When explaining what you do feels impossible
You know your work matters.
But when someone asks, “So, what do you do?”... cue the internal scramble.
The self-consciousness of not sounding “salesy” or rehearsed. Feeling your throat tighten up.
Or you start talking .. and talking .. and watch the other person's eyes glaze over.
My personal downfall? I stutter then reel off all of the modalities and ideas I'm interested in.
Which gives the other person no idea of what problems I solve, but absolutely confirms that I'm a complete and utter nerd [pushes glasses up nose].
I've chatted to enough people at Summercamp to know that I'm not alone in this challenge.
The problem with being a pioneer
Here's what makes this particularly tough for so many of us:
We've stepped away from the safety of traditional job titles into work that might not even have a proper name yet.
When you worked for someone else, you could say, “I'm a marketing manager” or “I'm a teacher,” and people would nod knowingly. Clear, simple, done.
But when you've created your own path? When you're combining different skills and passions into something that feels meaningful to you?
Suddenly you're... what, exactly?
The work we do often sits between established categories.
We're coaches who aren't just coaches. Social entrepreneurs who don't fit the typical business mould. Consultants with a completely different approach. Writers who do more than write.
We're pioneers, creating new ways of working and being.
Which is exciting and meaningful... and absolutely terrible when you're trying to introduce yourself to new people.
The fears that keep us vague
When we can't easily categorise ourselves, the temptation is to stay broad.
To say “I help people get unstuck” or “I work with businesses that want to reach more people” because surely that means more opportunities, right?
But underneath this vagueness, there are usually some deeper fears at play:
“If I get too specific, I'll lose potential clients.” We worry that focusing on one thing means missing out on everything else.
But here's the paradox: when you're vague about what you do, people can't refer you, can't remember you, and can't connect your work to their specific problems.
“Talking about what I do feels pushy.” There's something that feels uncomfortable about explaining our work, especially when it's something we're passionate about.
It can feel like we're being salesy or self-promotional when really, we just want to help people.
“I'm not corporate enough for ‘strategy’ or ‘positioning.’” These words can feel heavy and businessy, like they belong in boardrooms with people in suits, not with people who follow their intuition and care about making a difference.
But what if we've been thinking about this all wrong?
What positioning really means
Summercamp workshop leader Robin Bonn is a trusted advisor to some of the world’s most renowned agencies.
SheSays mentor and the author of Market of One, he helps CEOs and founders reimagine what differentiation looks like, helping 150+ agencies get clear on their message.
To him, positioning isn't corporate strategy. It's simply clarity about your gifts.
It's knowing what you're brilliant at, who benefits most from that brilliance, and how to talk about it in a way that feels natural and true to you.
When someone asks, “What do you do?” they're not asking for your business plan. They're asking how you spend your time, what you care about, what you're good at.
Think of it less like corporate positioning and more like... knowing how to introduce yourself in a way that actually helps people understand what you offer the world.
Reframing niching as specialisation
Robin told me that “niching is a duff steer” and reframed it for me this way, which really made the penny drop:
What if we stopped thinking about “niching down” and started thinking about specialisation instead?
“Niching” sounds restrictive, like we're painting ourselves into a corner. But specialisation?
That sounds like expertise.
Like depth.
Like being really, really good at something specific.
As Brené Brown says, “Clear is kind. Unclear is unkind.”
When we're unclear about what we do, we're actually being unkind to the people who need our help. They have problems we could solve, but they don't know we can solve them because we've never clearly explained what we do.
Suddenly, being clear about your work isn't bragging.
It's helping people understand when and how you can help them.
Pinpoint positioning for solopreneurs
Meet Robin at this year's Summercamp. You’ll find language that feels natural and lands with the people who matter, whether you're chatting at the campfire or pitching a dream client. Feel authentic, and ensure your work earns what it's worth.
The questions that help clarity
Instead of trying to fit into existing categories or copy how other people describe their work, start with these questions:
How do you show up differently when you're helping someone?
What's your unique process or way of approaching problems?
What questions do you ask that others don't?
How can you demonstrate your expertise through how you work, not just what you say?
As Robin points out, differentiation isn't just about having a clever tagline - it's “a daily practice.” It's about how you actually show up, how you listen, how you work with people.
The goal isn't to sound like everyone else in your field. It's to sound like yourself - but clearer.
Your work exists for a reason. The combination of skills, experiences, and perspectives you bring is unique.
You don't need to become more corporate or strategic. You just need to become clearer about the brilliance you already possess.
Because the people who need your help? They're out there, looking for exactly what you offer.
But they can only find you if you can help them understand what that is.
If you're ready to get crystal clear about your positioning, Robin Bonn will be sharing his framework for solopreneurs at our Launch Lab during Summercamp in September.
Come and meet him, and pick his brains!
He's also generously offering an exclusive discount of 35% off the hardback or paperback edition of his new book, Market of One (sorry, eBook not included).
To get your discount, go to https://practicalinspiration.com/book/market-of-one and enter HIPPY
Offer expires 17th August 2025
At Summercamp, 20 transformational workshops take place in 5 tents: The Tribe Tipi, The Purpose Pod, Launch Lab, The Money Marquee, and Soul Cafe.
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