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.

Armando Sernas

When we first created this community, we didn’t want to preach the standard fitness mantra. Through personal experience and countless first hand accounts, we’ve seen time and time again that a person does not need to eat sleep breathe fitness, simply to see results. Instead, they should feel accepted regardless of what walk of life they come from, and feel supported every step of the way. Our FR Fam prides ourselves on providing a safe space for EDM fans to connect, support, and motivate one another, all while keeping up with their wild crazy festival lifestyle. Read more>>

Joel Laflamme

I’ve created a way of showcasing a screenplay in a visual performance based medium that doesn’t require large production budgets. By using zoom I’ve been able to create hybrid productions to showcase not only the writing but also the performers. It’s been a tremendous experience bringing stories to life in a new and vibrant way. Read more>>

Lea Haber

Most relationship support is reactive, like couples therapy after major issues arise. My love-life coaching work is proactive, equipping you with tools to navigate challenges before they surface—strengthening relationships at any stage. For example, I offer a modern, science-based alternative to traditional premarital counseling and love-life coaching that’s fully virtual and global. My approach blends intimacy-focused strategies with practical tools for lasting, healthy love stories wherever clients are on their love journey, making it ideal for high achievers who want solutions as results-driven as they are. Read more>>

Ina Joves

InaNuts products redefine healthy snacking by offering indulgent options that align with industry standards for clean eating and wellness. Candied pecans and nut butter, traditionally considered indulgent, are transformed into guilt-free, nutritious treats by removing added sugars and using minimal, natural ingredients. These qualities cater to increasing consumer demand for snacks that prioritize health without sacrificing taste. The absence of added sugars in InaNuts products makes them a great choice for individuals managing metabolic health concerns, such as prediabetes, diabetes, or metabolic syndrome. This aligns with industry trends emphasizing low-glycemic and diabetes-friendly foods as critical components of healthy diets. Furthermore, InaNuts snacks meet keto and paleo diet requirements, providing versatile options for individuals pursuing low-carb or clean-eating lifestyles. These products also address common dietary restrictions, being gluten-free and dairy-free, ensuring accessibility for a wide consumer base. Read more>>

Diana Diaz

I come from a South Central punk DIY background so I usually take a very holistic, boots on the ground approach to my work. I like to learn as much possible about my clients goals, beliefs, morals and align my work to their needs. As a music manager, every show, brand partnership and and overall carrier strategy is executed with my clients values in mind. Thinking about how to creatively grow their carrier while maintaining a strong hold on inclusivity, community engagement and the political climate is really important. The same applies when I work with companies as a creative consultant. I link their work with community partners, brands and companies that can bring enrichment to their brand.  Read more>>

Randy Hughes Iii

Yes, we do several things differently—and it’s intentional. We’re not just a CPA firm; we’re category creators in the business advisory space. At Seven Figure Profits®, we understand that success and fulfillment have an emotional component. We’re a CPA firm with a wellness division, combining masterful tax strategies with innovative Profit Psychology—because let’s face it, numbers alone never made anyone jump out of bed in the morning. With our guidance, you’ll get the whole package: profitability and fulfillment. Nearly 50% of all 7-figure business owners fall into the “7-Figure Poor” category—earning high revenues but struggling with low profits and lack of fulfillment. We’re here to change that. Read more>>

Dylan & Pamela Dowdy

Small businesses like us are free from the corporate/industry standard. As a business, you just kinda do the thing you love, make it all happen, and write your own how-to book as you go. We’re still writing ours, daily. Between the two of us, we have experience working retail, the service industry and corporate settings. It’s molded our perspective on business ownership and shown us what works and what doesn’t work day-to-day. For Dowdy Studio, we’ve leaned into taking it slow as far as dreaming up new designs and ideas or growing our store and business. As a hands-on design team, we find it gives us time to focus on quality and control, as well as taking the time to experiment with weird, off-the-wall ideas that bring smiles to people’s faces. Read more>>

