Build something no one else can copy
The internet is loud and persuasive. So loud it drowns out the voice in your head. It tricks you into making what you think other people will like instead of making what you like.
Don’t listen. You don’t know what other people will like. You only know what you like. And that’s where you should start.
If you make something that’s unique to you - that no one else can copy - it will cut through all the noise and find the people who share the same taste you do. And those people are your future partners and customers.
Here’s how to do that…
1. Consume to develop your taste.
To create assets as unique as you, you must first “know thyself.” You have to know what kind of content you like and dislike. And what forms of content you like to consume.
In other words, you have to develop your taste.
Taste is what you like and what you think is quality.
Starting today, right now, start to notice 1) what you’re consuming, 2) what you like and dislike about what you’re consuming, and 3) how you’re consuming it.
For me, I like reading fiction, and watching movies and TV shows. Nearly everything I consume falls into these two categories. I don’t really listen to music other than working out. I don’t listen to audio books or podcasts. I don’t watch YouTube. I read fiction and watch fiction.
And that tells me something important: the best way to express myself is through writing for the screen.
Now, what do I like? Once I started paying attention, it was obvious. All my favorite movies are comedies. Even more specifically, they’re Judd Apatow comedies (Superbad, 40 Year Old Virgin, Knocked Up, Trainwreck, Bridesmaids).
All of these are some form of rom-com, with funny premises, and flawed-but-trying characters. So that’s what I write (alongside my wife, who has almost the identical taste): funny rom-coms.
If you don’t immediately know your taste, that’s okay too. It took me about a decade to get here.
In fact, I started my career off in the wrong place. When I graduated from college, the first job I got was in reality TV. Writing it, developing, selling it, and eventually producing it.
But there was one problem: I didn’t like reality TV. I didn’t watch it and I didn’t care about it. And I quickly learned I was going to get outworked and out skilled by people who DID like it.
So, think about the last five things that really grabbed you - things that made you stop scrolling, pay attention, and maybe even share them with someone. That’s not random. That’s a signal for your taste.
Don’t try and reverse-engineer what you think other people want. Work on getting ridiculously specific about what you want. Because if something resonates deeply with you, there’s a good chance it will resonate with others too.
How to do it:
Stop passively consuming. Pay attention to what you like, and why you like it.
If something grabs your attention, ask: What about this works?
Keep a running list of your favorites - books, movies, visuals, ideas. Patterns will emerge.
Your taste isn’t something you create - it’s something you discover.
2. Create to define yourself.
Once you’ve refined your taste, the next step to making assets no one else can copy is simple: create the thing you want to see in the world.
Most people never get here. They never take the leap from consuming to creating. You start second-guessing yourself. You worry about whether your idea is “good.” You get lost in the comparison game, in what’s trending, in what other people are doing. And you give up.
Instead of quitting, the best thing to do is to turn the world off. Tune the world out and ask yourself: “Who would I be, and what would I create, if no one influenced me?”
I asked that same question five years ago and the answer was writing comedy movies. Since then, my wife and I have written two features and two TV pilots while attracting producers at the highest level along the way.
Your best work won’t come from following trends or chasing the latest shiny thing. It comes from trusting your instincts and working on the stuff buried deep within your soul.
How to do it:
Stop waiting for the perfect idea. Stop researching endlessly. Start anything that gets you excited.
Give yourself permission to suck at first.
Don’t show your work too early. Protect the fragile first draft and iterate to get better.
When you’re creating something new, momentum is more important than quality. If you can stick with it long enough, the quality will come.
3. Release the asset to find the people who like the same things you do.
Publishing is scary. Putting yourself out there always is. But it’s the only way to find the people who like the same things you do.
You may think no one will like it. You may think it’s too weird for anyone else to “get.” But remember the paradox of specificity. The more specific your creation, the larger the pool of people who will be interested in it.
You’re not looking for the biggest audience. You’re looking for the right audience. The people who see your work and immediately think, this was made for me.
The best way to find them? Share your work. A lot of creators hold back, waiting until they’ve “perfected” something before they share it. But perfection isn’t what attracts an audience - specificity is. The more your work reflects your unique taste, the more it will resonate with the right people.
And the good news? Sharing has never been easier. A single tweet, post, or video can be the spark that connects you with an audience who loves what you do. You don’t need a massive budget. You don’t need a big team.
You just need to hit publish.
How to Do It:
• Make your work easy to find. Publish regularly.
• Don’t be afraid to niche down. Specificity attracts, generality repels.
• Iterate based on real-world feedback, not hypothetical opinions.
If you’ve done the first two steps right - if you’ve developed your taste and created something you love - this part is easy. Because all you have to do is share the thing you genuinely think is great.
Start now.