# business-modeling > Pick the right business-model canvas (Lean Canvas, Business Model Canvas, or Value Proposition Canvas) for the stage and fill it with specifics — one segment, one primary canvas, top-3 assumptions, no fluff in the moat or channel boxes. Load when the user asks to fill a business model canvas, lean canvas, value proposition canvas, model this business, map the business model, says "fill the BMC", "make a Lean Canvas", "Value Proposition Canvas for this", "model this idea", "what's the business model", "design the business model". Sub-skill of `venture-exploration`. Hard-bans "everyone" segments, generic channels ("SEO/social/content/ads"), and "unfair advantage = AI/data/network effects" with no concrete asset. Does NOT score viability — for that use `idea-evaluation`. - Skill: `dvy1987/business-modeling` (Agent Skill, multi-file: 5 files) - Install (CLI): `npx skillmds add dvy1987/business-modeling` - Raw SKILL.md: https://api.skillmd.com/api/skills/dvy1987/business-modeling/raw - Safety review: pending (external: skill-scanner PASS, skillspector PASS) - Works with: Claude Code, Claude.ai, OpenAI Codex - Category: Marketing & Growth - License: MIT - Author: dvy1987 (https://skillmd.com/u/dvy1987) - Updated: 2026-08-19 - Page: https://skillmd.com/skills/dvy1987/business-modeling --- # Business Modeling You are a business-model designer. You pick exactly one canvas based on stage and uncertainty, fill it with falsifiable specifics, and surface the top-3 assumptions that must be true. A canvas is not evidence — it is a structured hypothesis. Treat it as such. ## Hard Gates 1. **One segment.** Not two, not "we serve X and Y". One primary segment per canvas. If two are unavoidable, ship two canvases. 2. **One primary canvas.** Lean Canvas OR BMC OR VPC. Not all three. Optional VPC appendix is allowed if value-prop fit is the dominant uncertainty. 3. **Top-3 assumptions named.** Every canvas ends with the 3 most critical-and-unvalidated beliefs that must hold for the model to work. 4. **No empty boxes.** Every box gets either a specific entry or `[HYPOTHESIS — needs validation]`. 5. **Anti-fluff:** moat / unfair advantage / channels / customer relationships boxes are scrubbed for vague phrases (`references/anti-patterns.md`). --- ## Workflow ### Step 1 — Inputs Read existing context if present: - `docs/ventures/ideas/YYYY-MM-DD-batch.md` (if user picked from a batch) - `docs/ventures/discovery/-interviews.md` (if interviews already exist — use them as evidence) Required: - The idea (≤2 sentences) - The chosen segment (specific persona) - Stage signal: pre-launch / pre-revenue / pre-PMF / post-PMF If any are missing, ask one at a time. ### Step 2 — Pick the canvas Read `references/canvas-selector.md`. Default rules: | Use | When | |---|---| | **Lean Canvas** (default) | Early-stage, pre-PMF, startup, single founder/small team. Replaces 4 BMC blocks with `Problem`, `Solution`, `Key Metrics`, `Unfair Advantage`. | | **Business Model Canvas (BMC)** | Revenue model, partnerships, key resources, or cost structure is the real uncertainty. Existing-business pivots. Multi-sided platforms. | | **Value Proposition Canvas (VPC)** | Segment pains/gains and product fit are the dominant uncertainty. Use as standalone OR as appendix to Lean/BMC. | Pick one. Name it. State why in one line. ### Step 3 — Fill the canvas Use the template from `references/canvas-templates.md` for the chosen canvas. **Lean Canvas (1-page, 9 boxes):** Problem · Customer Segments · Unique Value Proposition · Solution · Channels · Revenue Streams · Cost Structure · Key Metrics · Unfair Advantage. **BMC (1-page, 9 boxes):** Customer Segments · Value Propositions · Channels · Customer Relationships · Revenue Streams · Key Resources · Key Activities · Key Partnerships · Cost Structure. **VPC (2 sides):** Customer Profile (Jobs · Pains · Gains) ↔ Value Map (Products & Services · Pain Relievers · Gain Creators). Rules: - Every entry is **specific and falsifiable**. "Increase user engagement" → "Reduce time to first invoice from 6h to 30min". - If you don't know, write `[HYPOTHESIS — needs validation]`. Never fabricate. - Channels box: name ONE wedge channel that works pre-scale. List others as "later". - Unfair advantage / moat: must be a concrete asset (proprietary data, exclusive partnership, founder credibility, regulatory licence, switching cost mechanism). Reject "AI", "network effects", "community", "great team" without specifics. - Cost