Ryan: niche is everything these days. What we do at Clampett is a niche - and we're the best at it because of our experience in animation, retail, our deep connection to the big studios, and our undying love for classic animation.
On the opposite side of the coin is my wife's friend in Brooklyn who has no connections, but is extremely hard-working and from her undyling love, has started a successful gourmet dog bisquit company begun in her own kitchen. In less than a year, she's netting world-wide sales. But her deal is also niche - plus going to dog parks to talk to people, emailing even more people, having a website, packaging, promoting - all that.
Use her as an example of what you need to do to get your name out there: exposure is nine-tenths of the battle. The last tenth is your talent. As they ask in H-wood, "What can you do?" you say what you do, then give over your "leave behinds," (cards, brochures, website) to prove your case.
Now, what can you do? If you can out-do Steve Timmons and no one in Southern California exclusively performs engine transplants such as yours, you may have found your niche.
