I’m a huge fan of Human’s of New York. It’s the kind of generous and rare content on the Internet that makes you grateful, sad and optimistic all at once.

Brandon (lying down in the photo above because he is 6’4″ and always wants to get down to the level of his subject), will happily tell you that he isn’t the best photographer in the world. His gift is his ability to really see people—to connect with them and earn their trust in a couple of minutes. What makes Brandon’s blog and book compelling is that he sees what others overlook and can tell a story that engages emotionally, one that reflects back to us who we are when we are at our best.

I adore my friend Sneh’s cooking blog. Her love of food and nourishing people shines through in every image. Each one makes me want to head to the kitchen to start sifting flour and cubing butter.

Brandon’s and Sneh’s work is a gift that can’t easily be replicated because of how they put themselves into it. But one question that I see people asking often in their blog comments is, “What lens do you use?”

It’s not the tools that matter, it’s the intention with which you use them. It’s how you see the world and the people you choose to serve. It’s why you show up and how much of yourself you put into the work that matters.

When you do that (whatever size your company is) your business model becomes impossible to replicate.

Image by Nathan Congleton.