Читать книгу Entrepreneurial Itch - David Trahair - Страница 29

Dictionary.com offers one definition of niche as “a situation or activity specially suited to a person’s interests, abilities, or nature,” and another as “a special area of demand for a product or service.” If you wish to build a satisfying business, it is well worth taking the time to identify what your niche is going to be. But be careful. Relying on one niche could spell the end for your business.

This was made clear for me during the dot-com boom of the late 1990s. At the time, it seemed that things were going a little crazy. People with no business experience were starting Web-based businesses and becoming millionaires within months. That sounded cool, and I wanted a piece of it. I spent a lot of time developing accounting systems and solutions solely for dot-com start-ups, and I knew several other accountants who were doing the same thing.

What would have happened if I had neglected my existing clients and put all my eggs in the dot-com basket? I would have lost my client base and replaced it with clients who, in most cases, soon ceased to exist. In a matter of months, good clients with investors pouring money into their businesses would have become bad clients unable to pay their bills.

Having one niche is beneficial, but risky. If you happen to choose an area that suffers a severe downturn, you may be in trouble. That is why it may be best to work on developing at least two niches.