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.

Michelle Maclaggan

At Let’s Glo Ball, San Diego’s premier glow-in-the-dark event company, we’ve redefined recreational fun by lighting up courts for unforgettable neon nights on the courts. Unlike traditional sports events, we take the competition out and focus on fun, creating an inclusive experience that brings people together. From corporate events to school sports, pickleball nights, and pedal, we transform ordinary spaces into glowing playgrounds filled with energy, music, and connection. Whether it’s sparking school spirit with neon basketball or shaking up daily pickleball play, we deliver unique experiences that leave lasting memories. Let’s Glo Ball isn’t just about play—it’s about lighting up the community in new and exciting ways! Read more>>

Natasha Clements

Nurse Couture is not just a brand; it’s a lifestyle that bridges the gap between functionality and fashion for nurses. Unlike the industry standard, which often prioritizes functionality over aesthetics, Nurse Couture recognizes that nurses deserve to feel empowered, stylish, and comfortable both on and off the clock. We design scrubs and lifestyle pieces with a chic, modern vibe that celebrate nurses’ professional achievements and personal style. What sets us apart is our holistic approach. Exclusive Collections: We offer four distinct collections tailored to every aspect of a nurse’s life—The Stylish Standard for everyday wear, The Luxe Collection for premium luxury, the Off Duty Collection for downtime, and Everyday Essentials for accessories. Read more>>

Keilah Vandermeer

Leafsup is a company that offers convenient, nutrient-rich green smoothie packs made from fresh, locally-sourced vegetables. These packs contain five key ingredients—kale, spinach, collards, parsley, and mint—and are designed to make it easy to incorporate more greens into your diet without added sugars or preservatives. Leafsup stands out from other smoothie packs because it is made entirely from leafy greens, unlike most options that include fruits or added sugars. This makes Leafsup perfect for creating nutrient-dense smoothies and green juices without excess sugar or filler ingredients. Since most people don’t get enough veggies in their daily diet, Leafsup offers a simple way to add more fiber and essential nutrients from whole vegetables. It also serves as a great addition to dishes like soups, stews, sauces, and even baked goods, providing an extra boost of healthy greens to help you sneak in those much-needed veggies. Read more>>

Breanna Gray

In the beauty industry, using traditional hair color that contains harsh and toxic ingredients is unfortunately the standard. My own personal health journey with severe dermatitis opened my eyes to seeing the damage that these toxic ingredients can do to not only myself, but to my clients body and skin. Going through countless doctor visits and treatments to help cure my skin finally came to a head, when my dermatologist told me to change careers if I ever wanted my skin to be normal again. Hearing this news, and knowing a career change was not an option, we decided to look into alternatives and transition to non-toxic, holistic products without compromising the luxury and quality of our services. Read more>>

Bailey Elease

1. When I first began Bare Your Skin Photography, even before it got its name, my focus was always on authenticity and helping people feel seen and valued. From the beginning, I wanted to create an experience where clients could feel comfortable, confident, and true to themselves. A few years later, while the brand has evolved and found a more defined niche, that core message of embracing authenticity and empowerment remains at the heart of everything I do. Read more>>

Lesley Crawford

I love this question! Cannon Construction TX is proud of many of our standard business practices, but one in particular is that we prefer that our customers know they CAN change their mind as the scope of their project advances. What we do differently is that if we have not booked our trades or purchased the materials, then our client won’t be “nickeled and dimed” for change orders. Read more>>

Carolina Hannes

One of our differential is all our coaches truly loves coaching the sport of Beach Tennis. We do not only love to play and the sport itself but we love to teach and help our players to reach the next level. We do not do it for the money! We put all our energy into our players and our services. We are focused on the quality of all our services over quantity. Read more>>

Rev. Tade Credgeur

When couples decide to get married, they find themselves limited between a traditional, religious wedding or a scripted City Hall ceremony. This is especially challenging for couple’s who are spiritual, but not religious; couple’s who from two different backgrounds; religious lgbtq2+., or simply couples who want a personalized ceremony with creative and contemporary vibes. There are thousands of wedding Officiants in my area, but the majority of them have been ordained under a religion which is not inclusive of non-binary people and same sex couples. I am not only a woman, in a typically male dominated industry, but I am also open to marrying all people from every background and orientation. Read more>>

Yvonne Cano

In a world that often celebrates diversity, I found myself facing a striking absence of it in an industry I had grown to love—color analysis. As a woman of color, I was drawn to the transformative power of understanding how colors can enhance our natural beauty. However, as I delved deeper into the field, it became painfully clear that color analysis was predominantly portrayed through a narrow lens, one that primarily catered to white women. This realization ignited a fire within me, a desire to carve out a space for women of color in an industry that had largely overlooked us. Read more>>

Alexandra Zimmerman

At Not Your Mom’s Nail Studio, breaking away from industry standards has been at the forefront since it’s conception! It was very important to us that we were filling needs within our industry. We offer early morning and evening hours, this way you can get your nails done before or after work, so that you are not taking up your limited time off. We even offer “off hours appointments” for an additional fee, just in case you have a last-minute need for nails and we don’t have space in our “regular” schedule. We are kid friendly, meaning yeah, we offer kid services, but mostly we provide a safe and entertaining space for kids to come and be while their care takers are serviced. Our kids lounge is equipped with toys, tv and video games and a baby monitor so that the caretaker can observe the child but have a moment of safe separation. Read more>>

Isaiah Blackmon

The thing that separates the Gauntlet Fantasy League from being just another fantasy football league is its need and love of direct player involvement and how we, in turn, communicate that involvement back to all of our viewers and fans. The original idea behind the league was based on embracing the love that draws all fantasy managers back to the game itself every year; the immersion of owning your own NFL team. For us, that was the biggest aesthetic we wanted to give back to our members/fans and how we do that in our own unique ways is what makes us special. Read more>>

Greg Marinelli

Designwise was born out of a simple yet profound idea: to transform the typical dental experience, which can often be anxiety-inducing for patients, into a seamless, personalized, and comforting journey. I recognized that for many people, visiting the dentist was something to dread. From uncomfortable waiting rooms to rushed appointments, the typical dental office didn’t prioritize the emotional and psychological comfort of patients. So, we set out to do things differently. Creating a Concierge Experience in Dentistry Read more>>

Cori Mccann

Working in the beauty industry has its own set of standards. Often times as a stylist you are taught to focus on maximizing your services for more profit. You are also taught to heavily focus on capitalistic growth (and even told to upsell services your clients might not even need to make money!). These are all standards I heavily deviate from. Financially, I decided to switch my pricing from services to hourly rates. This has given both me and my clients a predictable financial budget as well as the opportunity to be more present with my appointments. I can spend my time focusing on client needs within that time frame, rather than fitting a result into a preset service. Read more>>

Lauren Elle

One thing I prioritize differently than others in my brand is my emphasis on quality over quantity. In today’s world, it’s common to focus on gaining a following and competing in the popularity contest that social media often becomes. When I started my brand 7.5 years ago, I also had that mindset. But I quickly realized that trends don’t align with the work of a metaphysician. The work of a spiritual advisor, alchemist, mystic, and metaphysician goes beyond mainstream appeal—it resides in a place often hidden from view, deep within society’s “taboo” spaces. Read more>>