Doing things your way is one of the best parts of being your own boss and when done right seems to be highly correlated with outsized success. So, we wanted to gather real-world examples to shed more light on how the best artists, entrepreneurs and leaders differentiate themselves from others in their respective industries.

Rachel Ceruti

The fashion industry is built on exclusion. Marketing of the latest trends encourages people to discriminate all in the name of increasing revenue. The revolving door of trends to follow keep people isolated, limiting their interaction with each other as they try to achieve the newest looks. At Reclypt, we believe style lasts longer with community. Read more>>

Hair Magic Studio

While we love our roles as Hairstylists in the industry we believe our magical space does set us apart from the industry standard. We have combined our love for healing and hair and believe this makes our space quite unique. Instead of offering only the common salon services we have combined them with the magic of energy healing. Reiki is an ancient Japanese form of energy healing that allows the practitioner to transfer energy from and throughout the body. Read more>>

Rowan Grebeck-Perry

The biggest thing that sets me apart, in my opinion, is that I put my focus on the people, not the dogs. This might seem backwards, but I think that what a lot of training programs are missing and why people don’t get the results they desire is because the human element is neglected. If people don’t understand how to train their dogs then they can’t do the work required to keep everyone in the home happy. I love teaching, so I focus on educating people on the topic of dogs. Read more>>

Leslie Ann Pilling

Imagine loud collaborative excitement along with a trippy spin on exhibitions and programming in a museum. We are different. Museums are traditionally stuffy or give a vibe of solitude and reflection. When we started Metropolitan Museum of Design Detroit was born in Detroit the goal was to attract people to have access to educational enrichment and experiential opportunites while boosting the design industry to diverse communities. Read more>>

Monica Agana

Embracing Sustainability: Our Commitment to Reducing Waste In today’s world, the impact of e-commerce on the environment cannot be ignored. As the founder of Savage Babe Collection, I have witnessed firsthand how the growth of online businesses has contributed to environmental degradation. With the population steadily increasing, it is crucial for businesses to take responsibility and be more intentional about their impact on the planet. Read more>>

Jim Seamons

This is always a difficult to explain, when I tell people I grow pumpkins they respond that that is cool. Kinda give me the expression that he’s just a farmer! I take growing pumpkins to a whole new level. Over the past few years I started growing Atlantic Giant pumpkins for fall display’s, company parties and high end events. What does that mean? Read more>>

Elias Horat

I worked at a number of successful design firms before founding Creates Cool. I often tried to treat each of my past jobs as if it was my own business. Searching for better ways to maximize communication, efficiency, and workflow. Architecture and interior designs firms seem to be a decade behind on processes and systems of modern successful companies. Read more>>

Andeshia Catore Grant

I would love to confidently express that the consistency of my business and clientele is built heavily on follow up and follow through. When I have conversations with chefs and business owners who haven’t been thriving well in this industry, the common denominator I noticed is the inability to continue check in and check up relationships with the client (individual or company) after the invoice is paid and event is executed. Read more>>

Jami Jenkins

From the beginning we knew our vacation rentals needed to reflect who we are, our passions and our way of life. They needed to inspire creativity, bring joy, bring people together, and do so within our commitment to stewardship of resources. We personally use our three vacation cabins as our own family getaways, making them available to others when we’re not enjoying them. Read more>>

Rebekah Iliff

I am about one year into building my fourth career business called Free Dreaming Farm (https://freedreamingfarm.com/). My husband and I bought the 15-acre farm roughly 30 miles north of Nashville, TN about a year ago. We live on part of the property while the other part is used to produce film/commercial projects. Read more>>

Emily Campbell

At The Elephant, we focus on people. From our employees to our suppliers to our customers, we strive to create our own ecosystem within rural Kansas. We vow to source as many products from local suppliers within a 300 mile radius as we can. It is our mission to showcase the resources our region has to offer. Nearly 50% of our menu during certain months of the year are from local producers and suppliers. Read more>>

