Since 2000, we have used a lean startup approach for every growth and innovation engagement.

Key Principles Are

• Hypothesis driven learning
• Time-compression
• Changing the concept of risk and control
• Rethinking corporate decision-making environment and hierarchy (redefine roles such as investor/owner and creative operator)
• Consumer learning is observing behavior in the right strategic context and deep conversation, not stated choices

Changes in Realization Are

• Corporate leaders and teams realizing they cannot do this inside a corporate environment
• Risk taking is not the norm and incentive to play it safe is just the nature
• Must create an environment with outsiders who understand and live these principles
• Allow freedom for the group from “vendor/sourcing” standards and methods to embrace creative, non-traditional methods

Result

• Corners are not cut and teams solve the root or “whole” issue
• Provides beachheads for growth and innovation
• Initial solutions and roadmapping become a norm
• Fact-find for learning is faster and better because there is no “one” way that restricts insight

Proof Is in the Return

Entrepreneurial firms grow faster than large companies and create more value in their lifecycle than large corporations

• Since 2000, early stage venture capital returns have almost doubled the S&P 500 and DJIA at 13.4% vs 4.9% and 5.9% (source: NVCA Performance Benchmark Jan 30, 2015)
• The top five food and beverage companies in the U.S. logged an aggregate sales increase of 1.4% over the past five years, while total U.S. packaged food and beverage sales rose 11.4% (source: Credit Suisse, WSJ July 12, 2015)