"So... how do we actually stand out?"

That was the question a startup founder asked me over coffee last week.

They're building something with considerable merit, but they're in a noisy, crowded category where everyone looks and sounds the same.

Our chat centred around how they could offer something meaningfully different, not just say different things, but actually be different in a way customers value and competitors can't easily copy - no small feat.

It was a good conversation, and it got me thinking, this is another good topic for "A Decidedly Useful Guide".

So, here is 'A Decidely Useful Guide to Differentiation'.

It's for any business trying to escape their category's sea of sameness and find themselves an edge, a space, an advantage.

Inside, you'll find practical ways to define, design, and deliver a difference that actually drives growth, not just decoration or fluff. I've also included some examples and questions to help you reflect on the material.

If anything, it should spark some interesting conversation.

You know where to find me if you'd like to have one.