Startup Strategy and Goals: A One-Page Plan
Startup strategy doesn’t need a long document. It needs a short, clear answer to who you serve, what you will win on, and what you won’t do, turned into a few goals each quarter that everyone can repeat.
What should a startup strategy include?
Who the customer is, the problem you solve, why you will win against the alternatives, the one priority for the next quarter, and what you won’t do. Fit it on one page and update it each quarter. Who the customer is and how you position against alternatives are covered in the ideal customer profile and competitor positioning analysis.
| Plan | |
|---|---|
| Customer | Mid-size 3PLs, 50 to 500 staff, in North America |
| Problem | Peak-season routing done in spreadsheets |
| Why we win | Live in two weeks, built for 3PL lanes |
| Priority | Close 6 mid-market customers |
| Not doing | Enterprise RFPs, Europe, a mobile app |
How should a small team set goals?
Three to five company goals a quarter, each with a number and an owner, all serving the priority. OKRs work if you keep them few and measurable; a simple list of goals works just as well. Review them weekly and score them honestly at quarter end.
| Goal | Owner | Target | Status |
|---|---|---|---|
| Close 6 mid-market customers | CEO | 6 | 4 |
| Onboarding in 14 days | Head of CS | 14 days | 16 |
| Hire VP Sales | CEO | Signed offer | Finalists |
How do you decide what not to do?
List the tempting things you are choosing not to do this quarter and why: a big but off-strategy customer, a new market, a feature for one prospect. Share the list. It gives the team permission to say no, and it is where most strategy actually happens. Decision rules are covered in decision-making.
How does strategy reach the team?
Each team turns the company goals into its own few goals, reviewed in the weekly rhythm described in the operating cadence. The CEO repeats the priority until people are tired of hearing it; communication is covered in culture and communication.
Strategy is what you say no to.
Most startups die of doing too many things, not of choosing the wrong one.
What should you write this week?
- Write the one-page plan, with a not-doing list.
- Pick the one priority for the quarter.
- Set three to five goals with owners and numbers.
- Share it with the team and the board.
- Review progress weekly; rewrite the page each quarter.
Protect time for the priority: CEO time and priorities.
Frequently asked questions
What should a startup strategy include?
The customer, the problem, why you win, the quarter’s priority and what you won’t do, on one page.
Should startups use OKRs?
If kept few and measurable. Three to five company goals with owners and numbers work just as well.
How often should a startup update its strategy?
Review weekly and rewrite each quarter, unless evidence forces a change sooner.
What is a not-doing list?
A written list of tempting things the company is choosing not to do this quarter, and why.
How many goals should a startup have?
One priority and three to five supporting goals per quarter.
How do you share strategy with the team?
Share the one-page plan, repeat the priority often and review goals weekly.