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.

MOLLY COATH

I got my first job as interior designer when I was 18, I have been doing it ever since and this career has really been ‘a calling’ for me but I don’t have a degree. When I saw the role advertised for an Interior Designer for a large homeware company back then it said DO NOT APPLY UNLESS YOU HAVE A DEGREE in big red letters at the top of the application form….but I thought “this job sounds like my dream” Read more>>

Fabrice Jean-Gilles

In the field of photography, I stand apart from the industry standard by focusing on capturing genuine moments and emotions, free from excessive retouching and manipulation. Unlike many others, particularly within editorial photography, I refrain from heavily retouching and photoshopping my subjects. This common practice often distorts reality, creating unrealistic and cartoonish versions of individuals. Read more>>

Parker Wright

We have definitely done our best to flip this industry on it’s head. One of the most influential factors in the decisions we make is that we are working performers, so everything we do comes through the lens of trying to provide what we would want as a performer for our performers. I feel like there is such a different mindset that many larger companies and business owners have where they try to pay as little as possible, do as little delegation as possible, and make as much profit as they can. Read more>>

Danielle Casilio

Doing things differently was one of our first mottos when we started Yelli. We didn’t want to be afraid of being different, even if it meant that we might get a strange reaction here and there, or even sacrifice a sale once in awhile. There are a few things that we do differently than others in our industry, from deciding what new features to build, to how we advertise and even our day-to-day operations. Read more>>

Kaitlin Porter Cortes

My desire for raison pan is to change the way we think about food, and I really mean THINK. Eating should not simply be about consumption but rather about mindfulness. What are we putting in our bodies, what are the subtleties of flavor present in the simplest ingredients; how is the food we eat benefiting our overall health; how are we using our consumer purchases to support sustainable, nutritious practices for not only ourselves, but also for our communities and our environment as a whole? Read more>>

Lalania Simone

Alchemy Ritual Goods has a special mission, to make healing accessible to everyone. We have an Ancestral Medicine Clinic, which is sliding scale, no one is turned away. Our services include acupuncture/herbs, traditional spiritual healing practices, Usui Reiki, as well as several types of divination. Read more>>

FIona Tran

Surfing is a niche industry where the industry standard has been set by large corporations like Billabong and Roxy. These legacies, while significant, are often managed by an older generation of Caucasian men. As a female POC entering the surf industry, overcoming the “localism” fear was a challenge. However, my training in California, where localism is prominent, prepared me for this journey. Read more>>

Monica Saaty-Pizzi

In a world where wedding photography has become an integral part of the celebration, there’s something exceptional about Saaty Photography that sets it apart from the industry standard. By focusing on collaborative planning, stress elimination, and crafting personalized experiences, Saaty Photography creates a seamless journey for couples, ensuring their special day is not only beautifully captured but also celebrated with joy. Read more>>

Alejandra Brady

I incorporate biophilic design and Feng Shui principles into all of my design projects. This leads to a space that is both aesthetically beautiful and energetically aligned. Doing so provides my clients with a haven and an environment that is auspicious and will energetically help them achieve their goals. Read more>>

Mcklyn Valenciano

I like to think that I put people first and foremost in my line of work. When someone steps in front of my camera, I want to make them feel elevated and beautiful and capture them as their true selves while at the same time surrounding them in beautiful light and a fashion lens. The fashion industry often has a reputation for being vapid, fickle or disposable. Read more>>

Molly Zeff

There are at least 3 key ways my game company takes “the road less taken” when it comes to industry standards. First, I engage in an unusually personal and often literally IN person approach in terms of my relationships with retailers. I’m primarily referring to the fact that I have traveled the country in the US, Canada, and the UK for years now visiting new and current indie game and toy stores, spending time with literally hundreds of staff, managers, and owners at stores and sharing the games I make with them. Read more>>

Aziah “Zay” Thompson

As a business owner and Publicist, it’s essential to know the impact involved in our work. So, it’s also important to recognize moments to diversify into new areas or even different industries. Transitioning into health and wellness PR from lifestyle and entertainment PR is a massive eye-opener into the different levels of impact associated with each field of work. Read more>>

Sarah Bartels

Unlimited time off. For your mental health. I believe that if you spend all of your days working that you don’t make you a priority and you become burned out. I want you to still LOVE what you do in 10 years. We all work 4 day work weeks. That way to have 3 days to take care of things in your personal life. It’s important to have a healthy work/life balance. Read more>>

Anthony Matulewicz

Mullamat, L.L.C, dba Mozna Chocolate (here in Mozna) is a bean-to-bar, single-origin, manufacturer of premium dark chocolate. Mozna, owned by Anthony Matulewicz and Hassan Mulla, has been located at 115 E. Brazil, in Hidalgo since 2015. Manufacturing with original, chocolate equipment used in the 1920’s. Read more>>

Kellie Cutsinger

We are dedicated to having our brand made in the USA, and make every effort to source materials domestically. We use the lost-wax casting method for all of our original designs. This means that they are all hand-poured and hand-crafted. Each piece has a story so that it is more than just a piece of jewelry, it is a design that has a story to share. Read more>>

Joe Moerschbaecher

Pura Vida Adventures has always been different from the stereotypical outdoor guide service. Larger companies play a game of numbers, which forces them to sacrifice quality for quantity. I observed this working in the outdoor industry prior to starting Pura Vida. When I started Pura Vida Adventures we wanted to create a concept where we could focus on quality over quantity. Read more>>

