How to Find Your Niche: A Real-World Strategy That Actually Works
- Dorien Morin-van Dam
- 6 days ago
- 4 min read
Ever feel like your business is a jigsaw puzzle missing that one key piece? That missing piece might just be your niche—the audience you’re meant to serve and the services you’re meant to offer. If you’ve been wondering how to find your niche without feeling boxed in, this conversation is for you.
In this episode of Strategy Talks, Dorien Morin-van Dam sits down with Hope Himel Benson, a licensed clinical social worker turned marketing strategist, who shares her personal journey of discovering her perfect niche—and how it transformed her business and life.
Hope is the founder of Dreamtime Marketing, a web design company that helps health and wellness professionals—therapists, coaches, counselors—build strategic, beautiful websites that reflect their mission. But she didn’t start there. Her story is a masterclass in niching down with purpose and intention.
Let’s break down the key lessons from their conversation so you can apply them to your own niche-finding journey.
Why Finding Your Niche Feels So Hard (But Matters So Much)
Many entrepreneurs worry that narrowing their audience will shrink their opportunities. Hope felt that too—until she realized the truth:
“If you try to help everyone, you end up helping no one.”
Initially, Hope took on any client who came her way—from photographers to authors—just to get her business off the ground. But soon, the lack of focus led to burnout, blurred boundaries, and a business that didn’t feel joyful or sustainable.
That’s when she knew: it was time to simplify, specialize, and strategize.
How to Find Your Niche with a Simple, 3-Part Framework
Hope’s method for finding her niche wasn’t complicated—it was visual, intuitive, and brutally honest. Here’s how she did it:
1. List Every Client You’ve Worked With
Go through your past client roster. Write down every name or company. Don’t judge,just list.
2. Rate Each One by How They Made You Feel
On a mirror in her bathroom (yes, really!), Hope used a dry-erase marker to assign:
A smiley face to clients who brought her joy
A straight face to “meh” clients she’d work with again
A frowny face for clients she wouldn’t want back
She also considered:
Were they coachable?
Did their industry excite her?
Did she feel energized after working with them?
3. Assess the Services You Offer
She reviewed her services and asked:
Which ones bring me the most joy?
Which are the most profitable?
Which feel draining or frustrating?
For Hope, the surprising realization was this: she loved web design, even though she wasn’t officially offering it yet. Meanwhile, she found high-ticket social media strategy work profitable—but not fulfilling.
Listen to this Strategy Talks Episode now
The Sweet Spot: Passion + Profit + People
Hope discovered that the clients she loved most—therapists, counselors, holistic providers—were consistently asking for website help. And that’s where her joy and profitability intersected.
“I realized I’d been referring out the one thing I was excited about doing.”
So she leaned in. Hope trained in Squarespace design, launched her signature offer, and never looked back. The result? A business that aligns with her strengths, serves her favorite audience, and fuels her purpose.
Why Niching Down Doesn't Mean Saying No to Everyone Else
One of Hope’s best mindset shifts came when she realized that finding your niche isn’t about limiting yourself—it’s about focusing your energy where it matters most.
She didn’t shut the door on all other opportunities. Instead, she allocated 50% of her marketing efforts to her new niche for six months to test the waters. The response was immediate and validating.
By targeting a specific audience, Hope actually became more visible and more valuable.
Real-Life Benefits of Finding Your Niche
Niching down isn’t just good for business. It’s good for your mental health, energy, and creativity, too. Since making the shift, Hope reports:
More joy in her work
Easier marketing efforts
More client referrals within her niche
A clear path forward for growth
A stronger sense of peace and focus
She’s even launching a VIP Mastermind exclusively for her website clients to continue offering support without overextending herself.
How to Start Finding Your Own Niche Today
Want to try Hope’s method? Here’s a quick exercise you can do today:
Make a list of all your past or current clients.
Rate them with emoji faces—smile, neutral, or frown.
List the services you currently offer.
Ask yourself:
Which clients make you feel alive?
What services light you up?
What work is both profitable and sustainable?
Look for the overlap—that’s your sweet spot.
Final Thoughts: Niche Isn’t a Trap, It’s a Treasure Map
Finding your niche doesn’t happen overnight. It takes trial, error, and self-awareness. But when you do find that sweet spot, business feels less like hustle and more like harmony.
As Hope puts it:
“If I had nothing to go by—no gurus, no online noise—I’d still choose this. That’s how I know it’s right.”
Whether you’re just starting out or reinventing your business, take time to reflect, assess, and course-correct. You deserve to work with clients you love, doing work that fulfills you.
Here are 10 ChatGPT prompts to help you explore and apply the ideas from this blog:
How do I find my business niche if I like working with different industries?
Can you help me rank my services based on profit and joy?
What are common niches for health and wellness professionals?
How do I niche my marketing services for therapists?
Write a self-assessment worksheet to help me find my niche.
What are the signs that I’ve chosen the wrong niche?
Help me brainstorm niche ideas based on my past clients.
How do I market myself without alienating non-niche clients?
Can you write a social media post announcing my new niche?
Create a Squarespace services package for a niche audience.
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