Amazon.com: Customer Reviews: The Four Steps to the Epiphany

Top positive review

5 people found this helpful

Novel and methodical approach to startups!

ByArvind Devarajanon July 12, 2015

The book is good and interesting. Steve gets all his experience on the table, and makes a wonderful case for "Customer development" and "Product development" going in parallel. I have been through a launch of a product, and much of what he mentions in the book have also been my reasons for failure - and that's truly insightful! Many of the situations in the book has had happened in my case - primarily because we've been majorly "product development"- centric and worked on "customer development" after the product had reached the MVP state - when we figured out that things don't work the way customers like.

Also, the examples and case-studies in the book are very nice. Some of them, I can already identify with (Eg: SUN's great start), and many I knew not - but still very apt. Postmortem on failures is a very nice way of explaining way to succeed, and Steve does a good job at it!

Some parts of the book becomes a little monotonous to read. I see some repetitions, and some very obscure text. I could actually skip some pages in between, and still get a gist of the chapters. This is the reason for 4/5 stars.

What I would also appreciate is some stories on "success" stories of startups whose founders have read this book, and have actually applied the methods explained in there. Such stories adds that extra supportive information, and first-hand accounts of success based on this book. I believe future editions of this book might contain such stories...

Top critical review

See all 17 critical reviews›

23 people found this helpful

Some value, but not worth the time investment

ByBarry Smithon November 4, 2011

I'm very sure that Steven Blank wrote this book with the best of intentions. I even think that he's a smart guy who's had success in advising companies. As an experienced product manager myself, I empathize with the author's war stories and obvious experience.

Unfortunately I find this book to be poorly organized, and worse, sometimes self-contradictory. As the most glaring example, Blank describes the "Customer Discovery Process" as a process of creating testable hypotheses regarding customers and markets, with the goal being to "...understand your customer and their problems, and while doing so get a deep understanding of their business, their organization, and their product needs." Yet he also repeatedly champions what is essentially the opposite approach: "...your purpose in talking to customers is to find customers for the product you are already building."

My frustration with this book is that there's actually some very good content here. But given the lack of a well-articulated guiding thesis, let alone the confusingly contrary advice, it's hard to get the good stuff out. Having read the positive reviews of the book, I can only think that those readers have managed to carefully extract some useful segments and ignored much of the rest. (Or, that as an in-person consultant, Blank is much more effective than as a writer.)

If you're an executive, manager or front line employee in a startup, I'd recommend other books that offer more bang for the buck. Start with Geoffrey Moore's "Crossing the Chasm" and Eric Ries' "The Lean Startup" (if you haven't read them already). Those will give you an excellent understanding of the startup landscape, and a much clearer roadmap to follow.

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Fundamental read

ByFernandofon May 23, 2017

Format: Kindle EditionVerified Purchase

Too much software entrepreneurship, but this is a fundamental read.
Keep as a guide for future action, in case you build a startup.

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Excellent book

Bymaximo haltyon May 4, 2017

Format: Kindle EditionVerified Purchase

Great book, very easy to read and with great tips

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Too many words

ByCinquainon April 27, 2017

Format: HardcoverVerified Purchase

The book is wordy, covers too many topics, and gets carried away in too much little details. The writing is poor and the essence is not condensed into easy to remember principles. I would not recommend this book, save your time and money.

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customer market assessment before product development

ByJohn Mcphersonon February 21, 2017

Format: PaperbackVerified Purchase

Starting up a new company after being part of previous corporate product launches startup product is really different because you do not have the deep pockets and latitude for mistakes basically one shot deal you mess up and there goes your reputation.
This book confirmed a lot of what we were doing right and gave strategies and ideas for things that are less common.
We all know and realize for a product to be successful someone has to want - that whole supply and demand thing.
The one product launch case out of a lot of people telling us its a great idea, and the reasons they did not think it was for them so included those in the design and even still the response is less than spectacular - glad more money was not invested into that product and we verified the market.
The next business product launch we redirected to conduct careful market study and basically the response was how it was not for them but how they could use the product - BINGO!! we had our customers and market niche, now it became full on product focus verses before was product and then customer which is not bad, but the latter has better results.

this book is a must have for anyone thinking about putting a new product out there scope you customer and market first, then identify competition because you may find you have to work with your competitors than against them.

Best of luck to all entrepreneurs out there... and always question the so called experts.

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Fantastic Book for entrepreneurs and company builders

ByAaron B. Mcdanielon January 14, 2017

Format: Kindle EditionVerified Purchase

I would recommend Steve Blank's other book The Startup Owners Manual for those just starting out on a ventures and this book once you have started to find product-market fit and need t determine what to do next

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Number one book to read on entrepreneurialism

ByWill Szalon January 4, 2017

Format: HardcoverVerified Purchase

If you can practice the principles outlined in this book, you'll be a successful entrepreneur [unlike most books of this sort].

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Fresh thinking

ByBryanon December 29, 2016

Format: Kindle EditionVerified Purchase

I like that he's businesslike, to the point and acerbic in his prescriptions. Worth reading. Read from cover to cover.

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Value for Your Money

ByRodger Hamiltonon December 18, 2016

Format: HardcoverVerified Purchase

This book by far exceeded my expectations. Rich content.

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Five Stars

ByAmazon Customeron November 13, 2016

Format: HardcoverVerified Purchase

A must have for entrepreneurs; especially first timers.

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A Must Read Book to anyone who want to learn Customer Development and Lean Start Up

ByGilSon November 7, 2016

Format: HardcoverVerified Purchase

An excellent introduction to anyone who wants to implement the Customer Development and Lean Startup. The book clearly explain the theory and the incentive for it. Next, you will be able start practicing with companion (and more practical) books such business model generation (the canvas model), the The Startup Owner's Manual. my recommendation is also to find mentor on this area. Enjoy the book.