Article · ~6 min read

Avoid the Lame "1% of the Market" Approach

Wil Schroter · Startups.com Free Beginner

This is a direct takedown of the round-number thinking our short answer warns against, written for founders who keep reaching for one percent of a huge market. It explains why that framing convinces no one and walks you toward naming the specific customers behind your first revenue instead. Short, blunt, and exactly on the question.

• No one wins customers by percentage, so a market share figure proves nothing.
• If a slice is easy and valuable, assume competitors already see it too.
• Build your number from named segments and real buyers, not from a fraction of a big total.