Generic Advice Won’t Get You There. Bold, Bespoke Action Will.
I was sitting in my kitchen this morning, coffee in hand, listening to the hum of life around me: the tomato sauce bubbling on the stove (using up our homegrown tomatoes which are STILL going), the light shifting across the table, my notebook open with scattered scribbles. And I started thinking about all the founders I talk to, those quietly ambitious people trying to make their mark. So often, they tell me the same thing: “I need to know what works.”
The thing is, generic advice, cookie-cutter formulas, “do this to succeed” mantras will only get you so far. They’re like instructions for someone else’s shoes, not yours, which when trying to fit into them can be exhausting.
Above: Freshly picked from the polytunnel
Above: Tomatoes, Tomatoes, and you’ve guessed it, Tomatoes!
Why Following Someone Else’s Blueprint Can Hold You Back
What if the business you want, or the impact you want to make, can’t be found in someone else’s roadmap? What if the only way forward is by noticing which parts of your business are built on generic advice and asking yourself: Does this feel like me? Or am I just following a script I picked up somewhere else?
This isn’t about handing you a method or a checklist. It’s about perspective. It’s about curiosity and experimenting. It’s about noticing where you might be trading your instincts for the illusion of certainty, and whether that trade is really worth it.
My Journey: From Following Advice to Finding My Own Path
A few years ago, when I was running my Brand Strategist business, advice came at me from every angle: “Do this social strategy.” “Offer that package.” “You must niche like this to succeed.” And for a while, I tried it all. I followed the steps, the formulas, the trendy ideas.
But every time, it felt… off. Misaligned. Like I was acting out someone else’s version of success, not my own.
The breakthrough didn’t come from following instructions but came from noticing what felt alive to me:
Which ideas sparked my curiosity?
Which tasks made me hum with energy?
Which advice felt heavy, dull, or unnecessary?
Gradually, I started experimenting. Small, personal choices that made the business mine. Some things failed. Some surprised me. All of it taught me more about my own rhythm, my instincts, and my capacity to design a business that truly worked for me.
That quiet whisper inside, the one nudging you saying, “This isn’t really you” is your bespoke compass. Listen to it.
Above: Utterly Horses, a model horse business. My first Quietly Disruptive business.
Above: On tour in Scotland, hosting model horse workshops
Reflection for Founders: What Feels Truly Yours?
Here’s a little exercise you can try this week:
Which parts of your business are you following because someone said they work?
Which parts are truly yours—the work that makes you curious, alive, and quietly excited to show up?
If you could experiment with just one area, just one, how might it feel to let it bend, shift, or expand to fit you?
You don’t need to make massive leaps. The magic is in noticing, questioning, and slowly creating a rhythm that works for you. Your bespoke business path isn’t chaotic but intentional. And it’s yours.
Why Quietly Disruptive Founders Thrive
You’re not alone. Many founders I speak to have realised that following everyone else’s instructions rarely leads to satisfaction or lasting impact. Quietly disruptive entrepreneurs focus on connection over competition and alignment over imitation. By embracing your own approach, even in small ways, you’re contributing to a collective shift, creating meaningful work without shouting or following the crowd.
The Takeaway
This week, notice one area of your business shaped by someone else’s advice. Ask yourself: Does this fit me, or is it just convenient? Sit with the question. Notice what sparks curiosity, what feels dull, and maybe, just maybe, let yourself experiment.
No pressure, no checklist, no perfect blueprint. Just quiet, bespoke action that feels true to you. Because generic advice can get you somewhere, but only your own choices can get you to your somewhere.
Stay quietly disruptive, stay curious, and keep building what’s true to you.
Onwards and upwards,
- Becky
P.S. I’d love to hear from you: In your business, where are you following someone else’s blueprint instead of your own instincts? Drop me a note. I’m curious to see what your bespoke path might look like.
