Maven

Building & Scaling Startup Culture

Marc Randolph

Co-founder of Netflix

Gagan Biyani

Co-founder of Maven

Dive into lessons learned from building Netflix's culture and what Marc would do differently today.

How to build a startup culture from scratch

Discuss the cultural and operational trade-offs you'll make as your startup grows.

How culture evolves as you scale

Learn what to do when your early high-performers don't quite scale with your company.

How to manage great people who no longer fit

This is a tailored interactive experience. Cohorts are small. You move forward. This feels like a personalized class with an experienced founder and startup advisor. We get to know you, what you are working on, and your biggest opportunities for your next level. You learn about product and all aspects from no customers and no products to scaling a product business. You have a lot on your plate. You don't need more information. You just need the right frameworks and models. You'll see your problems and opportunities clearly. You'll have takeaways you can apply in days and can feel the impact fast. Goals First: Product leadership is so broad. Instead of covering everything, we identify what takes YOU to the next level. Obstacles Next: You learn what holds you back. It can be limited knowledge, dysfunction in teams, or bad habits. Act Fast: Apply lessons directly to your work. Students report changes made between first and second sessions! If you are thinking of starting a new business, you can look up my new course for new founders: https://bit.ly/4c7nHOM You should NOT take this course if: * You want to get into product roles in Big Tech (Google, Meta, Apple, etc.).

What's different about this course?

Learn product thinking and the key questions any founder or product person needs to answer to deliver results

Applied Product Thinking in Early-stage Startups

Introducing you to the highest value product frameworks and concepts for you, your career and your team

Product Frameworks & Concepts

Coaching to apply the lessons and define next steps for you

Next Steps

Course syllabus

<ul><li>Pre-readings and learning material tailored to your needs</li><li>Self-paced personal projects helping you apply what you learn and clarify your main actions</li></ul>

Asynchronous Weekly Project & Workbook

<ul><li>1 hour class + 30 minute Q&amp;A</li><li>In a small cohort of up to 5 students</li></ul>

Weekly Workshops

<ul><li>We work on what's most important to help you move forward. We can review your project together and set you on your way to success</li></ul>

1-1 Coaching Session

Course schedule

Founders and Heads of Product leading product teams at companies with 10-100 employees

New product managers working with small teams who want to fast-track their impact and career growth

Non-product people (e.g., engineers, designers, marketers) who want to get product right

Who is this course for

What you’ll get out of this course

You'll expand your horizons and see the big picture more clearly. Then achieve quick wins to increase your impact and reduce stress and doubt

Start your highest impact actions based on your current challenges and circumstances

You will have multiple "aha" moments where you learn better ways you and your team can do things. Instead of many theories, take the few with the highest value

Gain multiple high-impact insights for yourself, your product, and your team

Learn the foundational elements of what makes products successful

Understand what you need to set your product up for success

Understand the skills great product managers need and your next step

Learn the fundamental skills of great product people

Learn how to use AI (e.g., Claude, ChatGPT) to improve your outcomes

Learn where and how AI can help

Focus on the most useful lessons from practical frameworks developed by 20+ world-class thought leaders

Learn best practices

Personalized hands-on lessons and coaching for founders and leaders building products at startups or small teams

