You Can’t Find Your Ideal Customer Until You Find Yourself

Most founders I meet say their ideal customer is “anyone who’ll buy.”

They say it with pride … like it’s proof of hustle or versatility.

Then I tell them mine.

His age. His mindset. His vices. The kind of music he listens to when he’s overthinking.

I know what pisses him off … and what secretly scares him.

He’s got a name: “Joe Johnson … but his friends call him J.J.”

I can almost see him walking down the street.

That’s when their eyes glaze over.

Because to them, that level of clarity feels obsessive … or worse, impossible.

The truth? The only way I got that clear on him

Was by getting that clear on me.

“How I Built the Polaris Method”

Knowing your ICP isn’t a marketing exercise.

It’s a mirror.

Your ideal customer is you … just five miles back on the same road.

The people you help best are the ones walking the path you already walked …

The ones you recognize because you remember the terrain.

So when you don’t know who you serve,

You’re not missing a market.

You’re missing a self.

That’s why the “I’ll sell to anyone” crowd always burns out 

They're throwing spaghetti at a mirror and calling it outreach.

As AI begins to decide who’s credible,

Alignment isn’t optional anymore.

If the system can’t find a consistent signal between who you are, who you help, and what you say …

It just flat out skips you.

This is why identity work isn’t a luxury …

It’s survival.

Because before the market can recognize you …

You have to recognize yourself.

Stay Lit.

About Bob Manor 

Bob Manor is the founder of  South Ontario Auto Remarketing , Can-Am Dealer Services , and co-founder of Auto Auction Review. He’s also the creator of  Influence.vin, a branding and communication studio built for the car business. With over 30 years in the automotive world, Bob specializes in wholesale, dealer services, and identity-driven brand strategy. He’s a regular contributor to well-known automotive publications and uses his platforms to help industry pros re-align with who they are, not just what they do

Disclaimer:
These are my own observations and interpretations, based on lived experience inside this industry.
This is not financial, legal, or professional advice ... it is pattern recognition, shared for awareness and strategic consideration only