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.
Avrora Gunko
Avrora Gunko is a fitness and health coach, nutritionist, pro bodybuilder, co-founder of “The Vegan Curl” company, and podcast host of “Vegan Booty Talks’. She was born in Ukraine and moved to the USA around 7 years ago. Avrora certified ISSA Personal Trainer and Nutritionist with over 9 years of experience in fitness and health. She is WNBF Pro Bodybuilder and National NPC Bikini Champion. Read more>>
Lelanea Fulton
I focus on co-creative projects that truly align with the authentic voices of my clients. The market is oversaturated with a homogenous voice in the art meets marketing realm that really mutes that of the client, ultimately creating noise. I prefer to use my background in Integrative consciousness coaching and consulting to isolate the client’s voice and defined directions to co-create a message that is truly in alignment with the authenticity of the client and the combination of my artistic expression via this medium when we work together Read more>>
Jaime Krueger
Starting out in the baking industry as a cottage baker felt intimidating at first. I knew there were so many others out there with more experience, brick & mortar storefronts, or that wholesaled their products across the state. While I could have just decided to quit early or not even give it a try at all, I decided that I had just as much, if not more, to offer customers who are seeking quality, custom cakes and baked goods. Read more>>
Priyanka & Chirasmita Kompella
Our industry is rewriting the way we drink. It’s electrifying and we constantly feel like we’re strapped to a rocket ship. That’s why we know alcohol free options are here to stay. Much of the industry is working to create enjoyable alcohol replacements and functional beverages – a movement that is incredibly empowering for anyone looking to consume less or no alcohol. However, we’ve recognized that we have to take a step further to integrate these options into the everyday household. Read more>>
Matias Ezcurra
The experience I offer my couples from inquiry all the way to the delivery of their images is different than the industry standard. This often includes helping them source other qualified vendors for their weddings, calming any concerns before the big day, sending a box of goodies from Maui for them to enjoy before they arrive to the island, and a note of encouragement. Read more>>
Erin Mursch
When we help our clients declutter and organize their homes, we haul their donated items away at no additional cost. But rather than dropping them off at Goodwill or Salvation Army (no shade, but we can do better), we donate the items to local organizations that do good in our local (Austin, TX) community. Read more>>
Michael Nalley
With a background as an advertising Creative Director/Art Director, I Approach a photo shoot, like I would as a branding person. Particularly if it is a project like developing a brand’s image library. This allows me the knowledge to capture the images the client needs, but recognize opportunities that might arise that are consistent with the brand’s overall objectives. This will result in often the most unexpected images. Read more>>
Idayat Sambo
The fashion Industry made a lot of people believe you have to show skin, be slim or wear skin-tight clothes to be considered beautiful, Well at covermecutee we believe that everyone is uniquely equally beautiful and that covering your body does not take away from your beauty as a master of fact, Modesty is the highest level of elegance. Read more>>
Khiara Foss
At the Enigma Emporium we strive to provide games for those who want more depth and difficulty from their puzzling experiences. We’re unafraid to utilize complex ciphers, difficult codes, and concepts that fall well outside the box. This is a choice we made early on, that we’ve revisited and discussed with each other many times, because it sets us apart in ways that are both favorable, and less so. Read more>>
Emily Yusen
The art of navigating the job market right now can feel overwhelming. Looking for your next role or preparing for an interview is a full time job in itself. I try to differ my services by working 1:1 with clients to really understand more about their individuality. It’s important to narrow that down in order to be able to craft a narrative they can speak to in an interview in a way that makes them feel confident, and therefore stand out. Read more>>
Meghan Campbell
From the very start of my business, I made it my number one priority to be as sustainable as possible. This came from a deep desire to protect the planet and be environmentally conscious, but also my eagerness to connect with the local community. Read more>>
Neda Eckhardt
My work experience prior to starting my business was at a small business accounting, payroll, and tax firm. I worked long hours and was requirement to wear a suit (preferably a suit with a skirt), cover my tattoos, appear happy at all times, and put my job before everything else in my life. When I started my business I followed these practices. With ten years of “this is what a professional woman looks like” and the hustle mentality drilled in me, it took some time to get to where I am now. Read more>>
Sai Charan Paloju
One of the shocking things you observe a young technologist from india doing the service im doing is, My very first thought is to provide service globally and i started it and got succeded with impacable impressions top global experts from 100 countries, what im doing is impossible and unbelieavable work, Read more>>
Tracey Love
Rugs are a unique and niche industry that spans across the world which makes it a challenging industry to navigate. Like, where do you start the process of buying a rug? What kind of rug are you looking for? What’s your design style? What’s your budget? What we bring forth are handwoven wool rugs made by mostly female weaving artisans from Morocco and Turkey. Read more>>
René Ramos
