Should You Niche Down More? Why "Too Narrow" Might Be Your Competitive Advantage
Contributed by SBOC Member:
Pat Miller
Founder of the Small Business Owners Community
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The "Too Narrow" Fear
Paul Waki runs Simple Endurance Coaching. He’s an endurance sport coach for cyclists, runners, and triathletes who has been focusing increasingly on gravel bike racing—a rapidly growing segment of the cycling world.
His web developer told him the focus was too narrow. Google wouldn’t find him. He was limiting his market.
The question: Did he niche down too far?
The answer: Find your competitive advantage by going narrower.
The Math of Niching
Paul doesn’t need millions of customers. He needs 30-40 coaching clients to run a thriving business.
Are there 40 gravel riders in the world who would pay for specialized coaching? Absolutely. Gravel racing has exploded in popularity—it’s one of the fastest-growing segments of cycling.
The question isn’t “Is there a market?” The question is “Can I own this space?”
Consider the Google search: Someone with a gravel race in two months is getting nervous. They want to improve. Are they searching “endurance coach for biking” or “gravel bike coach”?
The more specific your positioning, the more likely you are to be the answer when someone searches for exactly what you do.
The Shift To Competitive Advantage
Instead of “Simple Endurance Coaching,” the positioning could become even clearer:
“Hi, I’m Paul. I help you go fast on gravel.”
That’s it. One sentence. Crystal clear.
Everything else—the nutrition advice, the training plans, the strength work—supports that single promise. But the promise is simple: You want to go fast on gravel. I help you do that.
The Funnel Structure
A narrow niche doesn’t mean a single product. It means a clear focus with multiple entry points:
Top of funnel (free): Newsletter with weekly gravel racing tips. Lead magnet like a “Gravel Racing Guide.” Low barrier, high volume.
Middle of funnel (low-cost): AI-powered coaching platform, training plan templates, group calls. Some investment, builds trust.
Bottom of funnel (premium): One-on-one coaching. Full access. High-touch relationship.
The narrow niche applies to all levels—it’s all about going fast on gravel. The pricing tiers accommodate different commitment levels and budgets.
The Safety Net
Here’s the thing about going narrow: If it doesn’t work, you can always come back out.
You can add mountain biking later. You can expand to trail running. You can broaden the positioning if the narrow approach doesn’t generate enough demand.
But you’ll never know if narrow works until you actually commit to it. Half-measures—”I’m an endurance coach but I really focus on gravel”—create confused positioning that resonates with no one.
Key Takeaways
- “Too narrow” might actually be your competitive advantage
- You don’t need millions of customers—just enough to fill your capacity
- Specific positioning wins in Google searches
- A narrow niche can have multiple products at different price points
- If narrow doesn’t work, you can always broaden later
Listen to the full discussion on Businessing with Pat Miller.
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Contributed by
Pat Miller
Founder of the Small Business Owners Community
Pat spent two decades in broadcasting management and hosting. After leaving the radio industry, he spent time consulting small businesses and realized the support system for entrepreneurs was broken. Where could you find help for improving small businesses and building real connections with other like-minded people. In June of 2020, the Idea Collective Small Business Community was born.