EPISODE #8: Why Most Companies Miss The Mark on Core Customers

Trying to sell to “mid-market tech companies” or “CFOs”? That’s not a core customer, it’s a segment. In this episode, Patrick breaks down how identifying the real person behind the purchase decision is the turning point from struggling to scaling.

In this episode of The Journey to CEO Success, Patrick Thean shares the critical lesson he learned the hard way: real growth starts when you deeply understand your core customer, not just their company size or title, but their mindset, pain points, and goals. From early failures knocking on doors to building a company that ranked #151 on the Inc. 500 list, Patrick unpacks how defining your core customer with clarity transforms product, service, and scale. If you’ve been selling to “segments,” this episode is your wake-up call.