Congratulations, You've Invented a Category!

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You’re at another SaaS conference, wedged between a “Revenue Operations Ninja” and someone in a Patagonia vest treating networking like a contact sport. As the keynote begins, a founder steps up and starts weaving the tale of “inventing a new category.” It's every SaaS founder’s secret fantasy: market dominance, eye-watering multiples, maybe even your face in a Magic Quadrant!

But reality? It’s less TED Talk, more improv night at a half-empty dive bar. The industry loves to sanctify the rare few who “changed the game,” while glossing over the years of analyst skepticism, punishing budget meetings, and sales teams quietly begging to just call it CRM so they can close a deal. Remember “Collaborative Synergy Management”? Neither does anyone else.

As we head into the realities of category creation (which is as much group therapy as it is hero’s journey), it’s time to deflate these bedtime stories.

Myth #1: Everyone Will Understand (and Adore) My Shiny New Category

The SaaS fantasy goes like this: you unveil your dazzling new category and overnight, excitement erupts. Analysts come calling. Gartner drafts a quadrant in your honor. Prospects are eager to buy. At the start, it’s always confetti, high-fives, and that glorious LinkedIn headline: “Category Creator.” It feels good - no shame in that!

But once the dopamine wears off, reality creeps in. The big reveal is often met with polite confusion, or worse, that glazed-over look everyone wears during cybersecurity training. After two years and a budget that could’ve bought you a small vineyard in Tuscany,- you’ve pulled out all the stops: webinars, relentless content marathons, and finally, that big-deal Gartner briefing. You show up ready for your name in lights. But when the dust settles? Your category is nowhere to be found. The analyst offers a polite nod, scribbles “interesting” (corporate for “nice try”), and files you away under “Other.”

Myth #2: If I Build the Category, Buyers Will Come

Ah... the Field of Dreams myth: “If you build it, they will come.” This line powers countless pitch decks but rarely translates into actual revenue. Most buyers have no clue what you’re offering, or think they do but miss the mark entirely. Why should they care about your latest acronym over the dozens they’ve seen already? Market education isn’t a quick win; it’s an ultra-marathon where the finish line moves further away with each step. You’ll spend months - realistically, years - translating your vision so it doesn’t sound like Elvish to your ideal customer profile.

Why does this happen? Inventing demand is infinitely harder than inventing jargon. Your new category lives rent-free in your head, but everyone else is simply trying to survive another Monday. It’s not personal; it’s inertia. Before launching your crusade to educate the market, ask yourself: are you ready to spend years being mistaken for a buzzword vending machine at every industry event?

Myth #3: Once I Plant My Flag, Competitors Will Respect My Territory

After eighteen months spent educating the world about your “Predictive Enablement Platform,” it feels like you’ve earned exclusive rights to the playground. Unfortunately, as soon as an analyst glances your way, five well-funded clones appear overnight - complete with eerily similar websites and branding.

Just ask Eloqua: they pioneered “marketing automation,” only to watch Marketo, HubSpot, and Pardot join the party and take most of the ARR spoils. Category creation isn’t about claiming territory; it’s more like hosting a block party where everyone - specially those you hoped would stay away - shows up.

Myth #4: Early Traction Means I’ve Won

Scoring a few “innovator” customers and a TechCrunch mention might feel like victory, but early adopters are fickle: loyal one moment, gone the next when someone else shakes a shinier bag of treats. And that coveted “Visionary” spot in the Magic Quadrant may feel like winning prom king for software nerds, but sometimes it’s more like being crowned at a dance that’s about to be bulldozed for parking. Analysts change their minds quickly, categories shift overnight, and today’s recognition can become tomorrow’s trivia question.

Creating a category requires constant vigilance, dodging irrelevance, battling copycats, and occasionally swallowing your own hype when things don’t pan out. Get comfortable, and someone else will turn you into their cautionary tale.

What Have We Learned (Besides Never Trusting a Category Designer)?

Nobody is waiting impatiently for you to explain your new category. For all the talk about “educating the market,” most prospects are just trying to survive their own mountain of Slack notifications and urgent emails. Being first doesn’t guarantee a trophy, or even recognition.

Winners are often those who show up hungry and out-execute everyone else, not necessarily those who got there first. That manifesto you poured your soul into? There’s a good chance it will become confetti at your competitor’s next launch party.

If all this leaves you feeling battered, take heart - you’re not alone and there’s no shame in joining an existing category. Sometimes the smartest move isn’t mapping out a new mountain but picking one people can actually find on a map.