Niche
The ecological role of a species in its environment—what it eats, where it lives, when it's active, and how it interacts with other species. Often described as the 'job' or 'profession' of a species.
Used in the Books
This term appears in 34 chapters:
"A camel has weeks. The hummingbird didn't fail to raise a Series A - it's optimized for a completely different ecological niche. The question isn't whether you have a burn rate; it's whether your burn rate fits your environment. Or consider growth."
"...top 3 people and survive? Product modul arity: Can you shut down parts without killing the whole? Market positioning: Do you own a defensible niche? Berkshire: $100B+ cash reserve WeWork: Negative reserves (burning faster than earning) Basecamp: Years of profitable operations = massive reserves ..."
"...ental rules. Rule 1: Where to grow. Healthy cells grow at specific, concentrated points - growth plates in bones, meristems in plants, stem cell niches in organs. Cancer cells grow everywhere. Every tumor is diffuse, uncoordinated growth. No concentration, no specialization, just expansion in all dir..."
"Microsoft could have built competing data collection infrastructure, but the startup had unique relationships with niche expert communities (medical specialists, legal professionals) that took years to cultivate. Microsoft needed their data quality and couldn't replicat..."
"...re non-gamers before Sony and Microsoft could. Motion controls, family-friendly games, $250 price point (vs. $400-$600 for competitors) opened a new niche: casual gamers, families, elderly users, fitness enthusiasts. Sony and Microsoft were fighting for hardcore gamers."
And 29 more chapters...
Biological Context
A niche includes resource requirements, environmental tolerances, and interactions with other species. Two species with identical niches cannot coexist (competitive exclusion). Niche differentiation allows similar species to coexist by using resources in different ways.
Business Application
In business, a niche is a specialized market position defined by who you serve, what you offer, and how you compete. Two companies cannot occupy identical niches indefinitely.