We asked industry experts to share one unconventional approach they took to solving a business problem that yielded surprisingly positive results—and what they learned from that experience. Learn how these unique solutions can drive growth and create a lasting impact in your organization.
- Trust Your Foundation and Step Back
- Invest in Expertise for Exponential Value
- Hire Outside the Box for Fresh Perspective
- Empower Junior Talent to Drive Innovation
- Pause for Alignment to Accelerate Growth
- Celebrate Failures to Unlock Creative Solutions
- Bridge Gaps with Cross-Functional Experiences
- Balance Data with Compelling Storytelling
- Start with User Conversations, Not Analytics
- Pause Automation to Streamline Processes
- Focus on Organic Growth Over Paid Advertising
- Transform Offices into Community Hubs
- Embrace Transparency in Service Offerings
- Use Discounts Strategically for Long-Term Loyalty
- Educate Clients to Boost Retention
- Offer Flexible Service to Meet Urgent Needs
- Elevate Your Brand to Command Premium Pricing
- Prioritize Visible Improvements for Immediate Impact
18 Unconventional Solutions to Business Problems
Trust Your Foundation and Step Back
I once paused all content creation during a launch.
No emails, no posts, no last-minute push. Just quiet.
It wasn’t planned. I was burnt out, sick kids, and unable to keep up the usual rhythm. But instead of scrambling, I trusted the foundation I had already built. I sent one honest note explaining the offer, who it was for, and why I was stepping back. Then I logged off.
And the strangest thing happened: people kept buying. That launch brought in more aligned clients than previous ones I had worked twice as hard on. There were no urgency tactics, no complex funnels—just clarity, timing, and trust.
It taught me something big: momentum doesn’t always come from more output. Sometimes, your presence has already done the work. You just have to get out of the way and let it land.
Mary Diaz
Entrepreneur, Writer, femme feral LLC
Invest in Expertise for Exponential Value
Initially, like many entrepreneurs, I operated under the assumption that tightly controlling all financial aspects myself was the most prudent approach, especially in the early stages when resources felt scarce. The conventional wisdom often leans towards bootstrapping and minimizing overhead. However, battling persistent cash flow issues and feeling increasingly overwhelmed, I took what felt like a counterintuitive leap at the time: hiring a Chief Financial Officer (CFO) much earlier than I thought we could afford.
Frankly, it felt like a significant gamble. Yet, the results were surprising. Within the first year, the CFO identified inefficiencies and implemented strategies that led to millions in savings, far exceeding their compensation. More crucially, they restructured our financial planning, directly addressing the chronic cash flow stress that had plagued the business since its inception.
The key learning from this experience was the profound understanding that sometimes, the most unconventional solutions that go against your initial instincts or perceived limitations can yield the most significant positive impact. I learned that true resourcefulness isn’t just about cutting costs; it’s about strategically investing in expertise that can unlock exponential value and address foundational challenges.
Landon Wimmer
CEO/Owner, Empower Home
Hire Outside the Box for Fresh Perspective
A while back, we were struggling to fill a clinical operations role. We kept fishing in the same pond—people with traditional healthcare admin backgrounds—and got the same results: folks who could maintain but not elevate. So, I made a left turn. With zero clinical background but remarkable interpersonal instincts and operational insight, I brought on a former hospitality manager.
Within months, patient satisfaction scores jumped, staff turnover dropped, and clinic flow improved. Her perspective wasn’t clouded by “how things are usually done,” which was a superpower. The lesson? Sometimes the best way to solve a problem is to stop asking who’s qualified and ask who’s capable. The fresh perspective of an outsider is something you should never undervalue.
Colin Potts
Chief Operating Officer, Regenerative Orthopedics & Sports Medicine
Empower Junior Talent to Drive Innovation
A while back, we encountered a bottleneck with a long-term client project. It was dragging—high expectations, tight timeline, and honestly, the project had lost momentum. Everyone on the senior team was either overloaded or mentally checked out. Normally, we’d reshuffle priorities and assign a lead engineer or PM to it. But I decided to take a risk: I handed the reins to a junior dev who had never led a client-facing project before.
