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The risks and rewards of conquering uncharted territory, and 5 ways to do it.

In my line of work (brand development and go to market strategy), I have some version of the same conversation nearly everyday. Here’s the gist: 

• A client has a breakthrough, first-to-market product/ingredient/concept that fills an unmet need for an underserved audience. 

• They’re addressing a problem that no one else has solved. 

• They see an audience that no one is else is looking at. 

• They’ve identified a market gap that’s hiding in plain sight. 

In some cases, their products aren’t novel, but their approach is. 

• They want to improve the status quo. 

• They want to change the way the game is played, or create a new playing field altogether. 

• They want to shake up an existing category or create an entirely new one. 

Nearly every founder I’ve worked with believes they are bringing something new and necessary to market. My first job is to either validate or challenge this assumption. If I think there is a real opportunity for success, I take on the challenge, beginning with an investigative brand …