Founder problem

How does the BusinessBuilder method work?

Nine blocks, 36 relationships and three traps: how BusinessBuilder reads a small business, the research behind it, and two researched case studies.

What is usually going on

The method reads how the nine parts of a business model fit together, rather than scoring each part on its own, and looks for the three structural traps: price, holdup and fragility.

Read with the book

Chapter 9 (nine blocks, 36 relationships), with Part I (value innovation). The Founder’s Trap →

What the research says

Across 96 small manufacturers, several different combinations were associated with high performance, and pursuing too many business-model themes at once was linked with weaker growth.Limits: Italian manufacturers; association, not cause.Campagnolo, D., Gianecchini, M. & Mosca, L. (2024). Configurations of business model themes and strategies in small firms: a qualitative comparative analysis. Journal of Management and Governance, 28(3).Read the research →

More studies, with their limits, are on the Research & Evidence page.

Cases to read

Researched caseKoalaA redesigned purchase and the business behind it.Read the summary →

Researched caseWho Gives A CrapAn everyday product funding a larger purpose.Read the summary →

Explore the Business Model Canvas → Read the book summary → Research & Evidence →

Your next step

If this sounds like your business, a Snapshot Review (A$249, including the book) provides an independent view of how your business fits together, where pressure is concentrated, and what to test first. It is delivered within two business days of receiving your Intake Form.

Explore the Snapshot Review

General information and educational insight only; not financial, legal, tax, strategic or professional advice.