Mike Barefoot
27 years in staffing, but the real edge was 37 years of martial arts discipline plus an MBA. Nobody in his space combined those three things into one position.
Definition
What is an ONLY Statement?
An ONLY Statement is a single, precise positioning sentence that defines the one thing you do that no one else does in the same way for the same audience. It is not a tagline. It is not a mission statement. It is the answer to the question: 'Why you, and not anyone else?' Brad Holcman helps clients discover their ONLY Statement through the FindYourOnly.app assessment and the ONLY Statement 1-on-1 Audit.
The format
One sentence, three moving parts.
Every ONLY Statement follows the same shape.
The only [role] who [solves a problem in a uniquely specific way] so that [a clear result happens for the client].
The role is where you compete. The uniquely specific way is your difference. The result is what the client actually gets. Miss any part and you sound like everyone else.
Not the same thing
An ONLY Statement is not a tagline, mission, or value proposition.
| Type | What it does | Who it serves |
|---|---|---|
| Tagline | Sounds good and sticks in the ear | Your marketing |
| Mission statement | States what you hope to do | You and your team |
| Value proposition | Lists benefits and features to compare | A comparison shopper |
| ONLY Statement | Removes the comparison entirely | The one client who needs exactly you |
Before and after
The plot twist is usually already there.
An ONLY Statement is found, not invented. It is usually hiding in the part of your background you thought was irrelevant. Here are two real examples.
Angela Belton
A real estate investor whose real edge was a microbiologist's analytical precision, built over 25 years in pharma, then applied to family finance.
Find yours
You can find a first draft in eight minutes.
The free FindYourOnly quiz reads your answers and surfaces a first draft of your ONLY Statement. To turn that draft into finished language, the ONLY Statement Audit gives you five refined versions and a full positioning document.