saasu minimalism-in-business
TRANSCRIPT
Minimalism is not less but
WHAT MATTERS * Curating, Selecting, Filtering
Adam Bartholl exhibit photo by Vinciane Verguethen
Minimalism is not anti-complexity it’s
ANTI-CLUTTER * remove the unused, unappreciated, unsuccessful
Stockholm Library Photo by Ian Schmidt
Minimalism isn’t starkness it’s
ESSENTIALISM * fit for regular purposeful use
Oblivion movie art by Thom Tenery
Minimalism turns consumers into
CREATORS
* less being owned by stuff and more creating your dreams
Photo by Michael Tapp
Minimalism is
INTENTIONAL* Saasu page 30 of our brand guidelines. * Intentionally designing to a grid, topographic treatments. Minimalism in design decisions.* This isn't about software. All businesses should be intentional in every design aspect of their service or product.
Minimalism creates relaxation through
SPACE * space allows people to think and choose. * space creates a clearing for chasing new dreams or possibilities you have been putting off
We grazing on
STUFF * It’s just easier in life and business to be one of the sheeple
Photo by Jared Zimmerman on Flickr
Despite consumption
KILLING US * time, health, peace, planet and hapiness
photo by Luke wroblewski on flickr
https://www.flickr.com/photos/archeon/
Driven by a
GOAL FOCUS
what you actually do
what achieves
goal
the stuff minimalism attempts to remove
small crossover fornon-minimalist without focus
stuff you should doyou’re not doing
Saying no is
HYPER SELECTIVE
ALL OPPORTUNITIES
BEST OPPORTUNITIES
Because we collect, consume and say yes so well we operate here
.. but we should be
here
Embrace
DESIGN CULTURE* there aren’t as many details so each one really matters * Absorb design ideas and follow designers like Jonathan Ives, IDEO, Elon Musk
ideo leed plaque
Avoid vanity metrics, create your
EMOTIONAL METRICS * How you, customers and employees feel matters.* How loyal, well crafted, environmentally friendly and honest.
Clean, clear minds allow
CRITICAL THINKING* Decisions add or remove stuff. * Are yours mostly adding stuff, tasks, ideas or are they clearing and simplifying decisions?
RECOGNISE ASSUMPTIONS
TEST CONCLUSIONS
GATHERDATA
A persistent effort to examine any belief or supposed form of knowledge in the light of the evidence that supports or refutes it and the further conclusions to which it tends.
ANALYSE DATA
Business Model Simplicity
CAPITALISM HIJACKED * Every investor and his dog knows what’s best for your business. A know that their goals are aligned with yours. * There absolutely is alternatives to their version of capitalism that are valid, simple, minimalist in their approach.
• Money is great but what about meaning? • Great companies set product/service goals 1st. • Triple stakeholder model:
Saasu exists for staff, customers & shareholders. • Legitimately you can sacrifice financial returns for
other valuable returns like less stress, debt & risk. • Who hijacked capitalism with a rule that customer
growth is the only new business objective instead of profitability, survivability & emotional stability.
• You’re a cheap call option - a dirty little VC secret.
BLINDSPOTS AND BLINKERS IN CAPITALISM BASECAMP IS A GREAT CASE STUDY
Loving
LEAN * but it’s not for everyone
Rich/Big/Engineered-Growth/Maximalist Lean/Small/Organic-Growth/Minimalist
• Shareholder complexity • Debt or convertibles more likely • Capital raisings to grow • Steep growth curve • Requires momentum • Large risk surface - complexity • More stress • Lazy spend - other peoples money • More exit reward (sometimes) • Suits low barriers to entry
• Shareholder simplicity • No debt • Grow from cashflow • Shallow growth curve • Less momentum needed • Small risk surface - simplicity • Less stress • Very personal spend • Less exit reward (sometimes) • Suits high barriers to entry
Photo by Randy Robertson
Sales & Marketing
OPPORTUNITY STACK * There’s more opportunity then ever - Rank them using a performance index and pick what to do. * Performance index might allow for Return on Investment (ROI) and Customer Acquisition Cost (CAC) * You will need to experiment different ideas within your industry.
7. GOOGLE ADS
9. DIRECT EMAIL
10. LETTERS 11. CHECKIN CALL
12. OUTSOURCE LEAD
13. BUS ADVERTS
14. PAMPHLET
1. SEO NATURAL
2. PARTNERS
3. WORD OF WEB
4. TWITTER
5. RADIO ADS
6. ASSOCIATIONS
8. BING ADS
15. SALE REP
16. NEWS AD
17. COLD CALL
Sales & Marketing
MINIMALIST COPY * How apple and samsung sell. One is still more minimalist than the other.
Apple Watch Samsung GearPhoto credit ChristianLindholm.comPhoto credit AppleInsider.com
Sales & Marketing
MINIMALIST SOCIAL * Be picky about which networks you a allocating resources to
You don’t have a Newscorp size marketing budget so curate what social networks you invest your business in.
Invest small amounts to test them and you will learn which ones to rule out.