David Jorjani

3x Head of Product (2 Acquired), U of Toronto Instructor, Organizational Coach

Oct 2024 

Cohort 11

If you are :﻿✔️ An aspiring entrepreneur who wants to build a world class technology product✔️ An existing founder who wants to maximize their runway✔️ A startup founder who is building a tech startup but lacks technical background✔️ A startup founder who wants to explore outsourcing This is the single most valuable resource for you. In my career spanning 17+ years I have been fortunate to have played the role of a startup founder who wants to build his MVP as well as of a technology consultant who works with startup founders to help them bring their startup dream to fruition. I have used this unique mix of experience from both sides of the table to assist multiple startups successfully traverse their 0 to 10 startup journey. I have now distilled all of this experience in to a concise and actionable learnings in the form of this course. This course is specifically built keeping in mind the needs of a new startup founder who if bogged down with huge amount of content telling them the theory of building their startup and MVP but does not provide them the tools and actionable items which they can start using immediately. Once you have completed this course you would have learned how to : 🏆 Clearly define a truly lean and minimal MVP.🏆 Get feedback from your ideal customer profile without needing to write a single like of code.🏆 Take key technical decisions about your product which have the potential to make-or-break your startup.🏆 A framework to identify the correct partners for you, be it hires or outsourcing agencies.🏆 Avoid common mistakes/gotchas that could end up as a huge drain of your time, money and effort.🏆 Have complete ownership over your IP while working with multiple third parties🏆 Actionable checklists, frameworks, templates and references to jumpstart your startup journey. I want you to immediately get to work towards building your startup MVP as soon as you finish this course. That is the guiding principal of how this course has been designed.

Jumpstart your startup journey by building your MVP the right way. 

Provide a brief description for each module as a way to sell the value of what students will be learning throughout the course.

First Module

Second Module

Third Module

The course will be conducted over a span of 2 days with 4 hours sessions on both the days.

Thursday and Friday

The next cohort goes live on Oct 3rd 2024 and will start at 8:AM EST

Oct 3, 2024

We will practice all that we learn, as we learn, in the form of a do-along case study. In this we take existing popular, complex startup product and go through the complete journey of building the MVP together.

Do-Along Case Study

Aspiring entrepreneurs who want to build a technology product by do not know where to start.

Existing startup founders, bootstrapped or funded, who want to maximize their runway.

Non technical founders who want to build, manage and scale a successful technology product.

Dreamers who are planning to build their startup soon.

This course is much more than explanation of concepts and dos and donts. My goal is to equip you with tools that you can start using the very same day to start building your dream startup. I will provide you with actionable checklists, frameworks, legal templates and contacts.

Get actionable checklists, frameworks, legal templates and references to supercharge their startup product building journey

What used to take weeks can now be done in days (any many times hours) using the powers of GenAI. I will tell you how you can use AI tools to significantly speed up your MVP development without breaking the bank

Use GenAI to significantly speed up all aspects of MVP development

You will not have to wait for the final MVP to be built before you can get feedback from your target customers. I will teach you how you can build prototypes quickly so that you can collect valuable feedback quicker and course correct faster. Without writing a single line of code

Learn to get feedback on your idea without spending a single dollar on development

Converting ideas in your mind to actionable specs is an art that I have perfected over the last 17 years. I will teach how you too can build specs that are extremely cost and time efficient and will be loved by your designers, developers, contractors and you.

Convert ideas to actionable specs faster without ambiguity. Specs that your developers and partners will love.

A new founders journey is full of decisions, all of which can make or break the startup. I will teach you the framework using which you will maneuver decisions like which contractors to choose and how to hire your team making sure that you do not lose valuable resources and time.

Learn to Identify the correct partners to build your startup. Make informed decision on whether to hire devs or find agency.

Working with others is hard. Its even more challenging when you are a new fonder with not enough time and funding. I will simplify and codify the process for you so that you can ensure a smooth working relationship with partners while maintaining complete indemnity and onwership

Learn to avoid the common pitfalls when working with third parties, safeguard your IP and avoid unnecessary hiccups in your startup journey

MVP is just the beginning. You want to build a product that will scale with time as you grow. Something that will make prospective investors comfortable when choosing to invest.

Build a scalable and investable business.

I will teach you how you can maximize your capital efficiency by simply tweaking some product development decisions and significantly improve your runway. This is even more crucial if you are a bootstrapped founder.

Increase your runway significantly

Leverage GenAI to fulfil your startup dream by learning to validate your idea, translate idea to MVP & find right partners for your startup

Akhil Gupta

Cohort 2

Cohort 3

Most people think that corporate partnerships are about selling and pitching, it’s really about listening, planning, and collaborating. Position your startup to work with corporates and win that first pilot, proof-of-concept, or deal.

Stop pitching and start listening

<ul><li>Knowing who is the customer is not always as easy as it seems and picking the right markets to focus on is life or death for your startup.</li></ul>

What markets do you want to reach?

