Business Model Innovation Cheat Sheet
Thinking Outside the Business Box
1Business Model Canvas
- Value Proposition: What you offer and to whom (your 'we're awesome because...' statement)
- Revenue Streams: How you make money (beyond hoping for the best)
- Key Activities & Resources: What you do and what you need (the engine room)
- Cost Structure & Partners: What you spend and who helps (where the money goes)
2Disruptive Models
- Platform Business: Connect producers and consumers (being the matchmaker)
- Subscription Economy: Recurring revenue (the gift that keeps on giving)
- Freemium: Basic free, premium paid (the first taste is free...)
- Sharing Economy: Access over ownership (why buy when you can borrow?)
3Model Prototyping
- Minimum Viable Product: Test core assumptions (build just enough to learn)
- Business Experiments: Validate key components (fail fast, learn faster)
- Customer Discovery: Problem-solution fit (are we solving a real problem?)
- Pivot Planning: Prepare for major changes (having a Plan B through Z)
4Implementation
- Dual Transformation: Run old and new models simultaneously (keeping the lights on while rewiring)
- Organizational Alignment: Structure, incentives, culture (getting everyone on the new bus)
- Capability Development: Build new skills (teaching old dogs new tricks)
- Metrics & Milestones: Measure progress (knowing if you're winning or losing)
Quick Tips & Tricks
- Start with customer problems, not your solution or technology
- Test the riskiest assumptions first - what would kill your model if wrong?
- Consider business model patterns from other industries - inspiration is everywhere
- Remember that execution matters as much as innovation - ideas are worthless without implementation
The Last Word
Business model innovation is about creating value for companies, customers, and society. It's about replacing outdated models. — Alexander Osterwalder (with a dash of humor)
Life's too short for boring management. Make it count.
Management Master™
Pro tip: Pin these cheat sheets to your office wall or slip them into your notebook for emergency management situations.