Here at Lendio, our passion is seeing people live the American Dream. Not only are people improving their own lives by running a business, they’re improving a community. A lot of the people we interview for Faces of Main Street powered by Lendio, a site dedicated to telling every entrepreneur’s story, give some really great business advice. Here are some insightful advice on setting your business apart from the competition.

Be Consistent

Name: Quinn Petersen
Company: QP Collections
Location: Provo, Utah
Website: qpcollections.com

Advice: “When we first started it was like, ‘Let’s make a tie and take a picture of it on a person. Or, I’ll make a tie and take a picture of it on the ground and maybe we won’t do any more neck ties for a few weeks.’ We were very sporadic and I think it was hard for people to trust us as a company and rely on us. Growing gradually is what has allowed us to maintain that consistency and make wise choices.

What I have learned is most important, at least in my business and my industry, is consistency. To make sure we are consistent with our brand, our aesthetic, and our design. All the way around if you are consistent people can trust you.”

To read the rest of their story, click here.

Stay True to What You Do

Name: Reise Malachowski
Company: The Man Barber
Location: Provo, Utah
Website: www.themanbarber.com

Advice: “Find something that you love and stay true to it. Everyone does things differently; there are tons of different barbershops, tons of different restaurants, and they all do things differently, so find your niche and commit to it. People like consistency, when they go get a haircut or go to a restaurant; people expect a certain level of customer service. I feel like business owners need to reward our clients for supporting us.”

To read the rest of their story, click here.

Know What Makes You Unique

Name: Michael De Los Santos
Company: Mike D’s BBQ
Location: Durham, North Carolina
Website: www.mikedsbbq.com

Advice: “There are a lot of BBQ sauce and seasoning products out there. What separates me from my competitors is the careful crafting of the flavors to make them a perfect match for any meat or vegetable—it makes my products more versatile. From the sauce perspective, it strikes the perfect balance of flavor and thickness. The sauce is not too thick or too thin and the robust flavor is not as sweet as many of the standard sauces on the store shelves. Discovering what sets you apart from your competitors will help you to excel and be successful in your business.”

To read the rest of their story, click here.

Faces Of Main Street is on a mission to tell the inspiring stories of the 28 million small businesses and entrepreneurs of America. We believe every story deserves to be told. These stories echo the American business dream of courage, determination, and hard work. The whole nation, everyone, can help us. For more information, visit www.facesofmainstreet.com.