Most service businesses are stuck in what we like to call ‘the referral trap.’

And we all know those are inconsistent, unreliable, and ultimately - unscalable. 

So if you want a more predictable way to bring in new clients each month, this one’s for you.

We’re giving you the complete system - from how to get the lead, how to convert the lead, how to deliver, as well as retain at scale. Including the one form of advertising most service businesses overlook entirely.

You’ll hear:

0:00 - Our personal updates: How our weight loss journey is tracking (and why we quit the running challenge 6 days in)

4:06 - Why relying on referrals keeps your business inconsistent (and what it’s costing you)

5:38 - The two ways to actually generate predictable leads + when to use each

8:14 - How to build a pipeline of people already primed to buy from you

9;38 - How much you should be spending in ads

12:38 - How to use AI to create ads that attract the right clients

13:52 - Why your ads aren’t turning into clients yet (and where the breakdown is)

16:48 - What you need to be doing the moment a lead comes in to secure the sale

18:45 - How to handle “I can’t afford it” without just discounting your service

20:10 - This is how long you should be following up with people for (it’s longer than you think!)

23:14 - How to keep clients with you longer

28:36 - What needs to be in place before you scale

Watch the YouTube version of the podcast here.

If you're a service business owner and you're tired of relying on referrals to keep your calendar full, go to startsuccessschool.com and book a free Scale Session with our team.

We'll look at your business, show you exactly where the gaps are, and map out what a fully booked pipeline looks like for you specifically.

No fluff, no pitch fest. Just a real conversation about what's actually holding you back.

Go to startsuccessschool.com and book your session now. We'd love to help you build something that actually works.

And if you got value from today's episode, make sure you hit follow wherever you're listening. It means the world to us and it helps more service business owners find the show.

You can also follow Tim and Steph over on Instagram at @timfrey__ (https://www.instagram.com/timfrey__/) and @stephgorton__ (https://www.instagram.com/stephgorton__/) for more content every week.

See you next Monday.

If you’re building a business right now, chances are you’ve asked yourself at least one of these questions:

1) Why is my audience growing but no one is buying?

2) Why do I keep getting stuck around the same income level?

3) And how do you reach back out to old clients without it feeling weird?

If you want to be part of the next Q&A and get your questions answered, then follow us on IG @timfrey__ (https://www.instagram.com/timfrey__/) or @stephgorton__ (https://www.instagram.com/stephgorton__/) and let us know the next time we post a story!

You’ll hear:

0:00 - Our personal updates: why we’re running everyday for 30 days

6:02 - #Q1:  I have a relatively large audience, but my engagement is so low and no one is watching my stories or buying my stuff. Where am I doing wrong?

8:34 - #2 -  I keep getting stuck at 10 K months. I have 30 hours a week and 20 hours. I'm working on clients for an hourly rate. The rest is marketing admin. What am I doing wrong? 

13:12 - #3 -  How do you go about reaching out to old clients and asking them to work with you again? 

16:25 -  How is Steph preparing for the work life balance going into parenthood?

22:08 -  What's the greatest piece of marketing advice we’ve ever been given?

Watch the YouTube version of the podcast here (https://youtu.be/3nIeXPMJTpk).

If you're a service business owner and you're tired of relying on referrals to keep your calendar full, go to startsuccessschool.com and book a free Scale Session with our team.

We'll look at your business, show you exactly where the gaps are, and map out what a fully booked pipeline looks like for you specifically.

No fluff, no pitch fest. Just a real conversation about what's actually holding you back.

Go to startsuccessschool.com and book your session now. We'd love to help you build something that actually works.

And if you got value from today's episode, make sure you hit follow wherever you're listening. It means the world to us and it helps more service business owners find the show.

You can also follow Tim and Steph over on Instagram at @timfrey__ (https://www.instagram.com/timfrey__/) and @stephgorton__ (https://www.instagram.com/stephgorton__/) for more content every week.

See you next Monday.

This is stuff we only usually share with our clients but we wanted to let our podcasts community in on it as well.

