I used to think acting like a big brand would make me look like a big brand.
Slick signs, robotic scripts, bland color palettes. Even my hours started mirroring Starbucks.
I figured that if I could mimic their polish, people would trust me more.
And then I realized what I was really doing: sanding off all the edges that made my business worth remembering.
People don’t come to a neighborhood wine bar because it feels like an Olive Garden.
They come because it’s weird.
Because the server knows their name and their go-to bottle.
Because the chalkboard says something borderline inappropriate that makes them laugh.
Because we aren’t perfect.
We don’t need “brand guidelines.” We need a pulse.
The second I embraced that, everything changed.
We started leaning into who we actually were: quirky, honest, a little rough around the edges.
And people responded.
They brought friends just to show them our nonsense wine list descriptions.
They followed us online to see what dumb thing we wrote on the sandwich board next.
They told their coworkers, “You’ve gotta check this place out, it’s a vibe.”
Not because we were slick.
But because we were real.
Stop trying to look like the company you’re not.
Stop trying to be like everyone else.
Your business isn’t built for mass production.
It’s built for personality, connection, and showing up like a real human.
That’s your edge.
That’s your brand.
Don’t dilute it with some watered-down, corporate-approved version of what you think professionalism looks like.
Real people crave real.
Give it to them.
Real Talk
Trying to polish your business into oblivion is a fast track to beige mediocrity.
People are craving something human. Something with guts.
If you’re a little weird, lean into it.
If you’re opinionated, show it.
That authenticity isn’t a liability. It’s your advantage.
Action Steps
- Audit your customer touchpoints; menus, signage, social media. Are they you, or are they a knockoff of something safer?
- Replace 3 generic phrases in your marketing with something only you would say.
- Ask your regulars why they keep coming back. Then do more of that.
TL;DR
You’re not a franchise.
You don’t have to act like one.
Double down on the things that make your business weird, real, and unforgettable—and you’ll attract customers who actually give a damn.