5min
Module 1: The Lean Startup Mindset
Module 2: Defining Your Vision
Module 3: The Build-Measure-Learn Feedback Loop
Module 4: The Minimum Viable Product (MVP)
Module 5: Validating with Customers
Module 6: Pivoting or Persevering
23/23 Lessons
Content
Certificate Application
A final reflection on your findings and a decision-making framework to apply
You have come a long way. We began with the Lean Startup Mindset, where you learned that a startup is a search, not an execution of a known business model. You then used the Business Model Canvas to define your vision and identify your Leap-of-Faith Assumptions. You learned to use the Build-Measure-Learn loop to test those assumptions with a Minimum Viable Product (MVP). Finally, in this module, you've studied the crucial decisions of pivoting or persevering.
1. A Decision-Making Framework to Apply
The most critical moment for an entrepreneur is making a decision based on evidence, not on emotion. This simple framework will help you do just that.
Step 1: Review the Evidence
Gather all your findings. Look at the qualitative data from your customer interviews and the quantitative data from your MVP's metrics and any A/B tests you ran. Be honest and objective about what the data is telling you.
Step 2: Apply the Framework
Ask yourself these critical questions to guide your decision:
Is my Leap-of-Faith Assumption valid?
Are my actionable metrics moving in the right direction?
Do customers understand and need my value proposition?
Is the business model scalable and repeatable?
Pivot
Did the data invalidate my assumption? Is the core premise of my business wrong?
Are my key metrics (e.g., retention, activation) flat or declining?
Do customer interviews show that I am solving the wrong problem, or that the problem isn't big enough?
Does my data show that the business model is unsustainable, even in the long run?
Persevere
Did the data strongly validate my assumption?
Are my key metrics showing consistent, healthy growth?
Do customer interviews confirm that I am solving a real, pressing problem for them?
Does my data give me confidence that the business model can be scaled?
Step 3: Make the Decision
Based on your answers to the questions above, you are now ready to make an informed decision.
If the evidence consistently points to the left side of the table, you must have the courage to pivot. This is a strategic move to save your company.
If the evidence consistently points to the right side of the table, you have the confidence to persevere. Now is the time to double down and scale your business.