Many founders resist defining their audience because it feels like turning people away.

But here’s the reality: if you try to appeal to everyone, you usually end up resonating with no one.

Why?

Because vague brands don’t build trust. They don’t feel personal. And they don’t stand out.

‍

There’s science behind this too — psychologist Barry Schwartz coined the term The Paradox of Choice, showing that when people are faced with too many options (or overly broad ones), they feel decision fatigue and end up taking no action at all.

‍

In branding, specificity cuts through the noise.

Vagueness blends in.

Positioning doesn’t mean narrowing your potential.

It means sharpening your clarity.

It’s not about being small. It’s about being clear — and clarity builds confidence.

‍

Think of some of the most magnetic brands today:

Glossier was built specifically for beauty lovers who felt left out of the overly polished, YouTube-contouring world.

‍

Liquid Death leaned all the way into their subculture tone (and grew faster than nearly every competitor in the category).

‍

Notion built for the niche of neurotic, minimalist productivity nerds — and then expanded outward.

‍

None of them were trying to be “for everyone.” But by being specific, they became beloved — and wildly scalable.

This also ties into Simon Sinek’s golden circle theory: “People don’t buy what you do, they buy why you do it.” Without a clear “why” and “who,” your brand just becomes noise.

‍

Humans are wired to look for belonging. We want to feel seen. Heard. Understood.

Brands that feel familiar — like they “get us” — are far more likely to earn trust and loyalty. That’s because emotional connection drives purchasing decisions far more than logic.

In fact, research from Harvard Business School professor Gerald Zaltman found that 95% of purchasing decisions are made in the subconscious mind. That means how your brand feels matters — and that feeling starts with positioning.

When your audience sees themselves clearly in your brand, they’re more likely to engage, refer, and come back.

‍

Without a clear brand position, every decision becomes harder:

– What should your tone of voice be?

– What visual style makes sense?

– What kind of copy converts?

– What even goes on the homepage?

Trying to design without strategy is like decorating a house without knowing who’s going to live in it.

‍

That’s why in my studio, strategy always comes first. It’s the step that saves founders from second-guessing later. It’s also the difference between brands that grow with ease… and brands that keep pivoting every six months.