carve a niche

carve (out) a niche

To establish a unique role (for oneself), usually by excelling in a very specific area. I was able to carve out a niche at the farmers' market by selling something no one else was—dried beans. Our graphic designer really carved out a niche for himself with that series of innovative ads.
See also: carve, niche
Farlex Dictionary of Idioms.

carve a niche

or

carve out a niche

COMMON If you carve a niche or carve out a niche for yourself, you create a role or opportunity for yourself, especially at work, by doing a particular thing very well. In time, he carved a niche for himself as a television commentator. Some have carved out a niche in New York City's highly competitive art market, charging as much as $40,000 for their pictures. Note: A niche is a hollow area that is made in a wall to display something such as a statue or an ornament.
See also: carve, niche
Collins COBUILD Idioms Dictionary, 3rd ed.
See also:
  • carving
  • carve (out) a niche
  • niche
  • carve up
  • carve out
  • gouge
  • gouge (something) out
  • in good feather
  • in high feather
  • put (one's) stamp on (something)
References in periodicals archive
'I am poised to carve a niche for myself in the industry, as well as give established rappers stiff competition,' Nova said.
Neonberry music act, Nova debuts with Wuge
Summary: At Reseller MEet, ComGuard expects to meet partners who want to carve a niche in the dynamic market.
"We primarily look forward to meeting companies who would like to carve a niche in this dynamic and teeming market, the kinds who would like to represent newer and superior technologies and skillsets.
ComGuard to enhance partners' market share at Reseller MEet
Summary: Scores of youngsters in Guwahati participated in a Rugby training camp to carve a niche for themselves.
Youngsters in Guwahati take to rugby
Ferdinand's main goal is for United to repeat last term's success and carve a niche in the game that can never be removed.
IN BRIEF: Ferdinand: Build on our success
"We are trying to carve a niche. They added more capacity than we have." Ornstein said he intends to add five or six larger aircraft, either Embraer 195s or Bombardier CRJ900s, to the market next year.
Aircraft News - North America
Aug will be remembered for his trail-blazing efforts to bring retail to mainstream brokerage and carve a niche for store leasing that helped launch the careers of some of the biggest brokers in the business.
Retail pioneer, Charles Aug, dead
We are also targeting robotics, next-generation PCs and telematics, where we believe we can carve a niche for ourselves.
An invitation from the minister
The NPE show in Chicago this month will be an opportunity for PET bottle molders to get acquainted with a British firm that plans to carve a niche in the North American market.
New factor in PET bottle equipment coming to U.S. (In Brief)
Surely there's more than enough room for African American entrepreneurs to carve a niche for themselves and compete in this area.
Making Room In The Market
The new group was formed to create a retail and office boutique that will carve a niche for itself by staying ahead of the curve in developing the fashion market in New York.
Joel Isaacs and Caroline Banker have designs on the fashion retail market
His goal: To carve a niche in the imported gift industry.
Shifting gears