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No need for much of a setup here. Just watch and enjoy!

***This is a guest post from Holly at Software Advice.

“If you build it, they will come.” While that mantra may have worked for Kevin Costner and Darth Vader back in ’89, times have changed, much like the hairstyles.

No longer can entrepreneurs put a product out there and expect consumers to rush out of the cornfields to get it. Nowadays, consumers know exactly what they want, and they certainly aren’t shy about letting you know. 

This is what the Lean Startup movement is all about. Popularized by Silicon Valley entrepreneur Eric Ries, the Lean Startup movement tells entrepreneurs to get out of their heads and instead get into the minds of their target audience. 

Alistair Croll, founder of Solve for Interesting, takes this idea one step farther with his book “Lean Analytics.” In the book Croll discusses how companies can get data about their audience by using social media and new technology practices. 

Croll’s suggestions include:

• - Pinpointing the business’s most important metric for growth (e.g. revenue)
• - Identifying the business model’s riskiest aspect
• - Establishing a Minimum Viable Product, or a strategy to test the risk against the growth metric
• - Analyzing the results
• - Modifying the business model based on the results
• - Repeating the process until you discover your market

Croll talked about this method recently in a video interview with Software Advice – a free resource for software reviews and comparisons. Check out the video to hear how companies like Flickr, AirBnB.com and Twitter used this new business strategy and found out that they will come if you build it. 

It’s been proven over and over again that videos speak louder than words and photos. If people watch them, they’re much more likely to remember them than anything else you can come up with. If you’re going to make a video, make sure it sticks with the people who watch it. You can make it super serious, or super hilarious.

If you’d like some tips, take some notes from this one (it has over 10 million views on YouTube):

It’s down to the wire: one week left to apply for the next Cohort. 

Sure, you want to whip your startup into shape. You want honest feedback, for us to rip you away from your tunnel vision–and most of all to make your business the best it can be. Well, just in case you think we’re kidding when we say we’re the no-bullshit, straight-up best way for you to accelerate your startup to the next level–and beyond–take a minute to check out this video:

See? We weren’t joking. We want to whip your business into shape. You ready? Apply now.

In case you’ve forgotten, here’s what you’ve got to lose by not applying:

- $50K for 9% equity on Day 1 of the program 
- $150K in convertible debt from BDC Venture Capital at Demo Day for Venture Ready companies 
- $150K of exclusive discounts & perks 
- 3 months of free office space in the Valley after Demo Day: RocketSpace or Plug And Play 
- 120 startup veteran Mentors: Serial Entrepreneurs, VCs, Angels, & Senior Execs 
- 800 people at Demo Day, the largest event of its kind in North America

So what are you waiting for? It’s crunch time! Get your applications in here before next Friday, February 8th.

Finally, if you have any questions or would just like to meet us, we’ll be holding a live chat on Skype (handle: FounderFuel) on Monday, February 4th, from 1PM to 5PM and Drop-Ins at Notman House on Tuesday, February 5th, from 1PM to 5PM. Drop us a line on Skype or come by and see us!

We’re looking forward to seeing all your kick-ass applications soon!

Later,

The FounderFuel Team