# How a business is born, grows and scales

> A process map exported from forks.world (https://forks.world). Author: forks.world community. Source: https://forks.world/p/cmv4qlli70005l706y1kpvtqy
> It describes who does what, in what order, and with which technology. Read the plain-language sections first; the JSON at the end is the exact, complete data.

## Summary

- 19 steps across 2 layers
- Persona: Founders, Customers and the market, Lawyers and accountants, Investors and lenders, The team, The running business

## How to read this file

- A process is made of **layers**. The main layer is the top level; any step of kind `subprocess` opens a detail layer with its own lanes and steps.
- **Lanes** are either persona (people/roles) or technology (systems). Each step belongs to one lane; `using` lists tools a person uses for that step.
- Step kinds: `start`, `task`, `decision` (its arrows carry the answer as a label), `subprocess`, `end`.

## How a business is born, grows and scales

Lanes:
- Founders: person / role (id `founder`)
- Customers and the market: person / role (id `market`)
- Lawyers and accountants: person / role (id `law`)
- Investors and lenders: person / role (id `money`)
- The team: person / role (id `team`)
- The running business: person / role (id `ops`)

Steps, in the order they run:

1. **Spot a problem worth solving** [subprocess; Founders; id `b0`], opens the detail layer "Is the problem real?"
   - then Does enough of the market care?
2. **Does enough of the market care?** [decision; Founders; id `b1`]
   - if "Yes" go to Set up the company and protect the idea; if "No" go to Spot a problem worth solving
3. **Set up the company and protect the idea** [subprocess; Lawyers and accountants; id `b2`], links to the published process "How to start an LLC and open for business" (https://forks.world/p/cmv21y4i4000cif06xklgkbt8; full text at https://forks.world/api/public/cmv21y4i4000cif06xklgkbt8/export)
   - then Protect what is new
4. **Protect what is new** [subprocess; Founders; id `b3`], links to the published process "How you get a patent for an invention" (https://forks.world/p/cmv21nx10002zl206ninh20ed; full text at https://forks.world/api/public/cmv21nx10002zl206ninh20ed/export)
   - then Build the first version and find the first customers
5. **Build the first version and find the first customers** [subprocess; Founders; id `b4`], links to the published process "Idea to customer: from a problem to a thriving product" (https://forks.world/p/cmv0ieh4v005ojw06nqht8zpy; full text at https://forks.world/api/public/cmv0ieh4v005ojw06nqht8zpy/export)
   - then Do customers keep using and paying?
6. **Do customers keep using and paying?** [decision; Customers and the market; id `b5`]
   - if "Yes" go to Fund the growth: savings, loans or venture capital; if "No" go to Build the first version and find the first customers
7. **Fund the growth: savings, loans or venture capital** [subprocess; Investors and lenders; id `b6`], links to the published process "How a startup raises venture capital" (https://forks.world/p/cmv21nu4j002al206oyn1bv9w; full text at https://forks.world/api/public/cmv21nu4j002al206oyn1bv9w/export)
   - then Hire the first team
8. **Hire the first team** [subprocess; The team; id `b7`], links to the published process "People: hire, onboard and grow the team" (https://forks.world/p/cmv4pv8ln000wjm06bjf77sx1; full text at https://forks.world/api/public/cmv4pv8ln000wjm06bjf77sx1/export)
   - then Run the day-to-day: sell, deliver, serve, bill, repeat
9. **Run the day-to-day: sell, deliver, serve, bill, repeat** [subprocess; The running business; id `b8`], links to the published process "The whole business on one page: prospect, sell, deliver, serve, bill, repeat" (https://forks.world/p/cmv4pva98001bjm06rsts829b; full text at https://forks.world/api/public/cmv4pva98001bjm06rsts829b/export)
   - then Sell more with a repeatable subscription engine
10. **Sell more with a repeatable subscription engine** [subprocess; The running business; id `b9`], links to the published process "How a subscription software company makes money" (https://forks.world/p/cmv21nwck002ul206rokimiab; full text at https://forks.world/api/public/cmv21nwck002ul206rokimiab/export)
   - then Is the business ready to scale?
11. **Is the business ready to scale?** [decision; Founders; id `b10`]
   - if "Yes" go to Raise a bigger round or go public; if "No" go to Run the day-to-day: sell, deliver, serve, bill, repeat
12. **Raise a bigger round or go public** [subprocess; Investors and lenders; id `b11`], links to the published process "How a company goes public with an IPO" (https://forks.world/p/cmv21ntm80025l2064owvw1on; full text at https://forks.world/api/public/cmv21ntm80025l2064owvw1on/export)
   - then Steer the whole company: plan, fund, report
13. **Steer the whole company: plan, fund, report** [subprocess; Founders; id `b12`], links to the published process "Leadership and finance: plan, fund and steer the business" (https://forks.world/p/cmv4pv9p80016jm067qxpnqd2; full text at https://forks.world/api/public/cmv4pv9p80016jm067qxpnqd2/export)
   - then Keep building it, and add your own steps here
14. **Keep building it, and add your own steps here** [end; Founders; id `b13`]

```mermaid
flowchart LR
  subgraph l_founder["Founders"]
    n_b0[["Spot a problem worth solving"]]
    n_b1{"Does enough of the market care?"}
    n_b3[["Protect what is new"]]
    n_b4[["Build the first version and find the first customers"]]
    n_b10{"Is the business ready to scale?"}
    n_b12[["Steer the whole company: plan, fund, report"]]
    n_b13(["Keep building it, and add your own steps here"])
  end
  subgraph l_market["Customers and the market"]
    n_b5{"Do customers keep using and paying?"}
  end
  subgraph l_law["Lawyers and accountants"]
    n_b2[["Set up the company and protect the idea"]]
  end
  subgraph l_money["Investors and lenders"]
    n_b6[["Fund the growth: savings, loans or venture capital"]]
    n_b11[["Raise a bigger round or go public"]]
  end
  subgraph l_team["The team"]
    n_b7[["Hire the first team"]]
  end
  subgraph l_ops["The running business"]
    n_b8[["Run the day-to-day: sell, deliver, serve, bill, repeat"]]
    n_b9[["Sell more with a repeatable subscription engine"]]
  end
  n_b0 --> n_b1
  n_b1 -->|"Yes"| n_b2
  n_b1 -->|"No"| n_b0
  n_b2 --> n_b3
  n_b3 --> n_b4
  n_b4 --> n_b5
  n_b5 -->|"Yes"| n_b6
  n_b5 -->|"No"| n_b4
  n_b6 --> n_b7
  n_b7 --> n_b8
  n_b8 --> n_b9
  n_b9 --> n_b10
  n_b10 -->|"Yes"| n_b11
  n_b10 -->|"No"| n_b8
  n_b11 --> n_b12
  n_b12 --> n_b13
```

