Lean Startups for Social Change The Revolutionary Path to Big Impact

For years, the lean startup has been revolutionizing both new and established businesses. In this eye-opening book, serial social entrepreneur Michel Gelobter shows how it can do the same for nonprofits.

Traditionally, whether creating a new business or a new program, entrepreneurs in all sectors develop a plan, find money to fund it, and pursue it to its conclusion. The problem is, over time conditions can change drastically—but you’re locked into your plan. The lean startup is all about agility and flexibility. Its mantra is “build, measure, learn”: create small experimental initiatives, quickly get real-world feedback on them, and use that data to expand what works and discard what doesn’t.

Using dozens of social sector examples, Gelobter walks you through the process. The standard approach wastes time and money. The lean startup will help your organization vastly increase the good it does.

Michel Gelobter is the founder and chairman of Cooler Inc., a for-profit social venture that helps businesses and consumers reduce greenhouse gas pollution. He was formerly director of environmental quality for New York City, director of the Program on Environmental Policy at Columbia University, CEO of Redefining Progress, a cofounder of BuildingEnergy.com, chief green officer for Hara, and senior advisor to the Packard Foundation.

1. Introduction--Lean Startups and Social Change
2. Defining the Lean Start-up for Social Change
3. The Difference a Sector Makes: Lean Startups for Profit vs. for Social Change
4. Discovery, Part 1: Best Guesses
5. Discovery, Part 2: Get Ready, Get Set
6. Discovery, Part 3: Get Out of the Building!
7. Validation – The Path to Big
8. Value AND Growth: Building the Lean Organization
9. Conclusion