Doing things your way is one of the best parts of being your own boss and when done right seems to be highly correlated with outsized success. So, we wanted to gather real-world examples to shed more light on how the best artists, entrepreneurs and leaders differentiate themselves from others in their respective industries.

Jared Wierman

It’s exciting to get to participate in a time period where the ‘industry standard’ for most things is actually pretty awesome, compared to decades ago. With that being said, being able to elevate it and create new standards that drive the industry (thus becoming the new standard) are radical. It’s kind of how underground art becomes pop culture in 10 years… innovation is basically doing things ‘wrong.’ Read more>>

Holly Hungerford

Handled by Holly was created to provide couples with the best experience on their wedding day! We strive to provide our couples with a day they will forever remember, free of stress and full of special moments. Read more>>

Bart Weiss

In my filmmaking, film programming, writing and podcasting about film and video, I work and look for works that are outside of the mainstream. Read more>>

Sarah Church

It is no secret that when you say “realtor” most people think we are unethical salespeople who cannot be trusted. Unfortunately, some realtors in the industry operate their business as such, making a bad name for us all. Very few people know that roughly 80% of realtors sell less than 5 homes a year. This leaves the vast majority of business to the other 20%, the true professionals. With an industry that is grossly overpopulated and saturated, standing out is difficult. Read more>>

Diana Levy

Yes, unlike most food companies entering the market, we decided to build our own state-of-the-art manufacturing facility and manufacture our own products. By doing this, we have much better control of the supply chain as well as the ability to ensure the high quality and integrity of our products. We can more easily offer new flavors and products, work creatively and quickly with retailers, and have an innovative product pipeline. We can assure retailers that we deliver on time and do not have out-of-stocks. Read more>>

Rachel Labbe-Bellas

Eco-friendly and durable water dispensing stations for large public spaces – both hand wash and bottle fill options available. Read more>>

Sabrina Player

We teach several pieces of art simultaneously. We’re family owned and operated. My husband lost his battle with brain cancer and I was taken to a paint & sip and I realized that while I was painting, it was the first time, that I didn’t think of the pain. Read more>>

Michelle Wall

As a physical therapy practice, we stand out for several reasons among other practices. We offer in-home visits for pregnant and postpartum women. Most in-home physical therapy is reserved for those who are considered medically home-bound. We meet moms where they are at to offer convenience at a time in their lives when it is hard to leave the house! It takes a lot of extra time, planning, and effort to leave the house with a baby, so we take that barrier out of the equation. Read more>>

Leana Shayefar

Arebesk is known for creating the first luxury grip sock brand for yoga, pilates, barre and Dance. We are the first brand to introduce patented one of a kind designs exclusive to Arebesk as well as a double grip design which provides the best traction for your workout. We are also the creators of the first sock wash bag sold with each pair of our socks. Read more>>

Andrew & Dave Breunig & Trapasso

We have a lot of friends within this industry and we strive to meet other creatives as our business grows. It’s part of our ethos to work with and collaborate on different projects with people from all over the state. Read more>>

Michelle McFarland

As one of the largest, most successful bridal boutiques in the US we are in a unique position to source a lot of our own product. This means we can cut out the middleman and bring beautiful, high quality wedding dresses to our brides at a reasonable price. We also have control over design aspects in many cases which enables us source wedding dresses that are exactly what our brides are seeking. Read more>>

John Hintz

One thing we do, that’s different is quarterly events. Part of my vision from the very start was that we donate money to causes every quarter. This is not typical. And at times it’s challenging to manage it financially. But giving back is worth it. We donate tremendous amounts of toys every year to Toys for Tats. We have donated money to help build a veteran memorial, support families dealing with cancer, veteran organizations, the black and blue fund in support of police, Planned Parenthood, and numerous other causes over the past seven years. Read more>>

Danielle Rushton

The bra design and sizing system the industry uses today was developed in the 1930’s, nearly 100 years ago, with little innovation since. The industry’s current attempt at innovation is focused on size inclusivity – but their solve has been making more sizes of the same design. Although the right intention, this approach forces brands to carry even more inventory — in what is already one of the most size-intensive categories in the marketplace. (For example, Victoria’s Secret just acquired AdoreMe due to their size inclusivity of 77 different sizes.) Read more>>

Lauren Montgomery

Besides the basics of how you run a business in the bridal gown industry (samples, appointments, etc.) we run our business very differently from others in the industry. In an industry where shops have started charging for a “bridal experience” and offering up a tip field on the receipts for their consultants to make more money, we have opted to provide a very top-of-the-line shopping experience for no extra or hidden fees. Read more>>

Stacy Hooker

We actually do two unique things that would set us apart in the publishing world. First, we publish epic books with an optional literacy companion workbook for school-age parents to take advantage of, and second, we offer no-charge publishing advice to aspiring authors. I’ll discuss the second, beginning with a story. Recently, we attended an author’s conference and set up a booth to display books and publishing services. The event was wonderful, with many excellent speakers and accomplished authors who have found success in book publishing. Read more>>

Jeff Charlton

Typically most printers and mailers tend to focus on bidding on projects that have already been established by the client and often low price is the major factor as to who gets the order. This type of model results is a race to the bottom where no one can make any money. As a result, at least 70% of printers have gone out of business in the last 15 years. The ones that have survived are still shrinking. Read more>>