<ul><li>You'll be able to identify key decision makers in your target customer and tailor your message to speak directly to them. </li><li>﻿You'll practice finding and listening for keywords that point to their biggest pain points which keep them up at night.</li></ul>

How do you map stakeholders?

<ul><li>See what it takes to get people over the hump and try before they buy. </li><li>Find ways for you to introduce new concepts and behaviors into a big company culture.</li></ul>

De-risking your solution

<ul><li>Demonstrate the case studies or proof points you need to keep growing and eventually scale!</li></ul>

Get the social proof to scale

Let's plan to test, learn, and iterate right away in your business.

Weekly projects

Course Schedule

Founders and CEOsYou want to be more strategic in your approach when identifying the best markets and industries.

Business DevelopersYou want to find the right decision makers and establish traction by partnering with big companies.

Marketers and Product ManagersYou want to make progress even if you don't have product-market fit. We'll focus on how to get going.

Key outcomes

Be more strategic when it comes to market size and sectors, find the best industries and decision makers who need their products, then understand how these prospects think.&nbsp;

Get the right strategic footing

Conduct world class customer development. Everyone's got problems in big companies. So are you good at identifying them? That's the secret to great customer development that makes your product better and creates new channels for your business.

Solve Valuable Problems for your Future Customers

How do you ask people to take a bet on you? I'll share the importance of building a pilot program. Together, we'll go create one. You will de-risk your startup's product/service for decision-makers so they will advocate for you.

De-Risk your Solution for Decision Makers

You'll need social proof to succeed. Turns that first win into a compelling case study for others to follow

Develop Results that Produce Momentum

Discover the secrets to influencing decision-makers and designing a pilot program that gets a YES. (Now in a one-day workshop).

Vijay Rajendran

20+ years of investing in and supporting entrepreneurs on their journeys

Cohort 7

Cohort 8

If you’re a founder with institutional backing, you’re probably doing a lot right. But if you’re a technical founder, you might be in unfamiliar territory. Building the product is one thing, but now you need to sell and market it—or hire and manage those who do. In short, you need to nail go-to-market (GTM). To succeed, founders need to figure out GTM early because everything hinges on it. Not only does more revenue mean more cash and less dilution, it also means better metrics and higher valuations–for each round, and for your exit. It’s hard to trust or invest in what you don’t understand. Many technical founders learn GTM on the job, leading to critical mistakes. This course aims to prevent that by tactical and practical knowledge–learned and practiced in a group setting with your peers. WHAT TO EXPECT This course combines live lessons, interaction, peer activities, and in depth discussion. You'll receive 9 hours of live instruction over 2 weeks, plus have 4 hours of unstructured, live time with the instructor for your own specific questions. All of it will be recorded and available after the course is over. You'll participate in fun, small group or 1:1 activities, such as practicing negotiating a contract, pitching a sale, or asking questions of a prospect. Every major skill taught in the class will be practiced at least once. You will leave knowing:• How to find prospects, nurture them through the sales process and close sales• How to transition from founder-led to professional sales and marketing• How to hire and manage sales and marketing teams• What terms are typical for sales of various sizes, from self-serve to enterprise, and how to negotiate them• How to find and manage lawyers• How to break GTM challenges into smaller, sprint-sized&nbsp;experiments• What metrics to follow to keep your team on track• How to conceptualize and build a financial model for your GTM efforts• How to communicate with investors, advisors and your board• How and where to leverage outsiders to drive your GTM processes forward (agencies, advisors, partners, lawyers, etc.) COURSE CONTENT• The customer-centric approach to marketing and sales• How to understand your customer's journey and reach them where they are• How to drive top-of-funnel leads and nurture them to be ready to convert or engage with sales• How to create awareness and build a brand• How to nurture relationships with potential acquirers early in your company's journey–without being distracted or giving away the secret sauce• How to run effective campaigns in cold outbound email, social, and other tactics• How to structure partnerships for success• How to structure your customer agreements to increase your chances of closing, retention and growth while reducing sales cycle• How to price at every stage of growth to drive higher close rates and better net revenue retention (NRR) The course also includes:• The top-of-mind questions you&nbsp;and your peers have on GTM• Specific tactics, scripts and questions you can ask to uncover willingness to pay and pains your customers have• Things you can do right now to drive additional leads–without sending a single cold email• Detailed how-tos on things like the Customer Advisory Board hack and other strategies employed by veteran founders• Hands on&nbsp;exercises reviewed by your instructor• Detailed metrics on key channels so that you know if what you're doing is working• Pitfalls and risks to be aware of so that you're never caught in a rut• Optional homework or projects to help retain learnings–that are also useful in your business. If you follow my writing, listen to my podcast, or have been through my sessions at the Alchemist Accelerator, you'll find this course draws on all of it so that you can internalize it and put it to practice. Founders don't have to do everything themselves. You'll learn what you need to DIY everything GTM, but you'll also have the&nbsp;confidence to hire and manage others in various GTM roles. WHO WILL BENEFIT MOST FROM THIS COURSE While the course is open to all, the people who will get the most out of it:• Are founders of technology companies, especially those launching novel products such as deep tech or AI companies• Have a background in product, engineering, design, etc.• Have raised institutional capital (Series Seed or later)• Are at a company with a product either in development or already in market WHO THIS COURSE IS NOT FOR • Junior sales people or people trying to get into sales for the first time. The material is focused on management and board-level issues as much as it is on being good at sales; there are better courses for you if you're learning basic tech sales skills.• People who think their product is perfect and have all their GTM problems figured out. Participants will benefit the most if everyone comes with a beginners' mindset and a curious approach. Nobody knows all the GTM answers (not even your instructor).• People looking for the GTM magic bullet that will solve all of their sales or marketing problems. Sorry, no magic bullets here. But you will learn tactics, approaches, and strategies that might help you solve your problem without a magic bullet.• People looking for a 1:1 coach or advisor, though there will be Q&amp;A sessions, and you will definitely get to know your instructor and peers.

