Who This Helps
You're a founder operator juggling a dozen ideas. You need to pick one experiment that moves the needle, not spread yourself thin. The Strategy Basics: Competitive Map course is built for exactly this moment.
Mini Case
Meet Aisha. She runs a B2B SaaS startup with 3 customer segments and 5 competitors. She was spending 60% of her time on a feature that only 12% of users cared about. After building a competitive map from the course, she spotted a clear gap: one segment had zero good options. She shifted her focus there. In 7 days, she landed 2 pilot customers. Her team stopped spinning and started winning.
Do This Now (5 Steps)
- List your top 3 competitors. Not every logo in the market, just the ones your best customers actually compare you to.
- Pick one customer segment. Use the Customer Segment Wedge from the course to avoid diluted positioning.
- Build a differentiation grid. Write down what you win on and what you lose on for each competitor.
- Find the empty space. Look for a row where you win and competitors don't. That's your next experiment.
- Run one small test. Ship a landing page or a demo for that space. Measure signups in 48 hours.
Avoid These Traps
- Don't list every competitor. You'll drown in noise. Stick to 3-5.
- Don't pick a segment because it's big. Pick one where you can win fast.
- Don't overthink the grid. Use evidence, not gut feel. If you don't have data, run a quick survey.
- Don't run 3 experiments at once. One move, one week, one metric.
Your Win by Friday
By Friday, you'll have a one-page competitive map with a clear next experiment. You'll know exactly where to focus your team's effort. No more guessing. No more wasted sprints. Just one high-impact move that moves your business forward.