PFJ : Core

 

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Introducing…

PFJ : Core : Idea to MVP

A first-of-its-kind online program that integrate wisdom and best practices for startups and the humans that build them.

PFJ : Core focuses 80% of your time building your business and 20% on taking care of yourself. Using this proven road map you can go from idea to MVP in 90 days or less without wasting valuable time, resources and money…all the while taking care of your physical, mental, emotional and spiritual bodies.

IN THIS FIRST-OF-ITS-KIND TRAINING PROGRAM, I’LL REVEAL THE ROAD MAP I’VE DESIGNED AND USED TO HELP COUNTLESS SOFTWARE STARTUPS GO FROM IDEA TO MVP AND BEYOND…SOME OF THEM EXPERIENCING GROWTH RATES OF OVER 1,000%.

In Malcolm Gladwell’s ‘Outliers‘ he attributes success to work, talent, and luck. Building a successful startup requires all three. But the biggest challenge first-time founders face is that even with an unlimited amount of passion it’s still one of the most difficult journeys you will ever embark upon when you don’t have a map to follow. Add to that all the money you’ll spend, the sleepless nights, and the feelings of loneliness and impostor syndrome and your journey can quickly evolve into a highway to hell.

In my experience there are three types of first-time tech founders:

  • 1.Those that have an amazing idea but struggle unnecessarily to bring it to life.
  • 2.Those that think they have an amazing idea who spend thousands of dollars realizing their idea wasn’t so great after all.
  • 3.Those that get lucky.

In the 20+ years I’ve been working, consulting, and teaching in the technology field, I can tell you the number of 1s and 2s are far greater than the 3s. I can share countless stories of individuals and companies who spent well over $500k on designers, developers and consultants only to realize they were actually a number 2. That’s the first reason I created the Product Founder’s Journey.

The second reason is what makes this course different than any other startup course on the planet. Being a founder is one of the hardest things you’ll ever do so I built self-care right into the curriculum. As you may have seen in video #2, entrepreneurs are highly prone to mental and physical health issues. I’ve dedicated much of the last 15 years exploring many forms of self-care and incorporated those into this course. I know from personal experience that if I’m happy and healthy there’s a much greater chance my co-founders, employees, friends, and family are also happier and healthier.

If you’re reading this, you probably don’t know yet whether you’re a 1, a 2, or a 3. But this course has been designed to help you figure that out…and to do it for less than $500 out-of-pocket. So let’s go on this journey together…the Product Founder’s Journey.

But Is This Course Really For Me?

I know nothing about coding

If you’re a non-technical founder that has no experience building technology products then you’ll love this course. It will give you all the steps and lingo necessary to find a technical co-founder or partner and begin creating vetting your idea to make sure it’s one you’d like to take to market.

I'm already a developer

If you’re a developer you may have the technical chops to build your product but probably haven’t been exposed to all the business elements of creating a startup. From creating ideal client profiles and personas to your mission statement and budgets there’s a lot more to think about than where you’re hosting your app.

I'm an intrapreneur

If you’re already in a decision-making role within your (non-software) company and you’re considering turning your subject matter expertise into a software platform or app this course will help you translate what you translate what you already know about running a business into the language of software and give you the tools necessary to evaluate your future ROI.

What Others Are Saying

Gv’s workshop was fantastic! Not only did it help our founders, but it came at just the right time for me as well. The workshop was incredibly informative and interactive. There’s not many people who can deliver this type of content to a group of highly technical founders but Gv’s understanding of both technical and self-care elements makes this very pertinent to a community that desperately needs more compassion and self-care.

~ Justine Marchand, Program Manager

In the Startup Bootcamp we organized at TechHub Bucharest, we needed someone that could introduce first-time founders to what building a tech startup is all about. Gv not only achieved this in a 1-day workshop (I mean really, how do you condense all the knowledge you need to be aware of when starting a company…), but he did it in a way that demonstrated he has extensive startup experience and that he is a master trainer.

