When starting a business, it’s natural to cast a wide net—taking on every project, experimenting with services, and saying “yes” to opportunities that may be outside your comfort zone. For new businesses, especially, every project feels like a lifeline. But over time, many businesses discover that this broad approach can be exhausting, unsustainable, and ultimately misaligned with their goals.
It’s important to recognize that your business will likely evolve as you learn what works, what doesn’t, and what you truly enjoy doing.
The Challenges of a Broad Approach
Early on, most businesses are driven by necessity: “If I can do it, I should.” This can lead to accepting projects outside your expertise or passion. It’s a common struggle, as I wrote in my earlier post “You Can Do Anything, But You Can’t Do Everything”: more services seem to equal more revenue, but this approach can stretch your time, energy, and quality thin.
For example, I initially offered services like graphic design, social media management, and ad campaigns. While I was capable of doing them, they weren’t my passion, and the effort I poured into those services detracted from the areas where I excelled and found fulfillment.
This “paint with a broad brush” strategy can make sense at the beginning, but it’s not sustainable. It leads to burnout and subpar results.
Adaptation Is the Key to Growth
One of the most empowering lessons you can learn in business is that it’s okay to change. It’s okay to stop offering services you’re good at if they don’t bring you joy. It’s okay to adapt your offerings, focus on a niche, or even pivot entirely.
Many businesses that find long-term success do so by evolving. Whether it’s narrowing services, redefining your target audience, or even reshaping your core business, these changes allow you to build something sustainable and enjoyable.
For example, you might discover that while you initially targeted small businesses across all industries, your strength lies in working with creative professionals or a specific sector. That niche not only aligns better with your expertise but also allows you to market yourself more effectively and deliver higher-quality results.
The Power of Specialization
Once you discover your niche, you’ll notice a significant shift. Specialization enables you to refine your processes, improve your expertise, and market yourself more clearly. It also allows you to let go of services or projects that don’t align with your goals or values.
For businesses in specialized industries, this process can even extend to copywriting and customer targeting. As I shared in my post about writing copy for websites, clarity and simplicity are key, but in some industries, using technical jargon can be a way of pre-qualifying your customers. Choosing to focus on a specific audience doesn’t limit your potential—it helps you connect with the clients the bring out your best work.
Why Change Is Necessary
Change isn’t just acceptable—it’s essential. Experimenting and trying new things early on helps you discover your strengths, understand your market, and refine your approach. When you’re ready, narrowing your focus can lead to better results, more meaningful work, and a healthier work-life balance.
At Tallack Media Corp., we’ve embraced this philosophy. Over time, we’ve scaled back to focus on the services we love most—web design and copywriting—because we know these are the areas where we deliver the most value. This clarity allows us to build better processes, produce better results, and truly enjoy our work.
Finding Your Path
If your business is still in the experimental phase, take heart—this is part of the journey. If you’re further along and feel stuck, it’s never too late to adapt. Reflect on what you love doing and where your strengths lie. Embrace change as an opportunity, not a failure.
The journey of building a business is one of evolution, adaptation, and refinement. The more you align your work with your passions and strengths, the more fulfilling—and successful—your business will become.
