Deviating from industry norms is one of the most common characteristics we’ve seen among highly successful brands and professionals and so we’ve asked some brilliant folks to give us real life examples of how they do things differently from the industry standard.

Sarah King Lynch

My passion is being and educator and mentor to not only new but growing hairdressers. Something that Indigo Child does well is our education and mentoring program. We have education two to four times a month from technical training to mindset development. Read more>>

Mai-kee Tsang

When it comes to increasing your visibility as an entrepreneur, the industry’s core narrative is to “Put Yourself Out There at All Times” (often at all costs). The problem is? This primarily serves the folks who have more dominant identities which naturally come with their own respective set of privileges. Read more>>

Kiera Knight

My goal in creating this company was to create a food product that could be shelf-stable without all the added preservatives or stabilizers commonly used in the food industry. I wanted to have my family recipe stay my family recipe and when a consumer looked at the label they could find every ingredient in their kitchen. Read more>>

Laticia Brice

I empower business owners to DIY the tech in their business using my ‘Done With You’ design plan. My signature style is a mixture of growth mindset, empowerment, tech support and training, accountability, community and support designed to help you focus, skip the stress and overwhelm and make real progress towards your business goals. Read more>>

Tsvetelina Tomova

Some things that I do differently, that may qualify me as a bad business owner in some peoples eyes, is not forcing product sales, not investing in the latest trend machines, and spending much more time with my clients than what i charge for. Read more>>

Amanda Parker

Real transformation happens when you let go of everything you think you know and are willing to explore all the layers in between. I believe that true personal growth goes beyond just practical tools, which is why I use unconventional techniques like visualization, intuition, and energy healing to tap into my clients’ inner wisdom, unlock their full potential and help them gain a deeper understanding of themselves and their desires. Read more>>

Ryan Monson

The industry standard for most markets has always been to pay a flat booth fee up-front that can range from the affordable $25 for an event all the way up to several hundred dollars for a weekend. Read more>>

Sara Hayden

I think sometimes we measure success by how many locations we have or everything we do. I’ve decided to be more purposeful in where my products are going to be. We are taking much closer looks at margins and net sales vs Gross. Read more>>

Hope Rovelto

I am a queer-owned, small, wholesale screen printing company, which in itself makes me unique in the industry. Also, I am not only a business owner; I am an artist, activist, and educator. Most small businesses do not teach their trade secrets, Read more>>

Dee Thomas

The definition of a model has changed. The description of a model has changed. I’ve created a space where EVERY body is a model body. A space where all body types are accepted and valued. Some of my models have never done a photo shoot or walked in a fashion show before. They now are not only confident enough to do these things, but they are embraced and wanted at The Pretty Palace. Read more>>

Lynette Guy

I like to personalize each one of my reservations. I leave a hand-written card for every guest. Often, they’ll let me know if they are celebrating a birthday or anniversary. When they do, I recognize this special occasion to help make it an even more special trip for them. Read more>>

Dustin Winegardner

We make socks. A very simple daily used product. The difference for Arvin Goods is our primary materials are either recycled or organic. Many companies and brands are attempting to make “sustainable” or low-impact products, especially in the apparel space, but for whatever reason, socks seem to not be a focus. Read more>>

Devon Brown

Social media has long been understood as a forum for polished images and personas. It is demonized for creating unrealistic expectations and damaging the mental health of everyone, even more so, vulnerable populations such as young women. It is universally accepted that perfection and external validation are the keys to success. Read more>>