04. Make Your Startup Worth Talking About Before You Try to Be Seen

Let me tell you something most startups underestimate. They think the secret to success is more features, more services, more revenue streams. But the real magic? It’s focus. Not in the vague, corporate mission-statement kind of way, but in the bold simplicity of doing one thing - and doing it damn well.

It’s tempting, of course. You’re building a clothing brand, so why not add coffee? You’re a coach, your partner’s a designer, so why not offer the full package? You’re building furniture, so why not paint houses too? It all sounds logical, maybe even efficient. But in reality, it kills your momentum.

Every startup is already hard. You’re learning, building, pitching, fixing. You’re finding your first customers, trying to prove you’re worth paying for. So when you start stacking services, you’re not expanding - you’re splitting your energy. And worse, you’re blurring your position.

Are you a design agency? A DTP studio? A creative duo? A coffee brand? A tech platform? If no one knows what you really are, they won’t buy. Because clarity builds trust. And trust creates traction.

Later — once you’ve nailed your core, once people know exactly who you are and why they need you — then you can expand. That’s how Airbnb started, with just spare rooms. Amazon sold books. Uber had one car option. Apple launched with one Mac. Instagram was for photo sharing. Google gave you a search box. Tesla had a single car. Every single one of them began the same way: with laser-sharp focus.

Are there exceptions? Of course. Back in 2018, I co-founded a platform called The One — video calling, pay-per-minute, global reach. You could talk to anyone, learn anything, get support instantly. Sounds brilliant, right? Except investors kept asking the same question: who is it for? Coaches? Marketers? Therapists?

Even if your tech is focused, if your audience isn’t, you’re still vague. Spotify didn’t start with every genre. YouTube didn’t start with every topic. Focus isn’t always about what you offer. Sometimes it’s about who you offer it to.

Take another example. A friend of mine is building a platform for retreats and coaching locations. Incredible network. Solid concept. High quality. But then the ideas started flowing: what if we also offer holidays? What if we add mid-range retreats? Let’s open it up to everything. It felt like growth, but it was actually diffusion.

Because what are you now? A wellness platform? A retreat site? A travel agency? The more you offer, the fuzzier your identity becomes. And the moment people have to explain your offer with examples, instead of one clear sentence, you’ve already lost focus.

What many founders forget is that focus doesn’t mean doing less. It means doing the right thing first. Apple didn’t stop at one computer. But they didn’t launch iTunes before the Mac. They earned the right to expand — by proving their core.

Yes, there are rare cases like Twitter — now X — that found their purpose after launch. They built a flexible framework, and users gave it meaning. But you don’t build strategy on exceptions. You build it on clarity, simplicity, and restraint.

So ask yourself: what’s the least I need to do to make money from my dream? Not what more can I add, but what can I cut? Because in the beginning, the more ideas you chase, the slower you move. And slow startups don’t scale. They sink.

Focus isn’t flashy. It doesn’t get applause at launch parties. But it gets you to product-market fit. To actual customers. To real growth.

That’s the spell. Hocus. Pocus. Focus. Do one thing. Do it well. Then earn the right to do more.

But let’s take this one step deeper. Because focus isn’t just about what you offer. It’s also about how well you do what you say you do.

A friend of mine - a brilliant coach - recently came up with an idea for round table sessions for entrepreneurs. It was engaging, interactive, and full of potential. But it was also her fourth new idea in three months. None of the previous ideas had failed. They just… stopped. She lost energy. Moved on. Always chasing a new format to reach better clients.

Sound familiar?

The thing is - she’s really good at what she does. She’s written a powerful book on sustainability. Built a solid name. But when something truly works for her, it’s rooted in her core. Her values. Her coaching. Her fire. Not in events or new models. Just coaching — where she shines.

We forget this too easily. Just because something feels creative doesn’t mean it’s effective. You’re not in business to stay entertained. You’re in business to create value.

She told me, “But round tables are more fun. Coaching all day is intense.” And she’s right. Running your core business can be exhausting, repetitive, even less exciting than that shiny new thing. But here’s what’s worse: building attention around something you’re not world-class at.

I buy bread at the bakery with the best bread - not the best Instagram. I go to restaurants with great service - not the best logo. I wear clothes I love — not just what’s trending online. In the end, we stick with quality. With consistency. With people who do what they do incredibly well.

That’s the brutal truth. You don’t need to be more visible. You need to be more valuable.

If people aren’t talking about you now - not online, but in real life - at birthday parties, on dog walks, at park benches… then maybe the problem isn’t your marketing. It’s your foundation.

We keep trying to brand ourselves before we’ve nailed what we stand for. Before we’ve built something people actually want to talk about.

So let me put it simply. Be remarkable first. Then worry about being seen.

And if you want to grow, don’t chase noise. Chase word of mouth. Not likes. Not views. But conversations. Because when people start recommending you without being asked, you’re onto something.

So before you post that next promo, ask yourself: am I truly excellent at what I deliver? Have I created something people naturally talk about? Or am I busy promoting a product that still needs work at the core?

Do what only you can do. Do it so well that people can’t ignore it. Use your talent in a way that’s felt, not just seen. Be the one who shows up with depth - not just visibility.

And that’s how branding begins. That’s how real marketing works.

So here’s where it lands. Before you build a brand, become someone worth talking about. Not loud, but clear. Not everywhere, but unforgettable where it matters. Master your craft. Deliver the hell out of it. Let the quality speak before your content does. Because real growth starts in silence, with one person telling another person, “You should check this out.”