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.

Jeni Maus

The reason I started Found Rental Co in 2010 was because there was a lack of specialty furniture rentals in the event industry. Literally, I couldn’t find a single rental company across the country that offered vintage furniture to the wedding and event industry. Read more>>

Zach and Kyndle Erhard

There are many ways in which we are different than any other small business in our industry. The first being that we are first generation farmers, making us extremely unique. Read more>>

Sarah Haimes

The difference between my designs versus the industry standard is that my dresses are adjustable in size. I create dresses that adjust at the waist and upper back to fit many sizes in one single dress. Read more>>

Emily Rucker

Waist Bead Envy was created less than 1 year after COVID-19 hit the US. As a result, I was faced with the challenge of accommodating clients and new customers with more intimate shopping opportunities. Read more>>

Jennifer Fields

We recognize that leaders across organizations dedicate immense effort and countless hours towards guiding their entities, yet often face challenges in maximizing their impact due to communication barriers and misunderstandings among stakeholders. Read more>>

Krystal Gillis

Tighties was created on the premise of new standards. We wanted to help active people remain active with the effectiveness of orthopedic bracing but the usability and comfort of traditional activewear. Read more>>

Elizabeth Tkachuck

I’d like to approach this topic as if there are two different standards: a corporate standard and an industry standard. When I first started working with small businesses, I was under the impression accounting was being done in a manner similar to the way I had been doing in the corporate world. Read more>>

Jesse Peters

At Zone Traxx, we pride ourselves on our commitment to breaking barriers and redefining the standards in baseball and softball analytics. Unlike the industry standard, which often prioritizes high costs and limited accessibility, we have made it our mission to provide affordable excellence to players and coaches at all levels. Read more>>

Ali Lile

While I wouldn’t say it necessarily falls under the title of industry-breaking, per se, I would say that within the realm of web design, certain people in the entertainment industry kind of have a neglected presence online. Read more>>

Jenni Morris

Mortgage Lending has a reputation for being a transactional, sometimes stressful process of selling debt, and I don’t believe in that concept. Buying a home is a step towards financial abundance, for family stability, for building wealth, and it is a journey, not a transaction! Read more>>

Lauren Meinhold

At Lauren Meinhold Design, I prioritize fairness and transparency in my pricing, ensuring that my clients receive the best value without any hidden fees. Read more>>

Jam Anderson

As the founder of Jam AI, I’m proud to lead a woman-owned business in the rapidly evolving fields of AI and technology. In an industry where female representation is still catching up, our company stands out not just for innovation but for fostering inclusivity and empowerment, especially for women. Read more>>

Heidi McDowell

Unfortunately, in the US everything is a business and monetized, including the support and care we receive on our journeys to and through motherhood. Read more>>

Paula Hawkins-Guy

R3 Station (Rehabilitation Restoration Relazation Station) has provided over 24 years of skilled occupational and massage therapy services to the Grand Rapids’ community. Read more>>

Tracy Knake

What I feel I do differently from the industry standard is create products with the main focus being on aromatherapy and the therapeutic properties of medicinal plants. Read more>>

Lloyd Dangle

I work with leaders, companies, and organizations to help them think better and transform something––their businesses or themselves. This is complex, hard, and often risky work. Read more>>

Casey Berglund

I am a former registered dietitian and yoga teacher who now works in the coaching industry, supporting noble leaders with doing their world changing work in the world while scaling their 6-, 7-, and 8- figure businesses. Read more>>

Lena Grundhoefer

The biggest difference between what we do at ZEITGEIST Labs and our competition is we always consider the data. We are constantly researching what’s happening across the industry and internet so that we can keep our clients at the forefront of whatever trends are happening. Read more>>

Christopher Williams

Yes I make and create films using my iPhone 6. My films are also out of the box they are extremely interesting to say the least. I also put great talented actors mostly unknown actors in my pieces. Read more>>

Ivette Kuyateh

Kuyateh Law Group is an award winning San Diego law firm focused on helping families protect their assets and peace of mind. We go beyond just showing up for court or drafting estate planning documents. Read more>>

Jessica Kuhnen

I own both a private mental health practice and a boat chartering company. I often guest lecture at the University of Chicago around decolonizing spaces and as a result try to integrate standards of practice that defy those norms. Read more>>

Sarah Saxty

Absolutely, and I believe that divergence from the industry standard is not just a choice but a necessity for small businesses, I encourage founders to embrace their grassroots energy and turn it into a state of possibility. Read more>>

Nigel Walwyn

In 2015 I walked into a major distillery to meet with the head of operations about my concept to create a real fruit and rum liqueur line. They told me to use artificial flavors because it’s the least expensive path to market and everyone does it that way. Read more>>

Katie Brennan

Education! I love educating my staff and making sure we are on the cutting edge of the industry. I want to bring new things to the spot light. Getting by and doing things “the way we have always done it” doesn’t cut it for me. Read more>>

Aryan Govil

The engineering team at Synaptrix Labs makes regular visits to clinics to engage with therapists and patients. Surprisingly, this practice represents a significant departure from the norm in the assistive technology and biotech industries at large. Read more>>

Eric Roy

The idea behind Hydroviv is fundamentally unscalable because we build water filters, specifically tuned for each customer’s water, one at a time… while all other companies were (and continue to) mass produce one-size-fits all products. Read more>>

Julie Jordan

In the hair industry many people love the aspect of the doing hair and being creative which is definitely part of what we do however it’s not always that way. We are a customer service business, your guest is your first and top priority and making them feel their best is the only focus. Read more>>

Stebs

As a freelance filmmaker for the past 13 years I’ve seen the industry shift and change in so many ways. I began my career before the world really had a handle on what the internet really was and long before social media existed. Read more>>

Chanda Moore

The industry standard for a typical golfer has always been privileged white males. Today, we are seeing a shift as many females and minorities are picking up the sport. Read more>>

Laura Patterson

We are reworking the way we train students and teachers in yoga. -This year we have launched how we are training yoga students to become better students of the practice and possibly share their practice as yoga teachers. Read more>>