~ Liviu Cadariu, Event Manager 

Here’s All The Modules and Lessons in This Course

PFJ : Core contains 43 video lessons and a full collection of worksheets and templates that will provide you the solid foundation you need to get your software product launched…all without spending a penny on developers and designers. There is no sense reinventing the wheel so I’ve compiled 20+ years of knowledge a single course that will save you hundreds of hours and thousands of dollars. The best part, you never have to leave your house to learn it.

Module 1 : Introduction
  • Welcome to the PFJ
  • Helpful Tools
Module 2 : Self-Care
  • Introduction to Self-Care
  • Why Self-Care is Important
  • Introduction to the Four Bodies
  • The Power of Thought
  • Physical Body
  • Mental Body
  • Emotional Body
  • Spiritual Body
  • Integration
  • When Emergencies Happen
  • Self-Care Extra Credit
Module 3 : Foundation
  • Introduction to Foundation
  • Goals
  • Mantra
  • Mission
  • Vision
  • Values
Module 4 : Strategy
  • Introduction to Strategy
  • The Team
  • The Course
  • The Pace
  • The Culture
  • The Name
  • Partnerships
  • Competition
  • Unique Value Proposition
  • Ideal Client Profile
  • Personas
  • Market Size
  • Monetization
  • Expenses
  • Unfair Advantage
  • Go To Market
  • Funding
Module 5 : Product
  • Introduction to Product
  • PFJ Core Concepts
  • Minimum Viable Concept (MVC)
  • Product Market Fit
  • Ideas
  • Features
  • Acceptance Criteria
  • Tactical Goals
  • Managing Features
  • Software Development Lifecycle (SDLC)
  • Productization
  • Minimum Viable Product (MVP)
  • Minimum Launchable/Lovable Product (MLP)
Module 6 : Shavasana
  • Celebrate & Breath

90 Days from Idea to MVP

We all have limited time, energy and money so every day counts.

Whether your idea is amazing or it’s dud the name of the game in the startup world is “fail fast.” The last thing you want to do is spend any extra time on a dud. But on the other hand, getting an amazing product to market quickly is important. The truth is that only 0.05% of startups receive venture funding so before you spend your savings let me help you validate your idea…and quickly

Video & Audio Lessons

I designed this course to be user-friendly and portable.

Like you, I’m also a founder and I know how hard it is to find time to study when you have a full time job, a family and friends you’d still like to spend time with. Not to mention trips to the gym or a yoga class here or there. That’s why I made the course portable. Download the audio to listen to in the car or the video to watch at the gym. Just don’t watch the video driving to the gym.

Self-Care & Community

Founding your first start-up will be the most exhilarating and exhausting challenge you’ve ever taken on

When you’re starting your first company it will feel lonely and you will be stressed out and often exhausted. Coming home from one job only to work on your side-hustle is tiring enough. Add kids and a family to that and stress levels can sky rocket. This is why the PFJ has built self-care and community directly into the course. I’ll give you the tools (and permission) you need to relax and be kind to yourself. And when you’re having a bad day then you can count on the community to lend an ear or a shoulder.

Hi, I’m Gv…

Since we’ll hopefully be spending some more time together I wanted to take a moment to introduce myself and tell you a little bit about who I am and where I’ve come from. After growing up in a tiny town in the middle of central Nebraska (and a year in Belgium as a foreign exchange student), I spent 15 years as a disc jockey working both on land and for the cruise lines. Once I got that out of my system I finished my degree in computer information systems and started my professional career as a corporate trainer teaching technology classes. Not long after, in the early 2000s, I started the web services division of a small computer consulting company. That’s when I started building databases using Microsoft Access, websites in Frontpage and Dreamweaver and coding in classic ASP.

