If you’re a small business owner, you’ve probably spent a lot of time looking at what other people are doing. You scroll through Instagram, look at your competitors’ websites, and read articles titled “The Top 10 Things Every Successful [Your Industry] Business Does.” You try to follow the blueprint. You use the “right” colors, the “professional” logo, and the same marketing slogans as everyone else.
It feels safe, doesn’t it? Like you’re following a map that’s supposed to lead to success.
But here’s the hard truth: that map is leading you straight into a trap. It’s a trap called being interchangeable.
Think about a factory that makes machine parts. Every single bolt that comes off that assembly line is identical. It has to be. It has no story, no personality, no unique flaws or strengths. If one bolt gets lost, another identical one takes its place immediately. No one notices. No one cares.
The industrial world runs on this model of interchangeable parts because it’s efficient. But you, the small business owner, are not a bolt. You are not a interchangeable part. You are a human being with a story that no one else on this planet can tell. And if you let the industrial model convince you to sand down your rough edges and hide your unique past, you are making the single biggest mistake you can make in business.
Your business doesn’t need to look like everyone else’s to be professional. It needs to look like yours to be successful.
The Story of the Beignet Baker from the Congo
I once worked with a incredible woman who had started a small bakery. She made beignets—those delicious, pillowy French doughnuts dusted in powdered sugar. Her initial branding was… cute. It had a classic bakery font, an illustration of a coffee cup, and soft pastel colors. It was fine. It was safe. It looked exactly like a hundred other bakeries you’ve seen.
And because of that, it was completely forgettable.
What I learned about her, once we started talking, blew my mind. She was a refugee from the Democratic Republic of Congo. She had learned the art of French pastry not in Paris, but in Africa. Why? Because the DRC was once a Belgian colony, and the influence of French cuisine and language was part of her world. She learned to master delicate pastry techniques in a place of incredible hardship and resilience. Her journey to America and her creation of this bakery wasn’t just a career choice; it was a testament to her strength, her culture, and her amazing ability to adapt and create beauty anywhere.
And her initial branding had completely erased this unbelievable story. She was selling “beignets,” but her competitor down the street was also selling “beignets.” On paper, they were the same. By hiding her story, she had made herself interchangeable.
We changed everything. We rebuilt her brand around her journey. Her social media posts started telling the story of French cuisine in the heart of Africa. Her packaging used colors and patterns that nodded to her heritage. The bio on her website didn’t just say “loves baking”; it told a story of resilience, cross-cultural connection, and a unique culinary path.
Suddenly, she wasn’t just selling beignets. She was selling a story of triumph. She was selling a taste of a place and a journey her customers had never experienced. People didn’t just come for a snack; they came for an experience and a connection. They came to be part of her story. Her business didn’t just grow; it became a landmark. She was no longer a interchangeable bakery—she was the only one who could do what she did.
She had always had this superpower. She just didn’t know she was allowed to use it.
Why We Try to Fit the Mold (And Why It’s Killing Our Businesses)
We try to look like everyone else because we’re scared. We’re scared that our unique story is too weird, too off-putting, too unprofessional, or just not what people “want.”
We think:
“No one will take me seriously if I talk about my failed career as a musician before I started this accounting firm.”
“My customers just want a good product. They don’t care that I’m a former teacher who started this landscaping company to help kids learn about nature.”
“I need to sound corporate and big, so I’ll use all this boring jargon on my website.”
This is the voice of the “industrial model” in your head. It’s trying to make you a smooth, featureless, interchangeable part that fits neatly into the machine. The machine doesn’t like outliers. The machine wants predictability.
But your customers aren’t machines. They are human beings. Human beings are hardwired for story. We connect with people, not with polished, empty logos.
When you hide your uniqueness, you create three huge problems for your business:
You Become a Commodity: If your branding and messaging are identical to your competitors’, then the only way you can compete is on price. This is a race to the bottom. You will constantly be undercut by someone bigger, faster, or cheaper. Why would a customer pay more for your identical-looking product or service? They won’t.
You Attract the Wrong Customers (and Repel the Right Ones): Generic branding attracts generic customers—the ones who are just shopping for the lowest price. The customers you really want, the ones who will be loyal, who will love what you do, and who will tell their friends, are looking for a connection. They want to buy from a person, not a corporation. By being generic, you are invisible to them.
