The niche paradox—why doing less grows more

Most creators start by doing too much. Here’s how to grow by doing less.

Author

Brandon Smithwrick
March 26, 2025

Why am I hitting your inbox today instead of Saturday?

Simple ... I had more value to share.

Maybe this becomes a monthly thing. A quick check-in. A tactical hit. A surprise boost from Content to Commas.

Let’s get into it.

Here’s what’s on my mind…

The idea of “niching down” used to annoy me.

We’re multifaceted people, so shouldn’t our content reflect that?

I used to think so. But here’s the thing… it’s kinda true.

If you want to grow as a creator, entrepreneur, or brand—you’ve got to own a topic.

You can branch out later. But in the beginning? The sharper your focus, the faster your growth.

So I asked my friend AJ Eckstein, founder of Creator Match: If you were starting today, what would you do differently?

His answer?

“I’d focus on being known for one thing—fast.”

When AJ stopped talking about everything and focused solely on LinkedIn creator marketing—things clicked.

People started tagging him. Opportunities came inbound. Brands called him the guy.

Why? Because clarity scales. Confusion stalls.

Here’s AJ’s 3-step play:

1️⃣ Pick one lane—and own it

2️⃣ Build a simple, repeatable content system

3️⃣ Show up daily to reinforce authority

The faster you become known for something, the faster people know where to find you.

I was chatting with AJ Eckstein over breakfast at CES about this exact thing.

I just moved into a new loft and want to create content around designing the space.

But my niche doesn’t exactly scream “apartment makeover.”

The solution? Reframe it.

Now I’m documenting a day in the life of two entrepreneurs—me and my wife—as we build our businesses and our life.

Same content. New angle. Still aligned with my niche.

It’s a win for brand partners and lifestyle storytelling—without losing focus.

Strategy is great—but execution is where most creators get stuck.

AJ built Creator Match to fix that.

It’s a free Chrome extension that helps you analyze high-performing posts, see which brands are sponsoring creators, and optimize your content game with real data

I use it. Daily.

Not sponsored—just real value from a tool that works.

Try it out → Creator Match

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Brandon Smithwrick

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