I’ve been building web-based and data-driven technology solutions before the term SaaS (software as a service) was actually a defined business model. Now, for the past 20 years I’ve been helping software and professional service organizations with strategy, process, and alignment. I’ve sort of become a walking Venn diagram of product, marketing, and sales and feel the most at home when I get to mix all three of them together. I’m currently the founder and principal at okapi, an event program management platform built to collect, manage, and analyze event-based data. I also founded the Software Field Manual as an educational non-profit to share the wisdom and best practices from this course to people all over the world. In pursuit and fulfillment of that mission, I’ve had the amazing opportunity to speak all over the United States and internationally on many topics ranging from Sales-First Marketing Automation to Meditation and Yoga. This is my passion and the real reason I created this course and curriculum.

My basic philosophy is work-life balance is bullsh*t. I frequently blur the lines between business and mindfulness by incorporating self-care into my work, life, teaching, and consulting practices. I am a dedicated Yogi and received my teacher training in 2013. In 2018 I accepted the named Govind Dass from my teacher Ram Dass (Gv is short for Govind Dass). The adoption of this new name serves as an ever-present reminder that while we can’t go back and make a brand-new start we can start from now and make a brand-new end. When I’m not running a startup, consulting, teaching workshops, or speaking, I’m a bit of a spiritual tourist, I love to travel the world, attend as many concerts as possible, and I love spending time with friends and soul family.

I genuinely look forward to getting to know you so we can go on this wild and crazy journey together.

Aum Shanti,
Gv Freeman

Why You Should Use A Proven System

REASON 1 : You have a limited amount of TEM (Time, Energy, Money). There are hundreds of (if not a thousand) things that go into starting a new business and if you’re not sure which ones are important you’ll spend far too much TEM working on the things that aren’t important. Every minute you spend doing worthless tasks are precious minutes you could be spending building something amazing!

REASON 2 : The Seven Ps are Proper, Prior, Planning, Prevents, Piss, Poor, Performance. One problem many founders face is the steps they’re following are out of order. All too often founders spend thousands of dollars hiring designers and developers before ever validating product market fit. And if you’re a technical founder your go-to first step is “develop the product.” Unless you’re just doing it for fun, might I suggest determining if your product is the right thing to build. In both cases, the PFJ puts the steps in order to reduce as much waste as possible.

REASON 3 : Have you ever built a startup before? Some of you will quickly say, “Nope, never done this before…I’d really love some help!” Others might say, “Well I run a successful [insert other type of business here] so there’s no reason I can’t also become the next unicorn tech founder.” Regardless of the amount of upper education you have, the reality is that without practice anything is hard at first. You had to fall off your bike a few times before you could ride it. The PFJ is just a digital version of training wheels.

REASON 4 : Practically speaking you’re going to spend anywhere from $10k – $250k to a minimum viable product off the ground. I’ve worked with companies that have spent over $400,000 only to find out their MVP wasn’t worth the code it was written in – then they started over from scratch. It’s at that point when sunk costs become increasingly difficult to walk away from. So let me help you reduce the chances of that happening. I’d much rather see you spend a little money now and save a lot of pain, heartache, and maybe your life’s savings, in the future.

Priority Access to Private Consulting & Coaching

Most of the consulting work I do today is reserved for companies with annual revenues of $1M – $10M. But I still reserve a few spaces on my calendar to work directly with founders on their own PFJ. Sometimes our time is professional, sometimes it’s personal…but most of the time it’s a mixture of both. It’s not uncommon to talk about a new sales process, a struggle with a co-founder, and your daily meditation practice all during the same call.

While this time is not included in the cost of this course these limited time slots are available to PFJ students on a first-come-first-serve basis.