Dawn Rodriguez

Into the Sea is a founding organization of the Austin Reuse Coalition. As a coalition, we spearhead a community initiative called Restaurant Blitz. Restaurant Blitz is a consumer-led foodware audit for restaurants in Austin, Texas. Restaurant Blitz Austin is conducted using the app PlasticScore to assess the use of single-use plastics during dining or take out experience. Read more>>

Amanda Nutt

One thing that led us on the path to owning this business, was its appeal to work with and serve a community who is very dear to my heart, is faith based and wants nothing more than to change the lives of those we work with. I have worked with adults with special needs for years after graduating high school. I got my degree in Behavior Analysis/Special Education and have loved every minute of it. Read more>>

Eduardo Rubin

My skills as a Coach is something that accompanies me in any other activity that I develop. This is how my clients in the real estate business benefit from my listening skills and my ability to ask questions and understand.
Usually in this business there is no time and Clients end up adjusting to what their Agent presents them; Well, I like to work on the needs of my Clients and not on mine. Read more>>

Jax Hillard

I strongly believe that it’s essential to diverge from the industry standard to stay relevant and ahead of the curve. One of the things that my personal brand does differently is that I prioritize a personalized approach to each client, tailoring our strategies to their unique needs and goals. Instead of relying on a one-size-fits-all approach, I take the time to understand my clients’ brand vision and values to create a bespoke plan that sets them apart from the competition. Read more>>

Regis George

We started a touring company using a glass wall floor to ceiling sightseeing truck. If you see one of these trucks, it’s like seeing a unicorn, there are only about 30 maybe in the entire country and we have three here in Nashville Tennessee. We outfitted this vehicle with a custom wooden table for 12 and seating along with an amazing sound system that is inside and controlled by the guests. Interesting decor and hardwood floors. Read more>>

Samantha Balzano

Typically, in the fashion industry, most companies are largely focused on their profit, but at Hues of Violet we always value people over profit. We have made it our mission to be an affordable place to shop, which makes us stand out from most other boutiques in the industry. We have found that many customers are hesitant to shop at boutiques because they have a preconceived notion that they are always expensive, and they are pleasantly surprised when they see our prices and our quality. Read more>>

Deuce Swervo

What I do different than everyone else is I do everything. I’m an artist on top of being an engineer and producer, while also working my own social media accounts and managing my own career and business endeavors. Not to knock anyone else in the music industry, but it’s not very often you see someone who can produce a song, write it, record it, mix it, master it, and distribute it to stores themselves. I’m humbled to be given the gift and I try my hardest to use all my God given talents to the fullest. Read more>>

Nick VanCourt

Yes, we are very much a niche brewery in several ways. First and foremost, we focus on farmhouse and barrel-aged ales in the Belgian tradition. You won’t find IPA, lactose beers, kettle sours or any of the day’s current trends here. We focus on world class, traditional beer. Also, about 70% of our beers, ciders and meads are made with 100% Michigan grown and processed ingredients. Local sourcing is also a key feature of our restaurant. Read more>>

Derek Sharp (D#)

To set the stage, I have a drum-n-guitar retail shop called Supersonic Music where I sell many different brands of gear. I also have a custom drum company called TreeHouse Custom Drums in the same building where I make drums that have been shipped all over the world. Almost twenty years ago, I had a customer at the shop pro-forma a huge drum set order from an internationally-known, high-end Drum Manufacturer (DM). Read more>>

Cassandra Daye

One thing I think I do differently than most wedding photographers in my local field is focusing just as much on my client’s experience as their photos. I think that soft skills and personal aspects of this work has gotten lost in the past, so focusing on my couples, getting to know them, their story, spending time with them in advance makes such a difference not only in they experience they receive, but this also translates to their photos, Read more>>

Lauren Shaia

There are many caterers and event planners in the industry that excel in just one thing. At Brooklyn Dipped we are a full service company offering not only a full selection of desserts that are customizable but also offer a full event planning side as well. Our customer feels extremely comfortable knowing that everything is being taken care of by one company and in one place. Read more>>

