Steve Blank

Steve Blank is a professional author, teacher, serial entrepreneur and renowned speaker. He is the author of several books and the co-founder of the popular Lean Startup movement, which has revolutionized the way people think and approach business. Blank is an avid proponent of customer development, which relies on understanding customer behavior, needs and values to inform business decisions.

Blank began his career as an entrepreneur in the early 80s. He started up, ran and sold eight Silicon Valley startups. His startups included supercomputer company Zilog, semiconductor maker Convergent Technologies, video game console maker Rocket Science Games, and Rocket Medical Devices.

Blank’s career as an author began in 2003 when he published his first book, The Four Steps to the Epiphany. This book, along with other books authored by Blank, are considered some of the most influential works in business and technology. In The Four Steps to the Epiphany, Blank lays out his famous “Customer Development Process”, which advises entrepreneurs to focus on understanding their customers instead of writing business plans.

In 2011, Blank co-founded the Lean Startup movement with Eric Ries. The Lean Startup is an approach to creating and managing organizations which puts rapid experimentations, iterative product releases and validated learning at the core of their activity. This approach has since been adopted by millions of entrepreneurs and organizations, revitalizing the concept of entrepreneurship and leading to many new business successes.

Blank has received numerous awards and accolades for inspiring both Silicon Valley and a new generation of entrepreneurs. He has taught entrepreneurship at Stanford and U.C. Berkeley, and also founded several educational companies. He was named a champion at the Silicon Valley Association for Startups, Entrepreneurship and Innovation and inducted into the Entrepreneur Hall of Fame at USC Marshall.

Blank has authored quite a few books, including The Startup Owner’s Manual, The Lean Entrepreneur, and The Mobile Manifesto. The Startup Owner’s Manual is the go-to guide for anyone interested in the steps necessary to build a successful startup. The Lean Entrepreneur and The Mobile Manifesto lay out a framework for creating an effective and efficient mobile-first business strategy.

Most recently, Blank authored The Startup Success Manifold and The Dog Training Method. The Startup Success Manifold is a comprehensive look at the factors that contribute to startup success. It serves as an invaluable resource for entrepreneurs, helping them understand the ins and outs of launching and sustaining an innovative venture. The Dog Training Method explores how to build a team that is driven, passionate and capable of headstrong execution.

Blank’s desire to help entrepreneurs around the world has inspired the creation of organizations such as the National Center for Entrepreneurship and Innovation, where he serves as the executive chairman. He has also been featured on numerous media outlets, including CNN, Fox, PBS, Forbes and Wired.

Whether starting a company from scratch, navigating the complexities of transforming an existing business or developing a new product, Blank’s insights, advice and stories are a valuable resource for budding entrepreneurs around the globe.