Now, this wasn’t a random gamble. I’d been watching this guy quietly build internal tools that blew me away—no drama, no ego, just thoughtful, clean execution. He asked the right questions, solved things before they became problems, and had a sharp instinct for user flow. So we gave him a shot, with light-touch mentorship and support from a senior dev if things got hairy.
Here’s what happened: He owned it. He wasn’t bogged down by old process baggage or politics. He brought fresh structure to the workflow, met every deadline, and—this was the kicker—he communicated with the client in a way that made them feel heard. The project not only got back on track—it delivered ahead of schedule, and the client called it one of the smoothest builds they’d ever experienced.
What blew me away was the ripple effect. Other junior team members started stepping up, realizing they had more potential than they gave themselves credit for. It reshaped our entire internal culture. Promotions started coming from performance and initiative, not just tenure.
So what did I learn? Sometimes your solution isn’t another strategy or sprint meeting—it’s trusting someone you haven’t fully bet on. Leadership isn’t always about age or title—it’s about giving people space to rise. And when you stop gatekeeping opportunities, you start discovering just how much hidden talent you’ve been sitting on.
That move rewired my thinking about delegation, growth, and culture. Honestly, it’s one of the best business decisions I’ve ever made.
Daniel Haiem
CEO, App Makers LA
Pause for Alignment to Accelerate Growth
After building five companies and helping other founders scale theirs, I’ve learned that sometimes the right move looks completely wrong on paper. One of the most effective, unconventional decisions I ever made was to intentionally slow a business down.
Years ago, I was scaling a company, hitting every metric, but the team was burning out, and customer churn was quietly rising. Conventional logic said to double down, hire faster, and push harder. Instead, I hit pause. I froze hiring for 90 days and told the team our only goal was to fix what felt broken, not on the spreadsheet, but in our process, culture, and delivery. We rebuilt onboarding, cleaned up operations, and got brutally honest about what was dragging us down. When we came out of that pause, our retention shot up, margins improved, and the team moved faster with less friction.
The biggest thing I learned from that experience was that growth without alignment is just acceleration in the wrong direction. Sometimes, going slow is what allows you to go far.
Jeff Mains
Founder and CEO, Champion Leadership Group
Celebrate Failures to Unlock Creative Solutions
Creating a “failure celebration” program completely transformed how our teams approached problem-solving across our national moving operations.
When facing persistent inventory management issues, I implemented monthly sessions where employees shared their biggest failed solutions—complete with root cause analysis and lessons learned—and we celebrated these attempts rather than just successful outcomes.
This counterintuitive approach unlocked solutions that traditional methods had missed for years. One operations manager shared a failed attempt at improving loading efficiency that, while unsuccessful for its intended purpose, revealed critical insights about our inventory tracking system.
This seemingly unrelated connection led to an entirely new approach that reduced lost item claims by 43% within six months of implementation.
The key lesson was recognizing that our standard problem-solving frameworks constrain creative thinking.
We dramatically expanded our solution space by removing the stigma of failure and creating a structured process to extract value from unsuccessful attempts.
Teams became willing to attempt bolder innovations, knowing that even “failures” contributed meaningfully to our collective knowledge.
This cultural shift has since become a core competitive advantage as we can iterate and improve faster than competitors still operating under fear-based decision models.
Vidyadhar Garapati
CEO, Movers.com
Bridge Gaps with Cross-Functional Experiences
One unconventional move that worked wonders for us was sending factory staff on sales calls. This move boosted team morale, improved production quality, and helped us fix a major communication gap.
A few years ago, we were getting repeated complaints from a key distributor about equipment quirks like minor but consistent issues. Our sales team was frustrated, our factory staff felt blamed, and everyone was pointing fingers. So I tried something unexpected: I invited two of our floor managers, guys who typically spend their days welding and assembling, to fly with me to meet the client.
At first, they were quiet, but when they saw how the customer used the machines, they lit up. One leaned over and whispered that he didn’t know they stacked the benches like that and that they could tweak the design. That visit turned things around; the client appreciated the face-to-face interaction, our factory leads went back energized, and we made three small changes that reduced returns by 30% the next quarter.