### Is the problem real? (detail of step "Spot a problem worth solving")

Lanes:
- Founders: person / role (id `founder`)
- Customers and the market: person / role (id `market`)

Steps, in the order they run:

1. **Talk to 20 people who have the problem** [start; Founders; id `v1`]
   - then Describe what they do today, and what it costs them
2. **Describe what they do today, and what it costs them** [task; Customers and the market; id `v2`]
   - then Will they pay for a better way?
3. **Will they pay for a better way?** [decision; Founders; id `v3`]
   - if "Yes" go to Write down the problem in one sentence; if "No" go to Change the problem or the customer and ask again
4. **Write down the problem in one sentence** [end; Founders; id `v4`]
5. **Change the problem or the customer and ask again** [task; Founders; id `v5`]
   - then Talk to 20 people who have the problem

```mermaid
flowchart LR
  subgraph l_founder["Founders"]
    n_v1(["Talk to 20 people who have the problem"])
    n_v3{"Will they pay for a better way?"}
    n_v4(["Write down the problem in one sentence"])
    n_v5["Change the problem or the customer and ask again"]
  end
  subgraph l_market["Customers and the market"]
    n_v2["Describe what they do today, and what it costs them"]
  end
  n_v1 --> n_v2
  n_v2 --> n_v3
  n_v3 -->|"Yes"| n_v4
  n_v3 -->|"No"| n_v5
  n_v5 --> n_v1
```