Today we’re talking about everything that we’ve been doing with our organic marketing after hiring a full time content creator. 

We’re covering everything from what’s changed, insight into how people are using the platform today (what they want to watch and what they don’t) as well as going through 5 content formats that are stupidly easy to make, that will grow your profile AND get you new followers.

You’ll hear:

0:00 - Our personal updates: we just ran our best business retreat ever… What happened in Thailand

6:26 - Everything that has changed with organic content + how people are now consuming it differently

14:54: The bottom of funnel content you should be making if you want to sign clients

16:50 - The biggest mistake we see looking at our clients organic content (don’t let this be you)

18:29 - Content Format #1 

20:23 - Content Format #2 

21:31 - Content Format #3

22:07 - Content Format #4

23:01 - Content Format #5

23:50 - Is posting consistently enough to cut through all the other content in your niche right now?

25:39 - How often should you be testing new content formats?

26:15 - Our advice for someone posting organically but still not getting enough leads and sales

DM Tim on IG @timfrey__ (https://www.instagram.com/timfrey__/) if you want a tracking sheet for engagements to hand over to your VA.

Watch the YouTube version of the podcast here (https://youtu.be/2Xsw7sOQ1Yg).

If you're a service business owner and you're tired of relying on referrals to keep your calendar full, go to startsuccessschool.com and book a free Scale Session with our team.

We'll look at your business, show you exactly where the gaps are, and map out what a fully booked pipeline looks like for you specifically.

No fluff, no pitch fest. Just a real conversation about what's actually holding you back.

Go to startsuccessschool.com and book your session now. We'd love to help you build something that actually works.

And if you got value from today's episode, make sure you hit follow wherever you're listening. It means the world to us and it helps more service business owners find the show.

You can also follow Tim and Steph over on Instagram at @timfrey__ (https://www.instagram.com/timfrey__/) and @stephgorton__ (https://www.instagram.com/stephgorton__/) for more content every week.

See you next Monday.

We asked both our communities on Skool and Instagram to tell us what they’re struggling with the most at the moment, so that we could answer it on the podcast and help you out if you’re dealing with the same thing.

If you want to be part of the next Q&A and get your questions answered, then follow us on IG @timfrey__ (https://www.instagram.com/timfrey__/) or @stephgorton__ (https://www.instagram.com/stephgorton__/) and let us know the next time we post a story.

You’ll hear:

0:00 - Our personal updates: we got called pussies

8:01 -  How do I create urgency when prospects keep saying maybe later? 

11:14 - How to get better at sales without buying Shelby Sapp or Cole Gordon’s courses

13:46 -  Why am I getting ghosted in dms and how do I fix my nurture sequence? 

15:24 - Steal this process for DM sales

17:51 -  How do I handle clients who just can't afford payments mid program? 

22:27 - And a more intimate update - how is TRT going?

25:29 - What should my ratio be of nurture emails versus selling emails?

Watch the YouTube version of the podcast here (https://youtu.be/zDxKfgPeXd0).

If you're a service business owner and you're tired of relying on referrals to keep your calendar full, go to startsuccessschool.com and book a free Scale Session with our team.

We'll look at your business, show you exactly where the gaps are, and map out what a fully booked pipeline looks like for you specifically.

No fluff, no pitch fest. Just a real conversation about what's actually holding you back.

Go to startsuccessschool.com and book your session now. We'd love to help you build something that actually works.

And if you got value from today's episode, make sure you hit follow wherever you're listening. It means the world to us and it helps more service business owners find the show.

You can also follow Tim and Steph over on Instagram at @timfrey__ (https://www.instagram.com/timfrey__/) and @stephgorton__ (https://www.instagram.com/stephgorton__/) for more content every week.

See you next Monday.

We’ve reduced the time we spend creating ads by HOURS a day because we’ve started integrating a new form of AI bot into our business.

Guys, it’s been a while since we last spoke about AI, where it’s going and how to leverage it to get ahead in your business.