Erika Weinrick

n the Midwest, most salons are similar to one another. They are modern, chic, steril, uniform. But my goal was to step out of that box and create a creative and inspiring space for artists. Not only hair, but visual arts as well. The aesthetic is moody, eclectic, victorian gothic, and we are welcoming to all kinds of people. Read more>>

Amanda Jorgensen

As a small farm we sell direct to consumers from a small farm store right on our farm. This allows us to cut out a middle man and provide a much fresher and quality product that we have control over. Read more>>

Holly Kammier

One of the things we are most proud of is that we are the ONLY hybrid publishing company that gives writers ALL of their rights and ALL of the profits to their books. Because Jessica Therrien and I started Acorn Publishing to publish our own books, it is important to us to give each of our authors the same benefits that were most important to us when we started our label; full rights, full profits, and beautifully finished books that rival any of those books sitting on the shelves at Barnes & Noble. Read more>>

Kellie Christensen

I started my business during the pandemic. I was looking for a way to make money using my talents on my own terms. Trying to find work as a screenwriter is even more insane than trying to find work as an actor. And the truth is that even when you do find work in either realm, it’s not necessarily what you really want to be doing. Read more>>

Lindsay Hearon

Since I assumed the role of Director of the Bedford Riding Lanes Association, a small-but-mighty 90-mile private trail organization, I have strived to make it more inclusive and appealing to different groups in our community — not just equestrians, who were the dominant users historically. With decades before us as bridle trails / equestrian-only trails, I knew that branching out to other outdoor enthusiasts with appealing events and a means for drawing them in would be an important part of growing our membership. Read more>>

Hannah Wilen

Of course! So I’d love to start by sharing a bit about kava more generally and why I started drinking kava. Kava is a drink from the South Pacific and Hawaii that is known for its relaxing and happy effects which promote sociability and meaningful connection. It’s been enjoyed traditionally and ceremonially for over 3000 years and is often considered an alternative to alcohol. Read more>>

Renae Fieck

I was a straight A student. In college I took more than a full load of classes, worked at Red Robin serving tables on the weekend, and worked an on campus job during the week. How I still managed to have an active social life and go on dates with my now husband is beyond me. Read more>>

Steph Davies

In the years since Covid I’ve relied on working towards less. I closed my brick & mortar location and went online. It’s easier to manage with less overhead and I feel healthier and happier in this new space. Read more>>

Misha

Before the Covid closures My studio already did things differently than most Tattoo shops. Offering a private one on one experience where I design the tattoo with the client on my computer, allowing them to participate in the designing of their tattoo. Read more>>

Romina Daniele

Hello and it is so much my pleasure to talk with you and write for your magazine today. That’s all about the story behind my mission. I am a music composer with technologies knowledge and I’ve completed classical studies, and a multimedia researcher master’s graduate in Cinema. Photography and the history of art form just the foundational pillars of mega fields such as these. Read more>>

Coby Williams

New Reach Community Consulting is proudly a B Corp certified business. New Reach earned this international distinction that independently verifies it meets rigorous social and environmental performance standards, accountability, and transparency. It’s the first public affairs consulting business to obtain this internal distinction in Ohio and one of approximately less than 20 Black-owned B Corps in the United States. Read more>>

Darius “Droyd” Bryant

My brand is renowned for its exceptional product (music), seamlessly blending musicality with industry standards. What sets me apart is my unwavering commitment to preserving my original identity while constantly evolving and incorporating innovative approaches into my work. Read more>>

Lisseth DeGracia

At Dynamic Drips, our infusion recipes are our own, and are mixed immediately prior to administration to give our clients the greatest benefit possible. A common way of business in the IV infusion industry is to buy pre formulated kits that come from the pharmacy and are ready to infuse for multiple different infusion purposes. Our recipes were personally formulated, and are all different from one another. Read more>>

Joey Thompson

In the world of film production alot of sets have gotten a bad wrap. Most producers, directors, and even talent dread them. Read more>>

Jackie Dickinson

My target market is supporting gardeners desiring a natural solution for fertilizer for their raised beds, patio and container gardens. These DIY folks are supplementing their grocery budget with homegrown plants, fruits, and vegetables. There is a huge growing shift of health conscious and do-it-yourself gardeners in this industry. Read more>>

Sammi Price

“Sammi Price Voice” distinguishes itself from the industry standard as it was created outside of convention. I started this company at the height of the pandemic March 2020, in the early evening in my childhood bedroom in a small town in Wisconsin. I made my first (terrible) voice reel on my cell phone as I didn’t even have a computer at the time. Read more>>

William Gross

I would say Universally Unknown as an agency really puts the artists first instead of money in my pocket which is very different than how most managers and agencies flow, I only support artists that I want to listen too or would have their artwork on my own walls why do I want to push artist’s forward that aren’t innovative and take chances and in the end I enjoy because they are nothing but family at the end of the day. Read more>>

Jo Ellen Newman

At the heart of my coaching philosophy is the transformative power of evidence-based mindset shifts and attitudes. With each session, I guide my clients through a process of identifying and cultivating these shifts, creating tangible markers of personal growth and change. This deliberate approach not only allows clients to recognize and celebrate their progress but also ensures my accountability in facilitating meaningful transformation. Read more>>