Originally published on Forbes in Feb 2026. This article has been republished here.
How Biz Developers Can Rethink Brand Growth Amid Market Fragmentation
In an era where digital transformation has leveled the business playing field and empowered niche competitors to make their entrance, business developers are no longer simply chasing bigger market share. Instead, they’re discovering that smaller chunks of the industry segments can offer greater strategic value.
To uncover underserved customer needs that may have once gone under the radar, Forbes Business Development Council members share their best practices for identifying and prioritizing new growth opportunities when markets may feel too crowded and fragmented to create a growing impact.
1. Positioning The Brand To Meet Decision-Makers Where They Are
I’m staying agile in fragmentation. Fragmentation doesn’t scare me—it creates opportunity. Maintaining an omnichannel presence with unified messaging is essential to navigation. Being strategic with media positioning is also key—I’m not trying to be everywhere. Instead, I’m specifically targeting business publications and platforms where decision-makers already consume content. – Jim Carlough, Jim Carlough, The Leadership Identity Architect
2. Addressing Real Demand With Timely, Disciplined Execution
I look for clarity, not noise. In crowded markets, I focus on where behavior is changing, not where hype is loud. I prioritize opportunities where demand is real, timing is right and we can execute with discipline—not just compete on volume. – Brian Ferdinand, EverForward
3. Prioritizing Simple, Integrated Solutions That De-Risk Customer Experience
In crowded markets, I target friction, not categories. Enterprise leaders highlight vendor overload, complexity and no end-to-end accountability. The real opportunity lies in these operational gaps, silently draining time, money and trust. I prioritize simple, integrated solutions that de-risk customer experience; these scale effectively, even if they’re not glamorous. – Lori Thomas, MetTel
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4. Leaning Into Deals That Offer Clear Value Alignment And Mutual Benefit
We focus on opportunities and partnerships where there’s clear value alignment and mutual benefit. In crowded markets where partners have many options, true alignment can help reduce obstacles, clarify what matters and lead to genuinely beneficial outcomes for both sides. – Alexandra Robertson, Visory Health
5. Fixing Broken Workflows
Fragmentation is the opportunity. I follow integration pain points where workflows break down, and value is hidden. Target the unsexy middle layer: the connective tissue between legacy systems and modern tools. Prioritize based on lock-in potential, recurring revenue and network effects. Whoever owns the integration layer owns the customer relationship. – Justin Ramsaran, Fukuda Denshi | R Group
6. Pinpointing Prospects That Improve Predictability
In crowded markets, growth comes from eliminating noise. I prioritize opportunities that improve predictability first: clear customer problems, repeatable delivery and partners closest to real customer risk. Focus beats breadth. Growth follows clarity. – Oscar Chavez-Arrieta, SonicWall
7. Spotting Customer Gaps And Evolving Trends
When markets feel crowded and fragmented, I focus on spotting gaps where customer needs aren’t fully met and trends are evolving. Our company weighs potential returns against our strengths, prioritizes opportunities that reinforce our strategic advantage and tests quickly. Staying nimble while linking every move to long-term differentiation helps us invest where value can actually be realized. – Curtis Brinkerhoff, Impartner, Inc.
8. Making It Easier For Customers To Do Business
Fragmentation and crowding are the new norm. With so many partner choices and new use cases, this is something your organization should be comfortable living with. Client experience will and should be a differentiator in selecting the right partner. The 101 of lead generation and opportunity identification will remain the same. Focus on how easy you make it for your customers to do business with you. – Mustansir Paliwala, Zomara Group
9. Combining Data Signals With Execution Feasibility
In crowded markets, you need to prioritize opportunities by combining data signals with execution feasibility. Look for where demand intent, operational readiness and differentiation intersect—not just market size. Growth comes from focusing on segments we can win now, then expanding systematically as the system proves itself. – Jonathan Levanon, Sapiens
10. Gauging The Immediate, Near-Term And Long-Term Market Growth
It can be helpful to look at emerging markets through the lens of immediate, near-term and long-term growth potential. Where is there interest to tap into today? Where are there rosebuds that may bloom tomorrow? Where do you need to revisit in a season or two? Entering new markets requires patience and good timing, prioritization and focus. – Hayden Stafford, Seismic
11. Prioritizing Ecosystem-Led Growth By Favoring ‘Plug-And-Play’ Partnerships
In a fragmented and crowded market, prioritize Ecosystem-Led Growth (ELG) by favoring “plug-and-play” partnerships over owning the entire value chain—in 2026, your network is your product. Simultaneously, embrace anti-feature innovation to remove friction and offer a simplified alternative to market standards, as complexity is the modern enemy. – William DeCourcy, AmeriLife
12. Being Efficient And Adaptable
I prioritize growth by focusing on efficiency and adaptability. In crowded markets, I look for areas where automation can remove friction and optimize processes. Staying in trend means constantly upgrading systems and tools before they become bottlenecks. The best opportunities sit where technology, speed and real customer needs intersect. – Valeri Manziuk, UFIRST Production
13. Seeking ‘Forced Convergence’ Points
I hunt for “forced convergence” points where regulation, infrastructure shifts or cost pressure make change unavoidable. Then I prioritize by urgency, not the total addressable market. Crowded markets lie and, inevitably, create buyers even when narratives are noisy. – Tomer Warschauer Nuni, PRIM3 Capital
14. Delivering Consistently On The Brand’s Promise
I always ignore the noise and look to find customer friction points. When customers are struggling or looking for workarounds, that’s an opportunity. Real and meaningful growth comes from solving the problems potential customers are having with a solution that doesn’t simply rely on making noise but delivering on the brand promise. – Wayne Elsey, Funds2Orgs