Things have already changed like crazy and it’s been less than a year.

So today we’re talking about what’s changed, what we’ve been integrating into Success School, how we use OpenClaw (previously known as ClawdBot and MoltBot) and why it’s changed the game for us completely. 

You’ll hear:

0:00 - Our personal updates: Introducing a third person into our relationship 

3:31 - How quickly AI had grown since we last spoke about it

7:39 - The true autonomy of agents and what AI bot we’re currently using in our business

13:32 - How are the top 0.01% of entrepreneurs leveraging AI right now

16:47 - Use Cases for different industries: how to use AI in fitness, coaches, professional services, agencies

21:38 - How much longer do you have to get ahead of other businesses?

Watch the YouTube version of the podcast here (https://youtu.be/nrR09rJ9s2M).

If you're a service business owner and you're tired of relying on referrals to keep your calendar full, go to startsuccessschool.com and book a free Scale Session with our team.

We'll look at your business, show you exactly where the gaps are, and map out what a fully booked pipeline looks like for you specifically.

No fluff, no pitch fest. Just a real conversation about what's actually holding you back.

Go to startsuccessschool.com and book your session now. We'd love to help you build something that actually works.

And if you got value from today's episode, make sure you hit follow wherever you're listening. It means the world to us and it helps more service business owners find the show.

You can also follow Tim and Steph over on Instagram at @timfrey__ (https://www.instagram.com/timfrey__/) and @stephgorton__ (https://www.instagram.com/stephgorton__/) for more content every week.

See you next Monday.

Just moving to a new location, doesn’t create a new life. 

We packed up and moved our entire lives to Thailand, and it has been amazing but there have been some things we’ve brought with us from Australia that don’t support the next level of business we’re building now … and they’re things most business owners do every single week. 

If you’ve been wanting to live a life of freedom, work less and earn more this is the episode we share the real behind the scenes of what’s been happening since we left and what we’re changing for the rest of 2026. 

If you’ve been wondering why you feel stuck, not sure if your offer is the right one to achieve your goals or you just want to know what we’ve been up to stay tuned to the end of this one. 

Watch the YouTube version of the podcast here (https://youtu.be/whDLwmxNL-E).

If you're a service business owner and you're tired of relying on referrals to keep your calendar full, go to startsuccessschool.com and book a free Scale Session with our team.

We'll look at your business, show you exactly where the gaps are, and map out what a fully booked pipeline looks like for you specifically.

No fluff, no pitch fest. Just a real conversation about what's actually holding you back.

Go to startsuccessschool.com and book your session now. We'd love to help you build something that actually works.

And if you got value from today's episode, make sure you hit follow wherever you're listening. It means the world to us and it helps more service business owners find the show.

You can also follow Tim and Steph over on Instagram at @timfrey__ (https://www.instagram.com/timfrey__/) and @stephgorton__ (https://www.instagram.com/stephgorton__/) for more content every week.

See you next Monday.

If you’re a coach and your business is technically working, but still feels heavier than it should, you’ll recognise this straight away.

Bad clients.

The ones who drain your energy, question everything, push back on the work, and somehow take up more space than the clients who actually pay well.

We all get them… and yes, they’ll probably always exist.

But there are ways to get in front of your ideal clients, and stop the bad clients in their tracks.

In this episode, we break down how to use your content to naturally repel the wrong people, pre-qualify leads before they ever get on a sales call, and confidently say no when someone isn’t the right fit (and sometimes with a genuine thank you at the end).

You’ll hear:

0:00 - Our personal updates - Tim’s new car and a poop robo vacuum emergency

7:12 - Creating content that repels bad clients and gets you in front of your ideal audience

10:40 - How to get in front of premium clients without sounding like someone you’re not

13:15 - Are your ideal clients not on Instagram? Here’s how to find them

14:50 - The questions you should include in your application form to filter out the wrong leads before they book a call

17:32 - The biggest red flags on a discovery call that could predict a problem client

20:23 - How to figure out if someone is ready to commit on a sales call or just wasting your time

22:32 - Tips on ending a sales call when you know they’re not the right fit for your business

24:04 - The key behind getting quality clients that are committed to your course

25:44 - What’s the difference between premium  and just straight up overpricing your business?

