It’s so tempting to look at a competitor—or someone else in your space—and assume their way is the right way.

We're all guilty of this at some point.

You see what they're doing and think:

I need to sell what they sell.

I need to fulfill how they fulfill.

I need to market the way they market.

It seems to be working for them—so won’t it work for me?

Not exactly.

Your strengths, vision, and audience are different. What works for them isn’t guaranteed to work for you—and vice versa.

Also, don’t overlook the possibility that you might bring more to the table than those you’re measuring yourself against.

Just because someone else failed at running ads doesn’t mean you will.

Just because another brand struggles to sell a premium product doesn’t mean you can’t.

Just because a competitor positions themselves a certain way doesn’t mean you have to follow suit.

That said, true mentorship—learning from someone who’s done it before—can be invaluable. But instead of looking for their step-by-step playbook to copy, try to understand how they think. Learn what and why they believe what they believe so you can start navigating your business in a new way.

At the end of the day, you have the freedom go your own way—to define your own reality.

It will prob feel pretty uncertain early on... and following your gut may feel like a huge risk. But staying true to what makes you unique is always the better bet—even if you stumble a little along the way.

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Song of the day​
​Sunbather by Deafheaven​