The key to the Lean Startup craze we have been talking about the last few months may be just generational. The reason it maybe taking off is that the supporters grew up with Mario as their Icon. You remember Mario don’t you? Mario was created by Shigeru Miyamoto in his attempts to produce a best-selling video game for Nintendo. Shigeru originally wanted to use existing characters such as Popeye. 
Think about a Lean Startup plan outline by Eric Reis and the Customer Development stage explained by Steve Blank. Not that they copied Super Mario but maybe that is why it interest so many of the new entrepreneurs. Who did they grow up with? Mario! If you don’t believe me take a look at the Customer Development Plan depicted in Super Mario 64. I am telling you it is second nature for this generation. You don’t even need Venture Capitalist with this model. Doing it the old way with Popeye, you always had the spinach can, seed money per say to carry out his plan, right? Doing it the new way is to Fail Early and Fail Often, sounds a lot like Mario to me!
Customer Discovery: In Super Mario 64. Princess Peach sends Mario a letter inviting him to come to her castle for a cake she has baked for him; however, when he arrives, Mario discovers that Bowser has invaded the castle and imprisoned the princess and her servants within it using the power of the castle’s 120 Power Stars. Many of the castle’s paintings are portals to other worlds, in which Bowser’s minions keep watch over the stars
Customer Validation: Mario searches the castle for these portals to enter the worlds and recover the stars.
Customer Creation: He gains access to more rooms as he recovers more stars and traverses three obstacle courses leading to a battle with Bowser.
Scale Company: Defeating Bowser the first two times earns Mario a key for opening another level of the castle, while the final battle releases Peach, who rewards Mario by baking the cake that she had promised him.
If you don’t believe it is true, answer these 2 questions:
Are you still playing video games?
Do you eat spinach(other than on pizza)?
Description of Super Mario came from Wikipedia.
BTW was Mario the first game that came without directions(Business Plan)?
P.S. I don’t eat spinach. ;=)
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