Sales & Marketing
MINIMALIST PRICING * Beyond 3 price levels is too much choice
TWO EDGED SWORDINCREASING CHOICE AND CONFUSION
Strategy
KPI MINIMALISM * Use 3 historical, 3 present and 3 future looking KPI’s per management role
* Not too many or you run the risk of missing the obvious.
• data is costly to gather - do less and be picky about what you collect • too many data collectors - creates complexity and has accuracy cost • trusting the system source - don’t assume the ad provider has accurate stats • human compilation error - is highly likely when spreadsheets and DBS queries are used • common mistake is to collect data you can’t actually action
HISTORICAL Active customersHappy customersCustomer Acquisition Costs (CAC)
➡ ➡ ➡ ➡
FUTURE PR/Event ActionsCampaigns ActionsCustomer LongTerm Value (CLTV)
PRESENT Monthly Recurring Revenue (CAC)
KPI DATA TIPS
" GEN
🌐 INBOUND
👫 NUTURE
% SOLD
& LOYALTY
Strategy
MINIMALIST CHANNELS * Your in the business of channel portfolio selection
Rich Lean
• Buses, Billboards and Banners • Hold Conferences • JV Channel partners • Sales Reps • Radio/TV • Cash incentives • Long free periods • Free install
• Social • Meetups, Mini-conferences • Digital Partners • Direct Sales • Youtube/Vimeo • Referral commissions • Short free trial • Term discounts, lower total price
Strategy
MINIMALIST RELATIONSHIPS * Your in the business of channel portfolio selection
200 People25 Staff
50 Friends
25 Family
100 Clients/Partners
This is a bit cold on face value BUT consider you already do this in an unplanned way that has important people miss out on your attention.
Don’t follow this strictly. I make time for any staff member & even
strangers BUT I say no often to requests of them. I can’t defocus
from the people I need to give most of myself to.
Operations
DATA SILO EXPLOSION * managing data consumes large amounts of time and adds complexity in logarithmic way as
you add each extra storage method and database
xls
CRM
Operations
DATA SILO EXPLOSION * managing data consumes large amounts of time and adds complexity in logarithmic way as
you add each extra storage method and database
xls
CRM
Operations
CONTACT SILO EXPLOSION * managing contact lists consumes large amounts of time and adds complexity in logarithmic way as
you add each extra storage method and database
Operations
CONTACT SILO EXPLOSION * managing contact lists consumes large amounts of time and adds complexity in logarithmic way as
you add each extra storage method and database
Operations
PROCEDURES AS FILTERS * Only procedures born from service design should exist. All else is speculative & unplanned. * We humans always add more. New procedures without critical thinking can be operationally expensive.
APPLE GENIUS BAR S.O.P’S
APPLE BUSINESS CONDUCT S.O.P’S
Operations
SYSTEM SELECTION * stop being owned by systems and paying for too many systems * leaving aside programming 80% of what we do is covered in 5 systems
More Data Silo’s Higher Staff training cost More Software Licences
Backup/Upgrade tasks increase File search-ability/view-ability reduces
Reporting costs increase Audit costs increase
SYSTEM COMPLEXITY $$
Operations
AGILITY * nimble, light, lean, agile allows change with less organisational impact and mitigate risk
Minimalists Maximalists
• No/little investor pressure • Good change management velocity • Agile product and service design • Quick cost base alterations • Better risk visibility, less risk surface • Clarity of a simpler mission • Cut mistakes fast • Quick start new ideas • Focused “best-of” sales & marketing
initiatives - low acquisition cost
• Pressure from investors & markets • Onerous change management • Scaling agility isn’t easy • Cost base changes slow and difficult • Greater risk via complexity & unknowns • Dispersed focus across many areas • Had to stop mistakes quickly • Slow to start new ideas • Diverse “portfolio” of sales & marketing
initiatives - high acquisition cost.
Minimalism impact of
CUSTOMISATION * personalisation can be quite anti-minimalist
Personalised Collective
• Software • Custom integration • Personalised workspace • Personal software choices • Personality managed • Owning assets • Desktop + Laptop
• Web Applications • Cloud connection • Personality workspace • Service Design web app choices • Procedure managed • Sharing assets • Laptop + Screen
Minimalist
BASIC WORK HACKS * tips for the minimalist business person
Old New
• Work phone + Personal Phone • Make lunch • Backpack packing • Laptop, ipad and iPhone • Internet on iPad • Statements review • 50+ spreadsheets • Scanning paper • Public Transport and read/listen • Cloud, Hard drives, Small Laptop
drive, USB’s and SD’s
• Work phone only • Buy lunch • No bag to pack • Laptop and iPhone • Internet on iPhone • Automated Statements and Emails • 5+ spreadsheets • Stop paper, receive electronically • Drive and listen to podcasts • Cloud, SD
“Less is more” Jason Fired
Business Philosophy
MINIMALIST THINKING * many others have already walked the minimalist path
80% of the effects come from 20% of
the causes. Vilfredo Pareto
“By setting limitations, we must choose the
essential” Leo Babauta
“There seems to be some perverse human
characteristic that likes to make easy things difficult.”
Warren Buffett
FIND OUT MORE www.saasu.com
CONTACT Marc Lehmann Chief Executive Officer, Saasu [email protected] @saasu @marclehmann