Welcome to One Thing Better. Each week, the editor in chief of Entrepreneur magazine (that’s me) shares one way to achieve a breakthrough at work — and build a career or company you love.
You want to increase your value and stand out from the crowd.
Maybe you’re looking for a promotion, want to charge higher prices, or hoping to become more in-demand. You’re working hard and doing good work, but you’re not seeing the recognition or compensation you want.
Here’s what might be missing: People see you as interchangeable. You must become singular.
Today, I’ll explain the difference between these two ways of being in the world — and show you how to move from low value to high value by making yourself irreplaceable.
But first, let me tell you about the moment this concept crystallized for me.
When I realized my weakness
When I became editor in chief of Entrepreneur magazine in 2016, I started getting invitations and opportunities I’d never had before. It was exciting. I had a fancy title and people respected it.
But I quickly realized this situation was unstable. I was renting the title of editor in chief. I don’t own Entrepreneur Media, and the title could be taken away from me at any time.
I don’t want to rent, I decided. I want to own.
But… own what? I needed something I could carry with me long after my time at Entrepreneur ended. Then I realized: The best thing to own is me.
If I could turn myself into an asset that people wanted, all by myself, then I’d own something that could never be taken away from me. I wouldn’t need someone else’s title or position.
This meant I needed to be known for something distinct from just running a media brand. So I started writing this newsletter, made podcasts, grew a presence on LinkedIn, and began keynote speaking. But when I wrote a book, that’s when the whole vision really snapped into place.
Here’s why.
The speaking fee revelation
Everyone told me: When you write a book, your speaking fees will go up. I never understood why… until I experienced it firsthand.
Here’s what happened: Clients would reach out wanting to hire me for a keynote. I’d ask how they heard about me.
If they said…
“We Googled for a speaker” — then their budget for me was smaller.
“My boss read your book” — then their budget for me was much higher.
This made total sense. If they’re Googling for speakers, they’re looking at a wide range of interchangeable options — just someone who fits what they want. If I’m too expensive, they’ll find someone else.
But if they were instructed to book me in particular, then they were willing to spend whatever it takes. Success comes from booking ME, not just anyone.
You don’t pay premium prices for interchangeable people. You only pay that for the person you want.
This is when I understood the difference between being interchangeable and being singular. And I became obsessed with singularness.
The economics of being singular
Let’s look at this from basic supply and demand: If you are one of many people who can do the same tasks, then there are a lot of you in the marketplace. The supply is high, so the price is low.
But if you can position yourself as singular — distinct because of your ideas, abilities, or positioning — now you’ve created scarcity in the marketplace. There’s only one of you, and people are willing to pay more for something that’s scarce.
This applies everywhere:
- The accountant who specializes in your industry vs. any accountant
- The designer who has a distinctive style vs. someone who can make things look nice
- The consultant who has a proven methodology vs. someone with general expertise
- The employee who solves problems others can’t vs. someone who just does their job well
That last one is a real example. I was just speaking to a team of corporate sales leaders, and I asked them to identify what makes them unique. One leader said, “I specialize in ambiguous problems.”
I asked him what that meant. “I’m the guy people turn to when they have a problem, but they’re not sure what the problem is,” he said. “I can figure out where things are going wrong, and then craft solutions. It’s what I’ve become known for.”
That is the very definition of singular! Lots of people at the company are problem solvers, which makes their skills interchangeable. But this guy is singular — the one person that can solve the stickiest problems.
No matter what happens at his company, his value will only rise.
How to become singular
Right now, ask yourself: How are you at risk of being interchangeable?
Maybe you’re the “marketing person” instead of “the person who understands how to market to Gen Z.” Maybe you’re “a good manager” instead of “the manager who turns around struggling teams.” Maybe you’re “a freelance writer” instead of “the writer who makes complex topics fun and shareable.”
Notice what all those examples have in common: They’re a combination of skills and insights. You’re not just the person who can do something; you’re the person who uniquely understands something.
Here are the key strategies to getting there:
- Develop a unique perspective. Don’t just have skills; have opinions. What do you believe about your field that others don’t? What approach do you take that’s different?
- Combine unexpected elements. Maybe you’re not the best marketer, or the best data analyst. But are you the marketer who deeply understands data analysis? That combination makes you singular.
- Own a specific problem. Instead of being someone who “helps businesses grow,” become the person who “helps SaaS companies reduce churn in their first 90 days.” Specificity creates singularity.
- Build your own platform. Whether it’s a newsletter, podcast, or social media presence, having your own voice gives you power. When people are listening to you, you stand out.
You see the pattern: You’re not just a person who does something. You’re the person.
You control the market
Please remember this: When you’re interchangeable, you’re at the mercy of the market. You must compete on price, availability, and basic competence.
But when you’re singular, you control your own market. That changes everything about your value, your opportunities, and your career.
Want to know why people pay me to speak, or to sit on their advisory boards, or to consult on their content strategies? It’s because someone, somewhere, said these words out loud: “We should get Jason Feifer.”
I’ve spent the last 10 years teaching people to say that simple sentence. It now feeds my family.
The more singular you become, the more in-demand you become. The more you can charge. The more control you have over your work and your life.
Stop trying to do what everyone else does. Start being the only person who does what you do.
Be singular.
That’s how to do one thing better.
