Tag Archives: startup advice

Blog, Enterprise Creation, Entrepreneurial Mindset, Ideation, Lean Startup Methodology, Motivation Techniques

Creating Value-Driven Startups: Moving Beyond the MVP Hype

Why lean isn’t enough—and how value creation builds businesses that last

In today’s startup culture, the Minimum Viable Product (MVP) has become something of a holy grail. Popularized by Eric Ries in The Lean Startup, the MVP is described as the simplest version of a product that can be released to test hypotheses and gain customer feedback. It’s fast, frugal, and focused.

And yet, as someone who has worked with hundreds of startups and advised entrepreneurship programmes across sectors, I’m starting to ask:
Have we gone too far with the MVP mindset?

Too many founders are stuck shipping half-baked products, mistaking viability for value. They aim to “fail fast”—but often end up failing shallow.

It’s time to move beyond MVP hype and refocus on something more enduring: creating real value.

The MVP Trap: Fast But Fragile

Don’t get me wrong—lean thinking has its place. It prevents founders from building in a vacuum and encourages rapid iteration. But over time, the MVP approach has been reduced to “launch anything quick and dirty” without a deeper reflection on long-term customer value.

As academic research begins to show, this oversimplification has real consequences.

“Lean startup methods can result in premature scaling if the learning process focuses on superficial feedback rather than deep value creation.”
– Blank & Dorf (2012), The Startup Owner’s Manual

In other words, just because something is “viable” doesn’t mean it’s meaningful. Without understanding the core value you’re delivering—and to whom—there’s a risk of building a product that works but doesn’t matter.

Value Creation: The Real Driver of Lasting Businesses

In contrast, value-driven startups focus on solving real problems for real people in ways that are desirable, feasible, and sustainable. This isn’t just about functionality—it’s about impact.

As strategy scholar Michael Porter argues:

“Competitive advantage is created and sustained when firms deliver greater value to customers or create comparable value at lower cost.”
– Porter (1985), Competitive Advantage

Value creation means understanding:

  • What your customer truly cares about
  • How your solution improves their life
  • Why your offer is better than alternatives

This leads to stickier products, stronger word-of-mouth, and deeper emotional engagement—all of which support long-term growth.

Examples of Value-Driven Startups That Went Beyond MVP

1. Canva

In my recent blog on Canva’s early days, we saw how co-founder Melanie Perkins identified a deep pain point: the complexity of design software for non-designers. Rather than simply launch a basic design tool, Canva focused on ease, speed, and beauty from day one.
They delivered value—not just a viable product.

2. Notion

Notion didn’t release its first product until years after development. Why? Because it wasn’t just about launching an MVP—it was about creating a tool that people loved using every day. Their focus on elegance, simplicity, and modularity led to high retention and viral growth.

3. Duolingo

Instead of launching a barebones app to test assumptions, Duolingo obsessed over learning outcomes. They made language learning fun, gamified, and research-backed—leading to real user value and a product that has scaled globally with strong loyalty.

Academic Perspectives on Value-First Innovation

Value creation is increasingly seen as the central pillar of innovation in entrepreneurship literature. Sarasvathy’s concept of effectuation—a theory on how expert entrepreneurs operate—places strong emphasis on leveraging existing means to co-create value with stakeholders, rather than just validating hypotheses.

“Entrepreneurs start with who they are, what they know, and whom they know… and interact with others to co-create opportunities.”
– Sarasvathy (2001), Effectual Reasoning in Entrepreneurial Decision Making

Likewise, Osterwalder’s Value Proposition Canvas has emerged as a tool that shifts attention from the MVP to customer gains and pains, helping entrepreneurs design products that are deeply aligned with user needs.

From MVP to MVD: The Minimum Valuable Difference

What if, instead of focusing on the Minimum Viable Product, we focused on the Minimum Valuable Difference?

What is the smallest thing you can offer that makes a real difference in someone’s life or work? That’s where true traction starts.

Value-driven startups don’t just ask, Can we build this?
They ask:
Should we build this? And will it truly help someone?

Final Thoughts: Redefining Startup Success

MVPs can get you started—but only value creation keeps you going.

In a world where users are drowning in “viable” but soulless products, it’s the businesses that focus on deep, relevant, and transformational value that will stand the test of time.

If you’re a founder, ask yourself:

  • What is the real outcome I’m enabling for my customer?
  • Am I focused on features, or on transformation?
  • Would anyone care if my product disappeared tomorrow?

Only when the answer is “yes”—because of the value you create—should you launch.

Want to build a value-driven business from day one?
Join our upcoming session on “From Ideas to Impact” at Albion Business School, where we’ll explore the tools and mindsets to make your startup matter.

9 stages, Blog, Enterprise Creation, Enterprise Education, Ideation, Lean Startup Methodology, Motivation Techniques, Resources

Unlocking Growth: The 9 Stages of the Entrepreneurial Lifecycle

How a structured approach to entrepreneurship can drive national economic development

Entrepreneurship is often romanticized as a chaotic, unpredictable journey—but the truth is, behind every successful business lies a lifecycle. Just as humans grow through distinct stages, so do entrepreneurial ventures.

