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.

Shant Hamassian

Absolutely. We believe a strong I.P. can thrive on any medium. Our specialty for our company, Fantastik Beyond, which is a horror entertainment startup, is that we embrace the role of a studio that does not focus on live-action, but fully digital real-time engines which helps us simultaneously develop films, video games, with VR ports and experiences for a fraction of the cost. Read more>>

Miriam Airington-Fisher

Harvard economist (and Nobel prize winner) Claudia Goldin has called law a “greedy profession,” referencing how the field of law is historically demanding of time and energy when compared with other professions. Read more>>

Kaitlin Nares

When you think of a law firm- you think of men, billboards and courtrooms. Our law firm is not like that, we are a company ran by women who are moms, and we are virtual! Read more>>

Chelsea Perry

1) Musical Focus: Unlike the other products which center around holiday-themed storytelling, the Bristle Whistle places a unique emphasis on the Tooth Fairy with incorporating music. Read more>>

Blair Glaser

I’m going to talk about my leadership coaching for this one. Most executive coaches focus on the strengths and weakness of the leader, and try to improve the leader. Read more>>

Mary Jayne Wilson

We are a food business that is centered around local food. All of our meat, dairy, eggs and most of our produce comes from local NC and SC farms. Read more>>

Janki Patel

At our therapist-owned company, we pride ourselves on diverging from the industry standard in several key ways that reflect our deep commitment to our employees and clients. Read more>>

Victor Manley

One of the main things we do differently from the industry standard is adding our personalized touch to every piece. I think of it like home cooking, every article is created with love. Read more>>

Abigail Rose

Blended Sense operates in the between: an archaically structured film industry and unregulated, self taught videographers and photographers. Read more>>

Joyce Chung

Goodies is a first generation Snack Shop & Market – which in many ways means we do things a little differently than typical industry norms, Read more>>

Patrick Stern

At Broderick & Co. (the holding company DBA Uncle Tim’s Cocktails) we are very new in the category of Distilleries. We have had a learning curve on what the regulatory elements are vs the tech/restaurant/eCommerce world that we come from, providing much larger hurdles for us to overcome to get our playbook in place. Read more>>

Tyler Schmitt

I’ve been running my own photography business since 2000. (Got a photography degree and everything!). More than most photographers I do a ton of variety. Read more>>

Melissa Struttmann

At Osage Hills Retreat, we take pride in our unique approach that prioritizes our guests’ individual experiences and needs. We focus on creating a nurturing environment where guests can fully immerse themselves in their crafting passions and connect with others on a deeper level. Read more>>

Lindsay Crockett

I have had the good fortune of being on both the commercial and residential side of design. Something I often saw lacking in residential design is project management. Read more>>

Roger Leysath

Our HBCU international experience is a curated trip series that gives you all the vibes of your favorite HBCU homecoming experience, without having to wait until October to feel the love. Read more>>

Geoff Thatcher

When the pandemic hit, we decided to publish a book during the “three weeks to flatten the curve.” While it took five weeks, we published “The CEO’s Time Machine” in April 2020. Read more>>

Nathalie Bonafé

In a world of geopolitical tensions, economical insecurities, burnouts, fake persona and artificial intelligence, I believe in simple human values. In the business world, we often hear about the importance of technical skills, qualifications, and the ability to produce results. Read more>>

Jason Adams

I feel that in the maker industry it’s common for small businesses to create a handful of products that sell and then pump as many of them out as quickly as possible. Read more>>

Chris Pieta

When I was stuck in my 9-5, I wanted out. It’s funny actually. My goal wasn’t to become a professional photographer. It was to build a business that would replace my 9-5. Photography just happened to be the thing I was good at. Read more>>

Alexandra Robyn

Absolutely! After over 150 weddings, you really learn what matters on a wedding day. So many photographers focus on the “must-have” photos, that you can really lose focus on what matters. Read more>>

Ashley Fiocco

A key difference between Ashley Fiocco Designs and most other interior designers is that I work with clients on budgets, and volunteer my time to design for those who have very little money to even purchase furniture, let alone afford to hire a professional interior designer. Read more>>

Jessica Lewis

What sets Mobu Enterprises apart is our innovative approach to using shipping containers for construction. Unlike traditional construction methods, we’re all about sustainability and efficiency. Read more>>

Marquise Jones

Bringing the best of both worlds of DJing and Live music to Weddings and Corporate events. I specialize in DJ – Hybrid entertainment. Performance with a Live DJ and Musicians. Read more>>

Jeannine Davison

We make a fully biodegradable edible cup. It’s a single-use container that disrupts conventional thinking about compostability. What does that mean? Our cup can be composted in 7.8 billion locations around the world – the human digestive system. Read more>>