6 Start-Up Lessons from Amazon to Zattikka

Dave Mutton14 April, 2015

6 Start-Up Lessons from Amazon to Zattikka

Dave Mutton14 April, 2015

7

About Me

Dave Mutton has been working on internet projects since the mid 90’s. Part of the team that launched Amazon.co.uk in 1998, Dave went onto to work at Yahoo, StepStone and has worked with more than 20 start-ups since, including raising $20m for the social gaming startup Zattikka in 2013.

He joined Macmillan Science and Education in September 2013 as Marketing Director for both Digital Science and Digital Education divisions. Both divisions invest in disruptive businesses and he provided marketing guidance and support across a portfolio of 18 companies.

Now working independently offering consultancy services either individually or via a virtual team leveraging his network of experienced internet professionals

1. Focus

Too many ideas, not enough time

How much time do you have?

Ready for takeoff?

Watch out for the trees (and other things)

“What do you do uniquely well for who”

• For (target customers)

• Who are dissatisfied with (the current alternative)

• Our product is a (new product)

• That provides (key problem-solving capability)

• Unlike (the product alternative)

Define Your Proposition

CORE PROPOSITION

KEY BENEFIT

Key message

KEY BENEFIT

Key message Key message

Tutoria.de value Proposition

Improve your grades with personal 1-1 tutoring

Find the right tutor for you

Germany's most extensive tutor

service

Dedicated learning programme for each student

Tutoring for students, adults

and business customers.

Proven efficacy

Over 90% of our tuition leads to a

grade improvement

98% satisfaction with the tutoria

tutors

9 out of 10 customers rate the

tutoria learning concept with "Very good"

Check your focus

Is it adding value to your product or service?

Is it improving the customer experience?

Is it fixing a critical problem?

Does it fit with your Value Proposition?

2. The Right Stuff

"getting the right people in the right seats on the bus”.

"When you're in a start-up, the first ten people will determine whether the company succeeds or not. Each is 10 percent of the company. So why wouldn't you take as much time as necessary to find all the A players? If three were not so great, why would you want a company where 30 percent of your people are not so great? A small company depends on great people much more than a big company does."

"getting the right people in the right seats on the bus”.

"I noticed that the dynamic range between what an average person could accomplish and what the best person could accomplish was 50 or 100 to 1. Given that, you're well advised to go after the cream of the cream. A small team of A+ players can run circles around a giant team of B and C players."

It's a bizarre but wonderful feeling, to arrive dead centre of a target you didn't even know you were aiming for

Serendipity(n.) Finding something good without looking for it

Valuable personality traits

CuriosityPassion to solve problemsToleranceA willingness to learnAdaptable, a survivor

3. The Long Pole in the Tent

Poor bloody infantry…

Pack like there’s no tomorrow…

Understand your customer’s journey

It’s an emotional rollercoaster

4. Data Data Data

Do you know enough?

Or too much?

Insight is key

Challenge your perceptions

What are you counting?

Do you know what you don’t know?

Focus on your KPI’s

Are your customers lovin’ it?

What do you really need to know?

Who are my customers?

What do they need?

Are we fulfilling that need?

Can we build long term value?

5. Show me the money

What’s your long term value?

Are you ready for this?

Are you ready for this?

No plan, no future

It’s a long winding road to success

6. Just Do It!

Empower your team

A culture of problem solving

7. Innovate, adapt, overcome!

Evolution in action

The Heike Crab

Don’t compromise, but do adapt

“We've had three big ideas at Amazon that we've stuck with for 18 years, and they're the reason we're successful: Put the customer first. Invent. And be patient."

7. Innovate, adapt, overcome

1. Focus

2. The Right Stuff

3. The long pole in the tent

4. Data, data, data

5. Show me the money

6. Just do it

Expect the unexpected!

Any questions?

Thank You

Dave Mutton

Mutton Consulting

dave@mutton.co.uk

+44 7889 736318

Twitter: @dbmutton

Linkedin: bit.ly/dmutton