Finding Your Customers (Without Overthinking Your Ideal Client)
One of the most common questions new business owners ask is:
“Who is my ideal customer?”
Maybe you’ve even downloaded one of those worksheets where you’re supposed to give your customer a name, an age, a favorite coffee drink, and a list of hobbies before you’re allowed to start your business.
Here’s our take:
You don’t need to have your ideal customer perfectly figured out before you begin.
In fact, you’ll probably discover who your customers really are by taking action—not by guessing.
In this episode of Mugs & Marketing, Ashley and Alisha share the surprising people who actually became their customers and why getting started is more important than creating the perfect customer avatar.
We Thought Our Customers Would Be… Us
When Ashley first started teaching yoga, she assumed her students would be people just like her.
Young. Athletic. Busy parents.
Instead, many of her online students turned out to be people caring for aging parents, living with autoimmune conditions, or simply needing the flexibility of online classes.
Alisha had a similar experience. She assumed millennials and people her own age would be buying her colorful pottery.
Instead, she found herself selling to grandparents shopping for grandkids, husbands ordering custom gifts, and families visiting local art markets.
The lesson? Your assumptions are just a starting point.
Your Customers Will Surprise You
One of our favorite stories from this episode is about a wholesale pottery order that came from someone Alisha had casually connected with over a decade earlier.
Another reminder that you never really know who’s paying attention.
Ashley also shared stories about people who had followed her YouTube videos and emails for years before finally joining one of her programs.
Sometimes your next customer has been quietly watching all along.
Stop Waiting to “Figure It Out”
Many entrepreneurs get stuck trying to identify the perfect audience before they ever launch a product, teach a class, or open an Etsy shop.
Instead, we encourage you to:
- Start sharing your work.
- Pay attention to who responds.
- Notice patterns over time.
- Refine as you grow.
Your audience isn’t something you invent. It’s something you discover.
It’s Okay If People Unsubscribe
We also talked about something many creators struggle with: Unsubscribes.
Whether someone leaves your email list or unfollows you on social media, it doesn’t mean you’ve done something wrong. People’s interests change. Life changes. Businesses evolve.
Instead of worrying about who leaves, focus on finding the people who genuinely connect with what you’re creating.
Your Audience Will Evolve
As your business grows, your customers may change too.
Ashley now teaches more online business strategy than she did several years ago.
Alisha has expanded beyond pet portraits into colorful functional pottery.
As their businesses evolved, so did the people they serve.
And that’s completely normal.
Resources Mentioned
📌 Fill the Grid Challenge Waitlist http://ashleyrosehagen.com/ftgwaitlist
📌 Ashes Academy http://ashleyrosehagen.com/work-with-me
📌 YouTube for Yoga Teachers http://ashesyoga.thrivecart.com/youtube
📌 Free Morning Yoga Classes http://ashesyoga.offeringtree.com/schedule
📌 Alisha Hagen Art https://alishahagenart.com
📌 Join the Mugs & Marketing Coffee Club https://ashleyrosehagen.com/podcast
In This Episode
- Why ideal customer avatars aren’t always helpful
- The surprising people who became our customers
- How your audience changes over time
- Why consistency matters more than perfection
- Learning from your first customers
- Why unsubscribes aren’t personal
- How collaborations can introduce you to new audiences
- Action first, clarity second
Your ideal customer isn’t hiding inside a worksheet. They’re waiting for you to start showing up.