How to Be Different

Everyone wants to be different.

It used to pay to be the same, conform to what everyone else did because if you didn’t you would be voted off the island or abandoned by the tribe.

However today, it pays to be different. You get 10x more job offers, opportunities and promotions.

I’ve been thinking about this for years and now here is my comprehensive guide on how to be different.

Quick Disclaimer: Don’t just do all of these to the extreme. They are meant to be thought exercises to break out of a rut or a new strategy for finding success.

Also whilst a lot of these principles are for starting a new product line or business, you can apply this to your personal development. Regardless, knowing these principles will help you be a better contributor at your future job.

Even if you’re a data analyst, ops manager or administrative assistant - these principles are things you should know for how businesses can be different.

Do the Opposite

When I was starting out in my career, everyone wanted to become an Investment Banker. 10 years ago, no one was discussing entrepreneurship or startups in my university. However, I decided to find a small group of people who were doing the opposite. They were starting small projects and getting customers instead of trying to get an internship at a big investment bank.

What I found was after my degree, I had offers from big firms even without the internship experience or what everyone else had. I was unique and thought differently which made me all the more desirable.

Lesson: Write down what everyone usually does in your space and think of what the opposite would look like. Not everything will be a great idea, but every now and then you might come up with something.

Start with the Weird Ideas First

When you’re starting something new, don’t shy away from the weird ideas. Trust me, your project will become more conservative over time, so it’s best to start with the outlandish and unconventional.

Users don’t ask for weird ideas, they always ask for the more normal features and so if you don’t start with the quirky stuff first it just won’t happen.

Think of the following examples that redefined existing, monopolised spaces:

• Email → Hey.com: They started with quirky features like the “Screener” to approve or block new senders and the “Imbox” to prioritise important emails

• Browser → Arc: Spaces where you can have easier navigation between your ‘work’ space and ‘personal’ space. They also created mini arcs where it would open a mini browser when clicking on a popup so it wouldn’t disrupt your current tab.

Lesson: Start with the weird. Your crazy idea might just be the next big thing, and even if it evolves, it’ll retain that spark of originality that makes it special.

Do the Same Product but Target a New Demographic

Sometimes innovation isn’t about changing your product but about finding a new audience for it. This can mean targeting a different age group, gender, or even a new geographic market.

Look at the success of Nintendo. The Wii was revolutionary not because it had the best graphics or the most complex games, but because it targeted an entirely new demographic: families and non-gamers. While other consoles were duking it out for hardcore gamers, Nintendo went after your grandma, your little sister, and even your technophobe dad. The result? The Wii became a household staple, selling over 100 million units.

Lesson: Think about who isn’t using your product but could benefit from it. Shifting your focus can open up entirely new markets. If you’re building a career is there a skillset you have that might be more applicable somewhere else. For example, I see a huge need for marketers in the deep tech space - someone who is great at growth and understands science would be very hireable!

New Wrapper

Sometimes, it’s not about changing what you’re offering but how you’re offering it. If everyone has a digital newsletter, what if you started a physical newsletter that you mail to people?

Consider the case of Dollar Shave Club. Instead of competing directly with established brands like Gillette in the usual retail space, they changed the game by offering a subscription model. Razors delivered to your door, no more running out last minute to the store. It wasn’t a new product, just a different way of delivering it.

Lesson: Look at how you can wrap your product differently. Sometimes, a new delivery method can set you apart in a crowded market.

Find a Really Niche Area to Innovate In

Specialisation allows you to be more focused and personalised. Find a niche and dominate it.

Take YETI Coolers, for instance. Instead of trying to make coolers for everyone, they zeroed in on a very specific market: outdoor enthusiasts who needed durable, high-performance coolers. By focusing on this niche, they built a brand synonymous with quality and ruggedness. Their coolers might be overkill for a backyard BBQ, but for those who need them, nothing else will do.

Lesson: Going niche can give you a loyal customer base that values your specialised product or service over generalised competitors. As for your career, is there a more niche industry that makes sense. Rather than looking for data roles, is there a data analyst role that is at an anime company (which you are big fan of) which gives you an edge.

Do it at Level 12

If someone does customer support at level 10, what does level 12 look like? Maybe personalised phone calls to each person, instant 24/7 support, or calling customers before they even realise there’s a problem.

Zappos is legendary for its customer service. They don’t just respond to queries; they surprise and delight. There are stories of Zappos sending flowers to customers, upgrading shipping for free, and even helping a customer find a pizza place at 2 AM. Their commitment to going above and beyond has created a loyal customer base that can’t stop singing their praises.

Lesson: Think about how you can elevate your service or product to an unprecedented level. Break the frame and redefine what’s possible.

Most people are mediocre, what happened if you really raised the quality of your work. UX Designers who are the best in the world, will get the best clients, jobs and opportunities.

Build a New Category Altogether

Instead of waffles or croissants, create the new Croffles category. Innovation can sometimes mean creating something entirely new that doesn’t fit into existing categories.

Red Bull didn’t just enter the beverage market; they created the energy drink category. Before Red Bull, there wasn’t really a drink specifically designed to boost energy and mental performance. By creating a new category, Red Bull was able to dominate the market and become synonymous with energy drinks.

Lesson: Think about what new category you could create that meets an unaddressed need.

Adopt New Technologies Fast

Sometimes it pays to be an early adopter. Jump on new technologies quickly and become the go-to brand for innovation.

When Instagram Stories launched, a lot of brands took a wait-and-see approach. But some, like National Geographic, jumped on it immediately, using it to share behind-the-scenes content and engage with followers in a new way. By being early adopters, they gained a significant advantage and set a trend that others followed.

This will make you different because barely anymore has adopted it yet. Even if they have 1M users that is a tiny fraction of the world’s population.

Lesson: Don’t be afraid to jump on new technologies or trends quickly. Being a fast adopter can set you apart as an innovator and leader in your field.

Does this inspire you to start your own business?

Try out EntryLevel’s courses on growth marketing which can give you a head start on getting your product out there.

This was a little bit different but hopefully you enjoyed it. I think it will help you when you do work at a company. Knowing these principles and explaining them to your boss will make you look even smarter.