During my time as a hotel general manager, our business plans had significant amount of content about growing our market share by attracting new guests. A recent Harvard Business Review article by Marcus Buckingham suggests a real growth opportunity may already be staying at the hotel. I think the same can be true of our small businesses. 

The growth opportunity is: Your biggest fans.

These are the customers who don’t just like your business—they love it. They bring friends, leave reviews, tip well, and talk about you long after they leave town. According to Buckingham, companies often overlook these people, even though they hold the clearest insights into what truly drives loyalty and performance. That insight is especially relevant in Fredericksburg, where small and micro businesses dominate and word-of-mouth is still the most powerful marketing channel.

The traditional approach to customer feedback focuses on averages—survey scores, online ratings, and generalized “customer experience” improvements. But Buckingham argues that approach misses the point. If your goal is to create loyalty and advocacy, you shouldn’t study the average customer. You should study the most enthusiastic ones. In practical terms, that means asking different questions.

Why do your regulars keep coming back to your tasting room, restaurant, or retail shop? What specific moment made them decide, “This is my place?” It’s rarely about broad categories like price or convenience. More often, it’s a small, memorable detail—like a staff member who remembers their name, a product recommendation that felt personal, or an experience that exceeded expectations. That matters because today’s customers are more demanding and less loyal than ever. They expect immediacy, personalization, and ease—and they will quickly move on if those expectations aren’t met. 

For a Fredericksburg business, that reality creates both pressure and opportunity. The pressure is obvious: you can’t rely on location or foot traffic alone. The opportunity is more strategic. Small businesses have a structural advantage over large companies because they are closer to their customers. Owners are often on-site. Teams are small. Feedback loops are short.

This closeness makes it easier to identify and replicate what your biggest fans value most. The article’s broader argument is that incremental improvement—being slightly better across the board—is not enough. Businesses that create real loyalty design experiences that customers don’t just like, but love.

For Gillespie County businesses, that doesn’t require a massive investment. It requires focus. Instead of trying to fix everything, double down on what already creates enthusiasm. If your fans rave about your hospitality, figure out what exactly that means and make sure all of your teams is practicing it. If they love a specific product, make it central to your offering. If they consistently mention a particular employee, study what that person does differently.

In other words, operationalize your strengths.

There’s also an internal benefit. Your most engaged employees often mirror your most loyal customers. They understand what makes the business special because they help create it. Listening to them can be just as valuable as listening to your best customers.

The takeaway is straightforward but often ignored: growth doesn’t always come from finding new customers. Much of it can come from understanding why your best customers are already choosing you—and making that experience repeatable. In Fredericksburg, that may be the most practical advantage a small business can build. Because in the end, your biggest fans aren’t just your best customers. They’re your best strategy.