Hey there,

Last year, my husband started teaching yoga at a local farmers’ market.

As someone who loves to sleep in, waking up before 10 a.m. on a Sunday was a shock to my system. But when I found out one of the vendors, Roast & Brews, sold an Orange Americano (that’s orange juice and espresso—wild, I know), the pill became a lot easier to swallow.

I’ve been tagging along to his free yoga classes (10:30 a.m. at Amqui Station Farmers Market for those local to Nashville!) and have loved the community we’ve become a part of. After 10 years of searching, we finally found a CSA that was reasonably priced for our small family of two. My husband gets an empanada from Taste de Lima every week. And I sip citrusy espresso between down dogs.

I’ve seen a lot of vendors come and go.

This year, two different bread vendors showed up. Both are great. But it’s starting to feel like only one will stick around. Not because they aren’t selling out, but because one of them is struggling to stand out.

And on the roller coaster that is 2025, I think we’re all feeling a bit of this.

It seems like there’s no room left at the Freelance, Fractional, and Consultants table. Everyone is already working with someone else. You’re constantly being undercut by someone charging less or overlooked in favor of someone with more experience.

The competition is real. But you know that saying, if you can’t beat ‘em, join ‘em? 

That’s this week’s issue of Brand Burnout 🔥

Back to the Bread.¹

One vendor (let’s call them Booth A) sells bread—and only bread. Their signage is clear. Their line is long. Their sourdough is pricier. And honestly? I prefer it.

The other vendor (Booth B) also sells—you guessed it—bread. But you wouldn’t know it right away. Their table has focaccia, a few wheat loaves, some tomatoes, and whatever else came up in their garden that week. Their sign features a very cute dog.

Last week, I overheard Booth B’s owner audibly roll their eyes at the long line forming at Booth A. They muttered, “Their line is always so long. We sell bread, too!”

Sure—but do people know that?

If you’ve ever thought, “I do [insert service here],” or “I offer the same thing as so-and-so,” I’ll ask you the same question.

Do people know that?

And do they know why they should care?

If I were your brand strategist—or these bakers’ brand strategist—here’s how I’d recommend you move forward:

Pick a Lane (and Stay There)

I’m not a big fan of niching by industry.

I know, I know—some of you are already muttering, “But Jamie…” And listen, I get it. But my career path has been squiggly. I’ve worked with tourism bureaus, tech companies, fashion brands, mental health nonprofits—you name it.

So if the idea of picking a single industry makes you break out in hives, I hear you. That kind of niche isn’t always realistic—or even desirable—for folks like us.

But what is helpful? Being known for one kind of work. Not everything you can do. Not everything you have done. But the one thing you want to be hired for.

That’s what makes you memorable. That’s what gets people to refer you. That’s what helps you stand out when the farmers’ market feels crowded.

In other words:

• Not tomatoes AND squash AND focaccia AND yeasted loaves.

• Just: focaccia and loaves.

• Or (even better!): sourdough only

So if you’re a designer, be a designer. Let your brand—and your website, and your intro emails—make it easy for people to know how to work with you and if you solve their problem.

That doesn’t mean you can’t do other things. It just means you lead with the thing you want to be known for.

Get on Your Competitor’s Level

Anyone (and everyone) can pay a fee to get a table at the farmers’ market. But not everyone can show up with a clear presence that commands trust (and dollars) from attendees.

The folks who do gain this trust (and have the long lines) are the ones who are invested in their craft, their presence, and yes, their brand.

Think back to our bread vendors. Booth A has a professional kitchen (that means no “This was made in a home kitchen!” sticker), clear signage, and a focused product line. Booth B is baking from a home kitchen, mixing breads with garden veggies, and is relying on a cute dog to catch attention.

Both are putting in effort, but each earns a different kind of trust and authority from customers.

I don’t really care if you’re DIY’ing your brand and business setup or working with a professional. I care about the difference that comes from investing not just money—but time, attention, and courage—in building Your Thing™.

Because if you aren’t willing to invest in your own business, why would your customers be excited to invest in you?

Investing here means slowing down to think more strategically (and not just hustling to cast a wide net). It means asking yourself the uncomfortable questions.

Why didn’t I win that last project?

What problem do I solve better than anyone else?

What problems am I not great at solving?

Where am I too close to my own work?

Who do I enjoy working with (or selling to)?

Who drains my energy?

Investing means getting fresh perspectives on your positioning from someone who can challenge you and help you sharpen your message. Sure, go to a professional, but you can also tap a trusted confidant (or competitor!) over coffee.

Find Ways to Collaborate

When you’ve built trust (within yourself and with your customers), you gain a sense of clarity that can lead to increased confidence and comfort in a competitive market. The other bread vendor still shows up every Sunday, but now that you’ve got a distinct position, you’re able to see your competitors not as threats, but as potential collaborators.

While you’re busy making focaccia—I mean websites—your competitor is making sourdough—I mean visual identity systems. Your complementary skill sets can expand your offers. Your shared audiences can lead to mutual referrals. Partnership reduces the pressure to compete on price.

You’re opening the door to deeper, more meaningful relationships.

Instead of asking your competitors, “Wow, your line’s always so long—where do you get clients?”² You get to say, “What other problems are your clients running into?” And maybe—after you’ve built some rapport, “Want to team up for something?”

In the bread world, this might mean collaborating on a sourdough focaccia or sending a quick “I’m thinking of selling a jalapeno loaf this week—I wanted to make sure you aren’t selling a similar flavor,” text to help you set your menu.

And in the B2B service world, this could mean doing a newsletter swap, co-hosting a workshop, entering a formal referral agreement, subcontracting when things get busy, or co-pitching large projects.

You don’t need the longest line

Your biggest competitors probably aren’t better than you. But they are clearer. They’ve made decisions you haven’t yet—about what they offer, who it’s for, and how they show up.

And the good news is, you don’t need bigger, better, faster, and bolder to keep up with them. You need clarity, so your customers (and competitors) don’t have to squint to understand what it is you do and why it matters.

And when you get that, you’ll stop fighting for crumbs. You’re not stuck in the race to the bottom. And you’ll (hopefully) stop measuring your work against someone else’s.

Instead, you become like that Orange Americano I love so much. Unexpected. Incredibly specific. And the thing that will get some folks out of bed before 10 a.m. on a Sunday.

Thanks for reading,

1  Possible memoir title?

2  My least favorite question any self-employed person can ask.