Idea to Startup

Got a notebook full of startup ideas but no clue which one to build first? In this week’s pen-and-paper episode, we walk through the ERP—Early Rep Potential—Rubric, our simple scoring system that shows you which idea you can run the fastest customer “reps” on. We’ll put Erica (a Tacklebox member juggling “easily twenty ideas”) to the test, scoring her two biggest concepts live. Want to follow along? Grab an editable copy of the ERP template at gettacklebox.com when you sign up for our No Whisper Ideas weekly article here.

• Tacklebox
• No Whisper Ideas

00:30 When You’ve Got Lots of Startup Ideas (Meet Erica)
02:32 The Two Types of Entrepreneurs
07:13 Erica’s Ideas
12:40 Smooth Jazz
13:05 Reps
16:20 The ERP Rubric
22:51 The ERP in Action

Today, we’re talking about startup identity—why you need one, and how it makes every decision you face way easier. We’ll talk swimming and nervous systems, walk through the Decision Equation, and help our good friend Carl figure out which customer to start with for his AI tool that helps adults learn Spanish. Then we’ll wrap with a simple framework to help you clearly define your startup’s identity. It’s practical, a little weird, and really important. On to it.

• Tacklebox
• Hero

Timestamps

00:30 Your Startup Identity
01:30 How to Swim
04:17 How to Learn Something New
06:34 Re-learning How to Make Decisions
08:45 Tacklebox - two week free trial
09:15 Carl’s Idea - AI for Learning Spanish
13:13 The Decision Equation
14:15 Picking a Customer
19:30 Identity: Your Decision Filter
21:30 Four Identity Exercises
24:13 The End: What Do You Want?

We're Back!  Today, we'll talk about Extreme Quality - the best way to create contrast for your startup and the antidote to the average stuff most people are pumping out. We’ll unpack the six key components of identifying a high-leverage customer moment, explore how the Car Guy built a wildly successful business by eliminating hassle, and explain how most founders are focusing on the wrong thing. Also, Gladiators and Steve Carmichael.

• Tacklebox (new free 2-week trial)
• Byldd - $10k one month MVP

00:27 Anxious People
04:17 Email Opportunity
08:20 Extreme Quality
10:00 Byldd - a development agency we trust
11:10 The Quality Misunderstanding
12:20 The Quality Equation
14:43 Example: The Car Guy
19:09 The Six Components of a Moment
23:33 A Clarification, and The End