Lean Startup Machine: 21 Tips I Learned the Hard Way
If your MVP can't prove you wrong, then it can't prove you right either.
By Tristan Kromer · I was at Lean Startup Machine in New York last weekend. (LSM is a 48 hour excursion into lean startup techniques created by Trevor Owens to push your boundaries and help you learn something about your business model.) I was so impressed by a post by Cindy Alvarez that Trevor distributed, 10 Things I’ve Learned, that I decided to blatantly copy her and create my own top ten list specifically for attendees of the event. Unfortunately I’m a terrible editor. So here are…
Quick Answer: Lean Startup Machine is best for learning customer discovery interviews and the discipline of talking to real people — not for mastering every lean startup technique. The most important tips: focus relentlessly on people, prioritize real validation over polished slides (“cash in hand beats bullshit on slide”), bring your own supplies, and don’t expect to leave as a lean startup expert. As product managers, we should treat it as a foundation-building experience for getting out of the building.
21 Lean Startup Machine Tips and Tricks
Bring your own supplies: Sharpies, post-its, masking tape, drafting dots, voting dots, computer, a snack, whatever. Don’t assume the organizers intuitively know everything you need. The guy who pulls out the basket of strawberries at a key moment of exhaustion wins.
Bonus Tip
- Sell something to Trevor. He’ll buy almost anything.
Final Word
All in all, Lean Startup Machine is a great way to get your feet we with customer discovery interviews. It’s not the best place to practice a lot of the other lean startup techniques like smoke tests, concierge tests, and so forth, but occasionally teams really show hustle and manage to fake a product for some serious testing. You should go to Lean Startup Machine if you want a crash course on how important it is to go out and talk to customers. You’ll leave with a great experience and meet a bunch of fun people. Don’t go expecting to know everything there is to know about lean startup. [Update: The “Problems don’t exist” statement has proven to be the most controversial so I expanded it into a full post unsurprisingly titled Problems Don’t Exist.]
Frequently Asked Questions
What is Lean Startup Machine and is it worth attending?
Lean Startup Machine is a 48-hour event created by Trevor Owens that pushes participants to practice lean startup techniques. It’s a great way to get a crash course in customer discovery interviews and learn the importance of talking to customers. However, we shouldn’t go expecting to master every lean startup technique — it’s best suited for learning the fundamentals of getting out of the building.
What should I bring to a Lean Startup Machine event?
Come prepared with your own supplies: Sharpies, post-its, masking tape, drafting dots, voting dots, your computer, and snacks. Don’t assume the organizers will have everything you personally need. Bringing items like a basket of strawberries during a moment of team exhaustion can make you the MVP of the weekend.
What lean startup techniques can you actually practice at Lean Startup Machine?
The event is strongest for practicing customer discovery interviews — learning to go out and talk to real customers. It’s not the best setting for techniques like smoke tests or concierge tests, though occasionally teams show enough hustle to fake a product for serious testing. As product managers, we should see it as a foundation-building experience rather than a comprehensive methodology workshop.
What are the most important lean startup machine tips for first-timers?
Focus relentlessly on people and real customer conversations rather than polished slide decks. As the article puts it, “cash in hand beats bullshit on slide.” We should prioritize genuine validation over impressive-looking presentations. You’ll leave with great experiences and connections, but the real value comes from internalizing the discipline of customer discovery.
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