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.

Brian Daniel

In the domestic staffing industry, 99% of the agents don’t come from the private service industry. In other sectors, customers turn to “experts” to solve their problems: lawyers, doctors, contractors, etc. But, in household staffing, the “advisors” have never walked in the shoes of the people they represent, so there is a significant disconnect in the industry. Read more>>

Marisol Ortega

A priority for us is to bring empathy and understanding into what tends to be a very stressful and difficult time for our clients. Where others may focus more on just increasing revenue, we strive to set ourselves above the rest by also making sure our clients feel confident and comfortable during the sale process. By bringing more transparency to our clients, through itemized end-of-sale reports and consistent communication, clients can feel more secure in their decision to work with us. After all people are our clients, not just their stuff. Read more>>

Rachael Short

I have a small photography gallery, Gallery Exposed in Carmel, California. I don’t run this gallery as a traditional gallery, I like to share the work of other local photographers from the area and use the space more as a cooperative space rather than a traditional gallery space. I want other photographers to be able to share their art with the public and I like creating a space for them to do that. Read more>>

Sallie Pruitt

At Pruitt Resources, we pride ourselves on breaking away from traditional marketing industry norms in several impactful ways. Our business model is designed to offer flexibility and empowerment to our team members and clients, setting us apart from the typical agency structure.

Firstly, we do not require retainers from our clients. This approach allows businesses to engage with us on their terms, adjusting the scope of work and level of involvement based on their evolving needs each month. This flexibility ensures that our clients only pay for the services they need when they need them, making high-quality marketing support accessible and cost-effective. Read more>>

Salena Rochester

I spent 12 years overseeing unscripted shows for Bravo, E! and Peacock. I started my career after taking a leap of faith in my mid-twenties. I walked away from a teaching position in one of the higher paid districts in the country to make a mere $12/hour as an NBCU page. I knew that I wanted to work in film and television. I grew up writing stories and was a student of film and television. As a kid, I studied how films were produced without knowing it. I assessed a director’s work and would often accurately predict who the future Hollywood star would be in my favorite teen shows and films. I was right about Christina Ricci, Gabrielle Union and Emma Stone to name a few. I had huge dreams and goals when I landed my first job in TV. Since that job was for an unscripted network and I started to rise among the corporate ladder from executive assistant to vice president, I didn’t know that my goals would be squashed by limited corporate beliefs. Read more>>

Jamie Redding

At Refocus Behavior, we intentionally create an environment that fosters a unique and empowering culture. Firstly, I’ve designed our company culture to be one of empowerment, autonomy, and accountability. We operate as a flatarchy, which means every team member has the decision-making authority to make decisions that align with our values and KPI goals. This structure fuels innovation and ensures everyone’s input is valued. Read more>>

Christine Bertacini

In my industry, I’ve found a distinctive edge by combining my passion for photography with my background in marketing strategy and luxury branding. Before going full-time with photography, I worked on The Agency RE’s marketing team where I guided real estate agents through branding exercises to help them find their unique value proposition. Read more>>

Travis Terrebonne

At Gengatorz Power Systems, we distinguish ourselves by offering a highly personalized customer experience, emphasizing rapid response and adaptability, particularly in disaster scenarios like Hurricane Ida. Unlike many in the industry, we prioritize customer needs with tailored solutions and maintain exclusive partnerships with top-tier brands such as Kohler, Generac, and Cummins. Our integrated services—encompassing sales, installation, and maintenance—ensure consistent, high-quality support. Being locally owned, we have a deep commitment to the Gulf Coast community, allowing us to provide region-specific solutions and build strong customer relationships. Read more>>

Jennifer Evarts

The battle over “clean” beauty products is well-known. We see all kinds of advertisements for “natural” and honestly want to believe these products are good for us. But the fact is, the beauty industry doesn’t have a standard for “natural,” so there are a lot of definitions and a lot of variations. I think if we look at the majority of labels at the store or even on our products at home, we’ll find ingredients that are not needed or even possibly harmful. While each person has the right to decide what ingredients and products they’re comfortable with, we take a pretty clear stand. When I design a new product, I’m always thinking about what ingredients I’m using and why, as well as whether they’re needed at all; for example, we only use pure essential oils in our products. While there might be “clean” fragrances out there, we believe essential oils are better and the only truly “natural” fragrance. Does this mean that we make less money on our products because essential oils are more expensive than fragrance oils? Yes. Does it mean that we won’t compete with soaps scented like raspberry or “fresh linen”? Yes. But we stand behind our mission to send out the very best, most natural products into the world. Read more>>

