The Startup Lifecycle: The Definitive Guide to Building a Startup from Idea to Exit

by Gregory Shepard

A comprehensive blueprint for building and selling a successful startup from idea to exit, bypassing failure, and making the planet a better, more equitable place.

Due to a range of frequent and unavoidable mistakes, only 10% of startups make it beyond 5 years. In this game-changing guide, startup veteran and serial entrepreneur Gregory Shepard combines 12 startup exits, 4 private equity awards, and decades’ worth of expert insight and industry experience—including interviews with real entrepreneurs, Navy SEALs, Air Force Fighter Pilots, and more—to present you with straightforward, actionable strategies for mapping out your startup and achieving success.

The Startup Lifecycle is here to empower entrepreneurs and help you avert common mishaps by providing an easy-to-follow path through 7 key phases, leading you from your initial vision to your lucrative exit—and along the way, improving the world for future
Phase Vision & North Star, Focusing on the End Game Phase Prototype & Product Phase Go-To-Market for Startups Phase Standardizing for Growth Phase Optimization Phase Growth Phase Exit

With helpful visuals in every chapter, Shepard expertly teaches you to use industry specific language, secure the right investments, build powerful relationships with investors, and prevent the pitfalls that cause first-time startups to fail.

What’s more, this field guide also includes free access to the most used startup platform for universities, putting everything you need at your fingertips including, world class easy to comprehend education, investors, grants and more. Don’t just learn—build your startup with the 7-Phase Startup Lifecycle in digital form, supplementary training courses, and wisdom from more than thousands of interviews.

The Startup Lifecycle imparts battle-tested business science from the mind of one of the most unique and accomplished entrepreneurs of our time, giving you the roadmap to startup success. It captures the approach that powers the Fulbright Canada Entrepreneurship Initiative and hundreds of prestigious accelerator programs worldwide.

Genres: Business

240 pages, Hardcover

Published September 24, 2024

Reviews

[Darya · Rating 4 out of 5]

As a multiple founder and cofounder of startups, I have enjoyed reading ARC of this book because it provides a very precise and in depth described journey from an idea to an exit of a grown and scaled stratup. The author brings through the whole journey from the formation of a startup idea to growing, funding, pitching, team building, selecting management, scaling, pivoting and exiting. The book has stories And recommendations, ideas to try and real life examples to reflect on. Building and growing your idea into a business is not easy and is not straightforward. Take the reading of this book as a mentoring journey.
And remember: it is not critic that counts as the famous speech from Teodre Rusewelt begins.

[Jane Thompsons · Rating 5 out of 5]

What touched me most about “The Startup Lifecycle” is how human it feels. For a book built on data, exits, and strategy, it pulses with empathy. Shepard has clearly lived the highs and lows of building companies, and he shares those lessons with such generosity. The 7-phase journey he outlines is practical, yes, but it’s also inspiring. I finished the book feeling hopeful, empowered, and genuinely excited to build with purpose. This isn’t just about creating a successful startup, it’s about creating something meaningful. A beautiful, impactful read

[Whitman Jessica · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book felt like having a seasoned founder personally guide me. The 7-phase structure makes the whole startup journey less overwhelming, and the real-world insights gave me confidence to avoid mistakes I didn’t even know I was making.

[Sophie Hargreaves · Rating 5 out of 5]

Gregory’s approach is refreshingly honest and grounded. The blend of interviews, and step-by-step phases helped me understand what truly matters. It’s the first startup book that actually made me feel prepared, not intimidated

[Juul]

Blinkist

[Charlotte Dean · Rating 5 out of 5]

I loved how practical and clear this book is. It breaks down the chaos of building a startup into doable steps, backed by real experience. It genuinely made the path from idea to exit feel reachable.