Category Thinkers

In this episode, Lauren discusses the importance of category design for startups. We delve into startup challenges that are addressed by category design. Lauren shares how they've used Guidewheel’s FactoryOps category point of view to attract the right people, investors and customers. We talk about the evolution of sustainability as a priority, the impact of AI on data-driven companies, and the impact of category design on a startup's valuation.

Listen in to unpack…

• How category can provide the type of clarity founders often struggle with when deciding what to say "no" to 
• Which order of problem prioritization will allow you to create the biggest impact
• How she used languaging to speed up market adoption

This episode was moderated by Mike Damphousse andPablo Gonzalez.

This episode is sponsored by:

• Category Design Advisors
• BeTheStage.live

Jared Fuller and Isaac Morehouse were the dynamic duo behind our recent conversation about nearbound – a radically different approach to GTM that’s reshaping the partnership landscape. These two have always been staunch advocates of category design, and they’ve harnessed this discipline to create one of the fastest-growing B2B media brands of all time.

In this episode you’ll hear:

• How Jared and Isaac have used category design to “punch above their weight class”
• How content, community, and category design have worked in concert for the Nearbound movement
• How the team at Nearbound leveraged other events to pull off a highly successful lightning strike

This episode was moderated by Pablo Gonzalez, John Rougeux, and Mike Damphousse.

This episode is sponsored by:

• Category Design Advisors
• BeTheStage.live

This week’s show is with Dan Tyre, a legendary executive at HubSpot. Hired as employee number six, Dan talks about the backstory of the inbound category, how to get sales to support your category design strategy, and the importance of company culture when designing a category.

This episode was moderated by Pablo Gonzalez and Mike Damphousse.

This episode is sponsored by:

• Category Design Advisors
• BeTheStage.live

Fresh off a category design workshop in NYC, Rachel Josepho, Founder & CEO of Mindfull, and Waleed Cope, CEO of The Soap Box, joined us to share their journey as category designers leading early-stage startups.

Listen in to unpack…

• How early stage startups can use category design chart their strategy 
• Why category designers need to start with a highly targeted audience and expand over time
• How to uncover what’s missing in established categories

This episode was moderated by Pablo Gonzalez, John Rougeux, and Mike Damphousse.

Mentioned in this episode:

• Mindfull
• The Soap Box
• 22 Laws of Category Design
• Where Good Ideas Come From
• Position Yourself or Be Positioned

This episode is sponsored by:

• Category Design Advisors
• BeTheStage.live

In this Category Short, John Rougeux explains why a concept called “category jail” needs to be on the radar of every startup. Category jail occurs when your novel solution is mentally miscategorized by buyers, causing your company to get unfairly written off as another “me-too” product.

Listen now to learn:

• Why category jail can keep radically different ideas from gaining attention from customers and investors.
• How the wiring of buyers’ brains can work against you (and what to do about it).
• A powerful method for escaping category jail and helping your startup get a fair evaluation.

Join our category design community for free at CategoryThinkers.com

This episode is sponsored by Category Design Advisors and BeTheStage.live

In this episode, we chat with Rio Hodges, Principal at Antler. Rio encounters hundreds of startups each year through his firm's accelerator programs, so his perspective is invaluable if you’re in the early chapters of this journey. 

We cover:

• The one crucial slide that many startups leave out of their pitch decks
• Why startups should obsess about the problem instead of the product
• How to right-size the problem your startup is addressing
• The right way to address the TAM when pitching to VCs.

Links mentioned in this episode:

Antler
Category Design Advisors
Play Bigger (book)

Featured in this episode:

Rio Hodges
John Rougeux
Mike Damphousse

Scale Venture Partners’ Craig Rosenberg joins us on the show to talk about how category design drives demand, how he mentors founders, and a handful of stories from the startup and VC trenches.

Craig is the Chief Platform Officer at Scale and long-time friend and collaborator of our co-host, Damp.

In this episode, we'll discuss:

• Category design stories from Scale's portfolio.
• How Craig teaches young founders category design principles.
• Is it ever too late or too early to pursue category design?
• Common Point of View pitfalls.

If you want to join a free community of over 500 category designers and join these conversations, you can do so at CategoryThinkers.com

Connect with our guest and hosts on LinkedIn:
Craig Rosenberg
Mike Damphousse
John Rougeux
Pablo Gonzalez

Very rarely do we see such an explosion of innovation as we are seeing right now. The rise of AI reminds us very much of the early internet... just like the early dot-com era, AI will spawn a new generation of categories and subcategories.

In this episode of Category Thinkers, we invited AI and machine learning expert Manny Bernabe to help us cover:

• New categories and subcategories that AI is making possible
• How entrepreneurs can leverage AI to create their own niche or category
• Similarities between the early internet and early AI developments
• Why ChatGPT is currently the dominant design for AI text generators

Enjoy!

If you're not satisfied with just listening, join the real conversations in our Slack community at CategoryThinkers.com.

Connect with our guest and hosts on LinkedIn:
Manny Bernabe
Mike Damphousse
John Rougeux
Pablo Gonzalez

You spoke and we heard you — this community needs a book club!

We kicked off the first ever Category Thinkers Book Club with Eddie Yoon's classic, Superconsumers.

Listen to Eddie, the co-founders of Category Thinkers (Mike Damphousse, John Rougeux, Pablo Gonzalez), and members of the community discuss:

• Where Eddie came up with the insights that led to his book on Superconsumers
• How to apply a Superconsumer strategy in B2B service companies
• Why understanding Superconsumers is the key to creating a profitable community strategy
• and much more!

If you want to join future events like these, join our community at CategoryThinkers.com

Today, we have a special guest whose work has made a lasting impact in the realm of category design — Kipp Bodnar, the Chief Marketing Officer at HubSpot.

🛠️ About HubSpot:

HubSpot isn't just a software company; it's a well-known category design success case with inbound marketing. By crafting a narrative around the inbound philosophy, HubSpot has succeeded in not just selling a product but shaping an entire ecosystem.

🤝 In This Episode:

Kipp shares insights on how category design has influenced his career trajectory and the broader landscape of modern marketing.

🤖 AI and Category Design:

Kipp delves into how artificial intelligence is set to change the game entirely for category design. As AI continues to evolve, Kipp argues that the power of category design will become even more critical.

🔮 What's Next for HubSpot and INBOUND:

Ever wondered what the future holds for HubSpot and the inbound marketing category? Kipp gives us a look into what's on the horizon of big ideas that will shape the inbound marketing ecosystem.

Don't miss this conversation with one of the most influential figures in modern marketing.

Category Thinkers is your go-to resource for unlocking the hidden mechanics of category design – for yourself.

Subscribe today and be part of the conversation shaping the future of business!