Doing things differently often leads to outsized results and so we connected with some of the most inspiring leaders and trailblazers we know and asked them to go into detail about what they do differently relative to others in their industry.

Reuben Swartz

Traditional CRM (Customer Relationship Management) systems are for the VP of Sales to keep track of sales reps’ activities. But what if you’re an independent consultant? You’re effectively the VP of Sales, the VP of Marketing, the sales rep, the marketing intern, the CEO, and you’re trying to spend as much time as possible actually serving clients. Traditional CRMs tend to drive you crazy. Read more>>

Morgan Buchas

MDB Photography is not just a photography company that shows up, takes pictures, delivers them and moves on to the next client. I take pride in truly getting to know my couples. From how they met, how they proposed, what their dogs name is or even what their favorite date night spot is. In my opinion, truly knowing your couples makes their photos that much better. Read more>>

Joslyn Crowl

In a digital world, it is so easy to take a photo, email it off, post it on social media and forget about it. I started photography when it was film. I had to wait two weeks for the photos to come back from a lab (this was even before 1-hour photos). I remember running to the mailbox so excited to see the photographs! Praying that THE “shot” I got would look as fabulous printed as it did through the eye hole of my camera. Read more>>

Arianne Traverso

The coaching industry is booming lately and how do you know what coach to hire when you’re bombarded with ads daily! Seeing this phenomena I created a different coaching program where marketing + coaching become one! It’s time for clients that are paying $10,000 for coaching to then have to hire designers to build them funnels and websites. What if it all happened under one roof? This is what we do at Evolved Creative by Arianne Om. We help turn your ideas into tangible assets that will help generate leads with ease and flow! Read more>>

Sandra Dohnert

I come to photography from the point of view of a song writer. So there’s a direct link between what I feel, the soundtrack it evokes in my mind and what I aim to show in my photos. I am not sure this is an industry standard, and I hope I didn’t just lose you there… but it’s definitely my angle. Read more>>

Auri & Michael Cuan

Just Juice is a health-conscious Cold pressed Juice and Smoothie bar that focuses on serving healthy and delicious all natural Juices, Smoothies, Bowls, and more to help our customers make the most of their day while bettering their health. Read more>>

Jama Pantel

I feel like this is a loaded question. In the portrait photography industry, our biggest differentiating factor is ourselves. Having the courage to put your true self out there is intimidating, especially if you are an introvert like me. Read more>>

Natalie Grun

My practice is a group of dietitians that specialize in eating disorders. What makes us stand apart is how we support our clients in their relationship with food. We believe in an all foods fit approach. This is our mission: To support people in all bodies to heal their relationship with food by creating more flexibility, for food to take up less brain space, and redefining what health looks like to the individual. Read more>>

Leeza Ochsner

From the first client meeting to the final website launch, my goal at Freshly Brewed Copy is to help impact-driven entrepreneurs get their website words flowing and businesses growing with more clarity, confidence, and calm. While every copywriter’s job is to deliver website copy that connects and converts, I take an experiential approach to website copywriting that looks at how strategy, copy and design ALL flow to create a memorable brand experience and a website that works for my clients around the clock. Read more>>

Theresa Worthy

The DEI issue continues to be a high priority with most organizations, but many have grown frustrated with their efforts. Most people will agree that inclusion is not a given by-product of diversity. I encourage my clients to examine inclusive workplaces through the lens of innate creativity—the type of creativity we all have. When we turn inward and use our minds to think of better ways to approach inclusion we can rest assured that new ideas and processes will present themselves. My mantra is “think inclusion.” Read more>>

LB Adams

The professional development industry is wide and varied, and so much of it is dependent on slide presentations and monotone lecturers. We’re different because we root all of our trainings in theatre strategies. That means that participants will have fun, they’ll learn, they’ll question what they thought they knew, and most importantly, they’ll DO. Interactive and experiential learning combined with a sense of humor provides our clients with really impactful and memorable training. Read more>>

Deyna Libiran

I offer programs focused on maximizing human potential and performance. With that being said, the acupuncture is there to make sure people don’t forget to take themselves along for the ride. Read more>>

Monica Marie Jones

Coaching generally consists of a conversation between the coach and the client guided by the client’s objective for the session and powerful questions asked by the coach. The coach actively listens to the client and moves them toward an action step or goal based on what they’ve shared by the end of the session. Read more>>

Marcela Homrich

The items that we sell in the shop (cards, art, jewelry and more) are designed and handmade by me in our studio. I strive to design and launch new artsy and unexpected items almost everyday. Read more>>

Beth McIntyre

At our new venue, Villa Festa, we include the accommodations of the property as part of the package. We sell the idea of weekend weddings. Many venues have an option to add on rooms or a stay but few include it as part of the experience. Our slogan is – “Your Home for Weddings and Events”. We want couples to make Villa Festa their comfortable home base for a weekend with friends and family! Read more>>

Sean Petrie

I’m not sure there is an industry standard for what I do! I mean, there definitely is for traditional poets and authors, and I wear that hat sometimes. But the typewriter poetry aspect is this wonderfully novel activity that doesn’t really have established standards: someone comes up to my poetry table at an event (like a corporate conference, book festival, museum exhibit opening, etc.) and gives a topic for whatever they’d like a poem about. Read more>>

David Hercenberg

Ever since I was a little boy I looked up to Superheros even though I knew they were not real. Superheroes are meant to inspire. I realized I could literally save the day and inspire people all around the world by simply being present. A lot of other companies are in the profession for motives other than to help their fellow man. I don’t consider myself working because it’s not work it’s fun. Read more>>

Kayleigh Carpenter

When I decided to open a store, initially my thought was a witchy, pop culture gift shop where you could buy crystals and lots of interesting gifts and unique items from women-owned, POC, and LGBTQ+ brands. That has slowly shifted based on customer needs into a metaphysical shop that leans heavily into pop culture with ties to the feel of a 90’s Spencers / witch shop. The ones where you would walk in and see tons of crystals on tables, with racks of incense, intention candles, things hanging from the ceiling. You know the vibe. Read more>>

Natalie Julien

Our mission with SheZen Mono Hot Pot wasn’t so much to change industry standards, as it was to apply them in a different way. As a corporate executive chef, health protocol, safe food service, and overall attention to cleanliness detail was a discipline that one should strive for everyday as a professional. Read more>>

Wilneshia Ballou

I’m definitely more of an educator. I enjoy it, teaching my clients and ever customers that reach out to me about how to address their skin concerns. And I’m grateful to be able to recommend any product from our brand that helps those concerns. Read more>>

Nikki Winston, CPA

As a CPA exam coach, I have personally experienced the same struggles as the CPA candidates who join my program. When I was studying, I realized that sifting through phone-book style textbooks and monotone videos (that repeated the same things from those books) isn’t the way to pass the CPA exam. I needed to see real-world applications of accounting concepts, understand how studying would translate in my job, and it was important to have access to CPAs who looked like me for guidance and support. Read more>>

Iva Osei-Kuffour

Yes; I refer to myself as an artist/entrepreneur. I create beautiful wearable art and have built a business from it. Now I am apart of a business collective and play a major role as the Vendor Liaison. With this position I manage 20+ business owners. Read more>>

Shalet Monique

I believe in others even when they don’t believe in themselves. So when they are connected to me, they do not have the option to quit on themselves nor to give up. Read more>>