The Back of the Napkin Challenge - Update Two

New Twists to The Back of the Napkin Challenge

This is the second update on my personal challenge to launch a new project, product, or service using the methodology in Dan Roam’s book, The Back of the Napkin - Solving Problems and Selling Ideas with Pictures.

To see how I got to this point in The Challenge read:
1.    The back of the Napkin Challenge
2.    The Back of the Napkin Challenge Update One

Problems with Me
I am having a hell of a time trying to Implement Dan Roam’s methodology. Surprisingly, the problem isn’t the methodology. It’s me. My habits are calcified.

I have my own peculiar way of doing things which is very comfortable and successful for me. While trying to work through the process, my brain keeps screaming at me in a really whiny voice, “this isn’t the way we always do things. This is hard! I want to do things the old way.”

Concessions to My Brain
Although, I had every intention of following the book in a linear fashion, I am going to make some concessions to my brain and finish the challenge using Dan’s methodology following a crazy crooked path. My brain will be happy and I will be productive. That’s the plan anyways.

In the end, I will still launch a new project, product, or service using the methodology but I’ll do it by jumping ahead, looping back, zigging then zagging, starting at the end, and finishing at the beginning.

Where is The Challenge at?

After completing the first round of looking, I ended up with 34 note cards with ideas that fit within the quadrant online/business. Obviously, 34 note cards scrawled with potential projects is far too many. Time to narrow down the contenders.

Next step is Seeing. According to Dan, Seeing = Selecting and clumping.

I saw, then I clumped. The cards fell into three basic groupings: Standalone Projects, Project Tasks, and Processes. I kept 11 cards that represented standalone projects and eliminated the rest.

We Have a Challenge Winner

Within the standalone projects the cards fell into four groups. One became the winner.

Group 1 - Further develop Curious Business using the methodology. Going the process of applying the methodology would be beneficial but I don’t feel that there is a enough benefit at this point.

I have clearly mapped out my long term strategies for Curious Business. Revisiting my plans in six months and reviewing them through the methodology will have more benefit. I’m putting this one on the back burner.

Group 2 - Create a video series. I chose not to do the video series mainly because doing video scares me. I mean really scares me! Video is an integral part of my plans for Curious Business but I am going to play chicken in the meantime. Whew!

Group 3 - Develop domains. I have two websites VallartaBlog and MexicanFoodie which are hobby blogs that could easily be developed into businesses. I also have a number of quality domains registered for specific projects that I plan to launch. Developing the domains is my second choice for this challenge.

Group 4 - Help someone start a business. **The big winner!** Over the weekend, I was telling a friend about how I set up the challenge for myself. As we continued talking, he mentioned some ideas for a business that he’d like to start but he was uncertain about how to go about doing it.

The idea lightbulb flashed on in my head. I could help him launch his business and we’ll do it following the methodology from The Back of the Napkin. I’m a genius.

Fortunately, he feels that I am a genius too. In a few days, I will formally launch the next phase of the challenge. Things are going to get more interesting now. I’ll keep you posted.

Photo: grypso banana prune

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Tagged as: business startup, challenge, problem solving, visual thinking