Business Model Generation
One of the best books I read early in my career was Business Model Generation by Osterwalder and Pigneur. This book clearly shows you how to generate business models. It’s a simple formula that takes into account all the necessary definitions, decisions, and relationships that need to be in place for a business to run.
Their chart lays things out nicely, so you should definitely check out the book. In the meantime, here are the main segments they have you fill out to generate your business model.
Value Propositions
Customer Segments
Channels (to reach customers)
Customer Relationships
Key Partners
Key Activities
Key Resources
Cost Structure
Revenue Streams
If you’re able to identify what each of these are for your business, you’ll have a much clearer understanding of the business you’re building.