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.

Zuzia Kudasik

As a sustainable graphic designer, I emphasize my work’s innovative use of materiality and eco-friendly design practices. In short, this means that I aim to create printed design work that is carbon-neutral, and pushes the traditional boundaries of graphic design. This led me to a design for change project, using recycled natural materials to comment on the harmful nature of current consumer waste habits. When working on my project, “Into the Sea: Poster Triptych”, I questioned the materials that are seen in traditional designs and showcased innovative printing and typography methods as sustainable alternatives. Read more>>

Hannah Schumm

Typical clothing brands launch with several options and have to commit to 100s, if not 1000s for minimum orders. We do small batch production to eliminate waste, save money and give ourselves opportunities to perfect our product. Most clothing brands, especially children’s clothing brands, are manufactured in Asia. We do all of our sourcing in North America and everything is physically made in Kansas City Missouri. We are really proud to contribute to the local job market and economy in this way. It does make my overhead more expensive and some of my materials a lot harder to source. Read more>>

Eric Granahan

Our company started more than 20 years ago, with Sean working at a small pool hall in Laurel, MD. In those days, each pool hall had a small assortment of cues, cases and accessories for purchase. With the growth of amateur leagues and pool novices, many people were too intimidated to visit these types of places to purchase equipment. Read more>>

Nicholas Webber and Jacob Jordan

I think our whole model is different from the industry standard. We see a lot of restaurants focusing more on architecture and interior design than on hospitality and cuisine; not to take away from the importance of beauty and a sense of space but they often feel more like photo opportunities than comfortable spaces. What we really strive for through 24 Sun’s Pop Up dinners is bringing back the adventure of going out. Part of that is not having a space of our own, we’re nomadic if you will. Read more>>

Ayaka Sano

Something I am very passionate about as a photographer is being able to accommodate clients of all skin tones. I think as a professional in this industry (whether you are a photographer, makeup artist, or hair stylist) it is extremely important to 1) care about how to make each client look their best and 2) train and learn and practice methods to be able to achieve this. I have had many clients of color tell me their previous experiences having photos taken where their skintones were muddy, gray, orange, or some other unflattering shade. Read more>>

Miranda Reger

We began Harmonie House Images in July 2022 to provide brand photography services to local, women-owned small businesses in and around the city of Charlotte, NC. From the beginning, we wanted our work to be more than just new brand photos and updated headshots. We wanted to serve our clients by singing their praises and promoting their businesses, and we wanted to find a way to stand out in our saturated market. The best way we knew how to do that was to be truly interested in them as fellow business owners, women and neighbors. Read more>>

Dara Chike-Obi

At two months postpartum with my first child, I was a full-time attorney while simultaneously working towards my MBA. We don’t have family in Austin, so I HAD to rely on a comprehensive network of support including my husband and nannies to make sure our baby was fed…and at baseline kept alive when I was at work or at school. It was in this space I looked for products that not only addressed my baby’s concerns, but also my needs as a busy multi-tasking mother who depended on others from day 1. Read more>>

Courtney Gonzales Marcella Sadlowski

Sol Root approaches farming as a healing arts practice, where working with land, water, and cosmic energies to cultivate plants is nourishing to our body, mind, and spirit. We weave together farming, astrology, ancestral veneration, ceremony, and ritual to create spaces where people can reconnect with nature and ultimately themselves. We offer space where heavy hearts can transmute pain into beauty through farming, and where helping something grow helps us grow, as people, and as a community. Read more>>

Marcus Donaldson

One of the things I like most about GOOD AZ BBQ is that we have a “Donate A Meal” option where anyone from around the world can purchase a meal and have it donated to a local community member who may be experiencing homelessness and or food insecurity. Since launching last summer, we have donated dozens of meals already. Read more>>

Missy Caris

2023 marks Primped’s 9th wedding season! We have grown our team of artists and that has come with some awesome advantages that set us apart. Having a bigger team gives us more of an emergency buffer, in the unfortunate event that an artist becomes sick on someone’s wedding day, as we have more people to help out in the case of an emergency. It also allows us to make sure we are pairing each client with an artist who will be a great fit for that person’s specific style. Read more>>

Vero Perez

My unique perspective on film production sets me apart from others in the industry. I specialize in using vintage, antique, and analog camera and video production gear meshed with , which is a bold departure from the digital age that dominates the film industry today. This approach gives me a distinctive edge in creating a unique style that stands out from the rest. Read more>>

Barbara Guimaraes

Most definitely. I look at each business opportunity as a numbers game. When you breakdown the process and structure your action plan step by step, suddenly everything is possible. Read more>>

Melissa Bloom

The stop-motion animation industry is made up of incredibly talented artists who handcraft characters and sets and then animate them to life on screen. Unfortunately, industry standard involves many toxic and wasteful materials and practices. Think: styrofoam, urethane resins, expoxy glues and clays, and synthetic paints. Professionals are working with these materials daily and surrounded by these toxins whether or not they are the ones creating with them. What’s more, these toxins are permeating the air, sent to landfills or washed down the sink drains into the ocean. Read more>>

Aminat Odunewu-Seese

Muslim women of various racial and cultural background often experience challenges with managing their various daily responsibilities and routines, while attending to the core tenets of their faith and its daily practices. The work-life context of the United States makes it especially challenging to navigate these roles. The products offerings through Striving Flawlessly aim to address these challenges by providing innovative and efficient tools for Muslim women who want to persevere in their faith while excelling in their various roles as career women, educators, students, and home makers. We offer stationary tools that support Muslim with organizing their day-to-day activities through our planners, post-it notes, reflection prompts, and journals. Read more>>

Denine Williams

I am a certified CRMP (Control Risk Management Professional) with over 24 years of combined experience in Lending and Financial Services and Regulatory Compliance Oversight. We empower and support entrepreneurs who are struggling with the complexities of understanding the IRS Tax code and obtaining long-term financial wealth. The tax profession industry is mainly focused on the money that could be made with 3-4 mos. instead of educating the clients to save money & mitigate audit flags. At DWCA, we do it differently; our core values include educating the customer base on our DWCA G.R.A.C.E model. Read more>>

Melanie Hawkins

Most of my books share important messages. These message include empathy, friendship, and have topics such as mental health, anxiety, excessive worry, anger management, pessimism, uniqueness, disability awareness and inclusion, and many more. Books that share a message, or teach a moral are NOT industry standard outside of the self publishing world. I turned down a traditional publishing contract so that I could share the messages that I felt that families, children and parents needed. Read more>>

Eddie Escalante

I am definitely doing alot of things very different from others and industry standards. I truly believe what works for you might not work for others, so its very important to try many strategies, learn what fails and move on to the next! Being original is important, taking inspiration and influence is great too! Read more>>