Trajectory: Startup: Ideation to Product/Market Fit

by Dave Parker

Overview

LISTED #1 IN "THE 13 BEST BUSINESS BOOKS OF 2021" BY HUBSPOT

Have a startup idea? Want to launch it fast?

People often spend years on working on startup ideas that fail—and they could have known long before, had they asked the hard questions earlier. Five-time tech founder Dave Parker has been there, and in Trajectory: Startup he offers a path to get you from ideation to launch and revenue in just six months.

With a track record of starting companies from scratch, raising both angel and venture capital, and participating in eight exits as founder, operator, and board member, Parker's experience is practical and actionable. Having sold three of his own startups and closed two, Parker learned just as much from his failures as from his successes, and he brings this wit and wisdom into his writing in a transparent way. 

Parker shares advice on:

   • What makes a good idea that makes money
   • Recruiting and working with cofounders
   • Asking customers what product they want (customer development)
   • How to build a tech product even as a non-tech founder
   • How to get out of your head, ship a product, and make your first sale

Trajectory: Startup removes the mystery from the startup process and outlines a roadmap of tasks and timeframes, with monthly milestones and resources. This pre-accelerator program will help you get the momentum you need. Skip the Executive MBA and go make money! This guide makes starting a company accessible to a broad range of founders, investors, and employees who have the spark of innovation and drive to follow their dreams.

Product Details

ISBN-13:	9781953295071
Publisher:	BenBella Books, Inc.
Publication date:	03/30/2021
Pages:	272
Product dimensions:	6.00(w) x 9.10(h) x 0.90(d)

About the Author

Dave Parker is a 5X founder, entrepreneur, and professional board member for tech growth companies. His 20+ year career has highlighted his ability to innovate new ideas and scale products and companies in the US and Internationally. He is a frequent speaker at university and community events. He also volunteers as the lead coordinator of Seattle's Startup Week and part of the Seattle Startup Community. He also launched a Pay it Forward scholarship program, funding more than $600,000 in funds for women, underserved minorities and veterans as part of a personal mission on diversity.

Table of Contents

Contents
Acknowledgments
Foreword
Introduction
Part I Context Matters
Chapter 1 Why Are You Doing This?
Slide Zero: Starting with Your Why
Chapter 2 What Do You Need to Do?
It Starts with the Market
Don’t Forget the Product
Selling into the Market
Chapter 3 How Are You Going to Do It?
Startups 101
Chapter 4 Why Do Startups Fail or Succeed?
Chapter 5 Startup Economics
The Venn of Business Models
Two Perspectives—Founder and Investor
How Investors Make Money

Part II Doing the Work
Chapter 6 Ideation, Research, Competition, Markets, and Scorecard
Ideation
Researching Your Idea
Competitive Landscape
Markets
Scoring Yourself
Next Steps
Chapter 7 Customer Development, Pivoting, Awkward Cofounder Discussions, and Telling Your Story
Customer Development
Pivoting
Awkward Cofounder Discussions
Telling Your Story
Deliverables
Chapter 8 Value Propositions, MVP, Features, and Costs
Value Propositions
Minimum Viable Product (MVP)
Chapter 9 Marketing, Sales, Revenue Models, and Pricing
Marketing
Sales
Pricing
Chapter 10 Preparing to Pitch, Fundraising 101
Preparing to Pitch
How to Value a Startup
Dos and Don’ts of Fundraising
Launching/Milestones

Part III Breaking Down Business Models
Research Results
Chapter 11 Business and Revenue Models
The Fourteen Revenue Models
Services/Fee for Service
Commerce
Subscription
Metered Services
Transaction Fee/Affiliate/Rentals
Productize a Service
Combinations
Marketplace
Lead Generation
Gaming
Advertising/Search
New Media
Big Data
Licensing
Summary—The Fifteenth Model?
Part IV Go/No Go
Chapter 12 Increasing Your Odds of Success
Chapter 13 Startup Business Mechanics and Compensation
Choosing a Startup Lawyer
Compensation
Chapter 14 Building the Community You Want to Be a Part Of
Epilogue
There is So Much More to Cover
Failing Smart and Starting Over
Addendum/Resources 

What People are Saying About This

From the Publisher

"I look to invest in founders with big ideas and a track record of hitting their milestones. Dave Parker and Trajectory: Startup provides a helpful roadmap for entrepreneurs on how to go from idea to that first VC pitch."


—Steve Case, chairman and CEO of Revolution and cofounder of AOL

Editorial Reviews

"I look to invest in founders with big ideas and a track record of hitting their milestones. Dave Parker and Trajectory: Startup provides a helpful roadmap for entrepreneurs on how to go from idea to that first VC pitch."

—Steve Case, chairman and CEO of Revolution and cofounder of AOL

From the Publisher