TL;DR: Trying to appeal to everyone kills growth. The fastest way to scale is by clearly defining who your business is for, and who it is not for. Top brands like Apple, Tesla, and Rolex thrive because they embrace exclusivity. They do not chase mass appeal or compete on price. Teenage Engineering takes the same approach. Their premium pricing sparks backlash, but they ignore it because the critics were never their customers to begin with. If you want to scale, be clear on who you serve and who you do not. Trying to please everyone makes you forgettable. 🚀 If you like it, please share it. 

Why Scaling Your Business Starts With Saying

“This is NOT for You”

One of the biggest mistakes I see entrepreneurs make when trying to scale is being afraid to exclude people. It feels counterintuitive, right? The goal is to grow, so why would you ever want to turn people away? Shouldn’t you be casting the widest net possible? Actually, no.

Trying to Be Everything to Everyone = Business Death

Think about the brands that dominate their industries. These are companies that refuse to compete on price, because they know that mass appeal is the fastest way to kill a brand.

Apple: The Art of Premium Positioning

Apple could absolutely make a budget laptop for $300. The technology exists. The supply chain is there. They could reach a much larger audience if they wanted to.

But they never will.

Why?

Because Apple understands that premium brands do not chase low-end buyers. They set the standard for design, innovation, and exclusivity. They are not just selling a laptop or a phone. They are selling an identity—a feeling of status and belonging.

• If you own an Apple product, you are part of an exclusive club.

• If you can’t afford it, Apple is totally fine with that.

They have drawn a clear line in the sand between who their products are for and who they are not for.

Tesla: Redefining the Auto Industry Without Apology

Tesla never set out to be a mass-market car brand.

They did not launch with an affordable sedan. They started with the Roadster, a high-performance electric sports car with a price tag of over $100,000.

People scoffed.

• “An electric car that expensive? No one will buy that!”

• “They should focus on making it affordable first.”

• “Why would I pay that much for an EV?”

And Tesla’s response? They ignored the critics. They did not lower their price to appease the mass market. Instead, they stayed focused on innovators and early adopters, the people who saw the vision and were willing to pay for it.

Over time, as their brand strengthened and their technology advanced, they expanded to more accessible models like the Model 3. But they never compromised their premium brand positioning. Even today, Tesla does not offer traditional discounts or sales events like other car manufacturers. Because they know that once you start competing on price, you dilute your brand.

Rolex: The Ultimate Masterclass in Exclusivity

You will never see Rolex offering a Black Friday sale. You will never see a “Buy One, Get One Free” promotion. And you will definitely never see a Rolex sitting in the clearance section of a department store.

Why?

Because Rolex understands that exclusivity creates desire. People want what they cannot easily have.

That is why Rolex intentionally limits supply and maintains long waitlists for their most sought-after models. They could manufacture more watches and flood the market, but they do not. Because scarcity fuels demand. And because they refuse to lower their standards to chase customers, people are willing to pay far more than retail to get their hands on one.

• If you want to scale your business, take notes from these brands.

• Stop trying to be everything to everyone.

• Define who you are for—and who you are NOT for.

That is the key to building a brand that scales instead of one that struggles.

When you refuse to take a stand on who you serve, you blend into the background. You become just another option in a crowded marketplace.

But when you boldly declare, “This is who we are for. If you do not fit that, this is NOT for you,” you create exclusivity, demand, and a passionate following.

The Teenage Engineering Case Study: Scaling by Exclusion

A great example of this in action is Teenage Engineering, a boutique music brand known for its beautifully designed, high-end instruments and audio gear.

Their products are premium-priced—we are talking $2,300 for a small keyboard when competitors sell similar-looking products for a few hundred bucks.

When they launch a new product, people lose their minds over the price.

And Teenage Engineering’s response? Silence. No explanations. No justifications. Because they know something most businesses do not:

Teenage Engineering does not need everyone to buy their products. They only need the right people, those who appreciate craftsmanship, design, and premium quality, to see their value. And that is exactly why they have built a cult following that will gladly pay whatever they charge.

The Fastest Way to Scale: Define Who You Are NOT For

If you want to scale, you need to be crystal clear about:

• Who you serve—the exact type of customer that gets the most value from your business.

• Who you do NOT serve—the people who will never be the right fit.

Most businesses get stuck in the middle. They try to be broad enough to attract everyone, but that waters down their message and makes them forgettable.

Instead, you should be so specific that your ideal customers instantly know you are talking to them.

How to Apply This to Your Business

If you are scaling a business, stop what you are doing and answer these questions:

1. Who is your ideal customer? (Be ultra-specific: age, interests, values, buying behaviors.)

2. What problem do you solve that others do not? (Your unique advantage.)

3. Who is your product NOT for? (The people who will never see the value.)

4. Are you bold enough to say it out loud? (If you are scared, that is a good sign.)

Exclusion = Growth

Scaling is not about serving more people. It is about serving the right people better than anyone else. When you embrace that, you stop wasting time on bad-fit customers. You start attracting loyal fans who love what you do, value your expertise, and are willing to pay premium prices.

So go ahead. Own your position. Define your tribe. And do not be afraid to say, “This is NOT for you.” That is exactly how you scale.

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On The Business Lunch Podcast: In this episode, we’re looking back at some of Roland Frasier and Ryan Deiss’ discussions. They cover the Hermes anti-trust allegations, Alex Hormozi’s content creation experiment, and Jeff Bezos’ thoughts on the myth of work/life balance and how it could be harmful to workers and business owners alike. —Listen on Apple Podcasts I Spotify 

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