What You Are Going to Receive Immediately Once You Enroll
(and what you are going to learn)

If you think enrolling in the Product Founder’s Journey program is going to be like reading yet another book on how to build a startup then I’d like to take a moment to reset your expectations. One of the main challenges when you’re first starting out is determining what’s important and what’s not. I guarantee you you’ll spend more time reading about “how” to build a startup than actually doing the work if you’re just browsing the blogosphere. So that’s what I’m here for. Every one of the lessons, assignments, and templates I’ve included in the course have been collected and prioritized over the 20+ years I’ve been building businesses and consulting with entrepreneurs and business owners. I’ve removed the fluff and only given you the essentials of what you’ll need to get your product off the ground. I’ve personally used every tactic and template that’s included in the course and now I’m passing them on to you in hopes that you won’t waste as much time or make as many mistakes as I did. So without further ado here’s what you’re in for…

Video Tutorials

Much like the video tutorials you watched in the free training, all the lessons in the full course contain videos, screenshots, and walk-throughs to get you going fast. You can also download them when you’re on the go

Assignments

I could provide you with the instruction manual to life but if you never open it you’ve learned nothing. The same goes for starting a tech startup. Completing the assignments is the fuel that will propel you down the fastest path to cash.

Templates

Why reinvent the wheel? From ideal client profiles to personas, missions statements to budgets – I’m giving you all the best templates I’ve created over the years so you don’t have to start from scratch.

Lifetime Access

If you purchase this course it’s yours for life…forever! No joke! Start your company and take a hiatus. Or start one company and come back 5 years later when you want to start another one.

Certificate of Completion

If you’re completing this program as extra credit or for continuing education for school or work you’ll receive a certificate of completion as evidence of all your hard work.

Community

One of the most challenging things about building a start-up is that it can get pretty lonely. When you join the PFJ team, you’ll get access to a private group of founders all experiencing the same challenges.

Lifetime Updates

Technology and strategies change…and so does this course. As time goes on this course will only get better and you’ll get access to every new update I release. New templates, new interviews, and new content…it’s all yours at no additional cost.

Presentation Slides

If you need a place to take notes then downloading all the presentation slides will be a great place to keep your thoughts together. Each lessons comes with a PDF file of the entire presentation.

50% Off PFJ : Operations

Currently in production, students of PFJ : Core will automatically qualify for a 50% discount off the upcoming PFJ : Operations course that covers the 12 operational departments present in a typical software startup.

And Even Better…You Get 6 VIP Bonuses

When you enroll today you’ll get these limited-time VIP bonuses.

Group Coaching Calls

I host monthly live coaching calls for all PFJ : Core members and you’ll get exclusive access to not only the live calls but also any recorded calls that have occurred in the past.

Exclusive Facebook Group

Community is incredibly important when you’re launching your startup. Having support from others who’ve stood in your shoes is a great resource. This is why I’ve created an exclusive Facebook group for members of the PFJ team.

Private Slack Channel

If you’re already working in tech, there’s a good chance you’re spending time on Slack already. With the PFJ Slack channel you can chat with friends, get instance advice on challenges and blow of a little steam when the stress levels get too high.

Exclusive Webinars

The 3 in 30 webinar series interviews subject matter experts for 30 minutes and give them a chance to discuss the e most important things about their area of expertise. If you need a quick hit on a specific topic, this is the place to go.

Private Online Forums

The PFJ Online Forums are divided into the 12 operational categories that make up the PFJ Framework. These private forums are designed specifically to give PFJ members a place to startup related topics in an organized format.

Downloadable Audio Files

Want to listen to the PFJ lessons on the way to work or at the gym? No problem. Just download the audio files and play them in your favorite media app. This is a great opportunity to pick up juicy tidbits you missed when you watched the videos.

But How About Support?

LIFETIME TECHNICAL SUPPORT : Any technical questions with your course access or functionality can be sent to our support system. Every request generates a ticket which provides us both an efficient method to resolve any issues that might arise.

24/7 SUPPORT VIA FACEBOOK: I’ve created a dedicated, customers-only group, where you can get answers to common questions and any help with burning issues. I also drop in to make sure you get the support you need to get your product launched in the shortest and most efficient way possible.

