The Moment I Realized My Audience Was All Wrong

The hard lesson that transformed my messaging, offers, and success.

Have you ever met someone and thought, “Wow, we could be friends forever—no drama, no headaches, just pure connection?”

I’ve always been intentional about who I keep close. I look for people who share my values, bring good energy, and approach life with an open mind. So when I met Jan, I thought I had found a lifelong friend. We both believed in putting family first and business second and creating spaces where people felt welcome and safe. It felt effortless—like we just got each other.

For the first year, we had a great time. Conversations flowed, ideas sparked, and I thought, This is the kind of person I want in my circle. But then, small cracks started to show. At first, they were easy to ignore—little things that felt off but didn’t seem like a big deal.

Then I saw it.

She didn’t just love to chat; she loved to gossip. And not the fun, lighthearted kind—the kind that turns people against each other. If you weren’t following her lead, she lost interest. And worst of all? She played people like chess pieces, stirring up drama behind the scenes.

It reminded me of high school—the petty alliances, the whispered rumors, the power plays. Except I had managed to avoid that nonsense back then, and I wasn’t about to let it into my life now.

When I finally pushed back, the shift was instant. Suddenly, I became the target. The drama she had orchestrated for others now had me at the center. I tried addressing it head-on, thinking maybe we could talk it out like adults. But instead of working through it, she doubled down.

So, I did what I do best when faced with petty shenanigans—I walked away. Head held high, dignity intact, and not a single regret.

Walking away from Jan taught me an important lesson—just because someone seems like the right fit initially doesn’t mean they align with who you are. It took me a year to see the cracks in that relationship, and looking back, I realized I had made a similar mistake in my business. I thought I knew exactly who my audience was. I thought I was building something for my people. But, just like with Jan, I was trying to fit into a space that wasn’t mine.

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Gaining Traction or Shifting Directions?

At the time, I had been running my business for a few years and felt confident in my direction. I had built my offers, messaging, and content around what I thought my audience wanted.

I had convinced myself that my people were go-getters—driven, resourceful, and eager to take control of their business. They seemed engaged, asked great questions, and aligned with my vision. I believed I was speaking to those who valued investing in their business, trusted my expertise in tech, and took the reins with the information I provided. I saw myself as the guide who could help them get there.

But over time, the cracks started to show.

They loved consuming my content, but they did nothing to take action. They asked for advice—not to implement but to validate what they already did. They wanted quick hacks and shortcuts while I was focused on long-term strategy.

That’s when it hit me.I wasn’t serving the people I thought I was. I had built a business around an audience that looked right on paper but wasn’t truly aligned with my approach. And just like my experience with Jan, I realized I was in the wrong room—surrounded by the wrong people, trying to fit into a space that wasn’t really mine.

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The Turning Point: Meeting the Right People

My aha moment came during a conversation with a trusted  business friend who said something that stopped me in my tracks:

“You’re giving them tools, but they need a blueprint. They need to know how it will make a difference, not how it works.

And then they added something that really got the wheels turning:

“Your best clients aren’t asking for shortcuts. They want sustainable growth, not quick fixes.”

I sat there, letting those words sink in. It was so obvious.

My best clients—the ones who valued my work and implemented what I taught—weren’t looking for hacks or trying to piece things together alone. They wanted clarity, strategy, and a way to move forward confidently. They needed a partner, and I fit the bill.Yet, my messaging was speaking to the wrong crowd. I had been shaping my business around quick fixes and DIY solutions when, in reality, the people who needed me most weren’t looking for another “how-to guide.” They were looking for a trusted navigator who could help them see the bigger picture and take intentional action.

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The Shift to a New Room

Realizing I had been pursuing the wrong people was like flipping on a light switch in a room I hadn’t even realized I was standing in. Once I saw it, I couldn’t unsee it.

I had been tailoring my content, offers, and messaging toward DIYers who wanted cheap, quick fixes. But my real people? They weren’t looking for surface-level solutions—they wanted clarity, a roadmap, and the confidence to move forward without second-guessing every decision.

So, I made these changes.

1. Changing the Way I Spoke to My Audience

From: “Here’s how to fix this one thing.”
To: “Here’s how to build a solid foundation so you don’t have to keep fixing things.”

I stopped using language that attracted quick-fix seekers and started speaking directly to people who valued long-term strategy. Instead of offering step-by-step tutorials, I focused on why the bigger picture mattered.

✅ Immediate Shift: The wrong people started dropping off, but the right ones showed up with less marketing efforts. The responses changed. I started hearing things like:

• “This is exactly what I was looking for but didn’t realize.”
• “I’ve been trying to piece this together forever, and now I finally get it.”

2. Restructuring My Offers

From: DIY resources and quick-fix solutions.
To: Strategy-first guidance and long-term planning.

I stopped trying to convince DIYers of the value of strategy and instead focused on those who understood its importance but needed help implementing it.

✅ Long-term Effect: I started attracting clients who weren’t just consuming content—they were ready to take action. They wanted guidance, someone to implement the tech, and someone who would allow them to do what they do best.

3. Redefining My Business Model

From: Teaching isolated skills.
To: Helping people see how all the pieces fit together.

Instead of focusing on individual pain points (like fixing a website issue or optimizing a single process), I guided my audience toward a bigger-picture approach. I helped them see how mindset, strategy, and execution were all connected.

✅ Immediate Shift:

• More deep, meaningful conversations about the strategy.
• A shift in how I felt about my business—less burnout, more balance.

✅ Long-Term Effect:

• More trust. More referrals. More engagement.
• A business built on real connections rather than just transactional solutions.

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Bringing It Full Circle

Looking back, I realize my business had been stuck in the same pattern as my friendship with Jan. I was trying to force something that wasn’t meant to work. But everything changed when I stopped trying to fit into a space that wasn’t mine.

I stopped standing in the wrong room and finally walked into the one where I truly belonged. And the best part? My people are my strongest community and supporters.

If you’re feeling stuck, ask yourself:

• Are you talking to the right people?
• Are you trying to fit into a space that isn’t yours?
• Are you aligning with those who truly value what you offer?

Sometimes, the best thing you can do is walk away from the wrong room and step into the one where you truly belong.