The Lean Startup

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

By: Eric Ries

Narrated by: Eric Ries

Length: 8 hrs and 38 mins

Publisher's summary

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.)

Great foundational book on innovation

This book is a must read for anyone working on bringing new products to market

Worth buying

Great audio book, validated learning is a great concept. Gives practical examples for all concepts discussed

A must read for all.

Awesome book. This book can completely change the way you grow your startup.

Great thought provoking read

I loved the information provided in this text to guide me in my business journey.

Great audiobook

This is an amazing book with great insights. Super helpful topics to start practicing right away

Great information

Working in a startup, the information in this book helped me think different by proposing new method of development and thinking about the actual product, its usage and customers. The most that startups founders could have and the counterintuitive development feedback loop.

I will listen to it multiple times.

Excellent listen

Very insightful I would say a must listen- for information, motivation and direction. Will be listening again for sure

Very good, although very technical

Since the author is a very established person. There is a lot of jargon, and language that gets used that may make it a little difficult to follow. However the values and tools that this book provides are very valuable. I encourage anyone who is looking to start anything in their life to use some of the tools in this book to get there.

What a Gem!

Such a great book. Although it serves as a guide to the key elements of a successful startup or innovation, one should know that the knowledge in this book goes beyond “startups”. The information is critical to any organization that can appreciate how to eliminate waste of your time and human capital. It’s an overall great book for any leader, aspiring leader, or organization.

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.