Field Notes
By Jason Kumpf
The fastest growth usually comes from getting narrower, not broader. The companies that scale well know exactly who they are for, and they build everything around that person.
The clearest signal of who you are built for is who already loves what you do. Look closely at your happiest customers, the ones who renew, refer, and rave. The patterns among them tell you where the rest of your growth is hiding.
It feels risky to narrow your focus, as if you are turning customers away. In practice, the more specific your ideal customer, the easier and cheaper it is to reach them and win them. A sharp message to the right person beats a broad one to everyone.
Once you know who you serve best, point everything at them: the product roadmap, the words on the page, the price, the channels. When a customer feels like a product was made for them, they buy faster and stay longer.
Growth comes from focus. Learn from your fans, narrow until it stings a little, and build for that one ideal customer, and the right people start finding you.
Jason Kumpf is a global business executive. He is Head of US Revenue at Razorpay, the global fintech group, and a Go Global Business Expert who helps companies grow across borders. He also works as a board advisor, angel investor, and speaker.