A few months back, I was in a Zoom call with a client from New Zealand. During the meeting, I asked him a simple question,
“Who do you serve?”
His response surprised me, because I was expecting to hear a specific target audience. But what he said was, “We don’t have one, because everyone needs a house.”
That answer reminded me of myself in 2016.
When I started offering brand development services, I thought more was better.
More clients.
More industries.
More chances of winning.
I said yes to everyone, healthcare, food and beverage, e-commerce, and even manufacturing. I believed casting a wider net would bring in more business. What happened was the opposite of that. I struggled to land a project.
Then in 2020, I joined a branding agency that worked only with spirituality brands. Everything from that agency clicked.
We have a clear message.
A loyal audience.
A steady pipeline of ideal clients waiting to work with us.
I learned that if you don’t own your space, you’re just renting someone else’s.
You Can’t Save Everyone
Too many early-stage founders try to build brands that “work for everyone.” I’ve seen it in most of my clients.
They want broad appeal.
They want to stay flexible.
They want to keep their options open.
But a brand without a clear focus confuses people, and confused people don’t buy.
It’s hard to grow a brand that is vague.
The truth? If you can’t be the Category King, you’ll always fight uphill.
Instead of going wide, go deep
Find your niche and dominate it.
Become the no-brainer choice.
Think of it this way:
Calendly didn’t try to be all productivity tools. They owned scheduling.
Slack didn’t try to be all communication tools. They nailed internal chat.
Lululemon didn’t try to be for all fitness lovers. They started with yoga women.
Clarity beats creativity, especially for an early-stage startup.
Here’s how to own your niche
1. Choose one type of customer.
Not everyone. One group.
Example: Early-stage tech founders, Single moms starting e-commerce stores, Burnt-out consultants.
2. Solve one painful problem.
What keeps them up at night?
What problem are they actively trying to solve?
3. Create one clear promise.
Boil your offer into a simple statement:
“I help [who] get [result] without [common frustration].” (Try this now in your business )
4. Say “NO” more often.
If it’s not a fit, pass.
Focus creates trust. Trust creates demand.
I saw this firsthand. Once I narrowed my branding services to early-stage startups, I stopped chasing clients. I started getting 2-3 emails per week from potential clients asking if I’m open to work. 3 months ago, I started to waitlist clients.
Still unsure how to do this?
If your brand still feels too vague, it probably is.
I can help you fix that.
Join my waitlist, and I’ll look into your brand.
We’ll define your niche, sharpen your message, and set you up ready for market.
Here’s the bottom line
There’s no such thing as mass appeal in business; it’s a myth.
You don’t need everyone.
You need the right few.
Niche down. Own your space. Be the Category King.
You’ve got this.
I’ll see you on the next one
P.S. Want to test if your brand is clear enough?
Take the quiz: “Do You Have a Market-Ready Brand?”
It takes less than 5 minutes, and no email is required.
I help early-stage startup founders build brands that actually get traction. No fluff, just clear strategy and design that speaks to the right people.
Want to find out if your brand is ready? 👉Take the quiz or Join the waitlist