New Business Road Test, The

John Mullins is a veteran of three entrepreneurial ventures and a professor at the London Business School where he teaches and studies entrepreneurship, venture capital, and the management of rapidly growing businesses. He holds an MBA from the Stanford Graduate School of Business and a PhD in marketing from the University of Minnesota. He is co-author of three other books including the widely acclaimed Getting to Plan B: Breaking Through to a Better Business Model.

• PART 1: Road test your new business idea 1 Our opportunity: why will or won’t this work? 2 Will the fish bite? 3 Is this an attractive market? 4 Is this an attractive industry? 5 Competitive and economic sustainability: how long can we dance? 6 What drives your entrepreneurial or investment dream? 7 Can you and your team execute? 8 Your connections matter: which matter most? 9 Develop your opportunity: put the seven domains to work 10 What entrepreneurs and investors should do before pressing ‘Start’ PART 2: A toolkit for your road test 11 How to learn what you don’t know you don’t know 12 Who needs investors? 13 Market analysis worksheet 14 Industry analysis checklist 15 Do-it-yourself marketing research for your new business road test 16 Evidence-based forecasting 17 Have you got what it takes? 18 Getting help with your road test