Lesson: You don’t need a million people to love you. You need a clear reason for the right people to choose you.

I still remember one of the first times I introduced Jivati at a pool party. A group of people were drinking the usual popular brands, but they noticed my friends and I were sipping something different and celebrating with a different kind of energy.

They asked what it was, gave it a try... and were surprised by the taste, the smell, the light carbonation - the uniqueness of it all. They nodded, smiled, and said, “Congrats on creating something different,” before walking off.

About 30 minutes later, they showed up again - this time with friends. One of them said, “This tastes way better than what we were drinking,” and they all asked for another round.

That’s when I knew: this wasn’t just a product. It was something people felt.

Broad isn’t brave. It’s blurry.

Early on, I made the mistake of trying to build something for everyone. But the more I tried to appeal to everyone, the harder it became to build anything that truly resonated.

Once I leaned into the niche, once I got clear on who I was building for, everything sharpened. The product. The messaging. The mission.

Jivati wasn’t a category play. It was personal.

I wanted a drink that felt aligned with how I lived - cleaner, intentional, culturally grounded. I built from that mindset. And even though no one asked for it directly, I knew the demand was there. People just hadn’t been given the option yet.

Getting it right meant doing things the hard way.

The biggest challenge wasn’t taste or branding, it was compliance. I wanted to infuse Ayurvedic ingredients into alcohol, and the regulations weren’t built for that. It took over six months to get approval. That delay could’ve killed the momentum. But it forced me to double down. To build something real.

People didn’t need more options. They needed something that felt like them.

When I saw people choosing Jivati without hesitation, and coming back for more, I realized it wasn’t about scale. It was about connection. Identity. Vibe.

If you’re building something, clarity beats reach.

A niche isn’t a limitation. It’s a signal. If you stay focused and intentional, the right people will find you, and bring others with them.

More to come soon. I’ll be breaking down how I moved from testing → market validation → retail strategy in the next drop.

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_{DISCLAIMER - All content by Devraj Patel, including The Weekly D-Brief, is for informational and educational purposes only. It does not constitute business, legal, or personalized advice. No client relationship is created unless agreed upon in writing. Past results do not guarantee future outcomes. You are solely responsible for your decisions—always consult appropriate professionals before acting on this content.}