No matter what anyone says, you are not the niche.
You’re a category of your very own.
This isn’t just a feel-good sentiment; it’s a strategic imperative for your career. The marketing industry is primed for a disruption, and I predict you’ll be the one to cause it.
If you're anything like me, you're fed up.
Too many marketing "leaders" who blame the algorithm or the economy instead of taking accountability.
Antiquated ways of working—stale playbooks that don't grow your career or move the industry forward.
The constant threat of AI, coupled with a complete lack of leadership to help you leverage it effectively.
The persistent barriers of racism, sexism, and ageism that qualified marketers face daily.
Marketing as we know it is dying and making way for new fields of play.
Category designers.
Community builders.
Influencers.
Industry Evangelists.
Category Design for your Career.
Category design in careers is the art of intentionally crafting your own professional space—one that distinguishes you by being different, not just “better.” It’s how you shift from being one of many to being one of one.
Why Category Design Works
This works powerfully for your career because you:
Own the Narrative: When you define a new way to solve a problem or introduce a fresh approach, you automatically become the go-to expert for that new category. You own the conversation because you started it.
Escape Competition: Instead of fighting to prove you're the “best” against established benchmarks, you become the only choice in a unique space. This makes you the obvious hire for specific opportunities, clients, or roles that perfectly fit the category you’ve created.
Build Undeniable Authority: Articulating a distinct category and rallying others around it builds immense trust. You’re no longer just a marketer; you’re a thought leader offering something no one else can.
Drive Demand to You: People gravitate toward professionals who can articulate new possibilities. When you help them see challenges and solutions in a new way, they don’t just want a solution; they want your solution.
How to Build Your Category: Establish a Point of View (POV)
A compelling Point of View (POV) is the backbone of your category. It’s your unique perspective, articulated so clearly that it reframes the entire conversation and positions you as the authority. To establish your powerful POV:
Frame a Different Problem or Opportunity: Don’t just solve the old problems. Identify a pain point or gap that others overlook or have accepted as normal. Phrase it in a way that makes the status quo feel outdated and unacceptable.
Evangelize a Different Future: Paint a vivid picture of what’s possible if this problem is solved your way. Describe the transformation—show how careers, organizations, or industries will change for the better because of your insight.
Bridge the Gap With Your Unique Solution: This is where you connect the problem to the future. Articulate how your specific skills, methods, or experiences close that gap. Use stories and case studies to prove your approach is not just theory, but that it actually works.
Speak in Your Own Language: Create memorable phrases, metaphors, or frameworks that are easy to repeat. When employers, clients, or followers start echoing your language, you know you’ve successfully designed your category.
How to Launch Your Category: Create a Lightning Strike
A powerful POV is useless if no one hears it. A “lightning strike” is a bold, concentrated event that captures massive attention and makes your category unforgettable. It’s how you go from invisible to undeniable, seemingly overnight.
For your career, effective lightning strikes could be:
A Signature Event: Host a virtual summit, webinar, or masterclass focused entirely on your unique topic.
A Major Content Launch: Release a manifesto, whitepaper, or eBook that captures your new POV, then promote it relentlessly.
A "Flood the Zone" Media Moment: Coordinate your story to appear on multiple influential blogs, podcasts, or interviews all at once.
A Viral Campaign: Kick off a challenge, movement, or hashtag on social media that encourages mass participation aligned with your category.
A Community Collaboration: Establish or lead a new working group or roundtable, making you the gravitational center for your specialty.
Productized Expertise: Launch a course, toolkit, or resource that makes your unique approach tangible and accessible to others.
This is why I believe the next big thing in marketing isn’t more influencers or course creators. It’s you - a skilled, in-house marketer who uses category design to turn their unique perspective into undeniable authority.