In the introduction I briefly introduce myself, explain the objective of the masterclass, who's it for and how to best work through the masterclass to get the most out of it.

In this chapter I introduce the Business Model Mechanism (BMM), which consists of several steps that I describe in detail with examples. I explain how you can identify the BMM for your business model and represent it visually for you. The BMM represents the individual functioning of your business model and is the basis for all further chapters in the Masterclass. As exercises for this chapter, you will determine all the components of your individual BMM step by step.

In this chapter I introduce the Business Model DNA (BMDNA), which describes the Business Model Mechanism (BMM) from the previous chapter as a list of metrics that I call the DNA of the business model. I explain in detail and with examples how to identify the individual list of metrics (DNA) of a business model in three steps. The exercises for this chapter then consist of identifying the individual DNA of your business model and its potential variants.

In this chapter, I describe the two main business objectives of profitability and growth. I explain in detail which targets are used to determine whether you are on the right path to achieving your business goals. We also talk about how business goals can typically change over the course of the business. To do this, I provide an overview of the most common combinations of objectives and describe their possible advantages and disadvantages. The exercise for this chapter consists of determining the current business objective, the associated targets and the appropriate strategy over time.

In this chapter, I show that the individual metrics of the BMDNA have an individual influence on business goals. We will see how to identify the most important key metrics of your business model with a simple factor analysis and how to draw various conclusions about the functioning of your own business model mechanism based on these key metrics. This is the basis for a targeted optimization or change (pivot) of the business model. For better understanding, I show a B2C and a B2B example. The exercises for this chapter consist of identifying your key metrics in relation to the individual objective with the help of the simple factor analysis and possible adjustment / optimization of the business model through a targeted pivot.

In this chapter we will look at the typical development of the target variables for the company's goals over time. We will see how to determine the current status quo of your business, both in the case that your are already active in the market and in the case that you are still in the idea or development phase before entering the market. In both cases you need appropriate data sources and therefore I list the most typical data sources and procedures, as experience shows that it is often unclear how to obtain suitable data and benchmarks, especially before market entry. If you then use the data to determine your own status quo, different scenarios can arise, which we will look at in detail. As an exercise, it is necessary to determine the appropriate data sources and concrete measurement or estimated values for your metrics of the business model DNA and then calculate or estimate the status quo of your company.

In this chapter, we will assess the chances of success as well as the opportunities and risks by carrying out a data-based assessment of the best possible values of the target variables for the selected business goal. Depending on the result of this assessment, your business model may look promising or risky. We will therefore look at the most typical scenarios and clarify what you can do if it looks strongly like the business goal cannot be achieved or at least sounds very unlikely. As an exercise, you assess the opportunities and risks of your business model. Depending on the result, it either looks directly promising or you choose one or more of the options for action introduced in this chapter if your business model seems too risky or there is strong potential for optimization.

In this chapter, I explain an iterative methodology based on the Lean Startup principle, how to get from the status quo to the achievement of the business goals as quickly and efficiently as possible. We combine the Lean Analytics approach with the Business Model DNA (BMDNA) to optimize the business model in a very focused and data-based step-by-step manner. To do this, we use a management dashboard with the metrics of the BMDNA. I show, with the help of two examples (B2C and B2B), how to successfully use the Management Dashboard in practice. As an exercise for this chapter, you will create the management dashboard for your company and, if necessary, start the lean analytics process based on your BMNDA.

We will learn in this chapter how to use BMDNA as the basis for a data-based circumstantial evidence to convince yourself, your team and external investors of the success of your business model. We will see how this approach works in detail and what advantages it has. In addition, I will introduce the so-called "backward calculation", which makes it possible to quickly assess a business model. This calculation is also often used by investors when they listen to a start-up pitch. For a better understanding, I will explain this procedure again using the two well-known examples (B2C and B2B). As an exercise for this chapter, you create the circumstantial evidence for your business model by working out the corresponding data-based plans and corresponding argumentation chains. In addition, you carry out a backward calculation for a goal you have defined and evaluate the result.

In this chapter I briefly show that the approaches presented in this Masterclass can also be integrated into financial planning. Thus, both the own business model mechanism and the individual metrics of the business model DNA are included in the financial planning together with the corresponding plans. Such a financial plan has certain advantages over classical financial plans and can serve as a simulator for different scenarios as well as for the targeted navigation of the company. I will explain the exact procedure in detail in an upcoming masterclass. Alternatively, until then, you can attend my workshop "BMDNA-based financial planning".

In the last chapter, I summarize the most important concepts of my Masterclass. The methods and approaches presented with the Business Model DNA (BMDNA) represent a usefull guideline that will support you in all phases of your business. In an early phase to find out the key metrics of your business model and to weigh different variants of your business idea against each other or to improve them through pivots. In the implementation phase to attract investors and to quickly and efficiently achieve your business goals and to document them for reporting and controlling. In a late phase of your business, when perhaps even a sale is pending, the metrics of BMDNA can support you in arguing for a further success story and also a higher company value.