Small startups win against TikTok and YouTube by going where they won't

A new piece in Inc. makes a simple argument for small companies: do not try to beat TikTok and YouTube at their own game. The startups gaining ground in markets those platforms dominate, it says, are doing the one thing the big player has no incentive to do.

What the piece says

Inc. published the story on October 30, 2026. Its core idea is that head-on competition with a dominant platform rarely works. Instead, the startups making progress go to places the incumbent has little reason to go.

The title puts it this way: you do not win on distribution, meaning the ability to put your product in front of huge numbers of people. You win where the giants cannot or will not follow.

Who it affects

The idea matters most to small business owners and founders who sell in areas where TikTok and YouTube already hold the audience. Chasing the same viewers as those platforms is costly. The takeaway for a small team is to look for the gap the giants have no reason to fill.

What is not known yet

The full article was not available for this summary. That means the specific startups, markets and examples Inc. uses are not known here. It is also unclear how the piece defines the places the platforms will not go.

What to do

• Ask where your customers are underserved by the big platforms.
• Avoid spending heavily to compete for the same audience as the giants.
• Read the full Inc. article for the examples behind the argument.