I had the privilege of working with three startup's this semester. From carpooling, to filing eco-taxes, to natural sweeteners, I dipped my toe into a lot of industries*. It was one of the most creative and thrilling experiences I've had at University so far.
Apart from having the opportunity to work with incredibly passionate and ambitious entrepreneurs, I had the opportunity to test out my design thinking. While working with these companies, I used an array of tools that helped push boundaries and develop creative solutions. These tools included the 6 Thinking Hats, Assumption Dumption, and the Constraints Toggle, to name a few. But the most incredibly useful tool of all was the Business Model Canvas. If you're an entrepreneur, you need to know this one.
Apart from having the opportunity to work with incredibly passionate and ambitious entrepreneurs, I had the opportunity to test out my design thinking. While working with these companies, I used an array of tools that helped push boundaries and develop creative solutions. These tools included the 6 Thinking Hats, Assumption Dumption, and the Constraints Toggle, to name a few. But the most incredibly useful tool of all was the Business Model Canvas. If you're an entrepreneur, you need to know this one.
The Canvas is a simple and visual tool that will expand your problem-solving abilities. Throughout the semester, my team had a large white-board version of the business model canvas up at all times. It's a quick and easy way to see relationships within the company and to predict how a single change in a fundamental building block can cause a ripple effect throughout different sections of the company. It gives you the freedom to switch things around, to wonder "What if we did this instead...", to play with your ideas before implementing them. Most of all, it can help out any company. Whether you're a startup trying to figure out what all the building blocks of your business are to begin with, or if you're a veteran in need of a fresh angle, you can use the canvas. Even if you're just a musician making beats in your basement, you can pull out the canvas to get a sense of what resources are available to you and what direction you want to head in.
The point is, The Business Model Canvas is dynamic and it's essential. Every startup needs it in their toolkit. Now.
*Check out the companies I worked with at their websites: Carsurfing, EcoTaxFile, Pura Sweeteners
The point is, The Business Model Canvas is dynamic and it's essential. Every startup needs it in their toolkit. Now.
*Check out the companies I worked with at their websites: Carsurfing, EcoTaxFile, Pura Sweeteners
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