The Lean Startup

Dear Blurbarians,

Welcome to issue #3 - Today’s book summary is on a very popular entrepreneurship book.

This book has been referenced in many videos and has sold over a million copies worldwide.

The principles from this book don’t just apply in business. They can be implemented across all areas of your life.

So start thinking and viewing yourself as a startup.

“The Lean Startup” by Eric Ries.

1. The “Build>Measure>Learn” Loop
   At the heart of this book is the concept: build a product > measure how it performs > learn what works (what doesn’t). Then repeat quickly and often.

2. Minimal Viable Product (MVP)
   Don’t wait to launch the “perfect” product. Start with a MVP (the simplest version of your product). Then keep iterating based on feedback, until you reach the north star.

3. Pivot or Persevere

   Use feedback to decide whether you should “pivot” (change direction based on what you’ve learned) or “persevere” (continue with what’s working). Pivoting is not failure, it’s strategy.

4. Innovation Accounting

   Track progress with meaningful metrics, not vanity stats. As the famous saying goes: “revenue is vanity, profit is sanity, but cash is king”.

5. Eliminate Waste

   Every feature, process, or campaign that doesn’t create value is “waste”. Focus only on things that drive meaningful value. Remember the 80/20 rule. 80% of output is driven by 20% of the input.

Idea Of The Week

• Firstly ask yourself - how can I apply these principles into my day-to-day life. This could be your business, your job, your habits, or pretty much anything.

• Especially the concept of MVP. When it comes to yourself, think in terms of Minimal Viable Progress.

• What minimal progress can you make each day, that will get you closer to your big goal.

• For example, the dream might be to quit your 9-5 and run a successful business.

• But the MVP might be working on your side-hustle for just 25 minutes a day, and if you do this for long enough, the dream may just become a reality.

• I talk about this in more detail in my following YouTube video.

How I Used This Mindset To Scale To 100k Subs

• By following the principle of Minimal Viable Progress I managed to scale my passion project of YouTube, into 100k subscribers and a decent side income.

• And I want to help others do the same.

• That’s why I’ll be launching a community very soon for aspiring creators, looking to turn their creative expression into a sustainable side income, by teaching everything I’ve learnt over the last 1.5 years, without ever having to show your face.

• So if you’re interested in starting and scaling a Faceless YouTube channel I would love to get your feedback.