Running Lean Iterate from Plan A to a Plan That Works

We live in an age of unparalleled opportunity for innovation. Were building more products than ever before, but most of them fail—not because we cant complete what we set out to build, but because we waste time, money, and effort building the wrong product.

What we need is a systematic process for quickly vetting product ideas and raising our odds of success. Thats the promise of Running Lean.

In this inspiring book, Ash Maurya takes you through an exacting strategy for achieving a "product/market fit" for your fledgling venture, based on his own experience in building a wide array of products from high-tech to no-tech. Throughout, he builds on the ideas and concepts of several innovative methodologies, including the Lean Startup, Customer Development, and bootstrapping.

Running Lean is an ideal tool for business managers, CEOs, small business owners, developers and programmers, and anyone whos interested in starting a business project.

• Find a problem worth solving, then define a solution
• Engage your customers throughout the development cycle
• Continually test your product with smaller, faster iterations
• Build a feature, measure customer response, and verify/refute the idea
• Know when to "pivot" by changing your plans course
• Maximize your efforts for speed, learning, and focus
• Learn the ideal time to raise your "big round" of funding

“We need more miracle workers in leadership positions, and I love Natalie and the work shes contributing to the world in the service of others.” —Gabrielle Bernstein, New York Times-bestselling author of May Cause Miracles

“Its fantastic what you are doing . . . You inspire me.”

—Arianna Huffington

“Natalie MacNeil was one of the very first entrepreneur-writers invited to blog on ForbesWoman, and for good reason. Her blog, like her book, is smart, upbeat, inspirational, and full of practical advice for women who want to own their dream careers.”

—Caroline Howard, editor of Forbes Woman

Praise for She Takes On the World

“Stop listening to what other people are saying about how you should live your life and start reading Natalie MacNeils book, which will help you gain control over your future. In this uplifting chronicle of her experiences, coupled with timeless career advice, you will become smarter and more confident in your career.”

—Dan Schawbel, New York Times-bestselling author of Promote Yourself

Are you an entrepreneur about to create a new web application? If you want to maximize your chances of building something customers want, this book demonstrates ways to apply and test techniques for customer development, Lean Startup, and bootstrapping. Learn how to identify and engage customers throughout the development cycle so you can focus on building a product that people will actually buy and use.

By rigorously following the techniques described in this updated edition, you can eliminate waste—whether it's time, money, effort, or all of the above—and get your product to market quickly. Refined through the real-world experiences of dozens of startup companies, these techniques are part of Eric Ries' Lean Startup methodology.

Principles covered in this book include:

• Find a problem worth solving, then define a solution
• Demo before building
• Pricing is part of the product
• Maximize for speed, learning, and focus
• Build a continuous feedback loop with customers throughout the product development cycle
• Right Action, Right Time
• Build a path to customers from day one

"In Running Lean, Ash Maurya lays out a clear, practical plan for giving your startup the best possible chance. We used his approach at Year One Labs with every one of our startups. It's the best way for new companies to find their groove, explain their business model, and ultimately, grow their business." —Alistair Croll, founding partner, Year One Labs

The Conquer Kit is an interactive journal experience that brings business planning into the realm of play. Readers are invited to sketch, scribble, glue, dream, and write on the pages . . . all while developing an airtight business plan with proven money-making methods and strategies. Author and entrepreneur Natalie MacNeil encourages readers to build a strong foundation with the four pillars of every successful business (the right name, the right business setup and entity, a sound legal structure, and a basic financial system), create heart-centric products and marketing plans, put together their A team, envision the bigger picture, and bring their dream business to life.

SheTakesOnTheWorld.com is one of the top sites on the planet for entrepreneurial women. It was recognized by Forbes as one of the “Top 10 Websites for Entrepreneurial Women” and was featured by Forbes Woman as one of the  “Top 100 Websites for Women.” She Takes On the World was also named the 2013 website of the year at the Stevie Awards for Women in Business.

MacNeil is frequently quoted and interviewed in the media. She has appeared on top media outlets including CNN and in Glamour, People StyleWatch, Inc., Forbes, Forbes Woman, The Wall Street Journal, Entrepreneur.com, The Globe and Mail, Mashable, and more.