Struggling to find a vertical?

Where people struggle with finding a vertical to specialize in:

Use intuition alone and avoid looking at the data.

Use data alone and discount who they're targeting.

Go a mile wide and an inch deep, and never really specialize.

Do any of these sound familiar?

CQ

Frequently Asked Questions

Why does relying on intuition alone lead to struggle when choosing a vertical?

Because gut feeling without data ignores real evidence about where retention, revenue, and fit already exist. Intuition might feel right without actually being validated by anything concrete.

Why does relying on data alone also cause problems?

Because data without considering personal connection to the people being targeted can lead to a technically sound choice that still doesn't hold up over years of sustained specialization if there's no genuine interest in serving that vertical.

What does it mean to go "a mile wide and an inch deep"?

Spreading focus across too many potential verticals without ever committing enough to any one of them to build real depth. That shallow approach means specialization never actually happens in a meaningful way.

Why do these three patterns keep showing up for people trying to specialize?

Because choosing a vertical requires balancing both data and intuition, and resisting the temptation to hedge by staying broad. Leaning too hard into any one approach, or avoiding commitment altogether, tends to stall the decision.

What's the common thread across all three struggles?

An imbalance, either ignoring data, ignoring personal fit, or refusing to commit to depth at all. Real progress on choosing a vertical requires holding all three considerations together instead of leaning on just one.