Over the past few years—through my work in academia, consultancy, and government advising—I’ve found that helping people understand where they are in the entrepreneurial journey can make the difference between failure and flourishing.

That’s why I developed a practical framework called the 9 Stages of the Entrepreneurial Lifecycle. This model doesn’t just help entrepreneurs navigate their own paths—it also provides governments, educators, and economic developers with a blueprint for building an entrepreneurial nation.

Let’s take a closer look.

The 9 Stages of the Entrepreneurial Lifecycle

Each stage reflects a different phase in a business’s evolution—from the first spark of an idea to a successful exit. Here’s how it breaks down:

1. Discovery – Spotting the Opportunity

This is where it all begins. Entrepreneurs identify problems, needs, or gaps in the market.
🧠 Connected blogs:

Why Every Entrepreneur Needs to Master the Art of Opportunity Recognition

9 Stages of Enterprise Creation: Stage 1 – Discovery

2. Modeling – Designing the Business Blueprint

Once the opportunity is clear, the focus shifts to business models, customer segments, value propositions, and revenue streams.

🧠 Connected blogs:

9 Stages of Enterprise Creation: Stage 2 – Modeling

The Business Plan – Deep Dive into Financial Planning

Developing a business process diagram for your startup

3. Startup – From Idea to Action

The venture becomes real—founders mobilize resources, form teams, build MVPs, and launch early versions of their product or service.

🧠 Connected blogs:

9 Stages of Enterprise Creation: Stage 3 – Startup

Revolutionizing Startups: Harnessing AI for Efficiency and Growth Without Relying on Cheap Labour

4. Existence – Validating the Market Fit

The business acquires early customers and proves the value proposition. It’s about proving the concept works in the real world.

🧠 Connected blogs:

9 Stages of Enterprise Creation: Stage 4 – Existence

Its Sunday Afternoon, what should I do?

5. Survival – Achieving Sustainability

This is where many ventures struggle. They need enough cash flow to cover costs, scale operations, and survive the lean times.

🧠 Connected blogs:

9 Stages of Enterprise Creation: Stage 5 – Survival

The Importance of Mental Health for Entrepreneurs

6. Success – Growing and Expanding

Now it’s about taking off. Businesses in this stage often seek funding, expand their teams, enter new markets, or optimize their operations.

🧠 Connected blogs:

9 Stages of Enterprise Creation: Stage 6 – Success

The Role of Mentorship in Entrepreneurial Success

Understanding Locus of Control: A Key to Entrepreneurial Success

7. Adaptation – Responding to Change

Markets shift. Competitors appear. New technologies disrupt. Adaptable businesses innovate and pivot to stay relevant.

🧠 Connected blogs:

9 Stages of Enterprise Creation: Stage 7 – Adaptation

Building an Inclusive Culture from the Ground Up: A Guide for Leaders and Founders

8. Independence – Owning the Market

These businesses are now robust, profitable, and self-sustaining. They often become leaders in their space.

🧠 Connected blogs:

9 Stages of Enterprise Creation: Stage 8 – Independence

Remember your motive for starting a business

9. Exit – Passing the Torch

Founders may sell the company, go public, or transition to a new leadership team. This frees capital and energy for the next idea.

🧠 Connected blogs:

9 Stages of Enterprise Creation: Stage 9 – Exit

Do you know your Exit Strategy?

Why This Model Matters for National Economic Development

Too often, economic development policy focuses narrowly on startup support—but this ignores the reality that entrepreneurial needs evolve.

By using the 9-stage model, governments and support organizations can:

✅ Design targeted interventions (e.g., ideation grants vs. scale-up finance)
✅ Measure success more accurately across each stage
✅ Create stage-specific training, mentoring, and funding tools
✅ Avoid one-size-fits-all policies that fail to meet real needs
✅ Support entrepreneurial ecosystems that are holistic, not fragmented

Just imagine the power of national strategies that don’t just encourage people to start businesses—but help them grow, adapt, succeed, and exit effectively.

Embedding the Lifecycle in Education and Practice

At Albion Business School and through our entrepreneurship programmes, we’re embedding this lifecycle into student learning—from foundation year to graduate-level projects. We also encourage schools to introduce the concept at an earlier age.

🧠 Connected blog: Building Entrepreneurial Mindsets in Teenagers: Lessons from Education and Practice

When young people understand the journey of entrepreneurship, they stop expecting overnight success—and start building step by step.

Final Thoughts: A Pathway to Prosperity

We live in an age where economic transformation is urgently needed—whether due to climate challenges, digital disruption, or population shifts.

Entrepreneurship, when supported well, has the power to revitalise economies, create meaningful jobs, and build national resilience.

The 9 Stages of the Entrepreneurial Lifecycle provides more than just a roadmap for individuals—it offers a strategic tool for countries and communities to design better support, smarter policies, and more successful ventures.

Let’s stop guessing what entrepreneurs need—and start guiding them with clarity and purpose.