startup-business-modelslisted

# Startup Business Models Systematic workflow for choosing revenue models, pricing, and unit economics. ## Quick Start (Inputs) Ask for the smallest set of inputs that makes the decision meaningful: - Business type: SaaS, usage-based/API, marketplace, services, hardware + service - ICP/segment(s): SMB / mid-market / enterprise (and ACV/ARPA bands) - Current pricing and packaging: value metric, tiers, limits, discount policy, billing cadence - Unit economics drivers: fully-loaded CAC, gross margin/COGS (include LLM/infra/third-party), churn/retention, expansion (NRR) - Constraints: sales motion (PLG vs sales-led), implementation constraints (billing metering, proration), gross margin floor, payback target If numbers are missing, proceed with ranges + explicit assumptions and highlight what to measure next. ## Workflow 1) Classify the model - Subscription, usage-based, freemium, marketplace take-rate, transaction fee, ads, outcome-based, credit-based, hybrid. 2) Build a segment-level unit economics snapshot - Use `references/unit-economics-calculator.md` for formulas, benchmarks, and common pitfalls. - Prefer cohort/segment views over blended averages. 3) Evaluate model fit and risks - Align price metric with value delivered and cost incurred (especially usage + AI compute). - Identify failure modes: margin compression, adverse selection, channel conflict, support cost explosions, metering/overage friction. 4) Propose pricing + packaging changes - Use `references/pric