Strawberry laces

May 28, 2021

There’s no dignified way to eat a packet of strawberry laces in public at the age of 45. But when strawberry laces become the only thing you feel like eating as you ride the AstraZeneca side effects wave, what is there to do?

There are no branded sweets for mature women facing a medical emergency.

If there was there would probably be a bit of a hoo-ha.

Do you remember a Bic for Her?

Biros designed for ladies.


‘The BIC For Her is a retractable ballpoint pen that has be specially designed to fit comfortably in a woman's hand.’

Some versions were even:

‘Adorned with a flower design that continues onto its metal clip. The BIC For Her ballpoint pen offers its user all the great quality synonymous with the BIC brand but the added flair of a female touch.’

Finally, womens’ daily struggles with holding a pen were over. Thanks, BIC.

This is the bad side of ‘niching down’. When the sense of reality gets lost and decisions are made to solve the company’s problem, not a real person’s.

It’s stupid and frankly offensive.

The thing is, you don’t have to worry about making this mistake because there are so many genuine problems people have with money that you’re perfectly placed to solve.

NHS pension issues? Go to this guy. Professional sportsperson? Go to this dude. Recently divorced? You get the idea...

People worry about niching because you’re narrowing the pool. What they forget is, there’s a higher likelihood that those in the pool will actually want to swim with you.


People with a particular need can recognise someone who can solve it. If you had a particular problem and found an expert who was speaking your language of course you'd end up working with them.

Then the question is, how do you ‘retro fit’ a niche when your business has grown organically until now?

Thank about: What’s your passion? What skills and knowledge do you have that no one else does? Where do you have a lot of connections? What could you provide for these people that others just can’t?

And when you’ve done that, please send me tips on where to buy sweets for grown-ups.

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Faith Liversedge writing on her laptop