If your B2B SaaS is stuck between $5M and $25M ARR, the blocker probably isn’t the product—it’s your ICP. In this Best Bits cut, Paul Wingfield shows how sharpening your Ideal Customer Profile (ICP) turns “spray-and-pray” into profitable, repeatable growth—complete with the unforgettable toothbrush analogy.
This clip (18:45–41:40 from the full episode) distills how to focus your go-to-market (GTM), connect TAM/SAM/SOM to a real ICP, and craft messaging fit that makes buyers say “they get me.”
What you’ll learn
Three ICP mistakes that stall growth (too broad, too narrow, or jumping enterprise too early)
Why specialization beats generalists (don’t make AEs do everything)
The 10% penetration rule: when to expand to adjacent markets
How TAM (Total Addressable Market) / SAM (Serviceable Addressable Market) / SOM (Serviceable Obtainable Market) actually anchor to ICP
Messaging fit ≈ sales-market fit: show relevance, not features
A mini turnaround case where narrowing ICP unlocked serious ARR
Who this is for
Founders, CROs, revenue leaders, and GTM teams scaling B2B SaaS from $5M–$25M ARR who want predictable, profitable growth.
Chapters (relative to this clip)
00:00 – The 3 ICP mistakes (quick recap)
02:18 – Specialize to scale (focus > spread thin)
04:42 – Why sales “drop off a cliff”
07:15 – Turnaround: narrowing ICP to grow faster
09:29 – The 10% ICP penetration rule (before expanding)
11:22 – TAM / SAM / SOM explained simply
13:16 – What ICP really means (not “we sell to developers”)
18:27 – Narrow ICP → stronger value props
22:15 – Sales-market fit = messaging fit
22:26 – The toothbrush analogy (memorable takeaway)
About the guest
Paul Wingfield - advisor/operator helping B2B SaaS companies move from founder-led sales to repeatable, profitable GTM.
onnect with Paul: https://www.linkedin.com/in/paul-wingfield/
🎙️ About the Host – Richard Washington
Richard Washington is co-host of What Makes You Tick, a GTM recruiter, and a trusted advisor to B2B SaaS companies scaling from $5M to $50M ARR. He helps founders build revenue teams that actually perform, with strategy, talent, and execution that scales.
🔗 Follow Richard on LinkedIn → https://www.linkedin.com/in/richwash/
📩 Read his newsletter Growth Magnet → https://www.linkedin.com/build-relation/newsletter-follow?entityUrn=7083793079794556928
If this helped, like & subscribe, and drop a comment with your current ICP and the niche you’re considering next.
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