Certificate Program for Consultants and Coaches
Are you ready to help startups and companies boost the economy?
Five online sessions
February 15th to March 1st, 2021
The opportunity
The world is struggling with the pandemic, and businesses are forced to find new opportunities stemming from their core. In a time like this, there is a huge opportunity for those who want to actively help startups and companies survive and thrive.
It is therefore not surprising that we are seeing a massive increase in the use of the Market Opportunity Navigator and the value that it brings to managers seeking new revenue streams (See for example this VentureBeat article by Steve Blank).
If you are a consultant interested in mastering the Market Opportunity Navigator framework and applying it effectively – either for yourself or for your clients- this program is for you.
The program
Identifying and prioritizing market opportunities is a crucial and ongoing process throughout the life of a business, yet it is often one of the most challenging tasks that managers face when striving to grow their company. Relying too often on luck or intuition, this challenge calls for systematic frameworks and tools that allow managers to make an informed strategic choice and align their team around it.
This program presents the “Market Opportunity Navigator” – a new business tool which has recently been adopted for the Lean toolset by Steve Blank. It provides a wide-lens perspective to find different potential market domains for the business, by covering three key questions:
- Which market opportunities exist for us?
Identifying market opportunities stemming from the company’s core competencie - Which market opportunities are most attractive for us?
Evaluating possible opportunities systematically - Which market opportunities should we focus on?
Designing a clear focus and a strategic roadmap.
Using real-life examples, we will thoroughly explain the business tool and its dedicated worksheets, show how it complements other tools (such as the Business Model Canvas and Customer Discovery), and provide practical information and tailored resources to best implement it in your own settings.
Who is it for?
This certificate program will be a great fit if you are a consultant that wants to:
- Develop your own unique value proposition and adapt your services to the digital space.
- Practice a simple but effective methodology to leverage key resources, align decision makers, and bring results.
- Engage and support your clients in reassessing their strategy and finding new growth engines.
The certificate program is open to professionals from any sector and background.
What you will learn
By the end of the program you will be able to:
- Identify new market opportunities beyond the existing boundaries of a company
- Evaluate market opportunities systematically and define the best ones to pursue
- Get prospective clients realise the value and benefits of a comprehensive, systematic analysis
- Enrich and update your Lean toolset and present consulting services that can be delivered online
- Conduct workshops and online sessions with the tailored ‘Where to Play’ resources
- Help clients survive the economic crisis of Covid-19
The modules
The program runs along the course of three weeks, with five online meetings of two hours each, and requires your work in between the sessions. Towards the ending of the course, you will also be able to set a 1:1 meeting of 30 mins with the co-author to check your progress and evaluate results.
Monday Feb 15, 17:00-19:00 CET
In this module, we will discuss the importance for start-ups and corporates to adopt a structured discovery process for identifying and prioritizing market opportunities. We will then dive into the first step of the tool: “Identifying market opportunities”, with a dedicated worksheet and multiple examples.
What you will learn:
- Why should you look before you leap (Research background)
- The importance of shifting from industries to arenas
- How to apply Worksheet 1 of the Market Opportunity Navigator
- Three examples from different industries and business stages
- Working with the Market Opportunity Navigator Web Application
- Tips, pitfalls and common mistakes in generating your Market Opportunity Set
- Practical exercises to master the framework
Wednesday Feb 17, 17:00-19:00 CET
In this module we will present a systematic evaluation process to assess and compare a varied set of opportunities. Applying the dedicated worksheets (i.e. step 2 and 3 of the Market Opportunity Navigator), we will show multiple examples and explain how ventures can design a smart strategic focus.
What you will learn:
- How to apply Worksheet 2 of the Market Opportunity Navigator
- The common challenges and pitfalls when assessing the attractiveness of market opportunities
- How to manage focus and flexibility with real options (Research background)
- How to apply Worksheet 3 of the Market Opportunity Navigator
- The Implications of having an Agile Focus Strategy
- Different examples from various industries and stages
- Practical exercises to master the framework
Monday Feb 22, 17:00-19:00 CET
During this module, we will wrap up the ‘how’ part with a few additional examples, and a peer-to-peer feedback session on your own projects. Then, we will discuss how the process complements and reinforces the Lean Startup toolset, and how it can be adapted to help social ventures figure out ‘where to impact’.
What you will learn:
- Giving and receiving peer-to-peer feedback on your own project
- The main challenges in applying the Market Opportunity Navigator
- How this framework interacts with other tools from the Lean toolset (Where to play’ before ‘how to play’)
- The relevance of Design Thinking and the Market Opportunity Navigator
- How to assess social/ environmental impact prior to market entry and add it to your set of considerations
Wednesday Feb 24, 17:00-19:00 CET
This module discusses different formats of application in small and large companies, and presents a wealth of free supporting materials to help you adopt and apply the framework effectively and efficiently.
What you will learn:
- How to run different workshops with your clients
- How to facilitate a full ‘Where to Play’ process
- Working with large enterprises vs startups
- The pros and cons of using the Navigator online and offline
- Supporting resources, including videos, webinars, slide decks and guides
Monday Mar 1, 17:00-19:00 CET
This last module will focus on your brand and offering: how can you leverage this new expertise to enrich your service portfolio, attract new clients, and grow your business.
What you will learn:
- Inside stories from business consultants (Guest lecturer tbd)
- How to attract and engage clients: The 30-day media kit that can help differentiate your consultancy service
- Our ongoing support and possible collaborations
You will also be added to the Where To Play closed LinkedIn group of certified consultants.
Throughout the program, you will be able to set a 30 mins meeting with your coach – Sharon, to get first hand support on your progress, feedback and advice. Time slots will be published separately.
Overview
This certification program runs online along the course of three weeks, with five meetings of two hours each, and requires you to work in between the sessions. You will also be able to set a 1:1 meeting of 30 mins with the co-author to check progress and evaluate results.
Date and times
Module 1: Monday Feb 15, 17:30-19:30 CET
Module 2: Wednesday Feb 17, 17:30-19:30 CET
Module 3: Monday Feb 22, 17:30-19:30 CET
Module 4: Wednesday Feb 24, 17:30-19:30 CET
Module 5: Monday, Mar 1, 17:30-19:30 CET
We will use:
- Zoom
- The Market Opportunity Navigator Web App
- LinkedIn closed group
Investment
Early Bird: 750 euros (Until Jan 15)
Regular: 850 euros (Until Jan 31)
Availability: Up to 18 people
Meet your coaches
Sharon and Marc created the Market Opportunity Navigator and co-authored the complementing book ‘Where to Play‘ based on hundreds of cases that they studied during their practical and academic work.
What others say about this program
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“This was an insightful session where you come to learn new ways for enhancing entrepreneurial processes. The content of this workshop goes beyond identifying opportunities for ventures to discover opportunities within one self. This is a remarkable experience that I’m eager to share with my community.”
Dr Sara Abdulaziz Alshareef (Saudi Arabia) – KAU
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“The Market Opportunity Navigator’s Methodology has a lot of support research, relevant experiments and easy to follow. It’s simple but not simplistic. The program was brilliantly conducted and organized to provide us with a lot of “Aha!” moments. It was super well designed, since the 1st email to the last contact. Everything was held with professionalism and kindness.”
Luiz Lemos (Brasil) – Therabiz
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“I recommend this course for all consultants that want to support business managers who seek new market opportunities to sustain future business growth. Very well structured, simplified and applicable way to identify, evaluate and select potential customer segments. Highly recommended for product development teams to synchronise opinions and build common understanding about strategic directions and unused opportunities.”
Dāvids Štēbelis (Latvia) – Management Service Company