Finding your niche can be frustrating, isn't it?

Hey friend!

2022 was a year of “finding my niche” for me.

Mind you. I have been blogging since 2020, writing on every topic possible (feminism, productivity, history, personal essays, photography, psychology, travel, and more). So I guess my niche-finding journey started then.

I made millions of small and big pivots. Kept drilling down on what worked and what didn’t. And more than anything, I tapped into what felt right in my gut.

Only now, after 2.5 years, am I in a place where I’ve found my jam and would probably stay with it for at least a year (yup, not promising more).

Through this journey, I spent hours and hours reading and watching books/videos/articles on “How to find your niche.” I drove myself through walls of frustration and sometimes even pulled my hair out (not literally).

I wish someone had told the 22-year-old Shruthi…

Probably it’s my spiky point of view, but I feel everyone who asks you to find your niche is bullshitting.

And anyone who says you can find it in 3 weeks with a cohort-based course and with 5 steps is bullshitting even more.

Gosh, it feels soooooo goooood to type it out aloud. 

For those of you who knew what career path you wanted to go on from the time you were in the womb, good for you. I sincerely appreciate you (and slightly jealous, but anyway).

But most of us aren’t like that.

It takes months, years, or even decades to find out our niche.

I’m here to say it’s okay. And that you can build a successful business(es) even without one.

Okay, so I’m not sending out this newsletter only to rant:)

But I also don’t want to be that person who tells you that you ‘must’/’should’ take X, Y, and Z steps to reach your ideal niche and make millions of dollars.

I hated it when people did that to me, so I will not propel you through the same torture.

But, I do want to share some guidelines to help you remove the pressure in the process. I hope they make your shoulders less tense and make you feel calm about your niche and your direction.

Even if I achieve 1% of this, I will have met my goals:)

Note: These tips apply to one-person businesses more than any other.

Let’s start!

10 Guidelines to Help You Find Your Niche

1. Most of us think that niching down is a marriage decision. It’s NOT! You can change direction at any time based on where your gut leads you, especially in the early years. So please don’t feel boxed up about it at all.Be ready to ebb and flow with time as you change.

2. More than thinking about the niche, think about the psychographics of the person. Often in the coaching/consulting business, it doesn’t matter where they are from or their background.What kind of people do you want to work with? What values should they have? What should their day-to-day problems be? Most of the time, we attract people who are similar to us. So jot down the points.

3. As time goes on and we get older, we get more and more clarity about what we don’t want. It can be our values, ethics, kind of businesses, etc. Use all that information to remove possibilities.For example, I know that I’ll always be a one-person business and never have employees (probably some freelancers, that’s all). My business decisions and pivots reflect that mindset too.

4. If you’re a multi-passionate person, there’s nothing wrong with:- running multiple businesses (not more than 2 or 3) at the same time- mixing up multiple niches to form your own niche- keep having side hustles so that you can leave your main hustle when one picks up. You can do that throughout your life

5. Don’t let people tell you cannot have a squiggly career path. The days of climbing one big corporate ladder are long over. Even those working in 9-5 switch fields every couple of years.It’s your career. You decide what’s right for you and mogiantahead.

6. You don’t need to create a new social media account every time you pivot. Chill. Most people follow you because they like YOU. Not necessarily your niche.You might lose some followers, I don’t deny. But you’ll also know who will stick with you until the end. They’re your loyal fans.

7. It’s easy to start comparing ourselves to others who have figured everything out.I had a cousin who knew what she wanted to do from the 4th grade. And I found out what I liked only when I was 25. Some take longer. I used to hate it when my family compared me to her (it’s an Indian thing), and I still hate it when people pass casual comments laced with sarcasm. Ugghh.You are you. Don’t let anyone tell you otherwise.

8. This is weird, but your childhood passions will heavily influence your niche. It might not be directly visible, but yes. So tap into everything you liked to do when you were a child. Even minuscule or stupid stuff that people might not notice or consider important. It’ll give you better clarity on who you want to be.For example, I have always loved writing and talking to strangers. I was sooooper good with people and was the unofficial secret keeper of the class. I’ve had conversations with strangers everywhere…trains, buses, bus stops, waiting halls, hospitals, parks, public restrooms…you get the point. Both skills are the foundation of my coaching business today.

9. Run 90-day experiments. If it works, you can continue. If not, you can leave:) Tap into your gut at every step of the way. Does this feel right? Do you like doing it? What aspects?Be curious. Let one thing lead to another.Of course, it needs to be something you do on the side at this point.

10. Most importantly, talk to people in the field. Talk to tons of people. We often feel it’s enough to watch some YT videos or podcasts or take courses to learn something. Never.You need to understand these people's daily lifestyles, struggles, and successes. Your network circle will increase with time, and you can make informed decisions.

Most of the time, all you need is the willingness to approach people, understand them and help them in whatever way possible. Starting with your close friends.

Often if you notice, the topic of finding your niche only comes in marketing (content/email, Twitter/LinkedIn profile optimization etc.)

It never comes up in conversations.

When you offer help to people, a simple, “Hey, I’ve started doing X. It seems like you’re struggling with the same. Can I help you out?” does wonders.

I truly hope the tips gave you a sense of direction, and a starting point. If you need any further help, feel free to reply! I’ll do my best to help:)

Until next time,Shruthi