Now let’s talk real. I don’t want you wasting your genius on an audience that can’t afford you. Just because a group has pain doesn’t mean they have purchasing power. Pain without money is compassion work. Pain with money is business. So when I’m deciding who to build offers for, I start asking myself: can this person swipe their card for this solution without it wrecking their budget?

Let me say this slow—your product isn’t too expensive. You just might be selling it to people who were never in a position to buy it.

Service-Based Examples:

If you’re a hairstylist, don’t build your empire off clients who stretch out appointments for months and flinch at your $15 price increase. You want the client who values image, appearance, and convenience—people who see their hair as a lifestyle extension, not a once-a-quarter errand. The salons that scale don’t do it with everyday walk-ins. They go upmarket: bridal styling, corporate concierge packages, influencer retainers, image consultants.

If you’re a barber, you’re not just cutting fades—you’re controlling someone’s confidence. Look at brands like The Rich Barber in LA. What they did was genius—they sold the chair as a VIP experience and turned barbers into luxury service providers. That shift elevated pricing, created client retention, and allowed barbers to stop chasing heads and start building lanes.

If you’re a graphic designer, stop trying to work with broke startups who are still debating their business name. You want funded startups, digital product creators, coaches who launch every quarter, or service brands with outdated branding but strong revenue. These people see design as performance infrastructure—not decoration. Look at how agencies like Koto Studio or Bento position their pricing: they don’t pitch logos. They pitch conversion.

If you’re an online coach, quit building offers for your peers who think $47 is expensive. Build your suite for people who already spend money on their growth. People who’ve bought online programs, hired trainers, attended masterminds. These folks don’t hesitate to invest when they see transformation. Your marketing should prequalify them—“This is for people who already invest in themselves and want results that match the money.”

If you’re an esthetician, selling facials and treatments is great—but your bag is in pre-paid packages, high-ticket skincare bundles, and long-term plans. You want clients who ask, “What’s the full year look like?” not “Can I just do a one-off?” Check how brands like Heyday price: everything about their structure invites premium buyers who treat skin like they treat fitness—ongoing, intentional, and worth real dollars.

If you’re in finance—maybe you do credit repair, bookkeeping, or tax strategy—you already know the broke crowd will scream “how much” before you finish your pitch. You need small business owners with at least $10K/month revenue or W2 earners with disposable income. Not only do they need what you sell—they’re aware of the risk of not doing it.

E-Commerce Examples:

If you’re in beauty, follow what Topicals, Hyper Skin, or Fenty Skin did. They priced intentionally for people who buy skincare like they buy supplements—routinely and religiously. Their pricing wasn’t random. It was built for people who treat skin as a priority. That means targeting women ages 24–38 with stable income who follow dermatologists, read reviews, and shop Sephora like it’s church.

In clothing, you need to be aware of price elasticity. A brand like Fear of God isn’t trying to convince college kids who live off ramen to buy a $300 sweatshirt. Their buyers are sneakerheads, creatives, musicians, and professionals with taste and disposable income. Their price matches their vibe. Meanwhile, brands like Essentials created the same aesthetic for a lower bracket—still premium, just more accessible. Know which lane you’re in.

For food and drink? Think about brands like Liquid Death. They took water—literally free everywhere—and turned it into a $2.50 lifestyle product. Why? Because they sold rebellion, identity, edge. Their customer isn’t just thirsty—they’re over basic. These are people who already spend on kombucha, pre-workouts, adaptogens. When your buyers already spend for edge, it makes them perfect to pitch to.

Or take Magic Spoon. It’s cereal for grownups who care about macros. You think a $40 pack of cereal works for broke families? No. It works for health-conscious professionals who already spend on protein shakes and keto snacks.

What You Need to Do:

Start qualifying your market through content. Call out the buyer who’s ready. Stop trying to convince. Stop lowering your prices. Start clarifying your audience.

If they’re not already spending money in your space, don’t expect to change their spending behavior. You’re not a missionary—you’re a business owner. Look for active spenders who’ve proven, repeatedly, they value the category you serve.

Find the people who swipe without argument. That’s your lane. they’re not going to pay for a real solution. I’m not talking about “nice to have” wants. I’m talking about the kind of pain that costs them sleep, drains their energy, or makes them feel stuck. If your customer isn’t desperate to solve something, you’re just selling a luxury—not a necessity.

Let’s talk real examples. Think about Proactiv. They didn’t just sell skincare—they sold a solution to public-facing insecurity. Their messaging was designed for people waking up to pimples before school or photo shoots. They locked in on that 2AM panic—"how do I clear my skin before prom?"—and turned it into a billion-dollar business.

Now look at Calendly, a simple scheduling tool, right? But what pain did it solve? The back-and-forth “What time works for you?” emails that waste hours and slow down sales. Their growth wasn’t just about utility—it was about removing friction that cost professionals time and productivity.

Service Provider Angle:

Let’s say you’re a brand strategist or systems consultant. Your ideal client isn’t someone who wants to “look better online.” Your ideal client is someone who’s stuck working 60-hour weeks, turning down new business because their backend is trash. That’s pain. When I do consulting, I’m never talking about the surface. I’m talking about the invisible leak—where the money’s bleeding out while they’re busy looking successful. If you can identify what your client hates doing, what they don’t trust anyone to fix, and what they’re secretly embarrassed about—you’ve found the pain that pays.

E-Commerce Angle:

If you’re in the product game, let me make this simple: sell relief, not aesthetics. Look at Oura Ring. They didn’t just sell a ring—they sold better sleep, peak recovery, bio-feedback that helps people feel in control of their health. That’s pain. Or take Bevel, a grooming brand for men of color. They didn’t just sell razors. They sold the end of razor bumps—something the market had accepted as permanent. That pain point became a movement. That’s what I want you to find in your niche.

When you’re tuned in to pain, your brand becomes magnetic. People don’t want fluff. They want a fix. And if you can be the person that articulates their frustration better than they can—congrats, you just became the authority.