Who’s Your Real Competition?

Whenever I ask founders this question :

Who are you competing against?

Most of the time, the answer sounds like this:

“We don’t really have competition. What we’re building is unique.”

Technically, that might be true.

Your product might be one-of-a-kind.

Your stack might be smarter, your UI smoother, your team sharper.

But if you think that means you have no competition, you're missing the point.

Because your real competitors aren't the ones solving the same problem.

Your competition is whoever your customer is comparing you to at the moment they’re deciding.

That might be:

• Another tool in a completely different category

• A manual workaround they’ve patched together

• Doing nothing at all

  
  

If your prospect is deciding between your AI-driven automation tool and an Excel spreadsheet, then guess what? Excel is your competition.

If they’re hiring an intern instead of using your SaaS, the intern is your competition.

If they’re just delaying the decision? Inertia won this one.

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Why Competitive Landscape Matters

When you assume you don’t have competition, you stop looking at the full picture. You focus on your product’s uniqueness instead of understanding what’s really shaping your buyer’s decision.

This creates a dangerous disconnect.

Your messaging might sound impressive to you, but it doesn’t speak to the actual trade-offs your customer is considering. Your sales process might seem airtight, but it doesn’t address the friction that’s stopping them from switching.

In short: you’re optimizing your business around your product, not around your customers.

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Know Your Prospects' Shortlist

Just to be clear, I’m not advocating for you to create a slide deck of competitors for internal use.

I want you to know what else your customer is considering when they’re deciding whether or not to adopt your product.

Not sure?

• Ask your sales team what actually comes up on calls.

• Dig into your CRM notes.

• Sit in on demos.

• Conduct customer interviews.
  

The shortlist that will come out of it is your competitive landscape.

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Use Customer Intelligence Like a Growth Lever

Understanding your real competition is just the start.

To grow, you’ll need to have a deep understanding of your ICP’s world.

That's when customer intelligence (CI) becomes your unfair advantage.

CI tells you:

• What your buyers actually need

• What channels and type of content they use to make their decision

• What and who influences them

• What objections keep them from buying even when they like the product

  
  

If at some point prospects told you your solution was amazing, but then never bought... You need better Customer Intelligence in your startup.

So don’t obsess over what your competitors are building.

Start obsessing over how your customers decide.

That’s where growth gets predictable.