When I first came across the work of Bob Moesta and the concept of Jobs To Be Done, something immediately clicked—but it also made me pause.
Because I started thinking about a business I once built.
Years ago, I opened a nail boutique in Bird Rock, La Jolla. It was more than a salon to me. I had a clear vision for why it should exist. I wanted it to feel different—more intentional, more connected, more human. And in many ways, it worked. I built strong relationships with my clients and my employees. There was trust. There was loyalty. There was a real sense of community.
At the time, I felt confident that I knew my customers.
But looking back now, I realize something important:
I probably knew about 40%.
The Difference Between Knowing Your Customer… and Understanding Their Job
Before learning Jobs To Be Done, my understanding of customers was based on what most of us rely on:
- Conversations
- Observations
- Instinct
- Experience
And while those things matter, they don’t always tell the full story.
Jobs To Be Done introduces a different lens.
It asks:
- What was happening in your customer’s life when they decided to buy?
- What were they trying to solve or achieve?
- What alternatives did they consider?
- What almost stopped them?
It’s not just about who your customer is.
It’s about:
why they make a decision, when they make it, and what progress they’re actually trying to create in their life.
The Questions I Didn’t Know to Ask
When I think back to my salon, I remember how certain I felt.
I knew my regulars.
I knew what services they liked.
I knew how to create a great experience.
But I didn’t fully understand:
- Who was most likely to choose us—and why
- What moment triggered them to book an appointment
- Where they came from before they found us
- What nearly held them back from walking through the door
- What they compared us against (it wasn’t always another salon)
And that’s the part that stays with me.
Because I can’t help but wonder:
How much stronger would the business have been if I had known those things?
The Gap Between Effort and Clarity
Most small business owners I talk to today are doing exactly what I was doing:
- Working hard
- Caring deeply
- Paying attention
- Trying different marketing approaches
And still feeling like something isn’t fully clicking.
It’s not because they aren’t capable.
It’s because there’s a gap between:
how much effort they’re putting in
and
how clearly they understand the customer’s decision.
That gap shows up as:
- Marketing that feels harder than it should
- Messaging that doesn’t quite land
- Offers that don’t convert as consistently as expected
Why This Matters So Much to Me Now
Learning Jobs To Be Done didn’t just give me a new framework—it changed how I think about business entirely.
It made me realize that:
- Customers aren’t buying services—they’re hiring solutions
- Growth doesn’t come from doing more—it comes from understanding better
- Marketing becomes easier when it aligns with real customer decisions
And most importantly:
You don’t need more tactics—you need more clarity.
If You’re a Small Business Owner…
If you’ve ever thought:
- “I know my customers… but something still feels off”
- “My marketing should be working better than this”
- “I wish I knew exactly what was driving people to choose me (or not)”
You’re not alone.
I’ve been there.
And if I could go back to that nail boutique in Bird Rock with what I know now, I wouldn’t start with new services or better promotions.
I would start with better questions.
Because the truth is:
When you understand the job your customer is trying to get done, everything else—your messaging, your marketing, your offer—starts to fall into place.
This is exactly why I’m so interested in helping small businesses today.
Not because they need to do more.
But because they deserve to see more clearly what’s already happening right in front of them.