The bigger lesson? Sometimes the best fix isn’t a new process or software but getting people out of their lane and into the other person’s shoes. That one trip changed how we solve problems. Now, we rotate someone from production into customer conversations every quarter, even if it’s just a video call. It keeps the feedback loop real and the team connected to the “why” behind their work.
George Yang
Founder and Chief Product Designer, YR Fitness
Balance Data with Compelling Storytelling
Once we worked with a startup struggling to attract investors. Their pitch deck was packed with data, market analyses, and projections, but lacked a compelling narrative. Investors felt like they were reading a dense textbook rather than connecting with a clear vision. Instead of reworking the deck traditionally—adding design tweaks or more financial details—we decided to try something unconventional: storytelling workshops.
We spent a full day with the founders, digging into their personal stories, motives, and even the “aha moments” that led to their startup’s birth. The goal was to craft a narrative that felt human, passionate, and relatable, paired with the hard data.
The result? Their deck became a conversation starter rather than just a presentation tool. Investors were suddenly leaning in to hear more, intrigued by the human element behind the numbers. Within weeks, they secured funding that had seemed like a distant goal.
What did I learn from this? Numbers matter, but they must stand alongside a story that sparks interest and emotion. Balancing head and heart can be powerful, and uncovering the essence of a founder’s journey is often worth more than ten pages of projections. Now, storytelling workshops are part of our toolbox, and it’s one of my favorite ways to turn a problem into an opportunity.
Niclas Schlopsna
Managing Consultant and CEO, spectup
Start with User Conversations, Not Analytics
One unconventional approach we took when figuring out how to construct our website was using private user interviews to shape its structure before even touching analytics or SEO data.
Instead of obsessing over traffic numbers or bounce rates early on, we went straight to a handful of ideal users and asked: “When you land on a site like ours, what are you secretly hoping to find?” Their answers completely rewired how we thought about our content flow and priorities.
The most surprising part was that most of the things they cared about weren’t the obvious things we would have optimized for. They wanted social proof, origin stories, and human faces—elements that make a site feel real and trustworthy first.
I learned that the best website strategy starts before anyone even visits it. Having real conversations was far more beneficial than looking at data alone.
Lia Munson
Co-Founder, Resilient Stories
Pause Automation to Streamline Processes
We faced ongoing difficulties with inefficient client onboarding, which frustrated both clients and staff. Initially, we considered investing heavily in automation software. Instead, we took a different path: temporarily paused all automation and asked our team to manually handle each onboarding step for one month. Although this seemed counterintuitive and labor-intensive, it allowed us to identify precisely where delays and confusion occurred clearly.
Surprisingly, this manual approach revealed several unnecessary steps and communication gaps that automation had previously masked. After streamlining these areas, we reintroduced automation selectively, focusing only on genuinely repetitive tasks. As a result, our onboarding time decreased by nearly 45%, and client satisfaction improved significantly.
This experience taught us the importance of stepping back and thoroughly examining processes before investing in technology. Automation is powerful, but only when applied thoughtfully to clearly understood workflows.
Aleksei Kariakin
General Manager, Uniwide
Focus on Organic Growth Over Paid Advertising
One unconventional approach I took was stopping all paid advertising for a quarter to focus entirely on organic growth and content-led SEO. It was a bold move, especially in an industry where paid traffic is often seen as essential for visibility and lead generation. However, I wanted to prove that with the right strategy, content, and technical optimization, we could drive sustainable traffic without relying on ads. We revamped our blog strategy, doubled down on high-intent keywords, and improved site performance and user experience.
As a result, not only did our organic traffic grow significantly, but our inbound leads increased by 40%, with a higher conversion rate than before. The experience taught me the power of patience, consistency, and trust in long-term strategies. Sometimes, pulling away from the obvious solution forces you to uncover more effective, scalable paths to success.
Hassan Khan
CEO and Founder, Techvando
Transform Offices into Community Hubs
One unconventional approach we took that had a lasting impact involved rethinking how we use our physical office locations in Dublin, not just as workspaces, but as community hubs that support early-stage businesses beyond the traditional scope of a virtual office or serviced space.
