A Conversation with Our CEO: Find Your Niche

Interview by: Makayla Miano

It’s necessary to stand out when venturing into the entrepreneurial space, and sometimes a smaller focus can be a viable strategy to do so. This month we had the opportunity to chat with our CEO, Hannah Smolicz, on how she was able to capitalize her marketing and administrative services company. Her answer: Find Your Niche. There are endless layers to one’s personal and professional niche, and luckily, we have the answers for you. 

Our Conversation with Hannah:

• What is your company's niche?

Smolicz Solutions, LLC focuses on providing marketing and administrative services to high level professionals and C-Suite executives in the B2B world. Our niche is our target market and this audience has significantly shaped the business.

• How did you find your niche?

As a freelancer, I was primarily working with start-ups and small businesses that targeted younger generations. More specifically, I developed and executed marketing strategies for Gen-Z and Millennial markets. Unfortunately, I wasn’t naturally connecting with those companies or enjoying my daily tasks. I found that I simply didn’t connect with the target market and was promoting products that I would never use.

However, I did have one client where my relationships blossomed and I truly enjoyed the work, which was working with high-level professionals. As short-term clients concluded, I decided to hone in on that market and make it my niche. I was able to work with other professional service providers, rather than selling products. I have a rich interest in executive business initiatives, and my relationships with C-Suite individuals come with ease. 

• Why do you think it's important for a company to find their niche?

Every business needs a focal point, which is why it’s essential to find your niche before starting the branding and marketing process. Once you identify your target audience, you can focus on that community and ultimately find even more clients. In my experience, casting too wide of a net blurs your focus. 

• How does this impact branding?

Your business is an extension of yourself. So being naturally connected to your target market will allow your relationships and the work to flow more easily. If you don’t develop both your personal and professional brand, things will fall apart. You want these brands to coexist in harmony. This includes one’s physical appearance, digital footprint, online aspects of your business, and even an email signature. All these aspects come together to create what is known as your brand. Entrepreneurs must keep this in mind, especially because businesses need to evolve with company leaders.

• How can other companies or individuals find their niche?

Start with asking yourself basic questions. What are you passionate about? Who do you connect with? What are your strengths and weaknesses? Simple answers can help reveal a simple path to success.

Ultimately, I felt my best and most trusting relationships were with executives and board members in the B2B world. This was the first sign that I had found my niche and needed to strengthen that focal point.

What We Learned:

Finding your niche can be tricky at first. You want to ensure connection with the companies and products you’re supporting. In the beginning of her marketing career, Hannah promoted trendy products and brands that appealed to younger generations. As time went on, she realized it was becoming more difficult to effectively serve clients without a genuine connection to the products or market. Hannah didn’t feel interested in most of the trends, and felt it didn’t align with her personal brand and interests. Once she made the exclusive switch to supporting high level executives of B2B companies, she found the relationships and her business began to flourish. That’s when Hannah knew she had found her company’s niche and business grew faster than ever.

Was this growth intersectional? Well, there are several reasons niching down works as mentioned in Business News Daily, especially when establishing a loyal customer base. Having a clear market niche ensures that targeted customers will want to work with your business over the competition’s. Plus, this helps your business stand out and attract customers who are specifically looking for your specialization.

We’ve all heard the saying “jack of all trades, but master of none”. When your company has no niche, it becomes hard to find a focus and execute your business’ strengths. Hannah explains how once you hone in on a specific market, you are able to find more clients that align with your strengths.  According to Business News Daily, “Niche marketing also allows you to create a better rapport with your audience and build more personal relationships.” Hannah experienced this first hand once she started focusing on executive-level clients. Clients could sense her dedication and passion towards the work, which aided in fostering strong relationships and scaling the business.

The advice “find your niche” is not a new concept. However, it is something that many business owners are forced to find out the hard way. It’s much easier for an outsider to advise an entrepreneur to focus on a certain market, but it is often viewed as giving up potential clients. Every small-business owner must remember that giving up markets you’re not genuinely interested in isn't giving up. It’s allowing your focus to shift back to your strengths and create a greater presence within that speciality.

Written By: Makayla Miano 

Makayla Miano, Marketing & Administrative Assistant