My Decision to Niche Down
All businesses evolve. Goals change, circumstances change, we change. But why, after 17 years of serving small businesses, did I choose to narrow my market to interior designers, home builders, and architects, when I still love the variety of working with different types of clients?
I’ll do my best to explain…
Sketching logos in my old office (circa 2018) | Photo by Kimberly Chau Photography
I’ve branded hundreds of businesses—from restaurants and jewelry designers to photographers and wedding planners—and I’ve cherished every minute of it. In fact, the main reason I resisted niching down for so long was that I was scared I’d get bored. (Inspiration comes easily with variety; you really only get stuck when you have to produce something that’s been done a million times in a “new” way.)
What I hadn’t considered was how much time and energy I was spending offering custom everything to such a vast market. Mentally, I was having to constantly switch gears, and marketing had become a massive source of frustration because my ideal clients did not “hang out” in the same places.
Some people may already know this, but I didn’t set out to start my own business. After finishing design school, I began freelancing for family and friends, and before long, it grew into a full-time career. Unlike many entrepreneurs, I never aspired to build a large agency or manage a full team. My priorities have always been flexibility and creative freedom. For me, growth meant building a steady stream of interest so I could confidently take on the projects that felt like the right fit. I’m grateful to have reached that point—but the path hasn’t always been smooth.
Now that my husband and I have two young kids, my days of working for 10-12 hours straight are non-existent. (You know you love what you do when you actually miss working that much. 😂) For the past few years, I’ve taken on a smaller number of projects to be present with my family, but I’ve still had little to no time for networking, connecting, and developing a meaningful marketing strategy.
So here’s what I asked myself:
How can I serve clients well AND be as present as possible with my young kids?
The answer came to me during a virtual bootcamp for web designers:
For years, I kept hearing, “Niche down! It’s the secret to success!” And honestly, I thought I had. My pricing felt right, and I was working with kind, passionate people doing interesting work. But the real issue wasn’t who I was working with—it was how much time I had left after the work was done. Juggling custom packages for different industries kept me stuck in a loop of proposals, prep, and project setup. The lightbulb moment came when someone reframed “niching down” as a path to clarity—not just in who I served, but in how I worked.
So Here’s my plan:
Narrow my focus so I can speak directly to a specific audience
Streamline my process so every project follows the same steps (a system isn’t really a system if you’re tweaking it every time)
Cut down hours of admin by offering one signature package and one project timeline
I’ve simplified more than ever before. I’m also—officially—handing off the admin work so I can protect the creative process and focus on what I do best.
One unexpected upside to niching down…
…is the RELIEF I feel from not having to “do it all.” FOMO is real when you’re a creative, and every time I saw a beautifully designed menu, wine label, or display, I’d think, “I can do this! I need to make this happen!” I hadn’t realized how this constant “mental bookmarking” made me feel like I was never doing enough. Actively removing these things from the realm of possibilities has made a HUGE difference in my headspace. I can now enjoy great design without feeling like I need to add it to my career bucket list.
Relief has also come in the form of being able to genuinely support and engage with other graphic designers. No matter how good you are at what you do, you never truly stop playing the comparison game. Now, instead of avoiding them, I can refer people to them. And that feels amazing!
IN CLOSING
Niching down felt like a risk - but really, it was a strategy.
One that will—hopefully—let me simplify, show up more, and reconnect with people. If that’s something you're craving, take this as your nudge: it's OK to specialize.