We noticed that some clients, particularly new startups setting up in Ireland for the first time, hesitated to commit to long-term plans. They were looking for flexibility, but also struggled with isolation and a lack of local business connections. So rather than upselling them on more expensive services, we piloted a softer-touch solution: hosting informal networking hours and business clinics at a few of our Dublin locations, including Baggot Street and Camden Street. These weren’t heavily marketed, and attendance wasn’t mandatory—it was simply an added-value experience for existing clients who might benefit from practical advice or peer support.
Surprisingly, these sessions didn’t just help our clients—they helped us. We gained direct insights into their day-to-day challenges, which influenced how we later structured our communications, adjusted onboarding flows, and refined the add-ons included in our Scale Plan. It also built a stronger sense of community and loyalty; many clients who participated in those early sessions expanded their engagement with us over time.
We learned that sometimes, the most effective solutions aren’t about scaling operations or launching new products—they’re about stepping back and finding human, empathetic ways to connect with the people behind the businesses. In Ireland’s close-knit and fast-paced entrepreneurial ecosystem, those relationships are often what matter most.
Nick Simmons
Director, Workhub
Embrace Transparency in Service Offerings
One unconventional approach we took in our company—where we offer website design services—was actually to go against the norm in how we marketed and delivered our service.
As you might know, website design isn’t always about technical complexity—it’s often the client that makes the process challenging. Constant changes, shifting expectations, and the ever-elusive “perfect design” can drain time and resources.
To solve this, we created an offer that turned the traditional model on its head:
We openly stated on our website (in Arabic, our primary market) that we don’t offer creativity or innovation.
Instead, we invited clients to simply:
They can pick any template or website they like online, and we’ll create a similar version—professionally, quickly, and at a very low cost.
This honest, practical approach allowed us to:
- Eliminate unnecessary back-and-forth
- Work faster with a clear scope
- Attract a specific type of client: results-oriented, practical individuals who value speed and efficiency over endless customization.
While all our competitors marketed themselves around “creativity” and “custom innovation,” we chose to do the exact opposite and were completely transparent about it.
The result?
This unconventional strategy brought in a steady stream of happy, low-maintenance clients and significantly improved our workflow efficiency.
Sometimes, doing the opposite of what everyone else is doing—especially when it aligns with a specific customer pain point—can be your strongest competitive edge.
Ahmed Younes
Marketing Manager, Jthb Digital Marketing Agency
Use Discounts Strategically for Long-Term Loyalty
One unconventional approach we took involved offering a time-limited discount promotion, specifically our Spring Special: 75% off for 2 months, which applied to select unit sizes. At first, we were hesitant to launch such a large discount, fearing it might devalue our services or attract customers who wouldn’t stay long-term. However, we decided to test it in a specific geographic area, targeting both new and existing customers who hadn’t yet rented from us.
To our surprise, the promotion generated a significant uptick in interest, with many customers locking in their rentals for longer-term stays once they experienced the convenience and security of our facility. The 75% discount served as an effective “trial period,” allowing people to see our value, leading to higher retention rates after the promotion ended.
What we learned from this experience is that, while offering discounts may seem like a short-term strategy, it can also be a powerful tool for building long-term customer loyalty if executed thoughtfully. The key was ensuring the promotion targeted the right units and was positioned as a limited-time offer, creating a sense of urgency without sacrificing our facility’s value. This unconventional approach attracted new business, helped us engage with a broader audience, and converted first-time users into repeat customers.
Kevin Bell
Owner, Storage Hutch
Educate Clients to Boost Retention
One unconventional approach we took that delivered unexpectedly strong results involved embedding client education into our onboarding and reporting processes—essentially transforming part of our service into a micro-learning experience. The issue we were facing was client churn due to “value confusion,” where clients didn’t fully understand the results we were delivering or the long-term nature of SEO and paid media.
Instead of increasing touchpoints or simply refining reports, we created interactive, plain-language video walkthroughs for each phase of the client journey (onboarding, strategy kickoff, first report, and campaign optimization reviews). These videos explained not just what we were doing, but why, including keyword strategy logic, how attribution models work in PPC, and what to expect from link building over time. We hosted these on a private portal and paired them with simplified metrics dashboards using Looker Studio.
The results were immediate:
- Client retention increased by over 30% within one quarter.
- The volume of clarification emails dropped significantly.