Naomi Vogt Deborah Flanagan

Custom Home Realty was created with the idea of offering a higher level of service, personal attention, and professionalism to our clients. In a field where so many brokers have turned to big box franchises, we have shifted our direction and landed in a unique position where training and client relations are our main priorities. Read more>>

Jonathan A. Barrera Mikulich

My company, VÍAS, a full-service design and branding agency, offers a strategy called ‘transcreation’. This strategy delivers culturally relevant marketing content for diverse audiences – in particular for Spanish speaking, Latinx communities. Rather than simply translating existing English content, we look to coordinate culture, emotion and language into usable marketing and branding. Read more>>

Michelle Cook

Ignite yoga stands out from the industry standard in several remarkable ways, redefining the practice and elevating the yoga experience to new heights. Firstly, Ignite yoga embraces innovation by teaching a range of yoga classes that caters to individuals of all fitness levels. Our “flow classes” Slow Flow, Vinyasa Flow & Power flow challenge participants to push their limits, enhancing cardiovascular endurance and muscular strength. Read more>>

Joe Furnari

Being different is key and everyone needs to be different one way or another. What makes you stand out is an answer you need to know first before starting your business adventure. Researching your comepetion, what are they doing, what can you do better, or what can you do different? Read more>>

Rocco Cozza

Most law firms follow a traditional billable hour model as their main fee structure and compensation measurement tool. The more hours an attorney bills, the higher their compensation can rise. In my opinion, this leads to billing hours for the sake of billing hours which is a disservice to clients. When I started the firm, I wanted to redefine the way things are done in the industry, hence our tagline “Redefining Legal Services.” Read more>>

Mandy Davenport

I don’t double book chemical appointments, I’ve been a hairdresser for more than ten years. Most stylist do this to enhance their sales and profits, the majority of hairdressers double book as much as they can. Over the years, I’ve come to the conclusion that most clients dislike visiting to a salon where they would be shuffled around as their stylists attend to other clients. The client feels uncomfortable as a result and frequently feels as though they have been forgotten about. Read more>>

Anna Braff

At Provenance Rentals, we truly believe at knocking our client’s socks off — whether it be through products, services, or a combination of both. We have high expectation for our products. We only want to present and deliver high quality, unique, hard-to-find, beautiful, and in excellent condition, rentals. Though we cannot guarantee perfection, we don’t approve of releasing products that are inferior, unusable, unclean, or in an unpresentable condition. Read more>>

Michael Spatola

The photos I create with my clients are all in realistic surroundings. I strive to create images that don’t look out of place. I mean, Boudoir literally means “Bedroom.” So Boudoir really should be photographed in real rooms, with real furniture. It should’t look like a studio (just my opinion) Read more>>

Carline Sanders

In the Industry of Permanent Makeup , it takes more than just good work on someone’s face . At The Perfect Arch, being consistent throughout our entire brand is what’s kept up standing so long. We strive on top tier experiences for each and every client or student who come across our facility. Our top tier experience consist of expedited customer service, in depth knowledge of your process at TPA, unmatched service expertise throughout our entire staff. Read more>>

Robin Chodak

There are many things that can be done using online systems such as receiving certifications in different areas. Some examples are certification as a website designer, minister, meditation teacher, nutritional specialist and many more. I am excited to offer a program to certify someone as a grief coach. The program offers training and testing to equip the student to help others during grief experiences. Read more>>

L. Renee’ Chubb

Stewart Beauty & Barber Boutique is the ONLY Black-owned, inside-out head-to-toe salon in Central Ohio. Meaning, we work on people’s mental health and wellness, their body, and their crown (hair). We offer Neuro-Linguistic programming sessions, Hypnotherapy, Reflexology, Non-Invasive body contouring, massages, facials, make-up, lashes, Yoni steams/care, nails, Barber services, pedicures, locs, braids, wigs, and luxury hair bundles all under one roof. Read more>>

Adam Castan͂eda

When I got into the dance community in 2011, there seemed to be an established model of producing. If you had a dance company, you presented at least two dance concerts a year. One would be in the spring, and the other in the fall. Concert-style projects take place on a traditional stage, usually in a theater, and are fully produced works. Read more>>