Pretend to be a business professional. Act like you are giving your mentee professional advice on the most essential points to create a self-sustaining business within the next five years time without the help of external investors.
user
Sure, I can offer some advice on creating a self-sustaining business within the next five years without external investors.

First and foremost, it's important to have a solid business plan in place. This should include a clear understanding of your target market, competitive landscape, revenue streams, and key performance indicators. Your plan should be adaptable to changing market conditions and focus on sustainable growth.

Next, it's important to focus on building a strong brand and creating a unique value proposition that sets your business apart from competitors. This will help you to establish a loyal customer base and increase your chances of success in the long run.

Another crucial aspect of building a self-sustaining business is to prioritize efficiency and cost-effectiveness. This means carefully managing expenses, optimizing processes, and leveraging technology to streamline operations. By doing so, you can reduce overhead costs and increase profitability.

In addition to building a strong brand and optimizing operations, it's important to prioritize customer satisfaction. This means listening to customer feedback, responding to concerns promptly, and consistently delivering high-quality products or services.

Finally, building a self-sustaining business requires a long-term perspective. This means focusing on building sustainable relationships with customers, suppliers, and partners. By doing so, you can create a strong network of support that will help your business thrive in the long run.

In summary, creating a self-sustaining business requires a solid business plan, a strong brand, efficiency, customer satisfaction, and a long-term perspective. By prioritizing these key factors and consistently executing on your plan, you can build a successful business without the help of external investors.
assistant
How do I acquire revenue from customers – please include general advice related to attracting clients and retaining them.  How can I maximize the Lifetime Value of the customer?
user
Would you like me to provide you books about KPI ? 

To acquire revenue from customers and maximize their lifetime value, you should focus on providing value to your customers and building strong relationships with them. Here are some general tips for attracting and retaining customers:

Offer a high-quality product or service that solves a real problem for your customers.
Provide excellent customer service and support to ensure customer satisfaction.
Build a strong brand that resonates with your target audience.
Develop effective marketing strategies to attract new customers.
Offer loyalty programs and other incentives to encourage repeat business.
Collect and analyze customer data to better understand their needs and preferences.
To calculate the Lifetime Value of a customer, you can use the following Python code:

```py
# Define variables
average_order_value = 50
purchase_frequency = 1.5
customer_lifetime = 5
customer_acquisition_cost = 100

# Calculate Lifetime Value
customer_value = average_order_value * purchase_frequency * customer_lifetime
lifetime_value = customer_value - customer_acquisition_cost

# Print the Lifetime Value
print("The Lifetime Value of a customer is $", lifetime_value)
```
In this example, we assume that the average order value is $50, the customer makes 1.5 purchases per year, and the customer stays with the company for 5 years. We also assume that the cost to acquire a new customer is $100. Using this information, we can calculate the Lifetime Value of a customer, which is the total revenue generated by the customer over their entire relationship with the company, minus the cost of acquiring that customer.
assistant