karvifi/foundation/business-strategy

SKILL: Business Strategy

Purpose

Design a business strategy that is coherent, executable, and measurable — not just a vision.

Process

Step 1: Business Model Design (using Business Model Canvas)

Answer each block:

1. Customer Segments — Exactly who? (be specific)
2. Value Propositions — What specific problem solved? What gain created?
3. Channels — How do customers find, buy, receive value?
4. Customer Relationships — How is the relationship maintained?
5. Revenue Streams — How does money flow in? What do customers pay for?
6. Key Resources — What is essential to deliver the value?
7. Key Activities — What must be done to deliver the value?
8. Key Partnerships — Who do you need? What do you outsource?
9. Cost Structure — What are the main costs?

Step 2: Competitive Positioning

Porter's Five Forces assessment:

• Competitive rivalry (intensity)
• Supplier power
• Buyer power
• Threat of new entrants
• Threat of substitutes

Positioning strategy (choose ONE):

• Cost leadership (cheapest)
• Differentiation (most unique)
• Focus/niche (specific segment)

Step 3: Growth Strategy

Ansoff Matrix:

• Market penetration (existing product, existing market) — lowest risk
• Market development (existing product, new market)
• Product development (new product, existing market)
• Diversification (new product, new market) — highest risk

Step 4: Financial Model (unit economics first)

Key metrics to define:

• CAC (Customer Acquisition Cost)
• LTV (Customer Lifetime Value) — must be 3x CAC minimum
• Payback period
• Gross margin
• MRR/ARR growth rate (if subscription)
• Burn rate + runway (if startup)

Step 5: 12-Month Roadmap

Q1: Foundation (what must exist to start?) Q2: Traction (first paying customers + proof of concept) Q3: Scale (what needs to be built for growth?) Q4: Optimization (what can be improved from data?)

Step 6: Key Metrics Dashboard

North Star metric (ONE metric that drives everything) Supporting metrics (3-5 that feed the north star) Warning metrics (what signals a problem?)

Output

• Business Model Canvas (completed)
• Competitive positioning statement
• Growth strategy selection + rationale
• Unit economics model
• 12-month roadmap
• Metrics dashboard design

Quality checks

• [ ] Business model has a clear path to revenue
• [ ] LTV > 3x CAC
• [ ] North star metric is specific and measurable
• [ ] Roadmap is achievable (not fantasy)
• [ ] Risks identified and mitigated