Defining Your Ideal Customer Profile: Lessons from Guy Rubin on Focus, Data and Discipline
Estimated reading time: 4 minutes
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Defining your Ideal Customer Profile (ICP) isn’t about narrowing your opportunity – it’s about clarifying where you can create the most impact. In our latest Insiders podcast episode, I spoke with Guy Rubin, founder of Ebsta (now MD at Fullcast), who shared how his company transformed by aligning strategy, data, and discipline around a clearly defined ICP.
His story shows that understanding your Ideal Customer Profile requires focus, patience, and the courage to hold your nerve when the easy wins disappear.
Why focus matters: defining your Ideal Customer Profile
At the heart of sustainable growth is knowing exactly who you serve. Guy shared the moment he realised how costly a lack of focus could be:
“We spent $1 million building into HubSpot – and it was a complete waste of time and money.”
That decision diverted resources away from Ebsta’s Ideal Customer Profile and stalled growth.
Key lessons from Guy’s experience
Define your Ideal Customer Profile early and stick with it, even when short-term numbers dip.
Avoid “logo chasing” – focus on customers where your value is transformational.
Validate ICP decisions with measurable data, not assumptions.
Once you define your ICP precisely, every sales and marketing effort aligns behind one clear target.
The long game: partnerships that align with your ICP
Another major shift for Ebsta was identifying partnerships that complemented their Ideal Customer Profile. It took over a year to close their first partner deal – but today, 30% of revenue comes from that channel.
Why partnerships work when they fit your ICP
They extend your reach into the right audience segments.
They strengthen credibility with your ICP market.
They compound returns over time through trust and shared value.
Strategic partnerships are not quick wins, but they can become a sustainable growth engine – when they align with your ICP.
Using AI to refine your Ideal Customer Profile
Technology can play a powerful role in evolving your ICP. For Guy Rubin, AI isn’t about replacing sellers – it’s about enabling them to focus on the right customers.
“AI should increase the time sellers spend in front of customers – not behind a screen.”
At Ebsta, AI helps rescore qualification calls and analyse deal patterns to understand which prospects best match their Ideal Customer Profile.
When used thoughtfully, AI becomes a force multiplier – automating admin so teams can focus on building real relationships with their ICP.
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ)
Q: What’s the first step to defining an Ideal Customer Profile (ICP)?
A: Start by analysing your best customers – where you deliver the highest value and retention. Build your ICP around that evidence.
Q: How long does it take to see results?
A: Expect 3–6 months before focusing on your ICP delivers measurable outcomes, but once it does, results are more predictable and scalable.
Q: How does data support a strong ICP?
A: Data reveals which markets, deal sizes, or segments yield the highest lifetime value, helping you focus effort where it matters most.
Final thoughts
Guy Rubin’s journey proves that focus beats flexibility when it comes to sustainable growth. Once you know your ICP – and align every part of your business around it – record growth becomes a repeatable process, not a lucky break.
Listen to the full conversation and discover how defining your Ideal Customer Profile can transform your go-to-market strategy.
