Marketing MBA — Theory & Startup Execution Knowledge Base

Chapters: 9 | Generated: 2026-07-15

How to Use This Skill

• No args → read the Core Frameworks below
• Topic → ask about segmentation, pricing strategy, value proposition, sales pipeline, negotiation → I find and read the relevant chapter
• Chapter → ask for ch05 → I load that specific chapter
• Browse → ask "what chapters do you have?" for the full index

When you ask about a topic not covered in Core Frameworks below, I will read the relevant chapter file before answering.

Core Frameworks & Mental Models

The Value Proposition Template (Ch5)

"For [target customer], dissatisfied with [current alternative], our product provides [differentiated capability] that, unlike [named alternatives], does [something unique]." Precision on "for who" is a feature, not a limitation — vague targets make go-to-market, messaging, and channel choice impossible.

The Four U's — is this problem worth solving? (Ch5)

Unworkable (broken enough that someone gets fired if it isn't fixed) · Unavoidable (structurally inescapable — tax, regulation, aging) · Urgent (relative to the customer's other priorities, not absolute — ask "what's your #1 priority right now?") · Underserved (real white space, not 10 existing vendors). Consumer-market variant: BLAC — Blatant/Latent × Aspirational/Critical; best target = blatant + critical.

The Three D's — is this a breakthrough, not an incremental idea? (Ch5)

Discontinuous (non-linear leap, not faster/better/cheaper) + Disruptive (changes the basis of competition, often via business model) + Defensible (protectable via IP, structure, or proprietary advantage). A disruptive business model can beat a technically superior product.

CORE and Minimum Viable Segment (Ch5)

CORE = the single word/reason a customer would give, reflexively, for why they use you — define it before choosing a monetization model; it's usually narrower than founders think. MVS = the smallest group of users sharing one identical need — the "dance partner" of an MVP. Win it completely before broadening.

Segmentation, Targeting, Positioning (Ch2)

A segment must be large enough, reachable, homogeneous in needs, and responsive to the marketing mix similarly — and, critically, actionable. Positioning = the space a brand occupies in the customer's mind; identify points of parity (table stakes) before points of difference (what wins). Perceptual maps synthesize aggregate customer perception, not objective fact.

Strategy vs. Planning (Ch4)

Planning lists comfortable, controllable activities with no theory of winning. Strategy is a coherent, falsifiable theory: where we play, how we win, what capabilities/systems that requires — an outcome you influence but don't control. Escape the "planning trap" by writing the logic explicitly: "what would have to be true about ourselves, the industry, competitors, and customers for this to work?"

Porter's Five Forces (Ch4)

Rivalry, buyer power, supplier power, threat of new entrants, threat of substitutes — a structural cap on industry profitability independent of execution quality. Diagnose the industry boundary correctly first; treat the forces as dynamic, not a static snapshot.

Pricing Strategy Selector (Ch3)

For service pricing (quotes, bids, day rates, value-based fees) see pricing-and-sales-negotiation. Skimming (recoup R&D, quality signal, barriers to entry) vs. penetration (fast volume, capacity ready) vs. prestige (luxury/status) vs. cost-plus (B2B partner sustainability). Skimming → penetration works; the reverse rarely does, because customers anchor to a low launch price. Always compare total profit dollars, not margin percentage.

Product → Company Roadmap (Ch6)

Classify what you have — feature, product, or company — before investing further. The Product–Company Gap is a go-to-market and business-model problem, not an engineering one. R&D-to-S&M spend inverts as a company matures (~100% product at founding → S&M several multiples of R&D at scale); budget go-to-market at ~2x product-development cost from day one.

Founder Readiness (Ch6)

"Last day of work" test · timing inequality (fear of too-late > fear of too-early) · Rich vs. King (money or control — rarely both) · the 7–10 year horizon, not a 6-month "flip it" mentality. Founders can't scale by default — the skillset that starts a company differs from what scaling requires; audit where your time actually goes.

The Sales Pipeline & 4 Pillars (Ch7)

Leads → Suspects (MQL) → Prospects (SQL) → Opportunities → Customers, with rising conversion ratios left-to-right. Every B2B conversation sequences strictly: Empathy → Trust → Value → Confidence — jumping to competence/fix-mode first is a fatal error.

Principled Negotiation — Getting to Yes (Ch7)

For price and scope negotiation in client work (anchoring, concessions, change orders) see pricing-and-sales-negotiation ch04, ch08, ch09. Interests, not positions → objective standards for residual conflict → options for mutual gain, brainstormed before evaluation → people separate from the problem. Know your BATNA before you start.

Chapter Index

Topic Index

• 4Ps / marketing mix → ch01, ch03
• Brand ladder, brand platform, client discovery, niche selection, personal brand → brand-strategy-storytelling
• Facilitating a marketing or brand strategy workshop (goal, metrics, lightning demos, concepts, roadmap) → workshop-facilitation ch08
• Ambition / goal-setting → ch08
• BCG Matrix / portfolio strategy → ch01
• Branding / brand architecture → ch02
• Business model design → ch05
• Consumer psychology (Compromise Effect, reviews) → ch08
• Customer success operations → ch09
• Distribution / channel strategy → ch03
• Five Forces / industry analysis → ch04
• Founder readiness / the Ungame → ch06
• Fundraising / pitch deck → ch06, ch07
• Go-to-market segmentation → ch09
• Green / sustainable marketing → ch08
• Hiring frameworks (PIII, 3A+3+, Rule of Six) → ch06
• Inbound marketing / SEO / content → ch09
• Negotiation → ch07
• New product development → ch01
• Pricing strategy → ch03
• Product life cycle / diffusion of innovation → ch01
• Product marketing / PM careers → ch09
• Product-to-company gap / MVP / CORE → ch05, ch06
• Segmentation & targeting → ch02
• Sales pipeline / B2B sales → ch07
• Social media / digital growth → ch09
• Storytelling / persuasion → ch07
• Strategy vs. planning → ch04
• Time management / personal effectiveness → ch08
• Value proposition (Four U's, Three D's, BLAC) → ch05

Supporting Files

• glossary.md — all key terms with definitions and chapter references
• patterns.md — concrete techniques and playbooks (when to use, how, trade-offs)
• cheatsheet.md — quick-reference tables and decision guides

Scope & Limits

This skill covers marketing theory, startup execution frameworks, sales/negotiation technique, and founder/leadership principles distilled purely from the underlying source lectures and talks. It intentionally excludes any narrative, speaker, or source attribution — content is presented as pure, reusable theory. For hands-on implementation in a specific product or codebase, combine with project-specific context.