Among my creative roles I also am the creative director of Procession Magazine. This is an actual printed magazine covering the latest darkwave, goth, and industrial bands operating in the world today. It also features related literature, art, and fashion. My cover-to-cover design approach opposes traditional rules. Layouts might run sideways, upside down, scatter across varying angled text columns, or any combination of these. Read more>>
Jamie Bryant
I think the biggest mistake you can make as a designer is to miss the entire point of design itself. Design is different from decoration. Design is about the clients— not myself, and not my business’ portfolio. It’s about a challenge of a particular space and how to solve for that. I like to get to know my clients, their businesses, and their goals for the space. Read more>>
Jenn and Carly Curren and Markowitz
Tula Yoga & Wellness is co-owned by two friends who met on the mat in a yoga studio. As it does, life happened – new jobs, moving, children, etc. and we found ourselves neighbors and missed the yoga classes we used to attend together. One conversation led to another and another and when we set out to open a yoga studio, we wanted it to be so much more than just a place for people to workout. Read more>>
Alayah Dudley
Hudson Dawn Publishing is an online publishing company based in Grand Rapids, MI. We’ve combined the best elements of vanity and traditional publishing to create a superlative business that gives authors the most freedom. Vanity publishers have authors pay to publish with them, yet may not provide royalties, nor assist with certain aspects of distribution or printing. Read more>>
Gina Diaz
Yes, we create unique and different pieces of jewelry made by hand. Handmade jewelry is, as its name suggests, crafted by hand from start to finish. Most jewelry in the world today is mass produced using a different process of fabrication, one of them called casting as a result of losing the magic of wearing a handmade piece. Read more>>
Rachel Lipson
In my early days of Blue Balloon, one of my students asked me: “Who was your Blue Balloon teacher when YOU were a kid?” I broke the news to her that Blue Balloon wasn’t around then and I did not, in fact, have a Blue Balloon teacher asa ;) Read more>>
Britton Briley
Ghost Brands is always doing things that are outside of the typical norm With being inside the “marketing” and “agency” niche; it can get pretty repetitive when clients approach us about services and how we are different. As being one of the last “A La Carte” agencies in the nation, we think about conforming to the clients needs and not the other way around. Read more>>
Tina Phan
For us, this divergence can be seen in our approach to quality and customer service, which sets us apart from other players in the industry. When it comes to quality, we always try to keep the highest quality both in our supply and services. Besides that, we are willing to think outside the box and update our knowledge with the new trends. This can lead to breakthroughs and unique offerings that may not be found in other nail salons. Read more>>
Alexandra Fresquez
Im a singer, and also a nurse. I’m very passionate about helping others. It hurts me to see people struggle. When we can all help in some way. One of my main goals with my music is to be able to help people through my music, not just through a listeners experience, but by actively being involved in the community, and helping. Read more>>
Vienna Jimenez
The name itself, Our Casita Bonita – translates to “Our Pretty Little House”. As a proud Latina, it was important for me to incorporate some of my culture in the name and foundation of our business. Our Casita Bonita was created with the idea that we would go OVER and BEYOND the industry norm to showcase new and innovative pieces and products. Pieces that were customized and hand made with Love. Read more>>
Sade Miller
As a braider we are aware of the stigmas that are attached to that title. The braiding industry isn’t typically as valued as the cosmetology industry. The braiding industry isn’t taken as seriously and we are one of the most under paid, for the most work. On the flip side of that, just like any other industry, there are a few bad apples that spoil it for us that are known to be unprofessional, inconsistent, and terrible with communication. Read more>>
Kallie Novicki
One of my favorite aspects of my business is being able to offer a really special, one of a kind product to my clients. My pieces are all made to order, which means I can make a piece, a dress for example, for someone completely custom to their size and measurements. Since I tend to use deadstock or vintage fabrics, my collections are also usually small-batch, which means that I can usually only make about 5-10 pieces using a particular fabric. Read more>>
Jesse Warlick
Most of our guests are visiting us to celebrate something special in their lives, whether it’s a birthday, engagement, Over the course of a weekend we’ll host a mix of bachelor / bachelorette parties, kids / adult birthday parties, corporate team building events, etc. Since we see so many of these, it can be easy in our industry to let these all blend together and forget that for that person/group it’s a really special moment in their lives and they’ve chosen to celebrate it at Archery Games Denver. Read more>>
Jason Feather
There seems to be a separation in the screen print industry between the small “garage printer” and then the large massive scaled warehouse printers. This separation is logical considering a garage printer has low over head and really only accommodate small print runs and the large scale printers have a ton of overhead expenses from equipment costs, rent, labor, Read more>>
Izzy Waite
