(2018-04-13) Webb Startup Cadence Versus Agency Cadence

Matt Webb: Mid program reflections #3 – startup cadence versus agency cadence (13 Apr., 2018, at Interconnected)

The cadence of how startups work: Do something end-to-end

The cadence of how agencies work: Follow the process and build foundations for the first 80% of the time.

Both methods are highly effective

The Services phase of this program poses a challenge. To a startup, agency cadence has pros and cons

Con: the agency cadence lacks iteration in the face of true customer feedback

*To me this last point is the most serious: no matter how much thought and strategy has gone into it, no work survives contact with the market. An iterative approach is essential.

Yet work that has been over-thought becomes brittle and slow to change.*

My response is to ensure that the Services phase focuses on amplifying what is already working

This four week stretch is about creating a 5 minute pitch deck

This intro, with adjustments, will get used for investor intros, and also to explain the company to partners, customers, and new hires.

I think of these decks as a narrative versions of the Business Model Canvas. I used to be a skeptic. Surely it doesn't make sense to outline an entire business in nine boxes on a single sheet of paper? But I’ve become a convert.

Why do the additional hands-on strategically-led creative if there's a risk of compromising the startup's ability to iterate?

Some customers, big and small, judge a book by its cover

Despite all of this, startups shouldn't look too professional. The character of the team should still shine through.