– BY MADDIE CRAIG | 2023
Imagine you and your friend are asked to make cookies using identical ingredients and the exact same recipe. They may turn out very similar, but chances are the cookies won’t taste exactly the same. Maybe one of you interpreted "a pinch" differently than the other, or one tray baked just a little longer, giving it a different level of crispiness and "golden brown" color you expect. 🍪
The same concept applies to business too. Even if on the surface it seems like other companies offer the “same” products or services you want to provide, no two businesses are identical.
There is always room to take your unique passions and talents and use them to create something truly special and meaningful. You simply need to tap into the secret sauce that makes your business one-of-a-kind. ✨
Defining Your Unique Flavor
First, reflect on what drew you towards wanting to start your own business in the first place. Get clear on your motivations, gifts, and interests to hone in on your distinctive value.
Ask yourself:
Why does this business idea excite me?
What skills, perspectives, and personality traits do I bring to the table?
How can I pour my strengths and passions into this work?
What niche needs or customers could benefit from my approach?
Once you get clear on your talents and motivations, look for innovative ways to combine your ingredients to cook up specialized offerings. Blend different categories, tap unmet needs, incorporate your cultural background, fuse profit and purpose.
For example, a marketing firm focused specifically on supporting health & wellness industry brands. Or a vegan bakery that focuses exclusively on wedding cakes/large scale catering because you know how hard it was to find a great option for a fully vegan-friendly dessert for your own wedding.
Find connections that feel authentic to you.
Baking Up Your Own Batch
With so many businesses offering similar products or services at face value, it can be tempting to compare yourself or think that the market is “too saturated.”
But really there’s room at the table for EVERYONE! The key is committing fully to your special mix of skills, perspectives, and interests without diluting it to seem like someone else.
Be unapologetically you and serve up exactly what makes your business special.
Experiment, get creative, don’t be afraid to fail. Test out your concepts with your target audience and ask for honest feedback. It may take some refining to land on the ideal blend of offerings unique to you and your business. But the end result will be a business that is true to you!
When you combine purpose with your talents and true self, you attract the right customers who value and celebrate your one-of-a-kind contributions.
You do YOU when it comes to your business. Stir up your own special blend of skills and interests and serve up something people will love!
Meet The Author
Maddie Craig is the founder of Blue Cypher Bookkeeping, a detail-oriented bookkeeper, and definitely a “numbers nerd”! She is passionate about helping organizations understand the full story of their financials and using it to make more confident decisions and grow strategically. She has experience working with a wide array of clients, including small businesses and non-profit organizations. When not crunching numbers, she and her husband enjoy traveling, being active in the community, and sharing their love for good food with friends and family.
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