Entrepreneurship Tips: John Lee Dumas on Niching Down & Content Creation

Listen to the full conversation with John Lee Dumas where we dive deep into why content creation is about to implode, how AI just killed the barrier to entry, and the only strategy that survives when everyone can create everything.

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John Lee Dumas told me about a podcast that's going to outlive yours.

"How to Heal Your Kidney."

That's the entire show. Every episode. Nothing else. Just kidney healing.

I laughed. He didn't.

"Anybody who has an ill kidney is going to watch that podcast," he said. "That's all you care about when you have a failing kidney."

While you're trying to be the 10,000th best business podcast, someone else became the only kidney podcast. While you're competing with millions, they're competing with zero.

This is the only lesson that matters anymore: Better is dead. Only is everything.

The Race You Already Lost

You're trying to be better than 10,000 other business podcasts. Better questions. Better guests. Better production. Better value.

The kidney podcast isn't trying to be better than anyone.

They're the only.

When someone's kidney is failing, they don't search for "the best health podcast."

They search for kidney healing. They find one option. They listen to every episode.

You know what they find when they search for business podcasts? Ten thousand options. All professional. All valuable. All identical.

Even if you somehow become the 100th best business podcast—an incredible achievement—you're still option number 100. The kidney podcast is option number one. The only option.

Which position would you rather have?

Why Better Became Worthless

In 2012, JLD launched Entrepreneurs on Fire when there were nine interview podcasts about entrepreneurship. Nine. He could have tried to be the tenth. Maybe fought his way to eighth. Maybe even fifth.

Instead, he became the only daily podcast interviewing entrepreneurs.

Everyone said daily was insane. Too much. Too narrow. Too specific.

That insane narrowness built a seven-figure business. Because while everyone else fought to be better, he chose to be only.

Now there are tens of thousands of business podcasts. All trying to be better. All failing the same way.

Because when you're better, you're still competing. When you're the only, competition doesn't exist.

The Math Nobody Wants to See

Your business podcast competes with 10,000 others. The kidney podcast competes with zero.

Your fitness content competes with millions. The podcast for perimenopausal runners training for ultra-marathons competes with zero.

Your entrepreneur coaching competes with everyone. The podcast for Marine tank commanders transitioning to business after Iraq competes with zero.

You're fighting for attention in an ocean. They're the only water in a desert.

The Only Test That Matters

Can you be more specific?

If your answer is yes, you're not narrow enough.

"I help entrepreneurs" is competing with everyone.

"I help female entrepreneurs" is competing with thousands.

"I help female solopreneurs in healthcare" is competing with hundreds.

"I help female physical therapists launch their first online course while maintaining their practice" is competing with maybe three people.

"I help female physical therapists in Ohio launch their first online course while maintaining their practice and raising kids under five" competes with zero.

That's when you win. When the competition number hits zero.

The kidney podcast doesn't help with "health." It doesn't cover "wellness." It doesn't even discuss "kidney health" broadly.

It solves one problem: How to heal your kidney.

That's it. That's everything. That's the whole business.

Your Real Competition

You think you're competing with other podcasters. Other creators. Other entrepreneurs.

You're not.

You're competing with the concept of competition itself.

Every moment you spend trying to be better than someone else is a moment you could spend becoming the only. Every feature you add to match competitors is a feature that makes you more like them, not less.

The kidney podcast doesn't care what health podcasts are doing. Doesn't track wellness trends. Doesn't optimize for the algorithm.

They just answer one question, every episode: How do you heal your kidney?

While you're in a race, they're in a monopoly.

The Choice You Keep Avoiding

Tomorrow, you'll create content. You'll try to matter.

You have one decision: Will you try to be better, or will you be the only?

Better means competing with thousands. Only means competing with zero.

Better means being option 9,847 on someone's list. Only means being the list.

Better means fighting for attention. Only means being the answer.

JLD became the only daily podcast in 2012. The kidney podcast will be the only kidney solution. Someone else will be the only option for Marine tank commanders.

What will you be the only for?

Find that answer, or stay option 9,847.

Your choice.

Leo