Episode 136: Why First Time Founders Skip Positioning (And Pay the Price Later)

In this episode of #TheGTMPack podcast, we sit down with Gaspard Pastural, a Paris, France-based positioning and messaging specialist whose company, Purple Oceans, helps early-stage B2B SaaS founders clarify their market position before scaling. Gaspard brings a unique perspective, having transitioned from growth marketing to strategic positioning after realizing that without proper messaging, even the best growth tactics fall flat. He specializes in helping founders navigate the crucial transition from broad market exploration to focused positioning that drives sustainable growth.In this conversation, we explore why first-time founders struggle with positioning, the myth of category creation, and how to differentiate without competing on features and price.Key takeaways:💡 Why First-Time Founders Skip Positioning (And Second-Time Founders Don't)Gaspard explains the pattern he sees: first-time founders want to jump straight into growth tactics, while experienced founders know that strong positioning is the foundation for sustainable scaling. Learn why this strategic work becomes essential after the initial "spray and pray" phase.💡 The Purple Ocean Strategy: Finding Your Niche in Crowded MarketsForget about creating new categories—Gaspard argues it's nearly impossible and often counterproductive. Instead, he introduces the concept of the "purple ocean": finding underserved segments within existing, proven markets where you can become the obvious choice.💡 The Hardest Part Isn't Getting Customers—It's Letting Them GoOne of the most challenging aspects of building SaaS isn't customer acquisition, it's having the discipline to churn customers who aren't the right fit. Gaspard walks through why this decision is crucial for long-term success and how to use data to make these tough calls.💡 Relevance Beats Features Every TimeBuyers don't choose the "best" software—they choose the most relevant solution for their specific situation. Learn how to position your SaaS as the obvious choice for a specific use case rather than trying to compete feature-by-feature.#productmarketing #pmm #positioning #messaging #saas #startups #gtmstrategy #differentiation #productmarketer