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.)

Good Book on a very important topic

I think that the movement toward smaller and faster moving groups/companies is the next great innovation source coming. This book is something of a manifesto for that movement. The book is fine, interesting enough, but the ideas are crucial a must read for anyone interested in building a company/product in the 21st century.

I learned a lot

I am founding my second startup. This book opened my mind. It does require adaptation to hardware based technology syartup. I will certainly look for such adaptation.

my first audible book- good start

real case studies. not preachy. simple to understand. overall excellent book. I recommend this to those who want to or is thinking about starting up.

Very good book.

Very good book. Inspiring with food for thought. It was on my list a long time ago.

Absolutely intelligent

loved it, listened to it three times now! recommend for anyone starting a business in the future

Riveting

Exceptionally captured. Anyone and everyone thinking of starting a business or in business should read this book.

helpful n insightful

I think the abridged version should be better. gets a bit boring at times, but on the whole ,very helpful, especially to a new entrepreneur . a good listen

Listening to this book again!!

This book points out differences in start ups vs other businesses. It teaches you how to think for the long term and exposes several myths about growing a company that I have never previously considered. The author has a very scientific approach. I just finished it and this book is so good that I am going to replay it. Thank you.

Brilliant analysis and approach to startups

Thoroughly engrossing. Requires several listens to mine the deep insights and understandings laid out in systematic form. The seminal text for modern entrepreneurship.

Absolute Must

If you could sum up The Lean Startup in three words, what would they be?

You need this if you want to be a successful entrepreneur.

What was one of the most memorable moments of The Lean Startup?

Everything

Have you listened to any of Eric Ries’s other performances before? How does this one compare?

This is the only book I read by Eric but I imagine they're all just as good.

Was there a moment in the book that particularly moved you?

all of it.

Any additional comments?

Love this so much.