Who This Helps
You're a founder operator juggling a dozen ideas. Every experiment feels urgent, but only one will move the needle. This is for you if you want to stop spinning and start focusing.
In the Strategy Basics: Competitive Map course, you'll learn to build a one-page artifact that shows exactly where you win and where you lose. No fluff, just evidence.
Mini Case
Meet Aisha. She runs a small SaaS team with 5 people. She had 3 experiments lined up: a pricing change, a new feature, and a marketing channel test. She was stuck.
After building her competitive map, she saw that her biggest competitor had 40% more features but 12% lower customer satisfaction. That signal told her to prioritize the pricing experiment, not the feature. Within 7 days, she tested a simpler plan and saw a 15% lift in conversions.
Do This Now (5 Steps)
- List your top 3 experiments. Write them down. No judgment yet.
- Map your competitor set. Don't list every logo. Pick the 3-5 that matter most. The course calls this the "Competitor Set" mission.
- Find one signal. Look for a gap: where your competitor is weak, you might be strong. Aisha found a satisfaction gap.
- Score each experiment. Ask: "Does this experiment exploit that gap?" Rate each from 1 to 5.
- Pick the highest score. That's your next move. Run it this week.
Avoid These Traps
- Trap: Listing every competitor. You'll drown in noise. Stick to 3-5 real threats.
- Trap: Ignoring customer segments. The "Customer Segment Wedge" mission helps you pick one group to focus on. Don't try to serve everyone.
- Trap: Overthinking. Your map doesn't need to be perfect. A rough version beats no version.
- Trap: Forgetting moats. Check your "Moat Signals" mission. If your experiment doesn't build a moat, it might be a distraction.
Your Win by Friday
By Friday, you'll have one experiment chosen with clear evidence. You'll know why it matters and what you expect to learn. That's it. One focused move, not three half-baked ones.
And hey, if you find yourself smiling when you see the data line up, that's normal. Strategy can be fun when it works.