The Power of Sticking with One Niche: What I Learned from Trying to Branch Out

Every entrepreneur hits a point where they ask, “Should I branch out?” For me, that question came more than once, especially after building a name in the 1/6 scale military action figure space. I’ve always been passionate about what I do, but I’ll admit—I was tempted. Tempted by trends, by customer requests, and by curiosity.

So I tried a few new things. Some classic 3 3/4″ figures. A dip into the 1/12 scale market. Even a few rounds with Gundam kits. And I’ll be honest: none of them really worked. Not for me. Not for the business. And that’s when I realized something incredibly valuable: there’s real power in sticking with your niche.

Why I Originally Chose 1/6 Scale Military Figures

Let’s start with the heart of the matter. I didn’t land in the 1/6 scale military figure world because it was the hot trend or because I saw dollar signs. I got into it by accident—literally. After an injury left me stuck in bed, my grandma brought me a couple of boxed 1/6 scale military figures. I took them apart, mixed up the gear, and something clicked. That was my introduction to kitbashing—and eventually, BlackOpsToys.

The scale felt right. The detail, the realism, the gear—it all brought something special. There was room for creativity and customization, and the customer base was loyal, thoughtful, and community-driven. I loved it, and it grew naturally from there.

Branching Out: 1/12 Scale Figures

After years of success in the 1/6 scale world, I started hearing from customers who were dabbling in 1/12 scale. They asked, “Hey Sully, are you going to carry 1/12 gear or figures?” I listened. And I gave it a shot.

We brought in some 1/12 scale products. The scale was smaller, sure, but still detailed. The hope was that we could reach a broader market—people with less space or a smaller budget. But the problem was two-fold. First, our core audience wasn’t really asking for it. A few were curious, but the majority loved 1/6 scale for a reason. Second, the vibe of the 1/12 community just wasn’t the same. They’re awesome collectors, no doubt—but they weren’t our collectors.

I stuck with it for a while longer though and even did a few 1/12 scale builds. I think that’s why I need glasses now. But even with the YouTube build videos doing well, the sales of 1/12 scale gear on the store were just okay. The sales didn’t justify the energy it took to maintain inventory, source quality parts, and provide the level of customer experience we’re known for. It felt like we were stretching too far from home (see what I did there!).

Classic 3 3/4″ Action Figures

This one came from nostalgia and Covid. I mean, who didn’t grow up playing with 3 3/4″ Joes? And I was worried we wouldn’t get much of our regular 1/6 inventory when Covid first started. There was a moment where I thought, “What if we curated a classic line or brought in rare 3 3/4″ pieces?” I had some in my personal collection already, so it felt like a natural expansion.

But when we launched them, the excitement just didn’t translate into sales. A few collectors jumped in, but most of our loyal customers were more interested in gear they could use to build something new—not old-school figures they’d already collected decades ago. And we weren’t known for 3 3/4 figures so even when we listed them on eBay, we didn’t sell very many.

It taught me something: nostalgia is a great personal motivator, but it doesn’t always move product. And more importantly, trying to force a second niche on an already tight-knit brand can confuse your base and water down what you’ve built.

What did I do with all those figures? Last year, I gave almost all of them to my church for their Christmas toy drive. That felt like a good way to close up that idea.

Gundam: A Totally Different World

The Gundam collection I stumbled into on accident. A customer needed to sell some of his figures, he said he had a lot of other cool stuff that would be great to sell. I didn’t know what Gundam was, but he said it was a good investment. So I bought his collection and ended up with mountains of various Gundam products that I had to research, photograph and list. And I thought maybe we could serve builders in that space too. After all, there’s some crossover between kitbashers and model builders, right?

Wrong—at least for us.

We stocked the kits, tried a couple of content pieces, and shared a few posts. But the Gundam community is very different from the 1/6 military figure crowd. They have their own stores, their own influencers, and their own ecosystem. And while we respect that deeply, trying to insert ourselves felt… off.

We were hobby tourists in their space. And our audience could tell. ATTENTION: If you buy Gundam, have a store or a booth, hit me up. I’ll make you a deal. 

What These Experiments Taught Me

Looking back, I don’t regret trying new things. As a business owner, you have to stay curious. You have to test the edges of your niche and see what’s worth pushing into. But here’s the deal:

• Every time I branched out, I spent energy away from what we do best.
• The returns didn’t match the effort.
• Most importantly, our community showed us—again and again—that they came to us for 1/6 scale military action figures, not everything under the sun.

And honestly? It was kind of a relief to come back home.

The Power of Going Deep, Not Wide

Sticking with one niche might sound limiting, but I’ve found it’s actually the opposite. When you go deep instead of wide, you build:

• Expertise: People know exactly what you’re about. They trust your knowledge.
• Community: You attract diehards, not passersby. You create belonging.
• Consistency: Your brand becomes something people can count on.
• Creative focus: You get to innovate within your niche instead of chasing shiny distractions.

For BlackOpsToys, 1/6 scale military figures aren’t just what we sell. They’re what we know. They’re what we love. And they’re what connect us with the most incredible collectors around the world.

Why We’re All In on 1/6 Scale

The best part about returning to our roots is the clarity it brings. Our store is cleaner. Our social media is more focused. Our customers are more engaged. And our kitbash builds? Better than ever.

We’re not trying to be everything to everyone. We’re trying to be everything to one very specific kind of collector. And that has made all the difference.

If you’re out there running a small business, tempted to pivot into ten different things at once—take a breath. Look at where your heart is. Look at what your customers really value. Going deeper might just take you further.

Final Thoughts

The truth is, I’ll probably always be tempted to experiment. That’s part of being a creative, and it’s part of being human. But now I know where my core is. Now I know where we thrive.

The power of sticking with one niche isn’t about being stuck—it’s about being rooted. And from that place, we’ve built something meaningful, something personal, and something lasting.

That’s what BlackOpsToys is all about.