The same person can be worth $100 a ticket or $0.32 in spare change.

It depends entirely on where they stand.

That's not a metaphor. It's what happened to Joshua Bell, one of the world's greatest violinists, when he played his $3.5 million Stradivarius in a Washington D.C. subway station during rush hour.

Of 1,097 people who walked by, only 7 stopped to listen. He made $32.17 in tips. Three days earlier, he'd sold out Boston's Symphony Hall at $100+ per ticket.

Same violinist. Same instrument. Same music. Different context.

Most people think their product, service, or talent speaks for itself.

They believe quality is obvious. But context is everything. Where you position yourself determines whether people see a master or a street performer.

Today, we're going to break down what the Joshua Bell experiment teaches us about positioning:

• Why context trumps quality (and how to use it)
• The 3 positioning shifts that change everything
• How to move from subway station to concert hall

Let's dig in.

3 Positioning Shifts That Change Everything

The Joshua Bell experiment wasn't about music. It was about perception.

When Bell played in the subway, people saw a busker. When he played in a concert hall, they saw a virtuoso. The difference wasn't his skill. It was his positioning.

In order to get people to see your real value, you need to understand how positioning works. Here's what actually changes when you shift context:

Shift #1: Change the Frame

Bell's music didn't change. But the frame did.

In a subway station, the frame is "background noise during commute." In a concert hall, the frame is "world-class performance worth paying for."

Your product or service is the same. But how you frame it determines what people see.

If you're a consultant, you can frame yourself as:

• "Someone who helps with business stuff" (subway station)

• "A specialist who solves [specific problem] for [specific audience]" (concert hall)

If you're selling software, you can frame it as:

• "Another tool in a crowded market" (subway station)

• "The only solution for [specific use case] that [specific benefit]" (concert hall)

The frame tells people what to expect. Change the frame, and you change their perception.

That's it.

Shift #2: Change the Audience

Bell played the same music to two different audiences.

In the subway: commuters focused on getting to work. They weren't looking for art. They were looking for the train.

In the concert hall: people who paid $100+ and cleared their evening. They came specifically to listen.

Same music. Different audience. Different results.

Your positioning determines who sees you. And who sees you determines how they value you.

If you position yourself broadly ("I help businesses grow"), you attract people who aren't looking for what you do. They're just passing through.

If you position yourself specifically ("I help SaaS founders go from $1M to $10M ARR without burning out"), you attract people who are actively looking for exactly that.

The subway audience wasn't wrong for ignoring Bell. They weren't in the market for a violin performance at 8am on a Tuesday.

Your audience isn't wrong for ignoring you either. They might just not be in the market for what you're offering in that moment.

Position yourself for the audience that's actually looking.

That's it.

Shift #3: Change the Signals

Bell wore jeans and a baseball cap in the subway. He wore a tuxedo in the concert hall.

The signals told people what to expect.

In business, your signals are everywhere:

• Your pricing

• Your language

• Your website design

• Your location (virtual or physical)

• Your associations (who you work with, who endorses you)

These signals create expectations. And expectations determine value.

If you charge $50/hour, you signal "commodity service." People will treat you like one.

If you charge $500/hour, you signal "premium expertise." People will treat you like one.

If you work from a coffee shop, you signal "side hustle."

If you work from a professional space (or position yourself as having one), you signal "serious business."

Your signals don't have to be expensive. But they do have to be consistent with the value you want people to see.

Bell's $3.5 million violin was the same in both places. But his signals changed. And so did the results.

That's it.

Here's what you learned today:

1. Context > Quality: where you position yourself determines how people see you

2. Change the frame to change perception: how you present yourself matters more than what you present

3. Position for the right audience: attract people who are actually looking for what you do

4. Signals create expectations: your pricing, design, and positioning tell people what to expect

The Joshua Bell experiment proves something uncomfortable: your talent, product, or service might be world-class. But if you're positioned in the wrong context, people won't see it.

The good news?

You can change your positioning without changing your product.

Start with one shift. Change your frame. Or your audience. Or your signals. See what happens.

Then do it again.

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Best,

Adi

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