Workshop C – 2019

Workshop C: A Map Through Entrepreneurship: Aha to Exit

LEADERS:

– Aram Chomina-Chavez, Arizona State University

– Steve T. Cho, Arizona State University

There are many frameworks to describe the journey through entrepreneurship. The Lean Sigma (Reis), the 24 Steps (Aulet) and Epiphany (Blank) are examples of the current frameworks being employed. Each has its strengths and weaknesses (e.g., Lean Sigma’s tenet of perpetual pivoting makes more sense for software-based products but less sense for hardware offerings). However, none of these frameworks covers the entire entrepreneurial process from ideation to harvest or reconciles some of the inconsistencies in the entrepreneurial journey (e.g., the value of business plans). Years of research, investing and developing start-ups gave us the template to create the world’s first road map for innovators to become entrepreneurs: Start-Up Map: Aha to Exit. Aha to Exit integrates the best practices in entrepreneurship and provides a comprehensive view of the journey. All entrepreneurs must organize their resources, and the early stages of this organization is called a start-up. This is enormously risky in that it requires the entrepreneur to place their resources in a way that the expectations of the innovation are met. The order is not arbitrary —  intuition, business plans, the Business Model Canvas, The Lean Launch, etc., will be more effective with a step-by-step process that is systematic and predictable. This reduces the risk involved by giving the entrepreneur the ability to visualize the journey ahead. Aha to Exit is composed of 10 steps, and it identifies the process beginning with the innovator’s idea — this is a tool to control the process. This process is applicable to a wide range of entrepreneurship: small business development, research transitioning into products and scalable technology-driven start-ups. The process and teaching aspects will be presented. The workshop will be headed by Mr. Aram Chavez, creator of the map, angel investor, and lecturer at Arizona State University. Dr. Steve T. Cho, former engineering executive with 28 years of experience in six industries and currently a lecturer at Arizona State University, will be the other workshop leader. Workshop participants will walk away with a new approach/framework for teaching entrepreneurship, as well as access to required tools (including the map, videos and lectures). The workshop will also include a lively debate on the tactics presented since they challenge conventional approaches.