Jessica Roberts

At Harmonized Horsemanship, I’ve embraced a unique, heart-centered approach to horse training that prioritizes empathy, compassion, and mutual respect over traditional dominance and submission methods. Instead of forcing compliance, I focus on creating a partnership where the horse is an active participant in the process. This approach not only enhances the horse’s mental and emotional well-being but also fosters a deeper, more fulfilling relationship between horse and human. I put a lot of focus into teaching people how to slow down and be present. I want to help my clients find mindfulness and peace while they’re with their horses. Read more>>

Sandy Tabacinic

One of the things that makes me stand out from the rest of the industry is the fact that I look at construction and remodeling from a woman’s point of view. Every detail in design and construction is geared towards family life, and the way you run a home. From closet spaces to fun Design. Every detail will take into consideration an entire entire family. Read more>>

Cambria Griffith

I focus on highly customized problem solving and prioritize productivity & creativity equally. I’ve heard clients’ common struggles when it comes to creative consultants or freelancers falling off track or lagging on projects, so I keep that as buttoned up as possible. When I work with a client, it’s not just creative deliverables cranking through, but a heavy amount of project management and coaching, too. That’s not to say hours go wasted on just talking and sending updates – it’s about having useful project management tools available and tailoring communications to fulfill a client’s needs and make sure we are aligned. Read more>>

Bharath kumar Arekapudi

Traditional mental health care approaches, while commendable for their contributions, encounter significant limitations that warrant scrutiny. Accessibility remains a pervasive challenge, with many individuals facing barriers to seeking and receiving timely care. Stigma continues to cast a shadow, dissuading individuals from seeking help due to fear of judgment or societal repercussions. Moreover, conventional mental health care often adopts a reactive stance, addressing issues after they have escalated. Read more>>

Leah McCrary

Cookies are hardly a new endeavor. In fact, the competition in the “luxury cookies” space is fierce, compounded by the fact that everyone has an opinion about cookies: a favorite flavor, style, and even brand of cookie. My philosophy is based on the idea that a really good cookie is so much more than just a cookie. Rocket Doodle Cookies are created with the strong belief that food, comfort, and love are closely intertwined. Cookies have the unique ability to connect us to cherished memories, to people and places. The role of texture, smell and flavor engages the senses, stirs our emotions, and leaves a lasting impression. Rocket Doodle Cookies are made by hand, in small batches. They are about connecting with people, speaking a language through the craft of baking that communicates love, appreciation, kindness, and gratitude. Read more>>

Larissa Flite

Absolutely. When people think about what social media managers do, they think of making content and posting it but I have only recently added in content as one of my offers.

My specialty is engagement. I am in my clients accounts daily, talking to their ideal customers, followers, and new accounts to grow brand awareness and strengthen their relationship with their community. Interacting with your community is just as, if not more, important than posting every day. Read more>>

Andrea & Brooke Herbert

As a company, both Brooke and I are committed to coaching and training with integrity. For us that means providing tips, resources, and movements that are sustainable over time. Most fitness influencers are aiming to show authority in this wellness space by claiming to have the “one secret recipe for weight loss” or “the diet that finally gave me results.” These claims are intended to gain followers, sell products that the influencer gets a financial kickback, or to hire the trainer because they have a “secret” that nobody else has. It’s false advertising. Read more>>

Jocelyn Graening

Shopping pre-loved and used clothing has exploded in recent years, with many major retailers now offering buy back programs for their items. However, by hosting local in person events where community members can shop in person for used clothing and accessories we are able to minimize our carbon footprint by obtaining sellers and clothing locally and reselling it locally. Further, this allows shoppers to touch, feel, see the items in person before buying them-quality they can see. Read more>>

Liana Mollo

One of the things that I feel sets my practice apart from other spas and beauty professionals is my understanding of mental health and beauty. I have a social work degree from ASU and focused on mental health and counseling during my time there. As an acne specialist, I find many correlations between someone suffering with breakouts and anxiety, self esteem and mood stability. I do my best to be intentional with every client, truly listen to their goals and concerns and guide them with empathy and compassion. I book out extra time with each client to make sure we are covering their consultation throughly and answering any questions needed. I make sure clients know I am available for support throughout their treatment plan and home care regimens. Read more>>

Tonja Lindsay

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