AJ and Smart's Business Model Evolution

AJ and Smart, a design and development agency, underwent two significant business model innovations. The first shift occurred after CEO Jonathan Courtney read the book 'Built to Sell,' which inspired him to make the business more sellable and sustainable without him. They transformed their value proposition from a traditional agency model to solving client challenges in just one week through design sprints. They also shifted their customer segments to focus on big corporates, becoming a trusted partner for design sprints. This partnership with Jake Knapp, the author of 'Sprint,' solidified their position as leaders in the design sprint space. They created extensive content, including YouTube videos and podcasts, to establish credibility and attract clients. This shift allowed them to move away from day-rate work and focus on selling a single product, design sprints. They increased the price and scaled delivery teams to generate higher profits.