Business Model Canvas Introduction

Whether starting up a new business or realigning an existing one, a clear visual of what your business model is, and how its activities are aligned is pivotal to success. Developing a business model canvas for a business helps companies visualize and position their business models for growth and innovation.

I’ve been a big fan of the Kauffman foundation since they funded my effort as the Entrepreneurship Director for a local community college. In a collaboration between the Kauffman Foundation and Strategyzer, the creator of the business model canvas, they put together an animated series that describes how a business can use the business model canvas to discover an uncontested blue ocean part of the market where the business can own their own piece of the long-tail economy.

Special thanks to the Kauffman Foundation and Strategyzer Academy for the following video series that introduces the concept of the business model canvas to entrepreneurs.

Getting From Business Idea to Business Model

Watch the story of Beth, Carl, and an idea they believed could become a great business.

Related Content:

• How to Validate a Business Idea Before You Start
• The Business Model Canvas Series
• Free Downloadable Business Model Canvas Tool
• Coming Up with New Ideas
• Opportunity Discovery Canvas – How to Validate Potential Solutions
• Inside Out Business Model
• Applying the Blue Ocean Strategy to the Business Model Canvas

Visualizing Your Business Model

Learn about the business model canvas, a visual tool to craft powerful business models.

Related Content:

• Customer Segment
  • Choosing a Customer Segment Type
  • Serving Economic and End User Customer Segments
• Value Propositions
  • Choosing a Value Proposition Type
  • Understanding Customer Segment Jobs
  • Understanding Customer Segment Pain Points
  • Understanding Customer Segment Gain Points
  • Defining Your Value Proposition’s Products and Services
• Channels
• Customer Relationships and Your Business Model
  • Choosing a Customer Relationship Type
• Revenue Streams
  • Choosing a Revenue Stream
• Key Resources
• Key Activities
• Key Partners
• Cost Structures

Prototyping

Avoid falling in love with your first idea, and learn how to prototype multiple business model options.

Related Content:

• Lean Startup – What You Need to Know
• How to Save Time and Money with A Minimal Viable Product (MVP)

Navigating Your Environment

Map the environment in which your business model will fight for survival.

Related Content:

• Four Environmental Forces Affecting Your Business Model Canvas Design
• Market Forces
  • Critical Thinking About Market Forces
• Key Trends
  • Critical Thinking About Key Trends
• Industry Forces
  • Critical Thinking About Industry Forces
• Macroeconomic Forces
  • Critical Thinking About Macroeconomic Forces

Proving It

Test all aspects of your business model to find out what works, what doesn’t, and what needs to change.

Related Content:

• Testing Your Customer Segment and Value Proposition Hypothesis
• Testing Your Value Proposition’s Ability to Alleviate Pain
• Testing Your Value Proposition’s Ability to Deliver Gains
• Leverage Contingency Principle – Planning for the Unexpected

Telling Your Story

Pitch your business model in a clear, simple, and compelling way.

Related Content:

• 12 Mistakes Entrepreneurs Make Pitching to Investors or Customers

Bonus Courses

For many years I taught Applying the Business Model Canvas based on a book that I wrote of the same name. One of the classes was recorded and edited and is now available to watch for free on SteveBizAcademy. It is 1 hour and 50 minutes of on-demand video divided into 16 lessons.

We offer a free course Everything You Wanted To Know About Entrepreneurship that uses content from the YouTube channel CrashCourse to explore entrepreneurship. The entire course uses the structure of the Business Model Canvas to describe the key elements of entrepreneurship. If you loved this post be sure to check out this free course as well.