Rachel Hankins

I know that everything I do with my business is different from the industry standard because I am not the industry standard. Due to who I am as a person that automatically makes me different, therefore, I see the world differently and I have experienced the world differently. I appreciate capitalism and how you can create something out of nothing, however, I don’t believe you have to sacrifice your character or make detrimental life changing decisions to keep your pockets fat. From my experience, you put good into the world, and good will be returned to you. As a business owner, the goal is to make money and the more money you make, the more you are able to not only change your life but the lives of others. However, in our free-market world when is too much too much, and how is it that large corporations are generating billions in revenue but are constantly laying off employees. I have had only one goal when I created my business and that was to take the money I make and use it for the greater good of the world. I believe that money will be made if people trust you, your product or service, and they are able to see that their investment in you is doing something positive in the world. Times are changing and corporate greed is no longer seen as the beacon of success we were raised to believe. I have no interest in having more money that I could spend in a lifetime. However, if I am able to provide scholarships, build schools, invest in healthcare research, and effectively have an impact in communities around the world, I would feel that I have served my purpose and so has my business. Read more>>

Grace Austin

I’m lucky to have known from an incredibly young age that words were my medium. I’m also lucky that I’ve been able to make a living from that same medium—but the copywriting space? It’s loud. There’s a lot of people (and robots, as the case now is) writing a lot of words. Particularly within the context of ChatGPT’s advent, I’ve found that diverging from the mainstream way of writing has been a lifeline. vWhen I was a baby copywriter, I was surprised by how many clients couldn’t tell me—or had never thought about—*how* they wanted their copy to sound. Like, not the topic or the content itself… but the tone, the personality, the use of language. It seemed inherently interlinked to me; how can you, as a writer, create what the client wants if you haven’t nailed down the minutiae of the voice that’s reading the words? Read more>>

Emma Rolader Martin

As a wedding and event planner heading into my 12th year in the industry, one of the things I do differently is challenge the outdated norms and traditions that often define the wedding planning process. So much of the industry operates on an adherence to antiquated ideas: brides must wear white, family invitations are obligatory, the father must walk the bride down the aisle, and, of course, there’s the bouquet toss. But we ask—what if you didn’t? We believe weddings should be a celebration of love and individuality, not a checklist of traditional expectations. Whether that means incorporating unconventional elements, ditching outdated customs, or leaning into new ones that resonate more deeply, we’re here to honor every detail that reflects the unique story of each couple. Read more>>

Joe Knaub

One thing that sets us apart from the industry standard is our hands-on approach to customer service. We believe in building personal relationships with our customers, ensuring they feel heard and valued every step of the way. Unlike larger companies that often rely on automated systems, we take the time to address each project directly, offering tailored solutions that fit each customer’s needs. This approach creates a more positive experience and helps us truly understand and serve our customers better. It’s a difference that makes a big impact, and we’re proud of the strong connections we’ve built because of it. Read more>>

Stacy Eleczko

As a copywriter, my job is to write words that persuade people to take action (buy a course, download a guide, book a call…). To do this well, it’s way more about the research than the actual writing. My clients often come to me because they need content for a website. But what we uncover is they really need a messaging strategy. We need to be able to clearly and concisely communicate what sets them apart and why their ideal clients should care. Read more>>

Andrew Shepherd

The overall structure of my brand, Lost Fox Creative, differs from the traditional format and process of commercial production, in that I’m a swiss army knife creator, with equal parts experience in filming, photographing, directing, producing, editing, and strategically distributing media across social channels. As the sole employee of my brand, it’s fallen on me to streamline my services and provide all I can for clients in the most efficient manner, while matching if not exceeding the quality of larger productions consisting of 10+ crew members, all with their own respective specialities and roles. Through this flexibility and lower overhead, I belong to an outlier crowd of solo creators to specialize in many aspects of the production process, rather than just one. This can be alienating in many ways as you’re always working alone. It also can be difficult to pitch yourself to clients and be taken as seriously as larger production agencies or crew sizes, and your constantly marketing yourself while producing projects for clients. However, the complete ownership of creative and direct line to the client helps form an end-result that matches lower budgets, remains flexible to changing conditions and factors, and demonstrates that high-quality commercial work doesn’t always require large-scale crews/budgets. Read more>>

