The unique value proposition (UVP) is the benefit for customers. We’re trying to think about what people value rather than component parts.

For example, a shoe company might offer carbon negative sneakers. However, most of us buy these for the whole experience including comfort, helping to reverse global warming and style. We don’t commonly wear these because of the tonnes of carbon removed from the atmosphere for each shoe. We’re excited and care for a product that can help us to feel good from many aspects.

We can describe our unfair advantage from the UVP. What is hard for others to replicate? It may be that the synthesis of different emotional and physical experiences is difficult for others to create. It may be more concrete such as a patent. The key bit of our unfair advantage is that it makes us different.

We’re interested in benefits. We will succeed, in part, as we’re offering something of value to ourselves, our communities, our countries and the world.

Consequently, we want to think about unintended consequences and perverse outcomes. For example, a more fuel efficient aircraft is wonderful. Burn 10% less aviation gas to go the same distance is clearly more profitable and has less climate impact.

However, if this efficiency results in lower transport costs and double the number of aircraft – through higher demand – the overall global stress created by flying is larger. We care about this and people are already reacting to such difficulties. Flygskam, for example, choosing not to fly.

These are the key and significant routes to our markets. List them. Different ways in which we connect with customers and collaborators have different cost structures.

What we measure matters! Think about what we want to measure in the short term. Within 2 weeks/months it may be as simple as how am I/we feeling (on a scale of 1 to 10) while I/we are working on this?

Longer term you’ll have measurable product, people, planet and purpose goals. It’s worth deriving 1 to 3 of them now. Come back to them when appropriate and, at the minimum, in a year and see how they have changed / been met.

As time goes by, the enterprise grows, relationships and impact deepens you’ll want to develop this further. For a detailed dive into measurement see the MetaCapital framework.

How much money goes out?

• Work out what our likely fixed costs are.
• Work out what the cost per unit sold (if that is the business model) is.
• What are our capital costs – i.e. what money do we need to set this up.*

Don’t forget about things like cost of sales, marketing, collaboration and connecting.

* Note: for many businesses this can be a very unconventional answer. See $100 startup for a set of great examples. Exponential Organizations is a classic book covering disruption, startups and more.

We commonly think about setup costs, initial capital needs and time to develop our enterprise.

Equally, importantly, sources of ongoing revenue are critical. Don’t leave this out! Think broadly about connected possibilities. How are we generating value – socially, environmentally, economically, spiritually. Those connections, the synergy between them, revenue connected with this and outcomes for all takes us past business as usual.