In 4 steps from great idea to scale!
About the NEXT Canvas
In 4 steps to scale
The NEXT Canvas visualizes the four types of proof an idea needs to become a profitable business model: First, the team needs to prove there is an actual problem to solve. With a clear problem in mind, there is proof needed that a solution can be created to solve that problem. After there is a proven solution, there needs to be proof that customers will pay and finally, the team needs to prove that the business model can scale.
1. Prove there is a problem
2. Prove your solution solves that problem
3. Prove they will pay
4. Prove you can scale
The 8 building blocks of a scalable business model
The top of the NEXT Canvas is dedicated to the Customer. Who is this customer segment, what is their JTBD?
The bottom part of the NEXT Canvas is about your solution. What problem is the solution solving, how are you solving it, how will you make money?
Customer Segment
Who are you solving a problem for? The smaller and more homogeneous the better. You can more easily solve their similar huge problem. In the Scale phase, you will expand the customer segment to adjacent customer segments with similar problems.
Job to be Done
Value Proposition
What value are you bringing to your customer with your solution? Even when you get the solution right, you still need to bring value for the customer to pay for your solution. You want to be Notion and not MS Word.
Channels
How will you reach your customer now you are scaling? Will that be outbound or inbound? Social or paid advertising. This is closely linked to how you will make money.
Problem
What problem is your customer experiencing? Is it a vitamin or a pain killer and is it big enough to build a solution for?
Solution
How are you solving the problem of your customer and how are you fulfilling their job to be done? What type of solution do you want to build, and which features are most important?
Revenue Model
How will you make money? A subscription or one-off payments? Who is your customer and who is only using your solution?
Growth Engine
How will you grow? Will you grow via paid advertising, repeated use or word of mouth?
De-risking a business model is not a linear process
Although the four stages from great idea to scale are directional, using the NEXT Canvas is not a linear process.
When validating the Problem and Customer segment, you are using two segments of the NEXT Canvas.
When you have gathered enough evidence to validate the Problem and Customer Segments, or de-risked it enough to feel confident to take a step forward, you move to the Solution stage.
Validating the JTBD and Solution, does not mean that you don’t have to look back at the Problem and Customer Segment. It is not a linear process! You are now trying to solve a puzzle with 4 pieces instead of 2. All pieces need to fit together to be able to scale.