Sibahan Sanders

We offer a home like setting for pets and their owners to feel most comfortable while staying with us. No cages, lots of cuddles and love to go around! Lots of playtime and pool time if they desire! Read more>>

Briana Bruneau

This business venture started from my hobby and accidentally bringing home the remnants of it. In my free time I enjoy going to the gun range and recreationally shooting. One day I came home and was putting my equipment away and noticed on the bottom of my bag I had handfuls of empty shell casings. Talking with my boyfriend about this we thought we could make something cool with them. Read more>>

Samantha Parker

The online content world is filled with gurus and people shouting at you what success is. As a content creator I took a hard stand on blocking out the noise and creating content that challenged me, but also showcased what I loved. I was told over and over again to niche down, but the more I create, the more I understand that I am the niche. And by simply documenting what I love and what I’m doing, success is finding me. The opportunities are endless. Read more>>

Crystal Tseng

We are a full-service design studio. Instead of merely taking a large number of pictures, we put a lot of thought into every aspect of the shoot. From color scheme to lighting technique to tone and colors in all settings, ensuring the finished product allows for a coherent visually appealing art piece or beautiful story album. Read more>>

Alena Le Blanc

Coming from the fashion industry as a Fashion Designer, you see the waste that companies create. You see factories, the working conditions and the materials that are used. I don’t want to create more waste, or shop for women women without understanding them, and what they already own. It’s so important for me to help women create a style that is personal and authentic to them instead of just following trends. Read more>>

Amir Mahadi

Joshua Expeditions is committed to supporting various ministries and organizations with monetary donations throughout the year. When travelers choose to see the world with JE, they’re helping us rescue girls out of human trafficking, give scholarships to students in need, build homes for hurting families, provide food for hungry children, and impact low-income communities through our JE Ministry Fund. All at no additional cost. One of the most rewarding parts of our year at Joshua Expeditions is seeing all the ways that our Ministry Fund allows us to assist people around the world. Read more>>

Cecilia Smith

In a sea of booth renters, commission salons & spas, tiered pay, and glass ceilings – we pay with a system called Team-Based Pay. Team-based pay allows us to pay hourly, have team bonuses, 401(k) + health benefits, train with thorough training systems, break the ceiling of max pay, AND create long standing careers for skin care service providers. Read more>>

Rande Atcherson

I’m a practitioner of organizational change management. This field requires helping people manage through any organizational change, whether it’s changes in technology, process or people. I employ a standard change methodology to help organizations achieve their strategic goals and objectives. These efforts are critical if organizations want to sustain change and growth. Read more>>

Uncle Flood

I suppose the one thing I do differently than the majority of other artists in the industry is creating music with no expectation of reward other than the joy of creating the music itself. In other words, I try to keep the work as unadultered from outside influence as possible. This way the true essence of the song is the focal point. Read more>>

Breanna and Bridgett Terry

We have been in the personal training business officially for almost two years now & throughout this journey this far something that we do differently from others in the industry standard is the fact that we have been through a major fitness journey ourselves. We dedicated ourselves to creating a more healthier lifestyle by losing over 100 lbs together so we understand the rewards & struggles. Read more>>

Kate Eydelnant

Before starting Bobcat Raw Food, I was very uneducated consumer and trusted the shiny marketing of glossy bags I’d bought at large box stores. At the time, I was looking for the best foods I could feed my kitty Tuxy, and I kept running into raw food. At first, the idea didn’t resonate well with me. I later accidentally came across a phenomenal documentary called Pet Fooled, that made me aware of just how different pet and human foods are. The words on labels that seem to mean something, didn’t rally mean much at all in reality. So, I decided to take things into my own hands. Read more>>

Debra Anne Clement

I would say there are two things that I do differently. 1. My Approach to the Horoscope In some respects, I take a more fatalistic view of the horoscope. Decades of experience interpreting birth charts have convinced me that the horoscope is the shortcut to the soul. Far more than just a roadmap that reveals what the soul came here to do, it also reveals how the soul intends to do it, including gifts it brought forward, lessons it promised to learn, traits it agreed to assume, relationships it intended to develop, and conditions it planned to experience in order to accomplish its earthly purpose. Read more>>

Cynthia Ruf

My career has always been focused on the marketing/communications industry, but for the last 16 years or so I have performed those roles in the healthcare industry. I like to think I push past the typical healthcare marketing box by bringing in experiences from other industries and by being disciplined enough to focus on the research and data and then intuitive enough to bring in the critical component of emotion to creative execution. Last year I was lucky to find a perfect fit for my talents at an incredible addiction treatment and research center, Wellbridge. Read more>>

Miranda Cullen

Everything about what we do is “different from industry standard”. Our mission statement-“We believe interior design is more than just eye candy. We know it has the power to alter one’s surroundings, which can change their perspective, and ultimately transform their world. With our talented team, we partner with clients to bring their story to life- no matter the project size or budget. We pinch ourselves every day that we were BORN to do this! “ Read more>>

Chris Panjwani

To satisfy today’s impatient consumer who is used to two-day delivery on practically everything, many furniture retailers have started selling mass produced pieces, which are often made in factories abroad out of artificial wood substitutes. While this type of furniture often arrives relatively quickly and is cheap, that speed comes with a cost—quality. Read more>>