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Entrepreneurship

Welcome to all those participating in the McGill X-1 Accelerator program at the Dobson Centre for Entrepreneurship. And welcome to those who may not be participating, but still want to learn! 

On this page you will find resources to help you through the next stage of your startup as you head into Demo Days and begin to secure funding for your business. If you have any questions feel free to email or call your Librarian. 

Market Research Canvas

Business Model Canvas created by Alexander Osterwalder in 2008. 

Market Research Canvas adapted by Amanda Wheatley in 2019. 

The Startup Lifecycle

startup lifecycle - product/solution fit, product validation, growth, maturity, market expansion

Product/Solution Fit

At this stage in your venture, you should be considering what problem in the market you are looking to fix and what the effect solution will be. In order to do this, you will need to have a solid understanding of your industry and your target users.

 

Web Resources

Canadian Industry Statistics

  • Industry profiles in Canada, organized by NAICS code.

Directory of Business and Trade Associations

  • Lists of member associations, grouped by industry types.

Small Business Accelerator Guides - UBC

  • Industry research guides for small businesses, put together by the University of British Columbia.

Statistics Canada

  • Data and statistics collected by the Canadian Government (note: the Census Profile is good for gathering specific demographic data on a target area).

UNdata

  • Global population statistics, country/regional profiles, and more available for use by the United Nations.

World Bank Open Data

  • Global data on various countries, topics, world indicators, etc that can be downloaded and visualized for a larger economic perspective. 

World Factbook

  • Country reports and economic profiles gathered and made available by the CIA.

 

McGill Library Databases

IBISWorld

  • Industry profiles for Canada and the U.S. based on NAICS codes. Contains trends, forecasts, market shares, industry outlooks, and more.

Statista

  • Global statistic database with individual charts, topic dossiers, and expert reports.

Vivintel

  • Canadian demographic survey tool useful for pinpointing target users and consumer behaviours

 

For more information on available resources, visit our Market and Industry Research page.

Growth Period

As you begin your growth period, you will focus on measuring your retention rates, making changes to your product-market fit, and using tools to optimize new channels. This is a great opportunity to review the market resources for consumer purchasing behaviour and commercialization tools.

 

Books
Innovating Analytics : Word of Mouth Index- Use the Next Generation of Net Promoter to Increase Sales and Drive Results by Larry Freed
The metrics that marketers muddle by Neil T Bendle, Charan K Bagga
Return on impact : leadership strategies for the age of connected relationships by David Nour
Answering the ultimate question : how Net Promoter can transform your business by Laura L Brooks, Richard Owen
Web Resources

Market Research and Marketing by Lech Kurowski and David Sussman

  • Chapter within Investment Project Design

Thrive Hive

  • Marketing resource toolkit

What is Net Promoter Score

  • Breakdown of NPS by Qualtrics

Net Promoter Score Survey

  • Free and paid versions available through Survey Monkey

Maturity

Now that you've grown and scaled, you will enter a mature phase of your startup. For information on resources you may need, check out the links below. 

Web Resources

Patents, standards, and technical reports

  • Research guide by McGill Library

World Factbook

  • Country reports and economic profiles gathered and made available by the CIA.

Imports and Exports

  • Information on trading from the Canadian Border Security Agency.

Trade Data Online

  • Government of Canada customized reports of trade data for Canada and U.S.

Mergers and Acquisitions

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