VEN-02 · Wedge selection

Name the one customer you would serve first, and defend why the larger market comes later — or never. A wedge is a decision about who you are willing to disappoint.

The VEN-01 evidence, or an equivalent set of logged interviews. Public segment data the student can cite for sizing — census, industry association figures, school or district counts — each with its source and year. Candidate segments written out before scoring, so the winner is chosen rather than rationalized.

Picking the biggest segment and calling it a wedge. Sizing from a press release or a "market is worth $X billion" headline with no path from that number to a customer. Choosing the segment the student can reach most easily and dressing it up as strategy — convenience is a legitimate reason and should be stated as one. Refusing to name anyone you will not serve, which means no wedge was chosen.

A wedge decision: three or more candidate segments scored against stated criteria (urgency of the problem, reachability, willingness to pay, and how well the evidence actually covers them); the chosen wedge with its job-to-be-done in one sentence; the explicit not-yet list with the condition that would move a segment onto the roadmap; and an honest note on which segments the interview evidence does not cover at all.

CT: scoring against criteria instead of enthusiasm. CR: writing criteria before seeing which segment wins. CO: a peer argues for a rejected segment and is answered from the evidence. CM: a wedge statement a judge grasps in one sentence. CZ: who is left unserved by the choice, and whether that matters.

A founder, sales lead, or market researcher reviews the criteria before scoring. Standing instruction: reject a wedge with no not-yet list. School-supervised.

R1: one segment, one job to be done. R2: every size figure cited with source and year. R3: comparator is the broader market, costed in reachability. R4: evidence gaps named per segment. R5: the wedge fits one sentence. R6: says who is not served and why that is acceptable.

(a) "Our market is all US high schools" — a total addressable market presented as a wedge. (b) Criteria invented after the preferred segment already won.

Lane A immediately (business or entrepreneurship capstone, or a DECA/FBLA event). Pairs directly with VEN-01. No verified credit claim.