When I was about fifteen, I got my first job working at a small local café around the corner from my house.

It was pretty bare-bones. 

A small counter, eight chairs out on the footpath, and limited seating inside.

The menu was nothing fancy — coffee, toast, eggs, pretty much like every other café.

But there was one thing that got immediate attention: the name.

It was called Double D’s Café.

A double entendre, named after the two owners — Deb and Debra — who also happened to be larger women. The name fit in more ways than one.

It was a cheeky name in a neighborhood filled with many other cafés. The name and personality got attention.

Diners would chuckle. It stuck in people’s minds.

At the time, I didn’t think much of it. I was just stacking plates and making coffee.

But looking back now, it taught me a massive business lesson: In a world where most things are a commodity, standing out is everything.

Being Different

Most people try to compete by doing the same thing slightly better — faster coffee, nicer bagels.

But the real move — and the hardest move you can make — is being bold enough to be different.

They had figured out what made them unique and leaned into that.

I’d see some people walk past Double D’s, roll their eyes, and go find somewhere else. That’s okay — they were never going to be the café’s customers anyway.

If they had a brand that tried to appeal to everyone, it would mean nothing to anyone.

A good brand attracts AND repels.

The real risk wasn’t offending someone. It was being so bland and forgettable that nobody even noticed the café!

I have now seen that the best companies figure out how to stand out and escape the noise. The more competition, the stronger their commitment to differentiation.

And here’s the catch: It’s not enough to be just a little bit different.

The difference needs to be big enough to tilt the decision in your favour.

They could have named it Debra’s Café. Greenwich Coffee. Local Bakery. Safe. Predictable. Boring.

But a safe and boring marketing strategy churns out safe and boring results. It’s inoffensive. Hard to criticise. Easy to forget.

Changing Course

That early lesson sat dormant in my mind for years.

I was pretty average at school. Maybe known for basketball, but that was about it.

When I finished, I did what you're supposed to do — good grades, good job in finance, an office tower in Sydney. Ticked all the right boxes.

On paper, life looked great. But inside? I knew I was just another face in the crowd.

After a few years, I realised I was just another ambitious, suit-wearing finance guy chasing a dream that didn’t even feel like mine.

I was working hard, blending in, but not forging my own path.

In 2014, I decided to change course. I left finance, moved overseas, and switched up my path completely — and that’s when everything shifted.

I stopped blending in. I started betting on being different.

Because the truth I realised was that blending in is safe. But standing out is where the growth and adventure live.

I learned that lesson washing dishes at Double D’s.

Are you blending in or bold enough to be different?