No matter what amazing ideas you have for a business, it’s likely someone else is doing something similar already. But that doesn’t mean that you should be discouraged! Competition is healthy, and if you work hard, you can find a way to distinguish yourself from your business rivals and come out on top.

Robin Janssens is an entrepreneur in many different spheres and actively works on three companies. He has built an accounting agency, a marketing agency, and a driving school for Uber drivers. “I knew that I wasn’t making the first marketing agency in the world, and that many people had started their journeys before me,” Janssens said. “However, I knew that I could set myself apart from them.” Step one is to find what makes you unique. What edge do you have over other companies? “If you’re not confident that you can beat these other businesses, your competition will pick up on that and crush you.” 

You should also be dedicated to and passionate about your work. If you can show customers how much you love what you do, that energy can be infectious. Don’t forget to hire passionate staff members too. “If you’re working your hardest but your team is phoning it in, you won’t succeed. Only pick people who show that they’re serious about your vision.” You’ll need to enlist a marketing agency or do some marketing yourself. “No one can buy your products or services if they’ve never heard of you. Build unique ads and social media profiles after studying what your competition puts out. Make your point of view different and interesting.”

Very few ideas are 100 percent unique. But if you can set your new business apart from its competitors, you stand a chance of becoming the top dog in your industry.