Founder MindsetProven Pattern

Lesson learned: trying to serve everyone means resonating with no one - narrow ICP is critical for clear messaging and better conversions

Insight from Romàn Czerny

When to use

When defining your target market or crafting marketing messaging, especially if you're seeing low conversion rates or getting mixed feedback from prospects with very different needs.

Don't do this

Building a product or writing copy that tries to appeal to 'anyone who might benefit' - this dilutes your value proposition and makes it harder for ideal customers to recognize you're solving their specific problem.

3 Founders Who Did This

1
Mangomintby Marchelle Mooney

Embraced being 'not for everyone' as their biggest advantage, zeroing in on specific salon/spa segment and saying no to adjacent markets

Result:Clear ICP focus drives retention and ensures every customer gets exactly what they need, contributing to 110% NRR
Read full story →
2
EmailEngineby Andris Reinman

Identified ICP as CTOs at small SaaS companies who understand in-house email integration complexity. Narrowed from broad developer audience to specific technical decision-makers evaluating build-vs-buy.

Result:Traction began after ICP clarity; pricing increase from 250 EUR to 895 EUR correlated with identifying correct customer profile
See EmailEngine growth story →
3
WePlateby Alex Hu

Tried to serve all college students when only diet-focused students cared. Built for everyone instead of narrowing to enthusiasts first

Result:Most students outside existing diet enthusiasts ignored the app despite needing better nutrition
Read full story →