When Customers Stay Away by the Thousands…

When Customers Stay Away by the Thousands…

It’s not that they’re not interested —
It’s that they don’t understand what you do.

Even when they’re aware you exist.

This week at Startup Church, we unpacked one of the biggest reasons founders struggle to grow:
a disconnect between what they think they’re communicating and what customers actually perceive.

I call it the gap between your Projected Identity and their Perceived Identity.

Most founders miss it because they project what they want people to see:

• On LinkedIn

• In their posts

• On their website

But the real game is aligning everything you project with the 7 Stages of the Buyer Journey:
 

1️⃣ They are aware you exist
2️⃣ They understand what you do
3️⃣ They are interested because you solve their problem
4️⃣ They respect you and your brand
5️⃣ They trust you
6️⃣ They buy-in — fits the budget
7️⃣ The timing is right

When your brand, copy, and message aren’t synced with those stages — you lose them before they ever “get” you.

That’s why even with great problem–solution fit, people still scroll past.

Here’s a simple AI hack to expose the gap:
 

Ask ChatGPT what you do — just by giving it your website URL (no other context).

Then compare its answer to what you thought you were projecting.
The gap you’ll see? That’s where customers are confused.

Now tell it what you actually do, who you serve, and how you want to be perceived — then have it rewrite your brand messaging.

I use ChatGPT-5 Pro for this.
Every time, it exposes the gap — and gives me the fix.

SI > AI

AI is a tool — don’t be its tool.

You can either be a slave to AI or make it your servant.

At CanaGlobal, we use AI for GTM strategy:

• Demand Generation

• Lead Generation

• Sales Win Rate

But when it comes to brand, strategy, and wisdom — I rely on SI (Spiritual Intelligence).

AI can process data.
But only God can reveal direction.

When you operate from SI > AI, you stop chasing trends and start receiving blueprints.

Desperation Turned Into Revelation

I didn’t start reading the Bible to be holy.
I started because I was broke, desperate, and out of options.

My business was failing.
I had nothing left to try.
So I figured… “Fine. I’ll even ask God for help.”
 

That’s when I stumbled on two scriptures that changed everything:

“If any of you lacks wisdom, you should ask God,
who gives generously to all without finding fault.” — James 1:5

“Ask and it will be given to you; seek and you will find;
knock and the door will be opened to you.” — Matthew 7:7

No seminary.
No robe.
No halo.
 

Just a desperate founder asking for wisdom.
And guess what? He answered.

New ideas started flooding my head out of nowhere.
That was God’s wisdom, not mine.

That was 40 years ago.
And I’ve been reading the Bible every morning since.

It’s my first meeting of the day —
Not with a CEO, an investor, or a founder…
But with the Creator.

It’s where I get my daily download from Heaven.
It’s where I get the playbook.

Because these aren’t just verses —
They’re weapons.

“The Holy Spirit will teach you all things.” — John 14:26
“His anointing teaches you about all things… remain in Him.” — 1 John 2:27

No religious PR spin.
Just desperation turned into revelation.

Blessings,

Gerald Duran, Managing Partner
CanaGlobal 

P.S. Cohort #10 of our Elevate Startup Incubator starts November 11th, 2025.

12 weeks. Live sessions. High accountability. No excuses.

I’ll be working directly with founders who are serious about growth, purpose, and funding. 

👉 Who wants a seat at my table?