## Full data (JSON)

```json
{
  "title": "How a business is born, grows and scales",
  "maps": {
    "m_root": {
      "id": "m_root",
      "lanes": [
        {
          "id": "founder",
          "name": "Founders",
          "type": "person"
        },
        {
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          "name": "Customers and the market",
          "type": "person"
        },
        {
          "id": "law",
          "name": "Lawyers and accountants",
          "type": "person"
        },
        {
          "id": "money",
          "name": "Investors and lenders",
          "type": "person"
        },
        {
          "id": "team",
          "name": "The team",
          "type": "person"
        },
        {
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          "name": "The running business",
          "type": "person"
        }
      ],
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          "child": "m_validate",
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          "next": [
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            }
          ],
          "uses": [],
          "label": "Does enough of the market care?"
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        {
          "id": "b2",
          "kind": "subprocess",
          "lane": "law",
          "link": {
            "id": "cmv21y4i4000cif06xklgkbt8",
            "scope": "public",
            "title": "How to start an LLC and open for business"
          },
          "next": [
            {
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          "uses": [],
          "label": "Set up the company and protect the idea"
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        {
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          "lane": "founder",
          "link": {
            "id": "cmv21nx10002zl206ninh20ed",
            "scope": "public",
            "title": "How you get a patent for an invention"
          },
          "next": [
            {
              "to": "b4"
            }
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          "uses": [],
          "label": "Protect what is new"
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        {
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          "kind": "subprocess",
          "lane": "founder",
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            "id": "cmv0ieh4v005ojw06nqht8zpy",
            "scope": "public",
            "title": "Idea to customer: from a problem to a thriving product"
          },
          "next": [
            {
              "to": "b5"
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          "uses": [],
          "label": "Build the first version and find the first customers"
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              "label": "Yes"
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            {
              "to": "b4",
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          "uses": [],
          "label": "Do customers keep using and paying?"
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        {
          "id": "b6",
          "kind": "subprocess",
          "lane": "money",
          "link": {
            "id": "cmv21nu4j002al206oyn1bv9w",
            "scope": "public",
            "title": "How a startup raises venture capital"
          },
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            "scope": "public",
            "title": "People: hire, onboard and grow the team"
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            }
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          "label": "Hire the first team"
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          "kind": "subprocess",
          "lane": "ops",
          "link": {
            "id": "cmv4pva98001bjm06rsts829b",
            "scope": "public",
            "title": "The whole business on one page: prospect, sell, deliver, serve, bill, repeat"
          },
          "next": [
            {
              "to": "b9"
            }
          ],
          "uses": [],
          "label": "Run the day-to-day: sell, deliver, serve, bill, repeat"
        },
        {
          "id": "b9",
          "kind": "subprocess",
          "lane": "ops",
          "link": {
            "id": "cmv21nwck002ul206rokimiab",
            "scope": "public",
            "title": "How a subscription software company makes money"
          },
          "next": [
            {
              "to": "b10"
            }
          ],
          "uses": [],
          "label": "Sell more with a repeatable subscription engine"
        },
        {
          "id": "b10",
          "kind": "decision",
          "lane": "founder",
          "next": [
            {
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              "label": "Yes"
            },
            {
              "to": "b8",
              "label": "No"
            }
          ],
          "uses": [],
          "label": "Is the business ready to scale?"
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        {
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          "kind": "subprocess",
          "lane": "money",
          "link": {
            "id": "cmv21ntm80025l2064owvw1on",
            "scope": "public",
            "title": "How a company goes public with an IPO"
          },
          "next": [
            {
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        },
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          "kind": "end",
          "lane": "founder",
          "next": [],
          "uses": [],
          "label": "Keep building it, and add your own steps here"
        }
      ],
      "title": "How a business is born, grows and scales",
      "parent": null
    },
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      "lanes": [
        {
          "id": "founder",
          "name": "Founders",
          "type": "person"
        },
        {
          "id": "market",
          "name": "Customers and the market",
          "type": "person"
        }
      ],
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          "lane": "founder",
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        },
        {
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          "kind": "task",
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            }
          ],
          "uses": [],
          "label": "Describe what they do today, and what it costs them"
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          "kind": "decision",
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            },
            {
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              "label": "No"
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          ],
          "uses": [],
          "label": "Will they pay for a better way?"
        },
        {
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          "kind": "end",
          "lane": "founder",
          "next": [],
          "uses": [],
          "label": "Write down the problem in one sentence"
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          "id": "v5",
          "kind": "task",
          "lane": "founder",
          "next": [
            {
              "to": "v1"
            }
          ],
          "uses": [],
          "label": "Change the problem or the customer and ask again"
        }
      ],
      "title": "Is the problem real?",
      "parent": {
        "map": "m_root",
        "step": "b0"
      }
    }
  }
}
```