In a survey1 of business instructors both inside and outside of academia, it was discovered that 88% use a lean canvas to teach a business model. Even Fortune 500 companies use it internally to clarify business operations. It is clear that business plans are no longer the defacto standard for helping entrepreneurs think about their vision.
The canvas is a tactical plan to guide entrepreneurs from ideation to success. Below is a one-page summary that is comprised of nine building blocks which capture the essential elements of the business idea beginning with a clear understanding of the customer’s problem. It seeks to offer a “scientific approach to the creation of startups.”2
The lean methodology was developed and implemented by Toyota’s manufacturing process and has since been used in the software industry and more recently for business startups.
The Lean Canvas typically consists of nine key elements:3
- Problem: This section outlines the specific problem or pain point that your product or service aims to solve.
- Solution:Describe how your product or service addresses the identified problem. This is usually a brief description of the value proposition.
- Key Metrics:Identify the key performance indicators (KPIs) you will use to track your business’s success.
- Unique Value Proposition (UVP):Clearly states what makes your product or service unique and why it’s better than existing alternatives.
- Channels: Outline the marketing and distribution channels you plan to use to reach your target customers.
- Customer Segments: Defines the specific groups or types of customers your business is targeting.
- Cost Structure:Lists the main costs associated with running your business.
- Revenue Streams: Describes how your business will make money, including pricing strategies and revenue sources.
- Unfair Advantage:Identifies any advantages or unique factors that give your business a competitive edge.
For Business as Mission canvases, we add two more segments, first the spiritual which captures the integration of faith, disciple-making and God’s Kingdom purposes. The social section includes how business serves the human condition – things like job creation, individual and community needs, etc.
But what is the Advantage of our BAM business?
While processing a student’s project recently using the lean canvas, I noted that she was struggling with the “Unfair Advantage” section (#9 above), which describes the overwhelming advantages the product, service, or venture exerts in the marketplace that competitors cannot match or surpass in the short run. It is any advantage that can protect one’s position in the market.
As we talked together, we agreed that as Jesus followers, we have a distinct advantage. We are citizens of a higher Kingdom with a “boss” who knows all things and understands each problem in the universe, including the one we are trying to solve. We can talk with Him and ask for His wisdom.
He has also given us values such as integrity, humility, generosity, kindness, morality, forgiveness, excellence, love, responsibility, and compassion. These values, as they are lived out in the marketplace, are distinct and unique, even in North America where sixty percent may not believe in God.4 Certainly, in other cultures and religious traditions, it is a source of amazement when we exhibit Christian values like honesty, excellence, and love.
I have become aware of more than one occasion when a business owner in different countries in Asia visited the tax office of their city, requesting a conversation about a fair tax for their business. It became a source of amazement, and entry point for a spiritual conversation. They experienced an advantage, not only in the sense of business opportunities, but in relation to spiritual impact.
One business owner in Asia delighted in hiring handicapped people who were marginalized by society and from honest employment. It amazed the city officials so much that they began to boast to other city mayors about this foreign owned business that was blessing their city.
There are many examples in our history of coaching where we observed locals seeking employment in a Business as Mission company, which exhibited radical Christian values in the community. These values stood in stark contrast to normal businesses where dishonesty, fraud, tension, hostility, and discord prevail. This indicates an advantage in business, and most importantly, the capacity to draw people toward God.
Henry Moses tells an example mentioned in the book, Missions Disrupted, of how clients trusted him based on his value system. He produced a product for a major government Telecom company, and when the product proved to be successful, a major order ensured. One of the division heads however expressed doubt that they could maintain quality with such a large order. The director chairing the meeting then responded, “No, he will not comprise on quality because he is a Christian”. All persons in the room were Hindus except Henry.
One of the most interesting examples of an Unfair Advantage happened in Asia to a BAM business owner. He had joined the Chamber of Commerce as the only foreigner present there. One day, they were talking about the need of someone to host a teenage “Living Buddha”5 from Tibet, so the person could be exposed to other cultures and languages as part of their training. The American BAM couple offered and were accepted to be the sponsors for the young lady and her place of residence for two years. God supernaturally opened that door based on the Christ-like values demonstrated in the business.
- https://www.teachingentrepreneurship.org/entrepreneurship-tools/
- Ries, The Lean Startup: How Today’s Entrepreneurs Use Continuous Innovation to Create Radically Successful Businesses
- https://ideascale.com/blog/lean-canvas-definition/
- https://www.christianitydaily.com/news/barna-research-finds-fewer-than-half-of-americans-believe-in-god.html
- https://tourtraveltibet.com/understanding-the-concept-of-living-buddhas-tulkus-in-tibetan-buddhism/
Larry W. Sharp, BAM Support Specialist, IBEC Ventures
Larry.Sharp@ibecventures.com