I just got back to Vermont after spending time this past week with a new private advisory client (and agency client) in Colorado.
And now, I’m back deep into book editing mode for my upcoming book, Return to Real…
In fact, I just spent my entire Saturday working on retooling Chapter 3 & 4…
And while I’ve still got quite a ways to go with the manuscript, I’m continuing to make good progress…
(BTW – If you have interest in being an early beta reader, stay tuned. I’ll be sharing an opportunity to get involved in the coming weeks…)
Which brings us to today’s issue…
As promised, because I’m in the middle of this final push to get the book manuscript over the finish line…
Building on where we started in Part 1 and Part 2 of the “Contrarian Canon” series from the last two weeks…
I’ve pulled yet another one of the most powerful – but overlooked – key ideas that I wrote about this past year…
And one I think is worth doing a deep dive into today…
This one is all about …
1 | How to Decide WHO You’re REALLY Building For...(From Issue #047)
“When you optimize for scale, you often end up building for the lowest common denominator.”
In this issue, we explore a dilemma that every entrepreneur (and creator) eventually runs into:
Do you build for the 100 (the small group of people who are hyper‑engaged and actively responding…)
The 100,000 (the silent majority who reads, watches, and consumes — but rarely raises their hand…)
Or do you orient everything around “The One” — the single, real person you’re truly creating for?
We walk through why optimizing for scale can quietly pull you into a “drift” (tweaking your message to please the algorithm)… and why over‑serving the 100 can lead to burnout (and building by committee).
Then we land on the reframe:
When you center your business around “The One” — their fears, context, and internal dialogue — you sharpen your message, simplify your decisions, and avoid dilution… while still honoring the 100 and serving the 100,000.
What you’ll get if you double‑click:
A clear lens for deciding where your attention should go (the 100 vs. the 100,000 vs. The One) — plus reflection questions you can use immediately to bring your messaging, offers, and strategy back into alignment.
Here’s the full issue:
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Okay, I’ll leave you with that for today…
It’s back to manuscript editing for me :-)
Have a GREAT rest of your day…
Remember to hug the ones you love…
And until next week,
Ryan :-)
