68. The Definitive Guide to Category Leadership in 2026

In the early 2020s, it was easy to mistake category design for a marketing exercise. A new name, a sharper narrative, a brand refresh, and job done.


But as we enter a post-SaaS world, that thinking no longer holds. Category leadership isn’t built by fast-following or ripping off existing winners. It’s earned by defining the future problem space before competitors even realise it’s emerging.


Today, we explore what it really takes to lead a category in 2026.


Also in this episode: We’ll dig down into all the things that can go wrong on your category journey, and we’ll be reviewing the relationship status of Category creation and VCs


What to look forward to:


00:33 Category creation in a post-SaaS, post-SEO tech world


17:51 So you’re on a category journey - what can possibly go wrong?


43:30 The “Dead in the Water” Trap - the new relationship between VC and Category


There is more information on how to design your category on our blog (https://www.becategorical.com/blog/)


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Paul Maher (  / pmaher  )


Jonathan Simnett (  / jonathansimnett  )


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