Profit is the supreme metric from which all other metrics are
derived. Once I'd learned that and exited the big company I
re-entered the startup game as a participant. I was spoiled by a
plethora of data at PatientFocus that allowed for really robust
testing of the machine learning system we affectionately called
"Mike" after the AI in Heinlein's The Moon is a Harsh Mistress.
Automated testing and rebuilding of the models on a daily cycle
really allowed me to hone my lean skills, although I'd internalized
them to the point where I wasn't always using the terminology in a
way the business totally understood.
Fast forward to today when I'm working on building my second
SaaS startup in much less data-rich environment. The founders,
Gary & Robbie, are really well read and recommended that I
finally go read Eric Ries' book. Gary often has the same read-a-book-about-it
approach to learning that suits me as well. I was not disappointed
revisiting Reis' ideas with more startup experience under my belt.
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