“What are you an expert in?”

This was the first question I’d ask when managing and launching professional speakers. Those who couldn’t answer clearly weren’t ready for the next level – no matter how incredible they were.

Why? Because if you can’t quickly explain your expertise in a way that makes me sit up and pay attention, then you’ve already lost.

According to Harvard university, over 50% of clients have made up their mind about you, before you even know they exist.

We call that Google stalking.

Checking out your online presence, reading your content and contributions, and making a decision while you’re completely unaware.

The truth: It’s not a lack of opportunities holding you back—it’s a lack of clarity.

When I ask most leaders about their expert niche, they immediately describe their profession: “I work in commercial real estate” or “I’m a leadership coach.”

But profession alone rarely creates a compelling brand.

After helping thousands of professionals find and own a unique space as an authority, I’ve discovered the most powerful niches aren’t built on WHAT you do alone, but on something far more powerful.

The P3 Framework: Three keys to finding your expert niche

Your breakthrough niche will usually made up of one, or a combination of these three elements. Get ready to play with what works for you:

1.PASSION: Leverage what lights you up

An insurance salesman once approached me after a presentation, nearly in tears. She’d been struggling to sell business insurance for months without success, and at that stage was ready to quit her career.

“Your talk changed everything,” she told me. “I realized I’ve been ignoring my greatest asset—my passion for sailing.”

At first I was a little confused, but she continued.

“I’ve been a huge sailing enthusiast for most of my life, during your presentation today I realized that I’ve been trying to sell ‘general’ business insurance. When there are hundreds of sailing clubs out there with very specific insurance needs.”

She later repositioned herself as the insurance specialist exclusively for sailing clubs. Within months, she was dominating this untapped market, becoming the go-to authority for their unique insurance needs.

The key insight: Your personal passions create complimentary expertise that’s nearly impossible to replicate.

What world do you understand deeply because you live and breathe it?

What community’s language do you speak fluently?

That intersection between your profession and your passion often creates your most powerful niche.

2. PROCESS: Own a specific point in the journey

A HR consultant recently came to me frustrated with her generic “leadership development” positioning—a brutally crowded space where she struggled to stand out.

Through careful questioning, we discovered her true expertise was actually a powerful niche: preparing emerging leaders in accounting and law firms for partnership positions. This specific leadership journey became her focus.

By owning this precise transition point rather than “leadership” broadly, she created content that spoke directly to the unique challenges of this market — addressing exactly what her audience was searching for.

The key insight: Specializing in a specific transition or journey creates immediate relevance.

What specific transition do you understand better than most?

Is there a tipping point that you can really own as an expert?

Claiming a specific point in a journey instantly differentiates you, it also enables you to easily talk about the challenges your clients face.

3. PROBLEM: Become the solution to a specific challenge

Recently, I met a father at the park where my children often play after school. When I asked what he did he responded with “I’m the lube guy.”

Seeing the shock on my face, he went on to explain that he worked for manufacturing companies – but had become fascinated with industrial lubricants.

As a result, he started a YouTube channel called “Lubrication Explained” focused exclusively on solving this specific manufacturing problem.

Sound geeky? It is, however at last count he has 25,000+ subscribers, 300+ highly viewed videos, and was about to fly to Italy to speak at a top-tier industry event as a global authority.

All from niching down on a single manufacturing challenge.

The key insight: Solving one problem brilliantly creates much more opportunity than solving many problems adequately.

What specific problem do you solve better than anyone?

What exact challenge are you the No.1 in your field?

For a naturopath, it might be “helping menopausal women lose belly fat.” For a financial advisor, perhaps “tax strategies for business owners looking to scale and sell within five years.”

The counterintuitive truth about niching: Go deep, then wide.

Most experts try to go wide (target everyone) and then deep (specialize with those who respond). This approach keeps you anonymous and on the sidelines.

The best strategy is the opposite: go deep first, build a reputation in a specific area, get people talking about you, and then watch as you naturally expand.

When you speak directly to someone’s world, they tell others in similar situations.

Those testimonials and case studies become the bridge to a wider audience—but only after you’ve established deep expertise in a focused area.

Your action step: Choose your niche lens

This week, identify which “P” offers your clearest path to standing out:

• A passion that gives you complimentary expertise
• A process or journey where you excel
• A problem you solve better than anyone

Then ask: Can I explain this niche in one sentence that someone else could repeat without losing its impact?

Remember, in a world of endless noise, your niche is the blade that cuts through.

What’s the specific space you’re ready to own?