What If Your Difference Is Your Superpower?

Pillar: Stand Out

In hospitality, blending in often feels like the safer choice.

It’s easy to look around at what’s working for others and feel the pressure to follow suit. To soften your voice, polish your brand, and round off the edges that make you feel too bold, too honest, or too niche.

But here’s the truth most people won’t say out loud:

When you try to be like everyone else, you lose the one thing no one else can copy—what makes you unmistakably you.

And maybe—just maybe—that part you’ve been hiding or second-guessing is the thing that will make you stand out.

There’s a quiet expectation in this industry to follow the pattern. Lean into what feels safe. Adopt the tone, the aesthetic, the menu style, the voice that seems to be working for someone else.

But standout hospitality businesses aren’t built on trends. They’re built on conviction.

The brands people remember don’t blend in. They stand for something.

And more often than not, that “something” isn’t loud or slick or perfect—it’s personal. It’s grounded in the lived experiences, values, and vision of the people who built it. It doesn’t always fit into neat marketing categories. And that’s exactly why it works.

You didn’t start this to fit in. You started it because you saw a different way.

Maybe you were disillusioned with corporate hospitality. Maybe you wanted to lead with more care, more purpose, more humanity. Maybe your concept didn’t fit the mould—but it felt right to you.

That reason still matters. It’s your compass. It’s what anchors your decisions when things get noisy. And often, it’s what your best-fit customers are actually looking for—something real.

There’s a common misconception that niche positioning is limiting. That being specific somehow shuts you off from growth. But in truth?

Clarity is a magnet.

It doesn’t just attract—it repels. And that’s a good thing. Because when you’re clear on who you’re for, you stop wasting energy on who you’re not.

The most resilient hospitality brands don’t try to appeal to everyone. They create something people want to belong to. Something that feels like it was built for them.

And when people feel that? They come back. They bring others. They become part of your story.

Your values. Your voice. Your vibe. Your vision.

Not everyone will get it. And they’re not supposed to.

Because in a sea of sameness, difference is the thing that makes people stop. It’s what makes them choose you. It’s what makes them feel something. It’s what makes them come back.

So if you’re feeling too niche, too emotional, too honest, too off-centre… you might be closer to your superpower than you think.

Lean into it.

That’s where the real magic is.

This article is grounded in one of the Five Pillars of Stand Out Hospitality, as featured in my upcoming book—a heartfelt guide to building a business that works for you, not just because of you: Set High Standards, Stand Out, Define Your Identity, Build Belonging, and Tell a Great Story.