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Program requirements and weekly homework assignments are below.
PROGRAM REQUIREMENTS
PROGRAM REQUIREMENTS
CUSTOMER INTERVIEWS
CUSTOMER INTERVIEWS
You are required to interview 10 customers/end users for the program. Don't worry - we'll teach you how to do this!
Get started now building your contact list right away - aim for more than 20 names. Start to schedule interviews now for after April 29 -- but don't interview anyone prior to April 29.
Important Notes to Get Started:
Identify people who fit the description of your customer segments (and/or end user segments, if your business model includes customers and users. You may want to interview end users first!)
Try to not interview friends and family - instead use them to find people to interview! Get them to make introductions for you. Use LinkedIn and other social media platforms to find your targets.
To secure interviews, plan to reach out initially via phone or email and follow up at least once via phone.
Consider using a script like the one below."I'm an early-stage entrepreneur who is part of the Penn State startup accelerator program Idea TestLab. I am doing research to help me work on my business idea. I am trying to understand peoples' experience with [high-level description of need, problem or process associated with these]. I am not selling anything nor do I need personal information. Would you have 20 minutes to chat with me? "
For business customers, include "I am not selling anything, nor am I looking for proprietary or sensitive company information."
End each interview with "Who else should I talk to? Could you please introduce me?" And "Can I follow up with you if I have more questions?"
Schedule 20 min interviews that are in-person or via videoconferencing. You want to see your interviewee.
In your interviews, try to learn about the customers' experience of the problem you are trying to solve. Keep the questions open-ended and don't talk about your product. We'll review interview techniques in class.
WEEKLY 1:1 COACHING
WEEKLY 1:1 COACHING
Complete at least one 60-min coaching session per week between April 22 and May 20.
Reach out directly to your coach to schedule sessions (see Coaches page for a link to identify your assigned coach).
Coaching can be via videoconference or phone, but video is recommended.
It is suggested to use coaching sessions to (1) get help with interview quality, (2) apply interview learnings to the assumptions you are testing, and (3) prepare your verbal pitch.
PRE-WORK FOR CLASS 1:
DUE APRIL 22
PRE-WORK FOR CLASS 1:
DUE APRIL 22
Complete the following before Class 1 (~3 hours).
WATCH
Why Are We Doing This? - Lean startup and testing assumptions (20 min)
All About Your Customer - Identifying your target (11 min)
Customer Discovery - Build something that you know people want, not that you think people want (15 min)
READ The Mom Test (~1hr) - Download and read this essential manual on customer discovery. Brief, entertaining, and easy to read.
SCHEDULE your first weekly coaching session with your assigned coach between 4/23/25 - 4/28/25. Your coach assignment will be posted on the Coaches page during the week of April 14. During the first session, discuss your target customer, business assumptions, and how to find potential customers to interview. You may also want to practice customer interviewing with your coach.
BUILD your contact list (see the Customer Interviews section above for details and tips) - aim for more than 20 names on your list.
SCHEDULE interviews now for dates after April 29 -- but don't interview anyone prior to April 29. See the Customer Interviews section above for details and tips
DELIVERABLE FOR CLASS 2:
DUE APRIL 29
DELIVERABLE FOR CLASS 2:
DUE APRIL 29
Complete the following before Class 2.
WATCH One Person's Problem is Another Person's Business - Customer journey maps, Problem Statements, and introduction to the Value Proposition (14 min)
ENTER the 20 potential customers/users from the list that you made of those whom you might interview after 4/29/25 in the Customer Interview Sheet under your team # tab.
MEET with your program coach as previously scheduled. Discuss your target customer, business assumptions, and how to find potential customers to interview. You may also want to practice customer interviewing with your coach.
SCHEDULE TWO additional weekly coaching sessions with your assigned coach. The first of these coaching sessions should happen before May 6. The second of these coaching sessions should happen sometime from May 7 - May 12. You will be reviewing your interview progress and the learnings that you entered in the Business Assumptions Testing & Learning worksheet with your coach. Also review any customer interview challenges that you're having with your coach. Your program coach is there to keep you accountable and to provide support and encouragement for you during this process.
DELIVERABLE FOR CLASS 3:
DUE MAY 13
DELIVERABLE FOR CLASS 3:
DUE MAY 13
Complete the following before Class 3.
INTERVIEW at least 10 customers/users.
LOG the Key Findings from your interviews in Idea TestLab Customer Interviews.
ENTER/UPDATE your critical business assumptions in the Business Assumptions Testing & Learning worksheet. As you complete your interviews, enter any learnings in tab 2. You will review your learnings with your program coach.
MEET once each week with your program coach as previously scheduled. Review the learnings that you entered in the Business Assumptions Testing & Learning worksheet with your coach. Also review any customer interview challenges that you're having with your coach. Your program coach is there to keep you accountable and to provide support and encouragement for you during this process.
READ Value Proposition Design p. 31-90 (~1 hr) - download and read this visual guide for constructing your Value Proposition
SCHEDULE another weekly coaching session with your assigned coach between 5/13/25 - 5/19/25. For this meeting, you'll be discussing additional interview work that you have completed and your value proposition. You'll also want to practice your verbal pitch (see instructions below).
DELIVERABLE FOR CLASS 4:
DUE MAY 20
DELIVERABLE FOR CLASS 4:
DUE MAY 20
Complete the following before Class 4.
INTERVIEW Complete your 10 interviews if not already done, complete additional interviews if you need more information, and update the Customer Interview Sheet under your team # tab
ENTER/UPDATE your critical business assumptions in the Business Assumptions Testing & Learning worksheet that you downloaded and completed last week for any additional interviews. Enter any learnings for those interviews in tab 2.
READ Don't Build When You Build-Measure-Learn article (~20 min) - all about building and testing MVPs
MEET with your program coach as previously scheduled. Discuss any additional interview work that you have completed and your value proposition. Don't forget to practice your verbal pitch (see below).
COMPLETE a short (max 2 min) pitch script to verbally present to the rest of the cohort.
No slides are required for your verbal presentation but prepare a script for yourself.
Practice your pitch at least 5x while timing yourself before class.
Pitch should include:
Share your value proposition statement.
Summarize key learnings from customer discovery interviews.
Share with us what your next steps are for your venture.
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