Vera Vlasova

At V-Factor Social, we begin our work with every client by focusing on their long-term vision. Our process starts with a comprehensive Strategy Session where we help clients clarify their 1, 3, and 5-year goals. This ensures that every marketing initiative we develop aligns with their broader objectives. Clients walk away with an actionable roadmap and a marketing strategy tailored specifically to their business, designed to achieve measurable results. Unlike many agencies that offer “one size fits all” solutions, we craft unique strategies because no two businesses are the same. Read more>>

Marykate Cavanagh

I strive to give couples an incredible experience, and I can say that 99.9% of vendors I work with do as well. But what I find in today’s wedding industry as I’ve newly entered the fold as a wedding planner is, at times, a lack of awareness that this is THE day for this couple. Sure, it’s one of manyyy weddings you as the vendor might be working this month, but for them, this is the one. They say comfort breeds complacency, and when we get into a routine of doing the same thing over and over again, sometimes we can lose the spark of what makes it special. Like a teacher who’s burnt out from their 30-year career and has forgotten why they were so passionate about teaching to begin with. Read more>>

Samantha Simmons

Our team provides fully customizable services designed to meet the unique needs of our clients. This includes WEEKLY communication and maintenance, a level of dedication that is often unheard of with outsourced accounting services. We pride ourselves on building strong relationships with our clients, taking the time to truly understand their business operations and habits. This personalized approach allows us to offer proactive support, helping our clients identify and address critical issues such as fraud, missed revenue opportunities, and potential tax problems much sooner. Read more>>

Isaac Lekach

Given the economies of scale, it’s common for companies (especially independent ones) to use a uniform bottle shape across their fragrance lines to save on costs. While this approach can create a cohesive and beautiful presentation—especially if the bottle or cap is striking—it often limits a brand’s ability to tell a deeper story. At Flower Shop, Lillian and I draw inspiration from visionaries like René Lalique and Elsa Schiaparelli, whose groundbreaking packaging designs remain unparalleled even a century later. Their work reminds us that great fragrances are as much about presentation as they are about the scent itself. In today’s crowded market, where countless options vie for attention, we believe it’s time to return to this artistry. Read more>>

Boo (province) Zamek

Miami has no shortage of real estate agents, so it’s important to set yourself apart. At first this stressed me out. I thought, do I need to launch a gimmicky marketing campaign to make myself stand out? Do I need to learn how to “finesse” the truth to align with what my clients want to hear? I had visions of me making a spectacle of myself in order to force people to remember me. It just didn’t sit right. Read more>>

Briana Sandbakken

In photography, the moments that usually are captured are posed and sometimes, forced. Especially with children those manufactured smiles aren’t what we, as parents, truly desire. When I photograph my clients I engage them in conversation asking them silly questions and telling them funny stories to really bring out each unique nuance. The feedback I get from the parents is always so positive when they see the real expressions as well as the high-end quality of the portraits. Read more>>

Timothy Ring

As a real estate professional, I’m proud to offer world-class service to my clients. However, I believe it’s equally important to be upfront about how I structure my life and work. My family comes first, always. That’s not just a statement—it’s a principle I live by. I’ve worked tirelessly in the past, putting in the long hours and sacrifices that helped me grow into the efficient, experienced realtor I am today. I’ve reached a point where I know that being the best doesn’t mean being available 24/7. Instead, it’s about being present, focused, and fully committed during the time I dedicate to my clients. This approach allows me to give 100% without burnout, ensuring every client gets my best efforts. Read more>>