A daily email about monetizing your corporate expertise. Give me ~1 minute a day, and I'll help you turn what you know into your most differentiated and lucrative asset.
💡 When you know 'too much'
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I got an interesting reply to Monday’s Lightbulb “💡 Just below the surface” where I acknowledged that all of us have incredible, unique expertise… …but no one’s going to know to ask you about it if you don’t show it off a bit. A long-time Lightbulber asked:
Damn, Wes. It hit me. I know that I know a lot. At least enough for people to learn from me. The problem is that there are so many interesting topics and skills to choose from that I suffer from analysis paralysis. What would you do in my case? Good problem to have, no? 🙂 Or, is this the curse of the ‘renaissance man’? Well, If you’re just talking about everyday, social knowledge-sharing, I’d say just look inward and follow your interests. Your most engaging contributions will come from your natural curiosities and passions, and there’s no reason to limit yourself to one thing. But when we think about where to focus an expertise business (i.e. finding your niche), I’d add a couple more layers. I take my NicheFinder clients through reflection to find the intersection looking in three directions: Backward: Along what vector of your expertise have you created exceptional value? Inward: What turns on the most inquisitive part of your mind? Outward: What can you speak to in-depth where an interested audience demonstrably exists? Why this trifecta? Because it won’t be enough to just live off what you’ve done. You’ll have to be intrinsically motivated to dig even deeper, for a long period of time. And you'll need at least a small group of people… who care at least somewhat as much as you do… at least some of whom might one day pay you to apply your lens to their world. 💡 -Wes |
💡 The Lightbulb
A daily email about monetizing your corporate expertise. Give me ~1 minute a day, and I'll help you turn what you know into your most differentiated and lucrative asset.