Neesh, Neeshing, Niche. Sure is Nice.
My boyfriend and his friend made fun of me for using this word in a podcast interview…
“niching.”
What?! In my world, people use this word all the time. But then these two dudes were mocking me for verbing a noun they’d never heard as a verb. They wanted to know when this happened and why it’s a thing.
Maybe it is jargon. And normally, I want to avoid jargon at all costs. But “niching” is one word I’ll defend, because that one little verb has had an outsized effect on my business.
Why I’ll die on the niching hill
I used to say I could design anything for everyone. That worked earlier in my career when I was hungrier (aka less discerning).
When a long-term retainer ended in 2023, I had a surprisingly hard time finding another one.
So I decided to focus on one-off projects and work exclusively with women-owned service businesses—and the referrals started flowing in.
Before I niched, when people asked what I did, I’d say, “Oh, I’m a graphic designer.” They’d nod politely, with no idea how to refer me.
Now I say, “I design brands and websites for women coaches and consultants who want to attract high-paying clients.”
Clear. Specific. Easy to understand, which makes everything easier.
On the other side of the Great Niche
When I decided to work exclusively with women-owned service businesses, everything shifted:
→ My marketing copy got easier to write.
When you know exactly who you’re talking to, you can speak directly to their pain points. You’re not trying to cover every possible scenario.
→ The right people found me.
Potential clients started reaching out already knowing they were a fit. Friends and even acquaintances can refer me confidently because they know exactly who I work with. No more vague intros or mismatched leads.
→ I became an actual expert. Mastery comes from repetition. When you solve the same core problem over and over for similar clients, you see patterns. You get really, really good at what you do.
I’ve now designed dozens of websites for women service providers. I know what works. I can anticipate challenges. I’ve built systems that make the process smooth.
I couldn’t have developed that kind of expertise if I were bouncing between random projects.
→ Bonus: I started attracting women I genuinely love working with.
Niching is scary
I get it. Niching feels risky.
You’re already worried about finding enough clients, and now you’re supposed to turn people away?
But here’s what actually happens: when you try to appeal to everyone, you appeal to no one.
Think about it from a client’s perspective: they have a specific problem. They want someone who deeply understands their world and has solved this exact problem before.
If your website says, “I help businesses with their marketing,” that’s nice. But so does everyone else.
If it says, “I help women leadership coaches clarify their messaging and attract corporate clients,” suddenly the right person thinks: "Holy shit, that's ME."
The signs you’re ready to niche
Not sure if it’s time? Here are the tells:
→ You dread some client calls. Not all clients are created equal. If you find yourself dreading certain projects, you're not working in your sweet spot.
→ Your referrals are scattered. When people can't pinpoint exactly what you do best, the referrals miss the mark.
→ You struggle to stand out. Being a generalist makes it nearly impossible to differentiate yourself.
Niching isn’t about closing doors. It's about opening the right ones—wide.
So yeah—I'm gonna keep using “niching” as a verb. It’s active. Intentional. Transformative.
My boyfriend can deal with it. He’s not my target audience anyway. 😉
If you want to hear me talk about “niching” on Angela Acosta's podcast Diana Prince Lives Next Door, you can listen here. We also talked about finding great collaborators on LinkedIn; the key to successful remote collaborations; why we both love working with women; and how to build a supportive community that really works for you.
Goodies Just For You
WHAT I’M THINKING ABOUT: A few years ago I learned that humans, some toothed whales, and a few species of chimpanzees are the only mammals that go through menopause. My favorite theory had always been the “Grandmother Theory” — the idea that because humans take so long to mature, we need grandmothers to help out. My friend Ariana recently told me about a great Radiolab episode called “Menopause Mystery” that explores that theory (and a few others). My new favorite take: women are kept around long past our reproductive years because of all the wisdom we can share. Of course we are.
WHAT I’M MAKING: A couple of nights ago I made Chili Crisp & Honey Roasted Salmon using Momofuku chili crisp. Delicious and ridiculously easy. Instead of roasting the whole time, I seared it skin-side down on high heat for a few minutes to get it crispy, then finished it in the oven.
WHO I’M ADMIRING: Angela Acosta, who hosts the podcast I mentioned above, is also a talented brand photographer for women. I first met her on LinkedIn, and her focus on helping women show up with confidence through photography really resonated with me. She’s based in New Jersey, and I got to work with her when I had a client in New York City a couple of years ago. She was an absolute dream to collaborate with—super talented, with a beautifully dialed-in process. If you're in the New Jersey/New York area and need brand photography, check her out! I can't wait to work with her again.
