There’s a popular lie in the business world that says you have to 10x everything: your output, your hustle, your hours - in order to succeed.
And yes, putting in the work matters. But not all effort is created equal.
Better entrepreneurs don’t just work harder. They work smarter and they deliver deeper.
They go above and beyond, not through exhaustion but through intention.
They create moments that matter. They leave people better than they found them. They surprise and delight, not because they’re trying to earn gold stars but because it feels good to do work you’re proud of.
When I started overdelivering from a place of power
In the early days, I over delivered because I wanted to stand out.
In the book I tell they story of applying for my dream job with Bennie Gray. Something made me go above and beyond to get that job and, in fact, doing just that led to an even better job than I imagined.
"I remember the day I saw the job ad like it was yesterday. “Personal Assistant Needed For Arts Entrepreneur” well, it jumped out at me from the pages of the Media Guardian. Something about it felt different. It felt like it was meant.
When I went for the interview, I was let into this marvellous gothic mansion in Hampstead Heath. It was dripping with character - tapestries, antique furniture, the works. Bennie Gray, the founder of The Space Organisation, looked like a 1970s Doctor Who - long wild grey hair, velvet coat, massive knitted scarf. I was smitten. The man, the mission, the buildings he restored and filled with creatives - it was like someone had reached into my head and built my dream job.
I wanted that job. Badly.
I wanted the £14,000 salary very badly.
And something in me - that entrepreneurial instinct, that fire - knew I had to go above and beyond to get it.
So I did what no one else would think to do. I went and visited every one of Bennie’s London properties - Grays Antiques, Danceworks, Alfies Antiques, Canalot Studios. I played secret shopper. Took notes on everything: signage, staff, bathrooms, first impressions. For the ones further afield, I checked if they had websites and critiqued those too.
Then I compiled a full report - about 12 pages long - and faxed it straight to Bennie’s office in his hotel in Scotland with a note saying I had something important for him to see.
I was so confident that I’d made the shortlist for a second interview. When the letter didn’t arrive, I rang the office and said I was expecting an interview - perhaps the letter got lost?
Later that day, the phone rang. “Nicola? Bennie Gray here. I understand you were asking about a second interview…”
My heart sank.
“You didn’t get shortlisted,” he said. “You’d make a terrible PA and I just know we’d fight all the time!”
Gutted.
“However, I never let good talent go to waste. And you’d be wasted as a PA. Come into Grays Antiques at 10am on Monday and I’ll find something better for you to do. Is £16k as a starter salary alright?”
I nearly dropped the phone.
That was the moment I learned: if you want to be noticed — if you want to be indispensable - don’t just apply.
Don’t just show up.
Demonstrate who you are. Show that you’re already thinking like an owner, even before you’ve been hired.
That’s what going above and beyond really means. Not effort for effort’s sake - but intelligent, creative, instinct-led boldness."
And it’s almost always worth it.
Then later, when I started my own business, I overdelivered because I was scared.
Scared that people would ask for a refund. That they’d call me out. That I wasn’t enough. So I added more and more: bonus calls, extra PDFs, lifetime access, email access to me at all hours - until I was running myself ragged.
Eventually, I realised that giving more didn’t always equal giving better.
Now, I overdeliver with boundaries. With clarity. With focus. I aim to surprise people with the depth of what they get, not just the volume.
That shift changed everything.
How to go beyond without burning out
Deliver what you promise, then add a layer of thoughtfulness. A handwritten note. A bonus nobody expected. A warm follow-up. I recently ordered my daughter some perfume for her birthday and it came so beautifully gift wrapped, with extra presents inside the box and lovely tissue paper, just opening the box was like a present!
Be generous with your insight, not just your time. One sharp reframe can be worth more than a month of Voxer access.
Make people feel seen.That’s often what clients and customers remember most: that you got them.
Create systems that allow you to scale generosity. Templates, voice notes, content libraries - overdelivering doesn’t mean reinventing the wheel every time.
Why it matters
When you build a business that quietly, consistently goes above and beyond, people talk.
They remember.
They come back - and they bring others with them.
Because in a world full of transactional noise, being genuinely exceptional stands out.
Today’s Action:
Look at your main offer. Where could you add a meaningful surprise extra?
Think of your last five clients. What’s one unexpected thing you could do to reconnect in a meaningful way?
In your daily life, how could you go above and beyond for someone you care about? How could you make that a habit?
New Around Here?
The 'Better Entrepreneur Blueprint' is being published on my blog here, and on my Substack totally free of charge.
Sessions drop Monday, Wednesday and Fridays. This is:
Phase 1: FoundationsSession 6: Going Above & Beyond
Want to start from the beginning? Back to Day One 'The New Entrepreneurs Rising'
In a hurry? Get the book on Amazon, or get the book and interactive app here on my website. However, you do still need to subscribe to this course as we'll be exploring each of the 25 Lessons more deeply than the book does, and it gives you actionable insights into how to apply each one to your business.
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Photo by Olivia Bollen on Unsplash
