owner's Manual →