The 80/20 model

In partnership with

If you’re building anything, you know you’re building to learn, not for perfection.

The fastest way to learn is to stop guessing and start testing. This is where a lean business model comes into play—it’s about moving fast, minimizing waste, and figuring out what actually works before you scale it.

If you want to build a business that grows, you need to focus on what truly moves the needle. Stop trying to do everything, and do one thing really well.

1. Start by talking to your customers (seriously)

I can’t stress this enough: talk to your customers. Before you spend hours building features or perfecting your product, you need to validate your idea.

• The Lean Canvas: If you haven’t used it, this tool is it. It’s a simple, one-page map that helps you really think through your business model: Who’s your customer? What problem are you solving? How are you going to make money? It forces you to get to the point quickly.

• Build the MVP: (Not the “perfect” version, just the proven one.) Just build enough to show your customers that you’re solving their problem, then get it in their hands. Feedback will save you time, money, and headache.

  Some tools we love:

  • Figma or Sketch (Great for MVP designs)

  • Lovable (Build your MVP using AI prompting and you own the code)

  • MakerThrive (For actual feedback, fast)

2. Trim the fat: Spend money where it counts

In lean building, every dollar needs a job. Don’t waste resources because “other startups are doing it.”

Key ways to stay lean:

• Outsource or automate: You don’t need a huge team. At this stage, you can use freelancers or automation tools like Zapier or n8n (cheaper alternative) to handle the stuff that doesn’t need your full attention.

• Watch your key metrics: Focus on the things that matter, like Customer Acquisition Cost, Customer Lifetime Value, and conversion rates. They’ll tell you if your lean model is sustainable or if you need to pivot.

3. Build. Measure. Learn. Repeat.

This is the heart of the lean startup philosophy: Test, iterate, and evolve.

• Build your MVP.

• Measure your results (don’t just guess, actually track them).

• Learn from what worked, what didn’t, and use that to pivot or improve.

• Adjust and go again.

It’s like a cycle you’ll keep repeating until you find your sweet spot.

Tools to help you build lean and fast

• The Lean Startup (book summary)

• Simple guides to CAC and CLV for startups

• Mastering the MVP Bundle