Some of the world’s biggest corporations thrive by capitalizing on widespread low self-esteem and the deep-seated need for validation. You’ve probably heard a motivational coach say, “To start a successful business, you need to sell a need.” It’s easy to think of something like the transport industry—people need to get places. Or selling food—everyone’s got to eat.
But very few people explore the psychological needs beyond entertainment. Take luxury clothing, for example. When someone buys an expensive label like Louis Vuitton just to be validated by others on social media, that brand has already locked them in as a repeat customer. Why? Well, you can’t keep posting the same shirt all year. Your followers have seen that! So, you buy a new one to chase the next round of likes, feeding Louis Vuitton’s bottom line while keeping up with the image you’ve built.
This same dynamic plays out with tech. Ever noticed how iPhone users, when forced by circumstance to use Android, feel the need to explain themselves? You didn’t ask, but they’ll drop something like, “Eish, iPhone yangu yakadonha mumvura…” (My iPhone fell in water). Soon enough, they’ll be back with another iPhone just to prove they’re “back in the game.”
At the end of the day, everyone’s too busy worrying about themselves to care as much as we think. But here’s the truth: self-esteem issues aren’t going away anytime soon, and if you’re not profiting from it, someone else definitely is. So, why not start a business that benefits from people’s insecurities? Who knows, you might just stack up enough to rival Sandra Ndebele’s curves at the next Horse Awards! 😄