Overview
The self-publication of "The Four Steps to the Epiphany" in 2003 marks the moment when Steve Blank's experiential pattern recognition became a codified methodology. The book introduced Customer Development to the world and articulated the foundational insight that startups are not small versions of large companies.
Context
Blank had retired from entrepreneurship in 1999 (the day before E.piphany's IPO) and begun teaching at UC Berkeley in 2001. The book emerged from his teaching — the process of explaining to students what he had observed across 8 startups forced him to systematize his thinking.
Impact
Initially niche — passed hand-to-hand among Silicon Valley entrepreneurs — the book became increasingly influential as the Lean Startup movement grew. Eric Ries copyedited an early version, providing a direct link between the book and the movement it spawned.
Sources: steveblank.com, Amazon, Computer History Museum