Customers, ecosystems, and the curse of big markets

Join regular co-hosts JDM and Cameron Law, and guest co-hosts Pava LaPere and Sherrod Davis, the co-founders of EcoMap, for a riveting discussion of finding who your customer is.EcoMap is a Baltimore-based SaaS startup that makes it possible for people to navigate all of the invisible ecosystems that we live and work in every day — e.g. startup ecosystems!On today’s show:* The importance of falling in love with problems, rather than solutions;* How EcoMap’s broad target market is as much of a curse as a blessing;* Honing your messaging to resonate with your niche;* Tools you can use to identify your customers;* And more!To learn more about customer personas, check out JDM’s recent deep dive on YouTube, along with a free template you can use to get started.Frivolous thoughts* Pava talked about the critical role of regional & community banks, particularly amidst the recent banking crises.* Sherrod shared his March Madness bracket — take a listen to see how his predictions fared.* Cameron confessed he didn’t “get” The Matrix when it first came out when he was a child, but how it takes on a more poignant meaning in the context of 2023.* And JDM calls out so-called “imposter syndrome”, based in part on this New Yorker article. This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit zerototraction.substack.com