The LeanMean Methodology - an Evolution of the Revolution
LeanMean applies the principles of
lean
at a
mean
pace to drive extremely rapid learning from your startup. Our approach begins with some of the revolutionary concepts of lean which include validated learning instead of unvalidated assumptions, build/measure/learn instead of build/sell/pray, and customer feedback at every turn, instead of every once in a while. That’s the revolution part. The evolution is the speed at which we do it WITH you. You will fail at a blinding pace with us, and thus succeed at the same exact rate. Because, the faster you fail, the faster you can iterate/pivot and thus the more cash you will have in your bank for the good part (i.e. the success phases).
GoLeanMean is the world’s first Opcelerator Program (operational accelerator). What do we mean by operational? Well, it all starts with the daily Lean Mean Hangout (LMH). Each of your co-founders (and engineers & designers) will have a meeting with our team almost every weekday for at least the first month. If you are local, we may do this in person. If you are remote we use Google Hangouts. During these LMHs, we work WITH YOU through the
seven phases
of our program.
WHAT exactly is your business? What problem are you solving? How do you know? Is there a smarter way to solve it? What assumptions are you making in the solution? How can we validate these assumptions? There will be lots of homework, so be ready. Oh, and all of this comes BEFORE another line of code is written.
What are the minimum features needed for your MVP? How do you know? Can we validate it with even fewer features? Can we get you down to just one? Do we need a smoke-screen MVP, a Concierge MVP, or an actual MVP? What will your UX/UI look like?
Present on your calls will also be folk(s) with deep marketing experience. We will work with you to understand which market we are going after, how to acquire customers, for what cost, what price should they pay, if anything? What is your engine of growth: paid, viral, sticky, or a hybrid? What is your viral coefficient (VCE) (if applicable) and how can we improve it? Most importantly, we will make sure we can MEASURE EVERYTHING about the funnel before we spend a single dollar. Here you will become intimate with our LeanMean Tools (LMT).
What platforms are right for your idea? How deep should social integration be? Web? Facebook? Mobile? What devices? Combo of all? What is the feel of your product and how can we reflect that in the interface? Here, we will bring to bear one of the strongest resources of our team. Our product knowledge at GoLeanMean is second to none. On your daily calls you will have between 20 and 40 years of combined product experience ranging from Enterprise, to consumer, web, to mobile WORKING WITH YOU each day. Our team has built a ton of terrible product and even more great product so we can guide you to the latter... QUICKLY.
This is where we launch and iterate like mean bastards. You will push a version of your code nearly every single day and each push will be based 100% on LEARNINGS from the day before. During this phase you will also pivot your business as needed.
If you make it this far, it means you have got something that the market wants. This means you have some customers, you know how to get more, and your interface won’t scare off investors. Here, we may sometimes perform a rebuild (a several day code/UX/UI cleansing phase where we rip out all the junk code from the Mean Phase and stabilize the experience for the upcoming Scale Phase.)
You know what this is. This is the good stuff. However, be warned: it is highly unlikely you will make it this phase within the 90 day limit of our program. However, each phase, particularly phase 6, prepares you for this phase. Of course, you can continue to use everything from the program, including our Lean Mean Tools, and the network of fantastic entrepreneurs and mentors to help you win and win mean!
We are operational where others are observational. We are a boutique where others are a factory. Other accelerators may promise you name brand mentors, a huge network of people to call when you have questions, and a cadre of investors to parade you in front of who may assume you are awesome merely because you are *in* the accelerator. We provide many of same benefits, but too much early money only helps you fail slowly if you don't have your ducks in a row.
Yes, we will bring outside resources to bear and geniuses to opine and investors at the end of the process. But, our true value is: WE MAKE RAPID, BOLD, METRIC-DRIVEN ITERATION AND VALIDATED LEARNING A PART OF YOUR COMPANY'S CORE DNA. We put your ducks in a row.
So, are you ready to GoLeanMean?