How I got fooled by a “perfect” customer profile

It was my second-ever client project.

A fitness tech startup.

The founder showed up with a pitch deck, a product demo, and a big smile, “Let’s build our brand. But first, I want a clear persona.”

I nodded like I knew what I was doing.

Pulled up a Notion doc and asked the textbook question: “What’s your ideal customer like?”

He replied instantly. “Male. 25–35. Lives in urban India. Gym-goer. Earns over ₹8L per year. Interested in health, sports, and productivity.”

It sounded… right. So I ran with it.

Crafted the brand voice. Designed landing pages. Built out messaging.

But three weeks in?

Crickets.

No traction. No signups. No one cared. The ads weren’t converting. Emails weren’t getting clicks. Even the founder stopped replying with emojis.

I was missing something. So I did what any desperate 20-something would do. I booked 5 calls with actual users. Not to pitch, just to listen.

And what I learned hit me like a truck: Two guys in the same age bracket, earning the same, going to the same gym...

Had completely different reasons for using the product. One was a single dad trying to stay fit without losing time. The other was a startup founder tracking workouts like OKRs.

Same demo.
Different lives.
Different pain.
Different priorities.

And that’s when it clicked. Demographics are useless if they don’t lead to empathy.

Because here’s the truth: You can’t build a brand for “25–35-year-old urban men.

But you can build for...

• The anxious overachiever who tracks his macros like investments.

• The self-conscious newbie who’s tired of being judged at the gym.

• The busy parent squeezing workouts between diaper changes.

That’s where the connection happens. Not in the age or the salary bracket. But in the problem.

I was reminded of this again recently when I came across this viral meme:

Same demographics. Yet... couldn’t be more different.

One plays royal polo. The other bit a bat. And that’s the punchline. Because if you built a persona around just that surface data?

You’d end up selling crown polish to Ozzy and electric guitars to Charles.

Silly, right? But brands do this every single day.

They say:

• “Our audience is Gen Z women.”

• “We’re targeting HNIs in Mumbai.”

• “We serve Indian parents in Tier 1 cities.”

It sounds smart.

Until you realize none of those lines tell you anything about what they want, fear, or need.

What keeps them up at night.
What decision they’re overthinking.
What change they desperately want, but don’t know how to start.

That’s where your brand steps in.

Here’s how I think of it:

Great branding isn’t built around who someone is. It’s built around what they’re struggling with.

Your audience isn’t a “target segment.” They’re a real person in a real mess.

Your job?

Be the guide that helps them move forward. So if you’re building personas, ditch the focus on age, job titles, or salary ranges.

Instead, ask:

• What’s their daily frustration?

• What’s the invisible script running in their head?

• What decision are they delaying?

• What do they wish someone just solved for them?

Then build your message for that person. Suddenly, your words will hit harder.

Your copy will feel personal. And your brand?

It won’t just look good — it’ll be the one they remember. If you’re done blending into the noise, let’s shape a brand people genuinely connect with.

Reply to this email and tell me the real problem your customer is facing.

Let’s decode it together.

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