Absolutely! At Izzy Waite Design, I have always admired the ability of small businesses to break away from corporate and industry norms. It’s fascinating how they can bring their unique visions to life and create something truly special. As a brand and website designer, it’s quite common to draw inspiration from the latest trends, hot topics, and fads. While I do keep myself informed about current design trends, I prefer to take a different approach. Read more>>
Brian Hay
Consumers today are looking for information to support value based decisions. In the Culinary and beverage world, people wish to make informed decisions but do not want to get bogged down with irrelevant details. My aim with all of my writing is to keep my information simple for consumers to use to make decisions. As a certified chef and sommelier, I have a great deal of knowledge on production, growing areas, etc. What the consumer wishes to know comes down to: Read more>>
Angelina Mitschke
I offer a very personable, connection / relationship oriented, full-service photoshoot experience. I believe that a photo session should be fun, not added stress, so I do it all for my clients – I plan, organize and gather everything needed for their session based on their preferences and vision discussed during the discovery call and / or design consultation. Read more>>
Hannah Davis
Dresses Ever After is a local dress shop located in Hinckley, Minnesota. The main thing that sets us apart from the typical big-box dress store is that all of our dresses can be either bought or rented. Many in our community live on a budget and we don’t want girls and women to have to decline invites to formal events because they can’t afford a dress. As a business owner, I want to change that. Read more>>
Dane Berkshire
When it comes to being a small fish in a big pond — like being a small business in an industry dominated by big box conglomerates — the question is always “How can I stand out?” or “What sets me apart from everyone else?”. And while I appreciate the intention of those questions, I prefer to take a different approach: “What brings me joy?” Read more>>
Raghda Abdelmaksoud
As a woman-owned company, we are a bit different as we have both services and education and consulting For the part of the service, we are very keen to work with our clients on the best practices, and efficient and transparent ways in warehousing, logistics, and distribution. we only work with companies that have sustainability programs for employees, communities, and businesses. We always work on win-win and believe that companies grow together, so we deal with our customers as long-term business partners. We are approved vendors in multiple big box retailers and follow all the federal and state rules. Read more>>
Sharmon Lebby
The biggest difference between my brand and the industry standard is my unwavering commitment to fostering collaboration and community over competition. While many businesses tend to guard their information as proprietary, I choose to take a different approach. Read more>>
Hailey Nagel
In my industry of beauty, specifically being a hairdresser I have always received gratuity as a norm until I moved to Australia. The practices there are different and I stopped receiving the gratuity but didn’t see a difference in my bank account because my service was at a higher cost. So I moved back to the states and questioned why ask for tips again if I could just charge the amount I am supposed to make. Read more>>
Gabriel Baldinucci
We differ from most fast-casual restaurants significantly in that we focus on an elevated experience that we call “fast premium”. Our customers still order at the counter and receive a table number and then have the food delivered to them by runners however, our concept differs in two main ways; First, we produce gourmet food that is typically served in full-service restaurants. Read more>>
Ian Legge
The Punk Cellist is a unique business because it fills a niche that was previously untapped. Aside from the traditional classical cello pieces that are familiar to most, clients can also choose from a curated playlist of alternative music arranged on cello for their events or weddings. Read more>>
Chas Chapman
Something I’ve strived to do with my space from the beginning is to always try and bring something unique and different. My theory is to be an eclectic and evolving creative space. I will never be afraid to shift gears if something isn’t working or if the area I’m in is over saturated with something I’m doing. I want to bring something different to the community I’m in. Read more>>
Amy Northard
Communication seems to be really tough for the accounting industry. Many of us are introverts who like to put our heads down and knock out to-do lists while putting off the things that take up a lot of energy. This tends to result in taking weeks to respond to clients, if at all, and using high-level accounting terms that are hard for non-accountants to wrap their heads around. Read more>>
Liora Froindlikh
My personal touch is in every aspect of my business from collaborating with clients to create unique designs, to sitting with my CAD designers to make sure the 3D models come out perfect! I even hand deliver pieces often to my clients door. There is nothing I hate more than waiting on hold only to talk to a robot customer service agent. Read more>>
Mandy Shields
INhance It Home Staging is a family business, my husband Rick and I own the company and our daughter Ava is our lead stager. Our other employees consist of a longtime friend of the family, one of Ava’s best friends, and the rest have become like family to us. Rick & I have a corporate background where we worked hard to advance in our careers. Read more>>
Nikki Creacy
It is typical in our industry to charge a (required) gratuity in addition to the initial service cost. However, We prefer to allow our clients to tip an amount that they are comfortable with based on the service and experience that they received from our team of hairstylists & makeup artists, rather than a specific & required percentage. We believe that gratuity should not be required but should always be appreciated. Read more>>