Own the Message, Own the Market – A Strategy for Growing Businesses
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Own the Message, Own the Market – A Strategy for Growing Businesses

12 Dec Own the Message, Own the Market – A Strategy for Growing Businesses

Posted at 14:28h in Uncategorized by

The secret to growing your business is not capital alone. It is clarity.

As a growing business, you have proven your model, built teams, and carved out market share. But unlike giants with unlimited capital, you are in the scale‑up period where every decision about positioning and messaging can either accelerate growth or stall momentum.

In competitive markets, capital does not decide winners. What often decides market share leaders is who tells the public first and claims the story before anyone else. Being first to communicate something meaningful creates a mental monopoly. Once customers believe you stand for something, competitors can copy the product, but they cannot easily dislodge the story.

Examples of “Owning the Message”

  • Airbnb → Belong Anywhere (shifted travel from lodging to community)
  • Domino’s Pizza → 30 minutes or it’s free (speed and reliability)
  • Miller Lite → Great taste, less filling (health and category creation)

Canadian Businesses “Owning the Message”

  • Loeb Food Stores → Freshness and Community (43% market share in Ontario/Quebec)
  • WestJet → Owners care more
  • Tim Hortons → Always Fresh
  • Canadian Tire → Tested for Life in Canada
  • President’s Choice → Transparency with the Insider’s Report
  • Questrade → Get Yours (financial freedom and transparency in fees)

Modern Disruptors

Tesla was first to tell the public that cars could improve over time with software updates. Beyond Meat promised plant‑based protein that tastes like meat. Spotify personalized music discovery. Each claimed the message before competitors could.

The Playbook for Growing Businesses

Even with limited capital, you can win by:

  • Crafting a simple, memorable “first” message
  • Sharing authentic founder and employee stories
  • Leveraging low‑cost digital channels and community partnerships
  • Using public relations — journalists love “firsts”
  • Encouraging early adopters to spread the word

 Key Takeaways

  • Market leadership does not always come from being the biggest. It comes from being the first to tell the public a story that matters.
  • For growing businesses, the opportunity is clear. You do not need unlimited capital. You need the courage to claim your message first, the discipline to repeat it consistently, and the creativity to make it memorable.
  • In the end, the companies that win are not just the ones with the best products or the biggest marketing budgets. They are the ones who are first to tell the public why it matters.
  • Capital does not decide winners. Clarity does.

 What is the one clear story your business needs to tell first?

Garry Wood, Managing Partner
Stone Management Partners