# 600 – Create Your Own Category with Kevin Maney

Page: https://stenobird.com/podcast/the-how-of-business-how-to-start-run-grow-and-exit-a-small-business-435204/600-create-your-own-category-with-kevin-maney
Text version: https://stenobird.com/podcast/the-how-of-business-how-to-start-run-grow-and-exit-a-small-business-435204/600-create-your-own-category-with-kevin-maney.md
Podcast: [The How of Business - How to start, run, grow and exit a small business.](https://stenobird.com/podcast/the-how-of-business-how-to-start-run-grow-and-exit-a-small-business-435204)
Published: 2026-03-16T07:00:00+00:00
Episode link: https://howofbusiness.libsyn.com/600-create-your-own-category-with-kevin-maney
Audio file: https://pdcn.co/e/dts.podtrac.com/redirect.mp3/pscrb.fm/rss/p/traffic.libsyn.com/secure/howofbusiness/Episode_600_-_Kevin_Maney.mp3?dest-id=346019
Processing state: not_requested
JSON: https://stenobird.com/v1/public/podcasts/the-how-of-business-how-to-start-run-grow-and-exit-a-small-business-435204/episodes/600-create-your-own-category-with-kevin-maney
Duration seconds: 2510

## Resource

How small business owners can escape price-driven competition by redefining their market and creating a new category instead of competing in crowded spaces. Show Notes Page: https://www.thehowofbusiness.com/600-kevin-maney-create-your-category/ Many small business owners enter crowded markets and end up competing primarily on price. But according to author and business strategist Kevin Maney, there is another path: create your own category. In this conversation, Henry Lopez speaks with Kevin Maney about the ideas in his latest book "The Category Creation Formula." The discussion explores how entrepreneurs can redefine the problem they solve and differentiate their business in ways that eliminate direct price competition. Kevin explains that market categories exist primarily in the minds of customers. Businesses that successfully define a new category often become the default leader in that space and capture most of the attention and economic value. Rather than competing to be slightly better or slightly cheaper, the goal is to become meaningfully different. Kevin introduces the Category Creation Formula: Context + Missing + Innovation = New Category First, business owners must understand the context of how their customers' world is changing. Next, they identify what is missing in the current solutions. Finally, they introduce an innovation that solves that missing piece in a compelling new way. The conversation also explores the importance of storytelling in marketing. Instead of starting with features or products, businesses should begin with the problem customers experience. When customers feel understood, they become more open to new solutions. As Kevin explains: "It's better to be different than to try to be better." Through examples ranging from laundromats in Bro…

## Actions

- request_transcript: `POST https://stenobird.com/v1/public/podcasts/the-how-of-business-how-to-start-run-grow-and-exit-a-small-business-435204/episodes/600-create-your-own-category-with-kevin-maney/transcription-requests` — Idempotently request low-priority transcript generation for this episode.
- read_markdown: `GET https://stenobird.com/podcast/the-how-of-business-how-to-start-run-grow-and-exit-a-small-business-435204/600-create-your-own-category-with-kevin-maney.md` — Read the agent-friendly Markdown representation of this episode resource.

A page view does not enqueue transcription. Agents should invoke `request_transcript` explicitly when they need this episode processed.

## Transcript

Full transcripts are not published on public pages unless there is a clear rights basis.