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.

Stephanie Solheim

At Grow With Meerkat Digital Marketing, supporting and elevating women isn’t just a nice-to-have – it’s one of our founding principles and a key part of what makes us unique. Read more>>

Lise Hines

It was late Spring 2020 and we were a couple of months into the pandemic. I was seeing small businesses struggling to keep their doors open. Read more>>

Angi Coleman

One thing I do that diverges quite a bit from the industry standard, particularly within the fashion sector, is the fact that I rarely work with professional models. Read more>>

Lashawn Dreher

Keeping community and impact at the root of my work has always set me apart from the rest. There could be hundreds of accolades and opportunities lined up for me, and I’m still going to find a way to bring the people in my community, who align with the mission and vision, along for the journey. Read more>>

Susan Armour

When my son and I first had the idea to open an events design studio, we did a little research. We had heard over and over that it was hard to get enough customers because there was so much competiton. Read more>>

Flor Elizabeth Lugo

Time, Knowing the client and fast creativity. One of the things that makes me different from the rest in my industry, is how I manage the time, being puntual, fast and proficient with my time and the time of others, a skill that my clients appoint. Read more>>

Nancy Jane Myslik

The Industry standard has never been a concern or guideline for myself or my business. I am not wired to follow a path or a plan when it comes to my creativity and artistic endeavors. Read more>>

Rachael Dillon

The concept for Mary & Jane initially was going to be a marketplace of curated hemp-derived THC products. However during our testing phase, we quickly found that the “standard dose” (generally ~5mg or more) was too much for us. Read more>>

Ann Tillage

At Sharmooz, we take pride in diverging from the industry standard by prioritizing luxury and quality above all else. While some brands may compromise on materials or craftsmanship, we remain steadfast in using only the highest quality charmeuse satin and silk for our accessories. Read more>>

Sandra Tolliver

Law is a professional service business but lawyers can easily forget to focus on “SERVICE,” instead focus on the business of making money. Read more>>

Yecica Velazco

In any business that’s over saturated you have to do more than the rest to stand out. You do not have to be smarter than the rest you just have to work harder than the rest. Read more>>

Monica Stevens

There are so many animal rescues and even farm sanctuaries in our area, but something that differentiates Jameson Humane from the typical animal rescue, human society, or farm sanctuary is that we really focus on programs that serve the community and beyond and their animal companions. Read more>>

Andrea Napierkowski

We help clients navigate their unique digital thumbprints by listening to and understanding the emotions behind their ideas and empowering them to tell them authentically. Read more>>

David Benzal

Due to my background in traditional classical artistic training, my approach to work always relies on a solid artistic structure. Although I employ the most contemporary techniques, such as using 3D programs and digital painting, my classical foundation makes a significant difference in my work. Read more>>

Alfredo Carrasquillo

Many consulting firms focus on making clients dependent on the services and support they offer. And those services tend to be pretty generic using the same formula to serve different clients. Read more>>

Nicole Drew

At Rater, we are known as the “Anti-Catfishing” single’s social app because we put an emphasis on dating safety and security features. We conduct sex offender and violent felon checks on each new user, plus encourage our users to verify their photos and identity. Read more>>

Paula Knight

More than 60% of new businesses start with less than $10k, but many consultancies and marketing agencies cater to mid-sized to enterprise businesses with high fees and services designed to maintain client dependency. Read more>>

Mick Connolly

In a digital world, our studio is 100% analog. There are no screens, laptops, mouse or PC’s in our studio. We record to analog tape on vintage tape machines. Read more>>

Joelle Gracia

As a travel host, Joelle welcomes guests to explore Paris together through guided walks, food tours & wine tastings, Paris cafés & more! Read more>>

Miranda Vibes

My class is for all kinds of people at all skill levels and interests in art. After 3 years of teaching this class, I tend to get the same comment which is, “I’m not a talented artist but I really enjoyed this experience.” and that means a lot to me, my goal is to hold space for anyone to express themselves. Read more>>

Kelsey Reifler

I’ve been in the design world for over 12 years now, wearing different hats from designer to art director and now creative/design director. Read more>>

Laura Meemken

All Clean Food wants to be part of the change we want to see in our food system. In order to feel our best, both mentally and physically, we need to eat REAL food. Read more>>

Samantha Daly

At Explicit Essentials, we pride ourselves on our ability to challenge conventional industry standards and infuse authenticity into our brand. Read more>>

Stefanos & Stephanie Ferousis

At Professional Grade LLC, we understand the importance of trust in the construction industry. We aim to build strong and lasting relationships with each of our customers by providing personalized service and a one-stop solution for all their construction needs. Read more>>

Samantha Vega

In the beauty industry, there’s a certain pressure to fit inside of this box where most spa’s + salons have this one general aesthetic with soft grays, Read more>>

Natasha Ponciano

At Lost Lotus Yoga, we take great pride in our commitment to diverge from the industry standard and create a truly unique and inclusive yoga experience. Read more>>

Marci Champion Ditzell

People ask me all the time how INTERRUPTED began. You could say it started in August of 2022 when I met with a company to start designing a pant. But, really…it started long before that. Read more>>

Kalia McKinley

At OCD Diva & Co., we take pride in our unique approach to organizing, cleaning, and decluttering services. While our industry standard often focuses solely on the physical aspects of tidying up spaces, Read more>>

Shannon Riordan

Not all travel agents are created equally, and I believe that is especially true when it comes to Disney Destinations. Everyone at my agency has a passion for Disney and you want to work with someone that has that level of expertise. Read more>>

Corey Swann

Marketing Agencies, historically, take money for a blanket of services that are what many understand as cookie cutter. The issue with this is target markets, channels, and all sorts of other aspects come into play when it comes to reaching our audience with the right message at the right time. Read more>>

Amber Perry

I make cakes affordable to everyone’s budget. Rather than a higher financial bracket of people that can afford custom fondant cakes typically im trying to open the doors for more underprivileged to afford special things as well. Read more>>

Valen Scott

Driven by a desire to transform communities and empower individuals to achieve financial freedom through real estate entrepreneurship. Team Made Real Estate’s journey to success in the real estate industry was fraught with challenges and uncertainties. Read more>>

Dynasti Hunt Harris

Tayden Impact Partners is an organizational development consulting practice, and rather than focusing on creating diversity and inclusion programs that companies need to run separately, we’ve created a model called The Shift® that focuses on how to embed diversity, equity, and inclusion principles into all aspects of running a business. Read more>>

Mary Hemphill

Our leadership development approach is unique in that we focus on transforming human doings into human beings. We believe that in order to be truly effective leaders, we must first understand ourselves and our purpose. Read more>>

Brianna De Man

Whenever I take on an editing project for a publishing company, I need to consider organizational goals, market trends, client needs, and user needs all in one. Read more>>