When launching a new business venture, developing a new product line, or even refining your Small or Medium-Sized Business’s (SMB’s) current offerings, one of the first and most critical questions to answer is: “What is the headache that I’m solving for my target customer, and how bad is that headache?”

Your business needs to address a problem that customers recognize (it’s a real headache) and one they care deeply about alleviating (it’s a BAD headache). For truly exceptional business success, you need to offer a meaningful solution that doesn’t just dull the pain but makes it go away for good. And, crucially, you must be able to clearly articulate how you achieve this.

As Theodore Levitt famously said: “People don’t want a quarter-inch drill, they want a quarter-inch hole.” They care about the outcome, the solution to their problem.

Tom’s Story: A Homeowner’s Headache

Consider Tom, a first-time homeowner facing a broken bathroom mirror. It was unsafe, unusable, and in the guest bathroom; an immediate, painful headache. He bought a new mirror with a medicine cabinet (a perceived upgrade) but quickly hit a snag during installation: a wall stud was in the way. His initial attempts to “figure it out” only highlighted his lack of expertise. The hardware store offered tools (partial solutions to dull the immediate pain of cutting) but also warnings about potential structural damage; a new, bigger headache!

Tina’s Story: The Expert Painkiller

Then Tina, a local handy-woman specializing in DIY project support, entered. She overheard Tom’s dilemma, correctly identified the needed tool (a reciprocating saw), but more importantly, understood the real problem: Tom needed not just a hole cut, but a properly framed opening to support the new mirror and maintain wall integrity. She quickly, efficiently solved his immediate problem (the stud) and the underlying one (structural framing), leaving her card and offering future help without an initial bill. Tom’s headache was gone. Tina didn’t just sell him a drill (or a saw); she helped him get his quarter-inch hole, safely and effectively.

The result? Tom became a loyal customer, referring Tina to countless friends. Tina built a thriving business by:

• Identifying a clear headache for DIY homeowners (difficult/risky parts of projects).
• Targeting customers who recognized and cared about this headache.
• Empowering them by solving the complex parts, making their overall DIY efforts successful.
• Building trust and charging fair rates.

She didn’t just dull the pain; she made the pain of complex home improvements go away for her clients.

Is Your SMB Solving the Right Headaches? A Fractional CIO’s Perspective

This “headache-solving” principle is universal, applying just as much to technology strategy and IT investments as it does to home repair. As a fractional CIO, when I work with SMBs, we often start by asking:

• What are the real operational or strategic “headaches” that current technology isn’t solving, or perhaps even causing?
• Is a proposed new IT solution addressing a genuine, painful business problem, or is it a “cool tool” looking for a purpose (a drill without a clear need for a hole)?
• Are we focused on delivering a specific, valuable outcome for the business and its customers, or just on implementing a new system?

Many SMBs invest in technology hoping to solve problems, but if the “headache” isn’t clearly defined, or if the solution only “dulls the pain” (e.g., a new software that automates a bad process, rather than fixing the process itself), the investment rarely delivers its full potential.

The Path to Lasting Business Value

1. Identify a Real, Painful Headache: Understand what truly frustrates or hinders your target customers (or your internal teams, if it’s an internal process headache).
2. Develop a True Cure, Not Just a Painkiller: Aim to make the headache go away for good with an effective, comprehensive solution.
3. Clearly Articulate Your Solution’s Value: Ensure your customers understand exactly how you eliminate their pain and deliver their desired outcome.

What’s Next

Whether you’re starting a new venture, launching a new product, or optimizing your existing SMB operations, always begin by asking: “What headache are we solving, and how effectively are we making that pain go away for good?” By focusing on being the true “cure” for your customers’ most pressing problems, you build loyalty, drive referrals, and create sustainable business success.

Is your SMB clearly focused on solving the right “headaches” for its customers and its own operations, especially with its technology investments? If you’re looking for a strategic partner to help you identify and address the core IT-related pain points that are hindering your growth, let’s connect with Succeed Sooner Consulting.