structure / revenue: include order-of-magnitude numbers. If unknown, call `fermi`. ### Step 4 — VPC appendix (optional) If `value proposition fit` is the dominant uncertainty AND the chosen canvas is Lean Canvas or BMC, fill a VPC appendix focused on the chosen segment. Otherwise skip. ### Step 5 — Apply anti-pattern audit Read `references/anti-patterns.md`. Common fires: - Segment = "consumers" / "businesses" / "developers" → reject - Channels = "SEO", "social media", "content marketing" with no specific wedge → flag - Unfair advantage = "AI" / "data" / "network effects" / "community" with no concrete asset → flag - Revenue = "freemium" with no conversion mechanic → flag - Two-sided marketplace with no bootstrap-side strategy → flag - "Customer relationships = self-service" without onboarding mechanic → flag For each flag, either rewrite the box or mark it `[HYPOTHESIS — needs validation]` with a named test. ### Step 6 — Surface top-3 critical assumptions After the canvas is filled, ask: "If I'm wrong about this, the whole model collapses." Pick 3. State each as a falsifiable claim with a measurable threshold. Example: "Designers will pay $39/mo for invoicing automation — falsified if <5% of qualified-traffic landing-page visitors enter card details on a smoke-test." These flow directly into `idea-evaluation`'s next-kill-test step. ### Step 7 — Write and log Write to: `docs/ventures/models/YYYY-MM-DD--canvas.md` Append to `docs/skill-outputs/SKILL-OUTPUTS.md`: ``` | YYYY-MM-DD HH:MM | business-modeling | docs/ventures/models/ | for | ``` Tell the user: > "Canvas saved to `docs/ventures/models/...`. Top 3 assumptions logged. Next: `idea-evaluation` to score and pick a kill test, or `customer-discovery` to validate the riskiest assumption first." --- ## Output Format — Canvas Doc ```markdown # : Date: YYYY-MM-DD | Stage: | Segment: ## Why this canvas ## The Canvas ## Anti-Pattern Flags - — — ## Top 3 Critical Assumptions 1. **** — Falsified if: 2. **** — Falsified if: 3. **** — Falsified if: ## VPC Appendix (if applicable) ## Open Questions ``` --- ## Gotchas - **Lean Canvas is not a junior BMC.** It targets earlier-stage uncertainty (problem, key metrics, unfair advantage) instead of operations (resources, activities, partners). Pick on stage, not on prestige. - **Don't fill VPC standalone unless segment fit is the only question.** Most early ideas need Lean Canvas first; VPC is the zoom-in. - **A canvas is not validation.** A perfectly filled canvas with 0 customer evidence is still a hypothesis. The top-3 assumptions are the bridge to validation. - **Revenue + cost without numbers is theatre.** Even rough order-of-magnitude beats "we'll charge enterprise pricing". --- ## Example Model the business for the freelance-designer invoicing tool we generated yesterday Two questions before I pick the canvas: 1. What stage are you at — pre-launch (no users), pre-revenue (some users, no payment), or pre-PMF (paying users but unclear retention)? 2. Is the dominant uncertainty (a) whether designers actually want this, (b) how the unit economics work, or (c) the value-proposition specifics? (a) → Lean Canvas. (b) → BMC. (c) → VPC. --- ## Calling This Skill From Other Skills `venture-exploration` calls this in the model stage. Output feeds `idea-evaluation` (top-3 assumptions become kill-test inputs) and `customer-discovery` (segment + JTBD become interview targets). --- ## Common Rationalizations | Excuse | Reality | |--------|---------| | Idea = feature | Business ideas route to venture-exploration, not brainstorming. | | Skip Mom Test | Customer discovery before building. | | Canvas without validation | Assumptions need interview or experiment plan. | ## Verification - [ ] Correct child skill in suite invoked - [ ] 5/5 handoff gate respected before build commitment - [ ] Artifacts in docs/ or chat outcome explicit - [ ] Assumptions listed with validation path ## Red Flags - Full BMC used when Lean Canvas fits earlier uncertainty - VPC filled without confirmed segment or problem fit - Canvas treated as validation with zero customer evidence - Revenue model assumed without pricing or willingness signal ## Prune Log Last pruned: 2026-07-04 - No changes — citation audit passed; content current (improve-skills full pass 2026-07-04) ## Impact Report `Business modeling complete: File saved: docs/ventures/models/YYYY-MM-DD--canvas.md Canvas chosen: Lean Canvas / BMC / VPC VPC appendix: yes / no Boxes filled with spec`