The document describes the evolution and growth of The Muse, a career site founded by Kathryn Minshew. It started with a quick launch in September 2011, and went through several iterations based on user testing and feedback. An important lesson was that their college friends' approval did not indicate true market demand. The site now sees 800,000 monthly users, up from early iterations that struggled to gain traction. The presentation emphasizes lean startup principles like starting small, continuous testing and iteration, creating velocity, and not relying on hype for success.

1. Evolution to Awesome
Launch Lean & Track Everything
Kathryn Minshew
Founder & CEO, The Muse
@kmin / @dailymuse
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2. This Is What I Do
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3. But It Didn’t Always Look
Like That
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4. It Was An Evolution to
Awesome
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5. A Quick Launch
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6. Launch: September 6, 2011
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7. Testing Appetite for Jobs
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8. Let’s fast
forward to
January
2012
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9. 1
5
It was a lot
of features 2 6
to build
7
3
4
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10. February 7, 2012:
the Reality Check
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11. February 7, 2012 + 4 hours:
the All-Nighter
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12. We
needed to
Simplify
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13. Launch v2:
February
22, 2012
(2 weeks later)
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14. Collect Data Like It’s Your Job
(Hint: It Is)
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15. Give users a way to talk back
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16. 16

17. Monthly UVs
800000
Watch for 600000
Growth 400000
Launch of
The Muse
200000
0
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18. And then
iterate,
iterate,
iterate
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19. Tweet: @kmin / @dailymuse / #leanstartup themuse.com

20. Tweet: @kmin / @dailymuse / #leanstartup themuse.com

21. Your college roommate’s
approval does not mean
market demand
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22. Tip #1:
Start Somewhere
(or: Start-ups Are Like Monopoly,
You Can’t Win If You Don’t Pass Go)
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23. Tip #2:
Test Everything
(But Know What Your Key Metrics Are)
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24. Tip #3:
Iterate Like Mad
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25. Tip #4:
Create Velocity
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26. Tip #5:
Don’t Believe The Hype
(or: TechCrunch does not = success)
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27. 1. Start Somewhere
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28. 2. Test Everything
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29. 3. Iterate Like Mad
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30. 4. Create Velocity
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31. 5. Don’t Believe The Hype
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32. For More Startup Tips,
visit thedailymuse.com
Want
to
be
a
Start-­‐up
Founder?
Here’s
What
to
Do
Now
Tell
Me
What
You
Think!
4
Great
Ways
to
Get
User
Feedback
5
Steps
to
Finding
Investors
for
Your
Start-­‐up
WriKng
a
Business
Plan?
4
Common
Mistakes
to
Avoid
What
You
Need
to
Know
About
Trademarking
Your
Business
The
Control
Freak’s
Guide
to
DelegaKng
What
Should
We
Call
Me?
6
Steps
to
Naming
Your
Company
4
Steps
to
CreaKng
an
Amazing
Pitch
Deck
…and
thousands
more
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