How these brands (really) found their niche
Building a business is part intention, part opportunity, part luck, and a whole lot of serendipity. Where you start is rarely where you end up.
Discovering your niche—that special thing of value that makes you unique, sets you apart and taps into the most authentic part of you—is so important. And sometimes, so hard.
At That Tracks, it took months to land there. There were pitches—so many pitches. And when we weren’t building what felt like an endless parade of Canva decks, we were deep in soul-searching conversations, gathering feedback, and rewriting our website… only to rethink it all a few weeks later and rewrite it again.
To an outsider, it might look like we’ve gone through a dozen mini-evolutions since launching at the end of last year. And we have. But each one brought us closer to what we’re meant to be — and our niche: content and strategy for purpose-driven brands and events–delivered with editorial thinking and human stories front and centre.
As our website boldly asks, “What do a couple of news leaders know about marketing? Nothing–and that’s the point.”
We reached out to founders we admire to talk about their own start-up stories—how they found their niche, how they navigated the messiness, and what they’ve learned along the way.
Here’s what they told us.
Diana Swain, Founder and Principal, Diana Swain Strategies
When you first started, did you know what your niche was—or did it reveal itself over time?
The short answer is yes, and yes.
Being an on-air journalist means getting constant feedback about your work.
You develop a pretty clear sense of your strengths. I felt I knew how to translate those skills into my consulting business. But, giving myself the flexibility to let the business evolve, especially during the first year, was key to developing clarity around what resonated most with my clients.
How did you know when to stay the course and when to pivot—was there a moment when things clicked?
I sought out advice and guidance from a wide range of people I respected who had launched and scaled their own businesses. They encouraged patience, flexibility and commitment to find that balance between pivoting and spinning!
The first year is an uphill climb every day. Understanding that is key to getting through it and enjoying the journey of building something new.
What's the best advice you received—and what would you tell someone still trying to find their niche?
The best advice came from Nancy MacKay, who's the founder of MacKay CEO Forums. She knew I was ready to leave my existing career and make a leap into running my own business, but I still had some doubts. Who chooses to leave a successful, high-profile career and a great job, to pursue what's essentially a one-person start-up? I had many moments of losing my nerve.
She finally asked me, "What would you do if you knew you couldn't fail?"
That cleared the way for me to embrace the opportunity and push forward. I'm so glad I did.
Dennis Mount, Co-founder and Executive Chair, Sovereign Indigenous Capital
When you first started, did you know what your niche was—or did it reveal itself over time?
When I started Clean Planet Chemical, I knew my niche: recycling chemicals for reuse at the point of source. What I did not know at the time was just how broad and diverse that niche was.
For my latest project, Sovereign Indigenous Capital, the vision was there right away and the niche was in sight. Now it’s about finding the right partners and thinking far beyond the immediate. Success demands vision and runway.
How did you know when to stay the course and when to pivot—was there a moment when things clicked?
At some point with Clean Planet Chemical, I realized something key: when I sold the recycling machine, I made a profit one time and had to start each month at zero to manufacture and sell more machines to continue making that one-time profit.
Then two things clicked: the machines provided value to the customer from day one of their 15-year lifespan, and the client needed support for repairs and ongoing employee training.
The solution was to pivot from machine sales to a recycling service. We would provide the machine for free but charge per litre or per gallon of clean chemical produced for reuse.
The customer would save 90 percent on their dirty chemical disposal cost plus we would sell them the recycled chemical for reuse at a discount to what it would cost for them to purchase as new. Thus the client saved money on day one and every day going forward, and we gained lifetime recurring revenue. This pivot was the game changer!
What's the best advice you received—and what would you tell someone still trying to find their niche?
Develop something you can “Pete and Repeat” with little effort, and charge for again and again.
When looking for your niche, choose a single vertical, and become the absolute expert before expanding.
In the context of the Sovereign Indigenous Fund and raising capital: raise more than enough, and think far beyond the immediate.
Sarah Bundy, Founder and CEO, Athena Collective Network
When you first started, did you know what your niche was—or did it reveal itself over time?
For me, I absolutely had to discover it over time.
Before launching Athena Collective, I’d spent over 20 years in affiliate and performance marketing, working with everything from B2C e-commerce to B2B SaaS and Fortune 500 brands. I’ve always loved building and scaling businesses, but the who I wanted to build for? That took time for me to figure out.
Athena came from paying attention to what was missing and what I felt most passionately about. I was constantly having conversations with powerhouse women - founders, executives, entrepreneurs - who felt excluded from the “invite-only” circles and premium networks either because of cost, location or quality of inclusions actually meeting their needs as women founding and running companies. They wanted support, community, and mentorship, but also a place that felt real, accessible, and aligned with who they were.
So while my niche in affiliate and partnership marketing was clear early on, the vision for Athena - and for women-led, mission-driven business-building - took shape as I followed the breadcrumbs. The niche found me as much as I found it.
How did you know when to stay the course and when to pivot—was there a moment when things clicked?
Definitely. I’ve had to pivot more times than I can count. And to be honest, Athena was the pivot.
I was used to working with large, often male-led brands with deep budgets. Then I started connecting with women founders who had massive ideas but tiny budgets - and I couldn’t stop thinking about how underserved they were. That’s when things started clicking.
The course I stayed on was creating value through strategy, leadership, and strong partnerships. But how I delivered that, and who I delivered it for, shifted dramatically. That’s where Athena came in. It became clear that building something for women in business, especially those shut out of traditional paths, was the next evolution of my purpose.
And now? Every time I hear, “This is exactly what I needed, but didn’t know where to find it,” I know I’m on the right track.
What’s the best advice you received—and what would you tell someone still trying to find their niche?
Honestly, the best advice wasn’t something someone said—it was something I learned the hard way:
The fastest way to figure out who you are is to figure out who you’re not first.
Try everything. Experiment. Observe how you feel. What gives you energy? What drains you? What feels aligned, and what feels forced?
That’s how Athena came to life. It was a response to everything I wasn’t seeing in the world of women’s entrepreneurship communities. And it felt like a full-body “yes” from day one, even when it was messy and early and imperfect.
I recommend anyone still searching for their niche—stop waiting for clarity before you begin. Start doing. Try a lot of different things and pay attention to how they make you feel. The clarity comes after the action. Your niche isn’t always a lightning bolt. Sometimes it's just breadcrumbs you can follow until you find your way home.
Finding your niche isn’t a single moment of clarity—it’s a series of choices, pivots, and ah-ha moments that stack up and compound over time.
The founders we spoke with didn’t stumble into their sweet spot by accident. They stayed open. They experimented. They listened to their customers and clients, and to themselves. They trusted that messiness was part of the process.
Finding your niche isn’t a single moment of clarity—it’s a series of choices, pivots, and ah-ha moments that stack up and compound over time.
The founders we spoke with didn’t stumble into their sweet spot by accident. They stayed open. They experimented. They listened to their customers and clients, and to themselves. They trusted that messiness was part of the process.
At That Tracks, we’ve learned the same thing. Your niche isn’t something you name at the beginning, it’s something you earn by showing up day after day, and doing the work (and the Canva decks)—even when no one is paying.
So if you’re still in the thick of it, still drifting and trying to find your North Star, just know you’re not lost. You’re exactly where you need to be.