Unleash Your Uniqueness

As we stood in the powder-soft, pure-white sand on a tiny cay in the San Blas Islands, Panama, the sun was setting behind us, casting a warm orange glow over the sky. The water was crystal clear and warm, and tiny fish darted around our ankles. We could hear the beautiful sounds of birds singing in the distance.

The San Blas Islands have over 378 islands, of which 40,000 people live on the 49 major islands. A small, tight-knit group of indigenous people inhabits them. They would row up to our boat every day and make their rounds with every boat in the cove to sell their molas.

Image Source: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Guna_people

What is a Mola?

The word “mola” refers to the traditional Kuna women’s blouse or clothing with beautiful colored fabric panels sewn onto its front and back. The fabric panels (mola) are usually about 13 inches x 16 inches and made from 2-7 layers of fabric that are cut and sewn using reverse applique. In 1961, the first molas were brought to the United States and introduced as art.

The Guna men fish and harvest fruits, while the artistic “molas” are made mainly by women to sell to tourists for survival. Molas can be found in museums, galleries, and private collections all over the world.

How do you stand out in a sea of molas with all of them being beautiful? Do you buy the mola because of the price, the design, or the connection you felt with the person?

In the village of Raton, there was a  “male” mola maker, and yes… he was different for two reasons! First, he is a man doing beautiful artwork in a typically women’s industry. 

Diego ushered us into his hut and gave us a private showing of all his molas. He proudly displayed his Molas as if at an exclusive shop on Rodeo Drive in Beverly Hills.

Image Source: From Janice Hurlburt personal mola collection

The 2nd thing that made Diego stand out was he intricately sews at the top of his molas the words “San Blas.” Brilliant!

In the same fashion, when you go on vacation to faraway places, like Cancun, Paris or New York, you buy a T-shirt with the city name on the front.

There are many ways to differentiate oneself in business, and the key is to find something that sets you apart from your competitors and appeals to your target audience.

Here are a few ideas:

• Offer a unique product or service: You’ll have an immediate advantage if you can offer something your competitors don’t. This could be a product with a unique feature, a service that solves a problem that no one else is addressing, or a new approach to an existing industry, such as health and wellness. You can offer personalized coaching and meal planning for people over 65 y/o who have GERD (Gastroesophageal Reflux Disease).
• Focus on exceptional customer service: This could include personalized attention, fast response times, or exceeding your customers’ needs.
• Emphasize your values: Consumers are increasingly interested in supporting businesses that align with their values. If you can demonstrate a commitment to sustainability, social responsibility, or other values that resonate with your target audience, you may be able to differentiate yourself from your competitors.
• Build a strong brand:  Create a clear and consistent brand identity, messaging, and visuals that resonate with your target audience.
• Be creative: Finally, don’t be afraid to get creative in how you market your business. This could include using humor, graphic design posts, creating viral marketing campaigns, or partnering with influencers or other brands to reach new audiences.

Find your “Mola” in your product. Let your inner child out and tap into your creative side to add a unique aspect to your marketing message.

Book a one-to-one call with Janice to brainstorm ideas to unleash your uniqueness.

Image Source: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Guna_people