Get GTM right early to create the best outcome with the least stress

Three live, interactive courses per week covering all things GTM.

Mondays, Wednesdays & Thursdays

Optional office hours, two days a week including a time Tuesday that works for many global timezones.

Tuesdays and Wednesdays

Take home projects for your business enable you to apply learning and get live feedback in class and at office hours.

Founders who come from a technical background–engineering, product, finance

First time CEOs and anyone who is in charge of bringing something new to market for the first time

Leaders of companies with a new or novel product that hasn't been sold before, such as deep tech or artificial intelligence

Founders hiring or managing GTM individual contributors for Series Seed and later companies

Understand how to tell quickly the future customers from the time wasters. Build a customer-centric funnel that drives the right customers to your product or sales teams.

Identify and target your ideal customers and customer personas

Become more than proficient at the key channels most startups use to get their first 10-100 customers–from board intros to cold email, paid advertising, social, events and more. Model how you can scale this into your next milestone–whether breakeven, funding round or acquisition.

Implement and test different GTM channels to fill your funnel with quality leads

Details are what lead to more customer conversions. You'll know what details matter and you'll even fill in many of them during the course–like high-performing&nbsp;sales decks, landing pages, or funnels.

Build a killer sales deck, landing page or funnel to convert prospects

With a superior understanding of GTM you'll be better positioned to hire and manage a team. Whether you already have a team, and want more confidence and gravitas, or are still doing founder-led selling, you'll leave armed with a hiring plan, dashboards, and interviewing tips.

Build your GTM team and know how to lead them with confidence and authority, from a place of knowledge

Know the right type of agreement for your goals, so you can create fast, low friction sales cycles–or go toe-to-toe with enterprise procurement and legal teams to maximize the value of each deal.

Structure and negotiate sales agreements that close quickly and drive real revenue

Learn how to build partnerships that support your strategy rather than distract from it. Know how to identify and court potential future acquirers–without ever looking desperate.

Build partnerships that create real value  and possibly lead to M&A

Effectively plan your company's GTM strategy and oversee its execution with confidence and without doubt

Lightning Lessons

Building & Scaling Startup Culture