How To Find Your Niche

My friend was a senior manager at his company - he had worked there for 9 years and was doing quite well for himself.

Out of nowhere - he was fired. He was suddenly in debt and had zero savings to fall back on.

But here’s where it gets interesting.

This tough spot made him rediscover his love for art. Before he got all caught up in the corporate world, he used to make collages.

But, like many of us, he put that passion on the back burner for a job that seemed more 'practical'.

With nothing left to lose, he took his last pay check and bought some art supplies.

He started making these awesome collages.

And guess what? The first collage he sold matched his one month salary!

He is now a full time artist, he has exhibited his art across multiple continents and launched multiple 6 figure businesses from the proceeds from his art work.

🔍 Now, What’s This Got to Do with You?

This story isn’t just a story.

It’s a wake-up call that we don’t need to start from scratch to find our niche or build a personal brand.

You do not have to create a new you - instead, it’s about showcasing the best part of yourself, sometimes the parts you have forgotten about or overlooked.

We’ve all got these amazing talents or experiences tucked away.

The trick is to dig deep and find out what you’re really good at – something that others will value and even pay you for.

🔍 Understanding What a Niche Really Is

A niche isn't just a field or specialty – it's your personal sweet spot. It's that specific aspect of your work or interests where you can say, "This is what I do better than almost anyone else."

It could be as broad as digital marketing or as specific as creating social media strategies for video game developers. Your niche is where you bring something to the table that's not just valuable, but also unique.

1. It's Personal and Unique to You: Your niche should resonate personally with you. It's where your personal interests, skills, and expertise converge in a way that's unique to you.

2. It Addresses a Specific Need or Gap: A niche isn't just about what you like; it's also about finding a gap or need in the market that you can fill.

3. It's Where You Can Be a Leader: In your niche, you're more than just a participant; you're a leader, an expert, someone others look to for guidance and insight.

4. It Evolves Over Time: Your niche today might not be your niche in five years. It can evolve as you grow and as market needs change.

💥 Finding Your Niche: It’s Already Inside You

Most people think they need to invent something totally new to build their personal brand.

Nothing could be further from the truth - you already have value in you.

Leverage your existing skills and experiences to showcase that value to the world and get paid for it.

Sometimes, it’s about mixing your current skills with your hidden talents.

For example, if you’re great at selling, you love cooking and photography, maybe you could start selling your photos or create a course on food photography for beginners.

🔍 Self-Questioning: The Key to Uncovering Your Niche

The first step is to ask yourself the hard questions. What are you so good at that people would be willing to pay for it? It might not be obvious at first, but it’s there. Think about skills or knowledge you have that others might not.

1. What Lights You Up?: Think about the activities that get you in the zone, where hours fly by like minutes. Is there a particular task or subject that you could talk about all day without getting bored?

2. What Do Others Say You're Good At?: Sometimes, we're blind to our own talents. What have friends, family, or colleagues praised you for? Maybe you're the go-to person for tech problems, or perhaps you have a knack for making complex concepts easy to understand.

3. What Problems Can You Solve?: Look at the skills or knowledge you have that can solve specific problems. Do you have expertise in a niche area that's in demand?

4. Where’s the Gap in the Market?: Is there a service or product you wish existed? Chances are, others feel the same way. Your niche might just be filling that gap.

5. What’s Your Unique Spin?: What can you offer that's different from what's already out there? Maybe it's your unique approach, your background, or your way of simplifying things.

6. Can You Monetize It?: It’s crucial to assess whether there’s a market willing to pay for your skill or passion. Research to see if there's a demand for what you want to offer.

🚀 Putting It All Together

Remember my artist friend? He loved art, was good at it, and found people who valued his work enough to pay for it. That’s how he found his niche.

Finding your niche isn't a one-time thing. It's an ongoing journey of self-discovery and market research. But once you find it, it's like hitting a vein of gold.

Grab a piece of paper and start writing down the answers to the questions. Take your time and don’t rush through the process. Once you’ve answered these questions, you’ll start seeing a pattern.

Your niche is where your answers overlap.

🌟 Key Takeaways

1. Look into Your Hidden Skills: Sometimes, the best career paths are hidden in skills or hobbies you haven’t thought about in a while. Rediscovering these can open up new, unique opportunities.

2. Your Niche is Personal and Can Change: Your niche is where what you love doing, what you're really good at, and what people need come together. Remember, it can change as you grow and learn more.

3. Ask Yourself the Right Questions: To find your niche, think deeply about what makes you excited, what others say you're great at, and where you see a need in the market. Answering these questions can lead you to a niche that fits you perfectly and has demand.

Whenever you’re ready, here are 3 ways I can help you:

 1. [60-min] 1:1 Power Hour: Pick my brain on all things job search, resume, LinkedIn, personal branding, interviewing and more. Apply here for $249.

2. Sign up for Jobsmither: the AI powered job search tool designed for career transitioners. Get help with your resume, create customized cover letters and track your applications. Get started for free.

3. Apply to join my Agile Project Management Accelerator Program: A 3 month career transition coaching program to get you hired in 3-6 months. Apply here.

Until next time,

Zainab

Remember, you are just one step away…

P.S: I would love to hear from you - what topics would you like me to share more of? I want to make sure I write about the things that matter to you.