You Burn Out: It is exhausting to pretend to be something you’re not. Trying to sound “corporate” when you’re a laid-back creative person drains your energy. Hiding the very things that make you passionate about your work makes your work feel like, well, work. Your authenticity is your fuel. Without it, you’ll run empty.
How to Dig Up Your Unique Story (And Start Shouting It)
You might be thinking, “That’s great for her, but my story isn’t that exciting. I didn’t learn to code in a jungle or start my business after a dramatic life event.”
I’m here to tell you you’re wrong.
Your story isn’t just about dramatic events. It’s about the unique combination of your experiences, your skills, your failures, your passions, and your weird little obsessions. No one on earth has the same combination that you do.
Here’s how to start uncovering your unique value:
1. Connect the Dots Looking Backwards.
Steve Jobs famously said, “You can’t connect the dots looking forward; you can only connect them looking backwards.” Your life is a series of dots. Sit down with a notebook and answer these questions:
The Origin Story: Why did you really start this business? Was it frustration with how everyone else was doing it? Was it a hobby that got out of hand? Was it a way to solve a problem you faced in your own life?
The “Unrelated” Skills: What did you do before this? A waitress learns multi-tasking, patience, and how to deal with difficult people. A construction worker learns project management and the value of a solid foundation. A parent learns negotiation, logistics, and unconditional patience. These are not “unrelated” skills! They are superpowers. How does your past career make you better at what you do now?
The Philosophy: What do you believe about your work that most of your competitors don’t? Do you believe a plumbing job should be spotless? Do you believe a website should be accessible to everyone? Do you believe food should connect us to our community? Your “why” is a story.
2. Embrace Your “Flaws.”
What do you think is a weakness? Maybe you’re “too small” to handle big orders. Maybe you’re “too old” and not trendy. Maybe you’re “too detail-oriented” and slow.
Now, flip it. “Too small” means you can give personalized, attentive service that big companies can’t. “Too old” means you have decades of experience and wisdom. “Too detail-oriented” means your work is flawless and built to last.
Your greatest flaw is often your greatest competitive advantage when framed correctly.
3. Infuse Your Story into Everything You Do.
Your story isn’t just a paragraph on an “About Us” page. It’s the soul of your brand. It should be woven into everything:
Your Website and Bio: Don’t just list your credentials. Tell a story. Start with “I never thought my experience as a nurse would lead me to start a tech company, but…”
Your Social Media: Share behind-the-scenes glimpses of your process. Talk about why you chose a certain material. Introduce your team and their stories. Show your face! People buy from people they know, like, and trust.
Your Products/Services: Can you name your offerings after something in your story? Can the packaging reflect your heritage or your philosophy?
Your Customer Service: How can your unique story change how you interact with customers? If your story is about resilience, how does that translate into your warranty or guarantee?
You Are the Antidote
The modern world is full of big, impersonal, industrial-style companies. Customers are tired of it. They are craving connection, authenticity, and meaning. They want to know that the money they spend is going to a real person with a real story who cares about their work.
You are the antidote to the industrial model.
You are not a interchangeable part. You are a singular, unique, incredible creation. Your business is an extension of that.
The world doesn’t need another copycat bakery, another generic consulting firm, or another freelance designer with a portfolio that looks like everyone else’s.
The world needs what only you can bring to the table. It needs your story. It needs your perspective. It needs the unique combination of skills that only you have.
So stop trying to blend in. It’s the riskiest thing you can do. The truly safe move is to be so uniquely, authentically you that no one can ever replace you.
Unearth your story. Polish it up. And then shout it from the rooftops. Your customers are out there, waiting to hear it.
Grab my book! https://amzn.to/45Cm2ky
Hi, I’m Heather.
Let me help you scale your Utah $1M+ biz to $20M+
My credentials:
- Built & sold Queen of Wraps (yep, that’s my face on the side of I-15)
- Learned 1,769,230+ lessons so you skip trial-and-error
- Zero Ivy MBA (just pioneer grit + market-tested tactics)
Let’s talk if you’re:
- Ready to work on your business (not in it)
- Hitting $1M+ and knowing you’re built for more
- Have 10+ employees that need to see your vision
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