Focus narrows as you find product-market fit - cast wide to learn, then double down
Pre-PMF, casting a wide net helps you learn about different verticals, customer types, and use cases. But you cannot prioritize everything—trying to serve multiple verticals simultaneously means delivering deep value to none. Once you find traction in one vertical (a cohort of customers who love the product and grow quickly), you must narrow focus dramatically and double down on that segment. This means saying no to adjacent opportunities that seem promising. The discipline of narrowing creates focus in product roadmap, messaging, and go-to-market that unlocks faster iteration and deeper value delivery. You can always expand to adjacent markets later, but trying to be everything to everyone before PMF guarantees you'll be nothing to no one.
When to use
When you have early traction in multiple customer segments or verticals and need to choose where to focus. When your product roadmap is pulled in multiple directions by different customer types. When go-to-market feels scattered and messaging doesn't resonate strongly with any particular audience. Best for horizontal or platform products that could serve many industries but need to dominate one first.
Don't do this
Keeping doors open to every vertical and customer type because you don't want to miss opportunities. Building features for multiple segments simultaneously and delivering mediocre solutions to all of them. Letting the loudest customer or biggest deal dictate strategy without evaluating strategic fit. Believing that 'anyone could use this' means you should sell to everyone.
1 Founder Who Did This
Cast wide net across cafes, retail, healthcare, stadiums to learn, then doubled down on medical staffing once traction appeared