- Clients referred others more frequently, citing “transparency and clarity” as a key differentiator.
What I learned from this experience is that education is a retention tool. Most service providers assume transparency means showing data, but understanding is what creates trust. By demystifying our work, we retained clients longer and positioned ourselves as strategic partners, not just service vendors.
This approach has since become a core part of our delivery model and a selling point for proposals. It’s a reminder that solving communication breakdowns often requires rethinking the experience, not just the message.
Jitudan Gadhavi
Founder at Brand White Label Solutions, Brand White Label Solutions
Offer Flexible Service to Meet Urgent Needs
One unconventional approach we took was offering on-demand, flexible meeting times outside of our standard office hours to accommodate last-minute renters. Traditionally, storage facilities strictly adhere to posted office hours. However, we noticed through Google Reviews and customer calls that people sometimes needed urgent access or help signing a lease, especially during moves or unexpected life events.
Instead of hiring additional staff or extending hours across the board, we created a simple system where serious inquiries, especially those coming in after hours, could be routed to a manager who lived nearby and was willing to meet by appointment. This wasn’t advertised widely; it was just offered when someone reached out with an urgent need. It allowed us to stay lean operationally while still being incredibly responsive.
The result? We gained several long-term tenants who mentioned that responsiveness was a key reason they chose us. It also reinforced that convenience and a human touch matter just as much as pricing and location in this industry. The big takeaway was that being flexible—even in small, low-cost ways—can make a lasting impression and convert interest into move-ins.
John Reese
Owner, Amarillo Safe Storage
Elevate Your Brand to Command Premium Pricing
As the founder of a national touring entertainment brand, I faced a business problem that most performers in my industry never solve: how to break out of the low-budget entertainer trap. I didn’t want to be just another act people booked for $300 and a slice of cake. I wanted to run a company that reflected high-end performance, premium production, and elite service—and be paid accordingly.
But here’s the unconventional part: instead of trying to compete on price, I went in the opposite direction—I raised my rates to levels most people said were “unbookable.” Then, I built a brand that made those rates look like bargains.
I completely rebranded and redesigned everything around a luxury perception: cinematic promo reels, a polished website, elevated costume design, carefully scripted outreach emails, and production elements like intelligent lighting and anti-gravity dance stunts. Most performers led with pricing. I led with the presentation.
It worked. Instead of scaring people away, the high price tag created intrigue and respect. Clients correctly assumed that they were hiring the best in the industry. My quote-to-booking ratio tripled. I started closing gigs with Fortune 500 companies, high-end event planners, and five-star hotels—all without negotiating rates. In fact, many said my pricing was “refreshing” because it reflected clear value.
I learned that Pricing isn’t just economics—it’s psychology. People don’t pay more for your time; they pay more for what your brand represents. You stand out when you solve a problem—in my case, the oversaturation of underwhelming acts—with audacity and polish. You create your own lane.
Most people underprice and then try to justify it with “experience.” I flipped that. I charged more and built the experience to justify the rate. That one unconventional pivot changed everything for my business.
MATT WALSH
Executive Producer, The Matt Walsh Company
Prioritize Visible Improvements for Immediate Impact
One unconventional approach we took that made a big difference was prioritizing exterior improvements—like new paint, masonry upgrades, and most importantly, installing new security cameras—before doing any heavy marketing or price adjustments. Most storage operators might focus first on ramping up advertising or offering discounts to drive rentals. Still, we decided to step back and invest in making the property visibly safer, cleaner, and more professional-looking first.
The results were immediate. Visibly installed modern security cameras gave customers peace of mind and conveyed that we take safety seriously. The fresh paint and masonry work didn’t just improve curb appeal—they showed the community that the facility was under new ownership and headed in a better direction. Without running major promotions, we started getting more calls, online bookings, and positive word of mouth.
I learned from this that sometimes solving a business problem, like under-occupancy or limited visibility, doesn’t start with traditional sales tactics. It begins with listening to what your customers care about most, then showing them you’re serious about delivering on those expectations. In our case, that meant creating an environment people felt good about using, which was one of the best marketing tools we could have invested in.
Christine King
Owner, Pontoon Plaza Storage
Image Credits: Photo by JESHOOTS.COM on Unsplash
