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.

Sparkle Jai

I love this question!!!! As a fashion designer you will always get more clients wanting you to duplicate a look they saw and loved. I don’t duplicate my own creations let alone someone else’s. With me you can get the same style but different color or pattern, I pride myself on creating original one of a kind pieces, and no amount of money can change that!!!! Read more>>

Jes DeShields

Since founding Crescent Leadership, I’ve stayed committed to ensuring our Vision—To restore the distinctive nature of leadership—guides us in every decision. One of the fundamental ways we diverge from the industry standard is by embracing a fuller definition of high performance. We define success more broadly than just improving the bottom line. Read more>>

Jackie Hackett

First and foremost, while I may not be unique in my practice and teachings, the nutrition philosophy and functional medicine approach I embrace diverge significantly from societal and corporate healthcare standards. Read more>>

Gary Trudell

We are part of an industry that is predominantly petrochemical based. This type of foam typically is what off gases and causes allergies, heat issues, and support issues. Read more>>

Mike Halland

Lifted Trucks was an independently owned truck dealership that started building custom trucks in the nineties. No big dealerships were doing this at the time and we had one of the first industry beta websites in order to promote our niche brand ideas. While many auto dealerships focused on pushing finance rates and high pressure sales lines, we stood out by promoting and advocating an outdoor LIFESTYLE and what people can do with our custom trucks to get away from the hustle and bustle of city and work life. Today, I like to say that we have been social distancing since 1995. Read more>>

Lindsay Duff

I work in the industry of Emini Futures Day Trading Education. In general, the standard for any kind of program that teaches people how to trade is not very defined and widely varied. Most programs have some sort of strategy that they teach in the form of an online course, and sometimes they have group classes or a trading room available as a resource. Read more>>

Shane Jasmine Young

I’m not a “traditional” lawyer. While my career started in “Big Law,” and I had the opportunity to be a corporate executive and General Counsel for a financial services firm, my heart has always been in service to our community. Throughout my 20+ years in the law, I’ve seen too many instances of people not having the proper information and resources to make empowered decisions, especially when it comes to the things that mean most: their families and businesses. Read more>>

Katerina Erbesova

I think it’s so important to differ. Anyone can go to school and study something or learn online in today’s environment, which is awesome. Education is power. However, I think if you really want to make a difference, you need to think things through and take action that others wouldn’t. Read more>>

Kelli Maxwell

When I first started in the marketing industry, I was trained by the good old boys. You know, the ones from Mad Men… the radio, television and newspaper salesmen. They all still utilized the tactics that worked back then and it was still very much a male dominated industry here in Montana. Read more>>

Chantel Oakley

Absolutely, as a health coach my approach diverges from the traditional emphasis on weight loss or performance metrics. Instead, I prioritize helping individuals remove shame from the fitness narrative, fostering a motivational environment based on hope and focusing on progress over perfection. Read more>>

Sally Baker

Small batches. I swoop in and use the fabric yardage that is too small a quantity for a for most labels. If there are only 20 meters of a fabric I love – boom! Then it becomes something. I prefer to use readily available fabrics vs. having fabrics printed. Less waste. Read more>>

Jacqueline Nguyen & Tina Vo

The balloon industry has undergone a remarkable transformation compared to its state a decade ago. It’s important to always find ways to challenge ourselves and think outside the box. When our clients provide us with a theme or specific color scheme, we find joy in exploring different avenues to enhance the installation by introducing various elements beyond mere balloons. Read more>>

AshLeigh Brodin

What sets us apart here at Avenue Blue Kc is that we are a one stop shop for all of our clients. We offer Design, Planning, Coordination, Event Rentals and Decor, Photo Booth, Bar Services, Make up and Florals. This allows our clients to communicate with One Vendor instead of having to keep track of multiple. Read more>>

Ho Son

People matter. Read more>>

Kelly Moscinski

At The Voicecaster, we pride ourselves on the ways we’ve been able to modernize to meet today’s standards while continuing the trusted and reliable “old school” ways of doing voiceover casting. Our approach is still hands on and personalized every step of the way. Though so much of the VO industry has become impersonal and virtual, we still connect with our clients, producers, ad agencies, etc. to really understand what they are looking for and find the best talent for each project. Read more>>

Arielle Juliette

It is the industry standard to only create dance studios, performance opportunities, and dance classes with only the young, thin, able-bodied dancer in mind. In fact, I dare you to do a Google image search for “dancer”- this is all you will see. Read more>>

Trevor Charbonneau

The funeral industry is very slow and resistant to change. Even though cremation has been around for thousands of years, it is not until recently that funeral businesses have embraced this form of disposition. There is a similar situation occurring currently within the funeral industry, and this time it is Aquamation. Read more>>

MONIQUE SALAS

What sets my lash business apart is a commitment to providing an unparalleled learning experience. Unlike standard one or two-day courses, we offer a comprehensive range of lash courses, spanning from 1 to 5 days, designed to cater to each student’s unique needs and skill levels. Our approach is not just about teaching techniques; it’s about fostering growth and confidence. Read more>>

Eddie & Edgar Flux Architects

At Flux Architects, we take pride in providing boutique personalized services to our clients throughout the entire process from initial sketches to completion of construction. At the initial stages, we work closely with our clients to better understand their specific needs and wants to then create conceptual plans and 3D renderings to help them visualize the interior & exterior areas. Read more>>

Laura Howe

Size is realative At Matrushka, we provide something almost no one else does: hand-made clothes that can be altered on the spot! It’s all about simplicity and great fit. Clothes should look great, be comfortable, and give you confidence for every occasion. In our shop, if you don’t find your size, we will make it for you. Read more>>

Jesi Hook

There are a few notable differences in what Vallure Agency offers. First, instead of viewing our work for client partners in shorter campaign sprints and short-term goals, we align to our client’s long-term business goals and develop intentional growth marketing strategies, intended on evolving and growing alongside you for years to come. We view ourselves as an integrated business partner. Read more>>

Elita Summers

Hi. Here is a blog post outlining some of this content. Read more>>

Matthew Troetti

At Never Ever Boards we like to meet everyone where they’re at. Upon someone entering into our store for a new board we ask exploratory questions to guide us in the best way to serve them and ensure that we provide the very best service every time to every individual specific of their wants and needs. Read more>>

Kathy Borie

I own the Poconos 1st and only award winning green certified cleaning business. My business has won Best Cleaning Business from our local newspaper best of the best awards 7 times out of 8 years. I’m also certified in infectious diseases cleaning. I love being eco conscious and being the only cleaning business in the area means a lot to me and my clients value my knowledge. Read more>>

Brian Austin

As a filmmaker and film lover, I always felt that there was something missing in the world of film podcasting. Whenever I looked for coverage on some of my favorite movies, there wasn’t any. That’s when I realized I needed to fill the gap I saw in the industry, and thus Mostly Arthouse was born. Read more>>

Lyss Wamsley

In today’s fast paced society, consumers have come to expect their products at their doorsteps in days. My clothing store Astral Vision Designs does things a lot differently, taking slow, sustainable fashion to a whole new level. Instead of having things in stock, sitting on the shelves, once a year we open our checkout and our customers are able to place their orders for any of the items in our shop, completely custom made for them. Read more>>