THE FIELD GUIDE · EDITION 01

Better business ideas
begin with better questions.

Build a business model you can understand at a glance. Explore nine essential questions, learn from one complete example, and turn your own idea into a one-page Lean Canvas.

9 essential boxes1 printable pagePractical, step-by-step lessons
How this book works

Learn it. Write it. Test it.

Understand the boxes

Each chapter explains a single question in plain English, with practical examples and the mistakes to avoid.

Make a one-page plan

Use the editable canvas, see the nine pieces together, save your progress, and print a clean landscape page.

Test what matters

Translate assumptions into interviews, small experiments, and real evidence—not guesswork.

Pick a path

The goal is not a perfect first draft. The goal is a useful, testable first draft. Your canvas should change as you learn more about customers, pricing, delivery, and costs.

The Lean Canvas, developed by Ash Maurya, is a one-page way to describe the assumptions behind a business idea. It is adapted from the Business Model Canvas. The nine main boxes show the logic of how an idea could create value, reach people, and sustain itself financially.

The Lean Canvas name and underlying framework belong to their respective creators. See the credits and sources for attribution.