As soon as you purchase, you will get immediate access (via user name and password) to the full online training.

  • Lifetime access and 24/7 login. The content is all digital & downloadable so you can access it and download the files to take on the go.
  • Content is available to stream or download in video (.mp4), audio download (.mp3) and slides (.pdf) ready for you to go through at your own pace.
Instant Access to :

  • 43 detailed step-by-step video lessons, split into 6 modules.
  • The PFJ Template collection  – showing exactly how to implement these strategies without reinventing the wheel.
  • 6 limited-time bonus offers.
  • The PFJ Support Network and Community

Nervous About Making the Leap? Here’s Some Peace of Mind.

30 DAY 100% GUARANTEE : When you enroll today and lock in all the bonuses, you’ll have a full 30 days to evaluate the material to make sure it’s right for you. If you change your mind within 30 days, just let us know and we’ll refund 100% of your investment (minus any credit card fees) – no questions asked.

LIFETIME UPDATES INCLUDED : The business of software changes so this course changes as well. As that happens, you’ll be grandfathered in at the current price and you’ll never pay a penny for updates to the course.

I “Figured It Out” So You Don’t Have To

Can I guarantee you sky-high results? Well, no. Of course, I can’t. Nobody can. If someone is telling you they can guarantee you these types of results my suggestion would be to run. But what I can guarantee you is the road map I’m providing has already worked for countless other founders and companies.

This is because the strategies in PFJ: Core are different. There are thousands of websites and subject matter experts out there that can tell you exactly how to solve a specific problem within their area of expertise. What they can’t do is provide a birds-eye view of the whole picture. That’s what the PFJ Framework provides. It connects all the dots for you so you don’t have to.

THAT IS EXACTLY WHAT YOU WILL BE GETTING WITH THE PFJ: CORE PROGRAM. AN EXACT, RELIABLE, HEALTHY, AND STEP-BY-STEP SYSTEM. NO CONFUSION. NO AMBIGUITY. COMPLETE HAND HOLDING. TELLING YOU EXACTLY WHAT TO DO AND WALKING YOU THROUGH THE ENTIRE PROCESS. DOESN’T SOUND HALF BAD DOES IT.

The Bottom Line

While I can’t guarantee you’ll get the amazing results (or any results, really) – anyone promising success in the startup world should be avoided. It’s just not possible to make guarantees because there are simply too many factors at play. But all of the strategies I share in The Product Founder’s Journey have helped founders and intrapreneurs turn their side project into a successful startups. If they’re not useful I didn’t include them in the course.

Many of the companies I’ve consulted with had a product ready and waiting for growth but were unsure how to scale and move beyond their current way of thinking. One of my favorite quotes from Albert Einstein is, “We can’t solve problems by using the kind of thinking we used when we created them.” I call this “founder syndrome” and it shows up when what you’ve been doing is no longer working. That’s when a new perspective is needed to blow up the log jam. If you have a product today but it isn’t growing or progressing the way you think it could, it’s possible you have a shaky foundation or are missing pieces in your strategy. Let the Product Founder’s Journey give you a new perspective and fill in those gaps.

When first-time founders read my book, there’s a 50/50 shot they’ll either say, “YES…let’s do this!” or “oh hell no…this is way work than I expected.” And honestly, that’s the goal. So if you haven’t taken time to read the book yet do that first. Once you have an understanding of what’s to come, if you’re still interested in embarking on of the most exciting (and potentially challenging) journeys of your life then let’s get started.

So Now You’ve Got Three Options

OPTION #1 – Do nothing. Obviously, this isn’t going to produce any more results than you’re getting today and it might cost you a load more time and money. But you’re only going to know this when it’s too late. In any case, it’s still very much an option.

