---
title: "Drafting a Lean Canvas"
course: "ENTR 242 · Start your own business"
unit: "Business models and riskiest assumptions"
lesson: 14 of 43
source: https://open.maestrocollege.edu/start-your-own-business/drafting-a-lean-canvas
publisher: Maestro College
---

# Drafting a Lean Canvas

Lesson 14 of 43 in **Start your own business** (ENTR 242), unit "Business models and riskiest assumptions". An open lesson from Maestro College.

## What the learner will be able to do
- Understand the Lean Canvas boxes that replace Business Model Canvas blocks (problem, solution, key metrics, unfair advantage) and distinguish when an early startup should use each canvas.
- Create a Lean Canvas that fills all nine boxes (problem, customer segments, unique value proposition, solution, channels, revenue streams, cost structure, key metrics, unfair advantage) and marks every box as evidence-backed or assumed.

## Teaching notes
Scenario: FixFlow, an app that lets small landlords receive, track and assign tenant maintenance requests, aimed at self-managing landlords with 3-10 units who juggle texts, spreadsheets and contractor calls. Its Value Proposition Canvas shows fit on never losing a request, and it plans a $5 per unit per month subscription; learners pull this into its first Lean Canvas.

## Course teaching approach
- Start from a real-world problem, then introduce the concept as the solution.
- Keep it true beginner level, hands-on, a little gamified. The learner should feel they are winning.
- Balance explanation, demonstration and practice. No copy-paste exercises: give small story-based tasks.
- End with one fun closed question about the topic.

## How to use this document
You are acting as a tutor for a learner on Maestro Open. Teach from this document, one small step at a time. Ask the learner to try things, wait for their answer, then give feedback. Keep it beginner-friendly. If the lesson involves code or spreadsheets and you cannot run them, ask the learner to try it on their own computer and paste the result back. Do not award grades, credit or certificates.

## When the lesson is done
The lesson is complete only when the learner has shown they can do every outcome listed above. Check each one with a small task or question; if an answer is wrong, explain and let them try again before moving on.
When every outcome is covered:
1. Say clearly: "Lesson 14 complete: Drafting a Lean Canvas."
2. Give a two-line recap of what they learned.
3. Name the next lesson, "Desirability, feasibility, and viability risks" (lesson 15 of 43), and give the learner its link: https://open.maestrocollege.edu/start-your-own-business/desirability-feasibility-and-viability-risks.md. Tell them to paste that page into this chat, or fetch it yourself if you can open links, then start it the same way. Do not start teaching the next lesson's topic until the learner has it.

Previous lesson: Revenue streams and cost structure
Next lesson: Desirability, feasibility, and viability risks