In today's crowded marketplace, standing out from the herd is no easy feat. With countless brands vying for consumers' attention and dollars, how do you create a truly memorable experience that keeps customers coming back for more?

For Derek Wallace, founder of the beloved family brand, Kalamata’s Kitchen, the answer lies in an unwavering commitment to excellence at every single touchpoint. From concept to creation to delivery, Wallace's mantra is simple: everything must bring genuine value, meaning, and beauty to the world.

This mindset was shaped early on in his career when he noticed, "The environment [he] was a part of was often 'create something because we have the capability,' but not match it with a need that’s valuable to somebody.” This revelation sparked a determination to flip the script and make customer value the driving force. Derek envisions a different approach to his own creations to improve families' lives in tangible ways.

And value he’s delivered. Take, for instance, the company's book publishing journey. Many startups might have taken the easy road of simple, generic packaging to save a few bucks. But not Derek’s crew.

When a seasoned business advisor suggested using plain white boxes with stickers, Derek could have readily agreed to cut costs. But his inner compass pointed elsewhere. His dedication to delivering value shines through in the meticulous care he puts into each customer touchpoint. When self-publishing their first books, Derek focused on overcoming the stigma around self-published works by ensuring high production quality. 

"I believed that every part of the experience...made a difference whether people would remember us, believe in us, tell others about us, or be just somebody else trying to sell something they wouldn't remember," he said. "From minute one, we needed everything we did to feel beautiful to a user, whether it was something that we were creating digitally or whether it was a book we were putting in people's hands.”

In a world of cutting corners and mediocre experiences, Derek is a rare breed who recognizes that quality is worth pursuing — even when it's harder or more expensive. His brand's success is proof that going the extra mile pays off.

For him, the customer comes first, last, and everywhere in between. It's this mindset of meticulously handcrafting an experience tailored to thrill that makes his brand a shining example of customer-centric ingenuity.

So for entrepreneurs seeking to grab customers' increasingly fleeting attention, take a page from Derek Wallace's playbook. Obsess about your audience's needs. Sweat the small stuff that others overlook or deem unimportant. And never underestimate the power of delighting people at every touchpoint with surprising pops of value-adding magic.

The rest of the marketplace may settle for easily forgotten. But you shouldn’t. Because exceeding expectations is the difference between a loyal customer and a one-time user.

If you’re inspired to go the extra mile for your customers, don’t miss the rest of our interview with Derek Wallace on the Question Everything podcast to learn more about adding magic to every step of the process.