Doing things differently often leads to outsized results and so we connected with some of the most inspiring leaders and trailblazers we know and asked them to go into detail about what they do differently relative to others in their industry.

Jessica Gardner

One thing that sets Essentially Blessed Jessica Education apart from the industry standard is the deep focus on emotional intelligence and holistic education. While many educational resources are built solely around academic success, my brand takes a more inclusive approach that combines both academic learning and emotional well-being, especially for young children. As an educator with a background in special education, I’ve seen firsthand how critical it is to address the emotional needs of students in order for them to truly thrive in their learning environments. Read more>>

Wayne Turmel

As a writer, I began my career in entertainment, then spent 20 years focused on business communication, and then began writing fiction. All of this is under my real name. This means what I have done differently from the norm is NOT write under pseudonyms or “stick to my lane.” Authors today are told it’s all about brand- if you write cozy mysteries, don’t divert to slasher horror or you’ll confuse your audience. Write in series so audiences can find you and stay with you, rather than look for stand-alone books. I have broken all those rules- the results are for someone else to gauge. I’ve written 10 nonfiction books, six novels, and short fiction in all kinds of genres. Read more>>

Maha Fatemi

I believe in honesty and care in life and business. Never forget how I started and how people like angels came up in my life to help me grow without expectations. Money it’s important but helping people and showing care is more important to me and people can feel and see that. I believe life is about learning and helping eachother. Of course it’s scary and lots of responsibility and stress in taking over my own business alone but when I see myself getting stronger and better by even many times failure and not giving up is encouraging.  Read more>>

Tara Hubbard

I lead an environmental nonprofit, Take MAR (More Action for Regeneration) where we take an innovative approach to conservation. We believe the more humans connect with nature, the more they will fall in love with it and then develop pro-environmental behaviors. This is explained more succinctly by the famous Jacques Cousteau quote, “people protect what they love.” We work to regenerate the human-nature connection. Read more>>

Terri Cole

I think it’s very important for small businesses to make themselves stand out by giving an”experience”.  For my salon setting, it is making the client feel cozy and welcomed. I play spa music and offer lite refreshments at times, such as wine or donuts. I make sure to explain what I’m doing to their hair and offer any tips and or advice when they have questions. We have meaningful conversations or if I sense they want quietness, I give them that.  Read more>>