🤔How to know if you're actually niched down enough

Hey there, Creative!

I had a call this week with a designer who told me she specializes in "branding for small businesses."

When I asked her to get more specific, she said, "Well, I work with everyone. Restaurants, retail, tech startups, coaches, e-commerce brands. I don't want to limit myself."

Here's the problem: she's been stuck at $2,500 projects for three years. She's talented, experienced, and exhausted from competing with every other generalist designer out there.

She's not niched down enough. And neither are most creatives I talk to.

So how do you know if you're actually niched down enough?

Here's the test: Can someone refer you in one sentence without hesitation?

If your ideal client's friend asks, "Do you know a good designer?" and they have to pause and explain what you do, you're too broad.

But if they immediately say, "Oh yeah, Jen specializes in premium positioning for AI artists. She's THE person for that," you've nailed it.

The real question isn't "Am I niched down enough?" It's "Am I specific enough to be the obvious choice?"

When you're truly niched, three things happen:

You stop competing on price because you're the specialist, not one of many options. You attract clients who already understand your value because they're specifically looking for what you do. You can charge premium rates because you're solving a specific, high-value problem better than anyone else.

Most creatives resist niching because they think it limits their opportunities. But the opposite is true. The riches are in the niches because specificity creates authority, and authority commands premium pricing.

This week, I revisited a framework from Tasha Chen (my mentor) that completely changed how I think about finding your niche.

It's called the Cashflow Sweet Spot, and it's a Venn diagram with three circles:

• Your Superpower (what you're exceptionally good at)

• What They Want (what clients are actively seeking)

• What They Need (the deeper problem they're trying to solve)

Where all three overlap is your cashflow sweet spot.

That's where you can deliver massive value, charge premium rates, and build a sustainable business.

But here's what I'd add as a fourth circle: What You Absolutely Love Doing.

You can nail the sweet spot of superpower, market demand, and client need, and still burn out if you hate the actual work. I've seen it happen to too many creatives who built profitable businesses doing work that drained them.

Your niche needs to energize you, not deplete you. Because premium positioning isn't just about commanding higher rates. It's about building a business that lights you up while serving clients at the highest level.

So do this: Map out your four circles. What lights you up? What are you ridiculously good at? What do clients want? What do they actually need?

The overlap? That's your niche. That's where you stop competing and start commanding.

And if you can't see it clearly yet, that's what I help creatives figure out. Because once you nail your niche, everything else falls into place.

Speaking of which, I'm breaking this down at Cre8tive Con 2026 in Chicago.

Can't wait to share this framework with creatives who are ready to level up their positioning.

Here's to getting clear and getting paid.

💗Love,

Jen
Premium Business Strategist for Creative Entrepreneurs
Speaker at Cre8tive Con 2026 | Chicago
Author of 4-time award-winning “The Creative Code: A Creative Professional’s Way to Happiness, Wealth and Joy"