1. At BSG, we believe in being a proactive force for positive change,
making a difference in everything we do.
STOP GUESSING!
16th October
Jurie Schoeman
Unlocking potential. Accelerating performance

2. What we know: the world is
getting smaller, again…
Convergence…

3. Everybody wants to own the
platform
If you own the platform, you own the customer,
otherwise you’re just a value-added service provider….

4. Product
Service
Value
But what do our customers need?
Nobody knows for sure, not even our
customers….
Best match wins

5. How have we (mostly)
always done things?
We’re smart people after
all… so we have good
ideas!
Typically, it takes a long time to get from initial commitments to actual results…
and
Is this the right
thing to do?
Are we managing
expectations
effectively?
1
2
3
Are we confident that this
will work?
Grand plan
Blueprint
Do we know
enough?
What do we
need to
move to
looking like?
HOPE
Dedicate
resources
Build
The Big
launch
Who?
How much?
What am I
committing to
show as a
return?
Overruns?
Why is it
taking so
long?
Will it
work?
Is there another way?
Vanity metrics!
Real customers, in real situations, are often not part of this at all!

6. So where does this leave us?
HOPE
Making big bets and
hoping for the best
Build confidence iteratively, in line
with investment

7. Alan Smithee –
78 movie credits
on IMDB.com
Does it work?

8. Knowing
NOT Knowing
Knowing
Thinking it’s still a good idea but not knowing
There have always only been two
good outcomes for any idea

9. A better way to innovate
If we know that we don’t have all the
answers, why are we surprised that
we get things wrong?

10. Origin of the Lean
Start-up
Start-ups were originally based on valuing
business plans
No customer
feedback built in
No confidence in
5 year view
BUSINESS
CASE
Recognition that existing businesses execute a business
model, while start-ups look for one!

11. Innovation + ongoing validation =
invest with confidence
Pivot
Business model canvas
Proceed with
confidence
1
Get Production, Sales &
Marketing involved
ROI justifiable
Research insights, analytics
Create Context
What should the
business look like?
Problem /
Solution Fit
Scale
4
Proven market
product - invest in
growth!
Is there a problem
worth solving?
2
MEASURE
Product /
Market Fit
MVP
Develop the smallest
set of functions that you
can use to get feedback
from real people – early
adopters
Do we have a solution
that people are
prepared to
pay for?
3
Persevere
UVP Canvas
Get out of the building

12. The Business
Model Canvas
No customer
feedback built in

13. The Unique Value
Proposition Model
“Get out of
the building!”
No customer
1 – 2: What is the problem
feedback built in
we’re solving, and is it a
problem worth solving?
3 – 4: Will the
market be willing
to pay for our
solution?
Test
everything!

14. STOP
GUESSING!
What’s our
next great
idea?
How does this
align to our
business model
EXECUTE
Build the business!
Scale execution
Operations
Find partners
HYPOTHESIS
Focus
BAD
IDEA
Is this worth
solving?
Let’s test
UVP
Will the market buy it?
Let’s build and test with
early adopters
How does the business
fit together?
MVP
GREAT
IDEA
REFINE
1. Problem?
2. Solution?
3. Pay?
Product
Market fit
Sales and Marketing roadmap

15. Pivot or
persevere
UVP
Customer
needs
Build /
Measure /
Learn
Vanity
metrics
MVP
Failing is
good – as
long as we do
it quickly and
cheaply
New concepts to appreciate

16. Checklist to create confidence
Be prepared to fail and expect to do so!
Include customers in ALL steps
Arm yourself with enough research data to make a start
Then build the smallest thing you need to get real feedback
Use this to validate your ideas, and set direction in terms of
pivoting or persevering
When you’ve validated Problem / Solution fit, and Product /
Market fit, then Scale with confidence!

17. In a world of rapidly reducing barriers to entry, 1,000s of
start-ups that you haven’t heard of (yet) but who will
probably be your next competitors, very, very soon!
Who is doing this already?

18. References
The Business Model Generation by
Alex Osterwalder
‘Why the Lean Start-up changes
everything’
HBR article by Steve Blank
The Lean Startup by Eric Ries
Running Lean by Ash Maurya

19. Contact Us
Talk to us about how we can unlock your potential
Jurie Schoeman:
jurie.schoeman@bsg.co.za
C: +27 83 302 7169
T: + 27 11 215 6666
Johannesburg office:
33 Fricker Road
Illovo Boulevard
2196
www.bsg.co.za
www.bsgdelivers.com