The EPIC Model

The EPIC Model is a transformative coaching framework designed to drive sustainable growth and excellence for startups at every stage.

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This holistic approach integrates four interconnected pillars—Empower, Present, Innovate, and Commit—to address both internal team dynamics and external market challenges. By adapting to your startup's maturity level, from Garage to Licorne, it provides modular, actionable strategies with measurable KPIs to ensure long-term success.

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Empower:

Building Resilient Internal Foundations

 

The Empower pillar is the cornerstone of the EPIC Model, focusing on unlocking the full potential of individuals and teams within the startup. It emphasizes strengthening internal competencies to create a robust organizational backbone that can withstand the uncertainties of entrepreneurial life. By prioritizing leadership development, this pillar helps founders and managers cultivate skills that inspire and guide teams effectively, ensuring everyone is aligned and motivated toward common goals.

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At its core, Empower promotes fostering a positive culture where psychological safety is paramount, drawing from research like that of Amy Edmondson to encourage open communication and risk-taking without fear of failure. It also integrates well-being practices, such as stress management techniques and work-life balance strategies, to prevent burnout in high-pressure environments common to startups. Inclusion is another key dimension, advocating for diverse perspectives to enhance decision-making and innovation, making sure every team member feels valued and empowered to contribute.

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In practical applications, the Empower pillar offers tools like workshops on delegation and motivation, tailored to different startup phases. For Garage-stage ventures, it might involve basic team-building exercises to establish trust early on. In Growth and Scale-up phases, it scales to include governance sessions for boards, helping to structure autonomy while maintaining alignment. Benefits include measurable increases in team engagement (up to +25%) and reductions in micromanagement (-20%), leading to more efficient operations and higher morale.

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Present:

Enhancing External Credibility and Connections

 

The Present pillar elevates your startup's external image by developing an authoritative presence that builds trust and attracts key stakeholders. It goes beyond surface-level branding to create authentic, compelling narratives that resonate in competitive markets. Through masterful storytelling, startups learn to articulate their vision in ways that captivate investors, partners, and customers, turning abstract ideas into relatable, inspiring stories.

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Key dimensions include building brand notoriety through consistent messaging and visual identity, as well as emphasizing social responsibility to align with modern values like sustainability and ethics. This pillar teaches techniques for non-verbal communication, such as posture, vocal modulation, and emotional authenticity, to project confidence during pitches or public appearances. Resilience under pressure is also addressed, helping leaders maintain composure in critical moments like investor meetings or crises.

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Applications are versatile across maturity phases: Garage startups might focus on initial pitch simulations, while Scale-up companies could refine keynote speeches for shareholders. Workshops, lasting 2-3 hours, include filmed practice sessions with feedback, leading to benefits like +40% conversion rates in investor pitches and +20% perceived confidence in meetings.

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Innovate:

Cultivating Creativity and Disruption

 

The Innovate pillar drives your startup's ability to stay ahead by fostering a culture of bold creativity and rapid experimentation. It incorporates proven methodologies like Design Thinking to generate user-centered solutions and AI integration to leverage cutting-edge technology for efficiency. This pillar encourages divergent thinking, where teams are empowered to explore unconventional ideas without immediate judgment, sparking breakthroughs in product development or business models.

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Dimensions include agile experimentation, inspired by lean startup principles, allowing for quick testing and iteration to learn from failures efficiently. Collaboration is key, mobilizing diverse perspectives to enrich ideas, while scalable processes ensure innovation can grow with the company. The focus is on creating an environment where creativity is not sporadic but systematic, with tools like hackathons and mind mapping to prototype rapidly.

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Tailored to phases, Garage startups might use simple brainstorming sessions for idea validation, whereas Licorne-level firms could define annual innovation KPIs, such as producing 5 prototypes per year. Benefits encompass +30% more ideas tested monthly and +20% efficiency in creative processes, optimizing R&D investments.

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Commit:

Turning Visions into Tangible Results

 

The Commit pillar is the execution engine of the EPIC Model, transforming ambitious ideas into concrete achievements through disciplined planning and accountability. It emphasizes rigorous execution, where strategies are broken down into actionable steps with clear timelines and responsibilities. Strategic planning tools, like priority matrices, help focus on high-impact levers, reducing ambiguity and accelerating decision-making.

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Core dimensions include performance tracking with KPIs tailored to your startup's goals, such as client traction or revenue milestones, to measure progress objectively. It promotes commitment through feedback loops and emotional connections, ensuring teams remain engaged and aligned. Cognitive resolution techniques reduce mental overload, enabling faster, clearer resolutions in complex scenarios.

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In application, modular workshops guide founders in creating roadmaps or boards in aligning on pivots. For Growth phases, it might involve team briefs for product launches; for Scale-ups, strategic retreats for governance. Quantifiable benefits include -30% ambiguity in internal communication and +25% decision-making efficiency.

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