Why we created The Circle Forward Method
- Jon Katz
- Jun 20
- 3 min read
Updated: Jun 24
A better framework for startups in motion
If you’ve ever built an early-stage startup—especially as a first-time founder—you know the feeling:
You’re moving fast, but you’re not sure if you’re moving in the right direction.
You’re making decisions all day, but few feel grounded in anything stable.
Your team is growing, your market is shifting, and your runway is shrinking.
We’ve both been there—more times than we can count.
Over the last 35+ combined years, we’ve worked inside, advised, and scaled early-stage startups through every phase of growth. From Seed to Series C and beyond, one truth keeps showing up:
Startups need a business management framework. But the ones that exist today weren’t built for this stage.
The Problem: Traditional Frameworks Like EOS or OKRs Aren’t Built for Startups
There are three widely known systems that dominate the startup and scale-up world:
EOS (Entrepreneurial Operating System)
OKRs (Objectives and Key Results)
Scaling Up by Verne Harnish
These systems have helped many companies organize, scale, and improve performance. But here’s the honest truth: They don’t work well for early-stage, high-growth startups.
They assume stability—defined roles, clear departments, known customers, and validated products. They focus on execution at the expense of learning. And they often add more overhead and process than a nimble, scrappy startup can or should absorb.
We’ve seen it firsthand working with countless founders:You implement one of these systems, and instead of getting clarity, you get frustrated. Instead of momentum, you get stuck.
Our Belief: Every Startup Needs a Framework
Despite those shortcomings, we do believe every early-stage business needs a framework—especially those in the chaos of Seed to Series A.
A framework that aligns the team around a shared vision.
One that supports speed, learning, and iteration.
One that helps teams execute without becoming overly rigid or complex.
That’s why we created The Circle Forward Method.
The Circle Forward Method: Built for Startups, by Startup Operators
At its core, Circle Forward is built around our Triple A Method:
1. Alignment
Grounding the business in strategy and the customer.
This includes not just a high-level vision but a detailed Two-Page Strategic Plan (TPSP) that captures:
The Mission, Core Purpose, and North Star
The business hypothesis
A focus on a specific customer segment - ICP (Ideal Customer Profile)
Problem-Solution alignment
2. Acceleration
Driving momentum through learning and key objectives.
Startups don’t just need to do—they need to learn fast. We emphasize:
A Lean methodology applied to strategic and execution-level priorities
Weekly, quarterly and annual learning cycles
Objective clarity that evolves with what you’re learning and your core purpose
Accelerating with a keen eye on constraints such as burn and runway
3. Accountability
Creating ownership through data, decisions, and execution rhythm.
Execution is only powerful when it’s tied to what matters. We spotlight a new set of key metrics to track:
Risk Metrics (e.g., burn rate, runway, churn)
Value & PMF Metrics (are we solving the right problem and is our customer getting value from our solution?)
Dynamic Metrics that evolve with current goals
What Makes Circle Forward Different
We didn’t just tweak EOS or layer OKRs with a new acronym.We built Circle Forward from the ground up based on the real needs of early-stage companies and based on our years of experience working in these systems.
Here are seven core differences:
1. The Challenger Role
Every department has a built-in Challenger. This ensures assumptions are challenged and ideas are pressure-tested before decisions are made.
2. Decision-Making Framework
We teach a structured process to drive velocity in decision-making without sacrificing thoughtfulness. No more bottlenecks or waiting for consensus.
3. Mission Alignment alongside Core Values
Values matter, but alignment to mission is non-negotiable. We help teams rally around the “why” and build culture that scales.
4. Startup-Specific Metrics
We measure what matters right now. That includes:
Risk metrics (runway, retention and churn, etc.)
PMF/Value metrics (customer signals)
Dynamic metrics (adjustable based on your current objective)
5. Learning Is Mandatory
We bake learning into the system, holding the business (not just people) accountable for what it’s learning every week, month, and quarter.
6. The Business Hypothesis Checklist
Most startups scale too soon based on assumptions that haven’t been proven. We force teams to rigorously challenge those assumptions before building on shaky ground.
7. Focus on Constraints
We explicitly incorporate burn rate, funding milestones, team bandwidth, and external risks into strategic and operational planning. No blind spots allowed.
Circle Forward Is a System for the Stage You’re Actually In
If you’re leading a company in high-growth mode—from Seed to Series A—Circle Forward is built for you. Not for your future self. Not for the 200-person org you hope to become. But for the real, messy, high-potential company you’re building right now.
We’ve lived this chaos. And we built a system that helps you navigate it without losing your speed, your team, or your mind.
Want to learn more or implement Circle Forward in your business?
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