OPTION #2 – Trial and error. This is a totally valid option. You can take the concepts I showed you in the last three videos, read the PFJ Framework eBook and muddle your way through lessons I laid out above with the DIY route. I’m 100% sure that if you spend a few hundred hours per week reading and researching –  and a few thousand dollars hiring people to help you figure out what works (like I and many others have done before you), you’ll get some results. Just know there is a quicker and easier way and if you don’t think your time is valuable then this course probably isn’t for you anyway.

OPTION #3 – My favorite option: use the PFJ : Coreto go from Idea to MVP in 90 days or less. Forget about wasting time and money on tactics and strategies that don’t work. I’ve done most of the complicated and confusing work for you. But don’t be fooled, this course isn’t magic. By making this leap you’re committing to doing a lot of work. It just depends on if you want to wander around aimlessly in the dark or use a proven road map to get to your destination using the most efficient route possible.

Alright, I Decided…I’m Ready To Go!

FOR THE FULL PFJ: CORE SYSTEM YOU WILL BE PAYING ONLY $108 A MONTH FOR 12 MONTHS.

(Or, you can save $216 and pay in full today for $1,080)

AND YES – YOU GET FULL ACCESS TO ALL THE MATERIALS WITH YOUR FIRST PAYMENT AND YOU’LL ALSO GET OUR NO-QUESTIONS-ASKED 30-DAY 100% MONEY-BACK GUARANTEE

So if you chose OPTION #3 above then the last step is selecting a plan that best works for you!

Keep in mind, no matter which payment plan you select, once you enroll in PFJ : Core you will get instantaneous access to all the course content mentioned above and all the VIP Limited Time Exclusive Bonus. So start your journey today!

We understand that an investment like this is an important one. We also know how much time and money the PFJ has saved startups just like yours. That said, we want you to be 100% confident in your decision so here’s a few other questions that some of our users have asked.

What if I get stuck on a lesson?

The best thing to do when you get stuck is to reach out on the Facebook group or the Slack channel. Those can often provide instantaneous access to information. If not there, then make sure and join the next group coaching call and ask your question there. 

How often do you release new content?

I do my best to release some new content at least once a week. Sometimes that’s related directly to the course, other times it’s more operational content that can help you once you complete the coursework.  

Can I cancel at any time?

You may cancel risk-free and without question for up to 30 days from the date of purchase. Once 30 days have passed, refunds will not be provided.

Is this course technical or meant for developers?

Absolutely not! In fact, if you have experience in business this course will likely make more sense than it might to a developer. That said, if you have business experience in another industry and want to build a software product then this course will show you how to use your prior knowledge and apply it to the technology industry.

SOME IMPORTANT INFORMATION

Disclaimer: Neither Gv Freeman, The Product Founder’s Journey, Software Field Manual or Pure Imagination promise any specific results as a result of purchasing this training. In other words, you have to put in the work and have to have a good idea and the necessary resources and strategies to build a successful software company. Any results, testimonials, or figures quoted on this page are not intended to imply guaranteed financial gains.

Privacy Policy: We will occasionally track your web activity on pages owned by the Product Founder’s Journey or the Software Field Manual and we will occasionally send you emails related to the course material. In all circumstances, your private data is never sold and is kept confidential. You can unsubscribe from our emails at any time (except for transactional emails necessary to fulfill our contractual obligations).

Terms & Conditions: The quick and easy version is you will have 30 days starting from the day payment is received to preview the course material before your refund period expires. If you request a refund after the 30 day period, your request will be denied (whether you are paying monthly or you paid in full). If you enroll using the 6 or 12 month payment option, all payments must continue for the full 6 or 12 month term unless you exercise your right to cancel within 30 days of purchase. Failure to pay the full amount after the refund period has expired may result in legal action. All legal proceedings will be handled in St. Louis, Missouri, USA. All refunds are discretionary, as the law permits. If we believe you have purchased the course, downloaded the material to use or distribute elsewhere we may reject your request for a refund. For full details regarding our Disclaimer, Terms and Conditions, and Privacy Policy please click the links at the bottom of the page.