The Existing Market Trap: A Prequel to Play Bigger
Most companies don’t fail because they build bad products.
They fail because they don’t build belief.
They build something new—and the market compares it to something old.
They follow the classic playbook—and end up playing a game they didn’t design.
They’re misunderstood, miscategorized, and eventually… they stall.
This is the Existing Market Trap—the invisible force that kills companies, careers, and portfolios.
In this sharp, founder-first Primer, the authors of Play Bigger return with the missing chapters—the prequel to the Category Design movement. They name the problem, map the 13 Deadly Sins that cause great companies to get stuck, and reveal the escape route: a bold, proven system for building belief in new markets—and becoming the only.
Markets are people. Categories are beliefs.
A market is just a group of people who share a problem.
A category is what they believe can solve it.
It’s not about products. It’s not about features. It’s about belief.
Belief that the problem matters.
Belief that your solution is the answer.
Belief that you are the only one who can deliver it.
Legendary companies don’t fight for shelf space. They build the aisle.
They don’t out-feature the competition. They redefine the game.
They don’t chase demand. They create it.
And belief is the most powerful thing you can ship.
Inside, you’ll learn:
Whether you’re a Founder, CEO, Executive, Investor, or Board Member—if you’ve ever felt stuck, sidelined, or like the market just doesn’t get it…
This is your book.
And this is your way out.