The Founder Playbook: zero to unicorn

The map — one level at a time

1. 🎯

   Level 1

   Find your bullseye

   Find a problem worth solving and an idea worth your years.

   0/3
   • How to find problems worth solving7 min · +50 XP
   • The Bullseye method: score your idea before you quit your job6 min · +50 XP
   • Founder–market fit: why you should build this (and not that)5 min · +50 XP
2. 🔍

   Level 2

   Prove it

   Get evidence that people want it — before you build.

   0/3
   • Customer interviews that don't lie7 min · +50 XP
   • Market sizing in India: TAM, SAM and SOM without fake numbers6 min · +50 XP
   • Smoke tests and pre-sales: get proof before you build6 min · +50 XP
3. 💰

   Level 3

   Make the money work

   Revenue models, unit economics and pricing.

   0/3
   • 11 revenue models — and which fits your startup7 min · +50 XP
   • Unit economics: CAC, LTV and contribution margin in rupees7 min · +50 XP
   • How to price your product in India6 min · +50 XP
4. 🏛️

   Level 4

   Set up in India

   Legal structure, registration, GST and compliance.

   0/3
   • Pvt Ltd vs LLP vs OPC vs proprietorship: which structure?6 min · +50 XP
   • How to register a Private Limited company in India (SPICe+)7 min · +50 XP
   • DPIIT recognition, GST and your first-year compliance calendar7 min · +50 XP
5. 🧪

   Level 5

   Build the MVP

   Ship the smallest thing that proves the most.

   0/3
   • What an MVP really is — and 6 types you can build in weeks6 min · +50 XP
   • No-code, freelancers, agency or CTO: how to get it built6 min · +50 XP
   • Product metrics that matter: activation, retention and NPS6 min · +50 XP
6. 📣

   Level 6

   Get customers

   Your first 100 customers and the channels that scale.

   0/3
   • How to get your first 100 customers7 min · +50 XP
   • Marketing channels that work in India — and how to test them7 min · +50 XP
   • B2B sales for founders: from cold email to closed deal7 min · +50 XP
7. 🧑‍🤝‍🧑

   Level 7

   Build the team

   Co-founders, first hires, departments and ESOPs.

   0/3
   • Co-founders: finding one and splitting equity fairly7 min · +50 XP
   • Your first 10 hires and how to build departments7 min · +50 XP
   • ESOPs, culture and HR basics for Indian startups7 min · +50 XP
8. 💸

   Level 8

   Raise money

   Bootstrapping, grants, angels, VCs and term sheets.

   0/3
   • Every way to fund a startup in India: bootstrapping to VC8 min · +50 XP
   • How funding rounds work: valuation, dilution and term sheets8 min · +50 XP
   • The 12-slide pitch deck investors actually read7 min · +50 XP
9. 📊

   Level 9

   Run the machine

   Cash flow, financial models and operations.

   0/3
   • Bookkeeping, cash flow and runway for founders7 min · +50 XP
   • Build a simple 3-year financial model7 min · +50 XP
   • Operations, supply chain and manufacturing basics7 min · +50 XP
10. 🦄

    Level 10

    Scale to unicorn

    Scaling, governance, IPOs and exits.

    0/3
    • Scaling: when (and how) to step on the gas7 min · +50 XP
    • Boards, governance and staying out of trouble6 min · +50 XP
    • Exits: acquisitions, IPOs and what founders take home7 min · +50 XP