The Lean Startup

How Today's Entrepreneurs Use Continuous Innovation to Create Radically Successful Businesses

By: Eric Ries

Narrated by: Eric Ries

Most startups fail. But many of those failures are preventable. The Lean Startup is a new approach being adopted across the globe, changing the way companies are built and new products are launched.

Eric Ries defines a startup as an organization dedicated to creating something new under conditions of extreme uncertainty. This is just as true for one person in a garage or a group of seasoned professionals in a Fortune 500 boardroom. What they have in common is a mission to penetrate that fog of uncertainty to discover a successful path to a sustainable business.

The Lean Startup approach fosters companies that are both more capital efficient and that leverage human creativity more effectively. Inspired by lessons from lean manufacturing, it relies on “validated learning”, rapid scientific experimentation, as well as a number of counter-intuitive practices that shorten product-development cycles, measure actual progress without resorting to vanity metrics, and learn what customers really want. It enables a company to shift directions with agility, altering plans inch by inch, minute by minute.

Rather than wasting time creating elaborate business plans, The Lean Startup offers entrepreneurs - in companies of all sizes - a way to test their vision continuously, to adapt and adjust before it’s too late. Ries provides a scientific approach to creating and managing successful startups in a age when companies need to innovate more than ever.

©2011 Eric Ries (P)2011 Random House

Critic reviews

"Eric has created a science where previously there was only art. A must read for every serious entrepreneur—and every manager interested in innovation." (Marc Andreessen, co-founder of Andreessen Horowitz, Opsware Inc., and Netscape)

"At Asana, we've been lucky to benefit from Eric's advice firsthand; this book will enable him to help many more entrepreneurs answer the tough questions about their business." (Dustin Moskovitz, co-founder of Facebook and Asana)

"In business, a ‘lean’ enterprise is sustainable efficiency in action. Eric Ries’ revolutionary Lean Startup method will help bring your new business idea to an end result that is successful and sustainable. You’ll find innovative steps and strategies for creating and managing your own startup while learning from the real-life successes and collapses of others. This book is a must read for entrepreneurs who are truly ready to start something great!” (Ken Blanchard, coauthor of The One Minute Manager and The One Minute Entrepreneur.)

The bible for how to start a business right

I love this book. Fifth time through it. Eric is bright and well spoken. He lays out a novel application of already proven principles. I am now ready to start my own business like I've always wanted.

2nd time reading this - landmark book

this book is incredible for anyone thinking of starting a new business.

I've been involved in a few startups and this thinking could have saved them from failure.

Yes!

its a MUST listen kinda book.. lots of revelant info for a tech start up.

EPIC!

What a wealth of knowledge in this book! A must read for any Product Manager.

Great book!

Would you recommend this audiobook to a friend? If so, why?

Definitely. The book applies the agile methodologies from software development to starting a business.
You might already know of ideas like don't do what the client says, but listen to him, if you have listened to some of Steve Jobs hints on how to build a business, but Eric Ries gives you much more in this book. It shows you how to start a business with minimum investment and how and when to adapt. That's a skill that you'll need at any time while you run a business and even in your personal life.
Overall, definitely worth the bucks!

Was this a book you wanted to listen to all in one sitting?

Yes, mostly yes. I listen when I'm running and I couldn't wait to go running again to get through the rest of it.

Any additional comments?

buy it!

Excellent Read for 21st Century Product Managers

Would you consider the audio edition of The Lean Startup to be better than the print version?

Yes, Eric's reading added appropriate emphasis. A Great Story, in his spoken words.

Who was your favorite character and why?

His consulting engagement with Intuit was a big WOW!

What does Eric Ries bring to the story that you wouldn’t experience if you just read the book?

As the author and reader, he brings special interest to this a very real-life business challenge.

If you were to make a film of this book, what would be the tag line be?

Not appropriate

Any additional comments?

Using the Audible reader is POOR on my Blackberry. It was SO slow to navigate and to move between Chapters. Frankly the ONLY good thing about the software is that when exiting, it returned me to where I left off. It does NOT have the ability to (Play Again from the START, and it did NOT stream well, often cutting-out in-between words. DUMP the software, it's junk!... Audible could LEARN FROM READING Eric Ries book... I hope NOT to use Audible again.

Great book for aspiring entrepreneurs

Well narrated.
Concepts are well explained. Examples/case studies are easy to follow. They reflect concepts he describes.

very influential book

this book contains pivotal ideas for anyone thinking about starting a new business. it's a must read for all contemporary entrepreneurs.

The Lean Startup is a re-start of thoughts to be inovative !!!

The principles and the context of this book make us to do a reflection not only of our business life but our personal life.

Good insight insight.

Repetitive at times, but overall a great insight. Introduces you to the idea of LEAN with examples.