27:47 - Knowing when to offer a payment plan or reject a potential client

30:27 - If you’re not getting traction on your current platform, here’s what you can do next

Watch the YouTube version of the podcast here (https://youtu.be/m81iFi31rUM).

If you're a service business owner and you're tired of relying on referrals to keep your calendar full, go to startsuccessschool.com and book a free Scale Session with our team.

We'll look at your business, show you exactly where the gaps are, and map out what a fully booked pipeline looks like for you specifically.

No fluff, no pitch fest. Just a real conversation about what's actually holding you back.

Go to startsuccessschool.com and book your session now. We'd love to help you build something that actually works.

And if you got value from today's episode, make sure you hit follow wherever you're listening. It means the world to us and it helps more service business owners find the show.

You can also follow Tim and Steph over on Instagram at @timfrey__ (https://www.instagram.com/timfrey__/) and @stephgorton__ (https://www.instagram.com/stephgorton__/) for more content every week.

See you next Monday.

It’s time to build a predictable business guys.

You need to be able to take holidays, you need to be able to take days off without your business crashing and burning around you (yes, we’ve been there too).

So if you’re a coaching or service based business with inconsistent income, relying on referrals, posting on Instagram without predictable leads, or never knowing how many clients are coming in next month, then you’re going to want to listen to this episode.

There are three ways we recommend our clients to do this so today we’re breaking down:

• How to build a predictable lead generation system for a coaching business

• How pricing and payment structures affect cash flow

• Why hiring a VA and building SOPs is essential for scaling without burning out

You’ll hear:

0:00 - Personal Updates: what has Thailand been like for us so far?

2:07 -  This is what an unpredictable coaching business looks like - is it yours?

3:36 - Why referrals are NOT a good sign in a coaching business

4:55 - Why this common social media strategy won’t bringing in new leads for you consistently

6:41 - The two funnels you should build first if your marketing is based on Instagram

9:20 - How much we spend on paid ads as coaches

10:53 - The funnel we recommend our Success School clients to generate leads in 30 days

13:24 - How to know what to charge based on how many clients you can handle in your current business set up

15:12 - Payment plans vs upfront payments for coaches - which is better?

16:32 - The biggest pricing mistake coaching business owners make when they’re trying to scale revenue

19:57 - The first hire you should make to help your business become predictable

21:21 - How do you prevent your business falling apart when your VA leaves

23:51 - How to build an SOP for a job hire you don’t understand yourself

Watch the YouTube version of the podcast here (https://youtu.be/_DnxXJHIQNI).

If you're a service business owner and you're tired of relying on referrals to keep your calendar full, go to startsuccessschool.com and book a free Scale Session with our team.

We'll look at your business, show you exactly where the gaps are, and map out what a fully booked pipeline looks like for you specifically.

No fluff, no pitch fest. Just a real conversation about what's actually holding you back.

Go to startsuccessschool.com and book your session now. We'd love to help you build something that actually works.

And if you got value from today's episode, make sure you hit follow wherever you're listening. It means the world to us and it helps more service business owners find the show.

You can also follow Tim and Steph over on Instagram at @timfrey__ (https://www.instagram.com/timfrey__/) and @stephgorton__ (https://www.instagram.com/stephgorton__/) for more content every week.

See you next Monday.

Everyone talks about hiring VAs all the time - especially if you’re a small business. Us included.

But we realised that we’ve never gone into depth about exactly what tasks VAs should be doing, how to manage them, where to find them and even how much you should be spending. 

So today we’re covering all of that plus a few of our own storytimes with the 90+ VAs we’ve had over our businesses.

If you’ve ever been on the fence about hiring then have a listen to this one, and reach out to us with any questions @timfrey__ (https://www.instagram.com/timfrey__/) or @stephgorton__ (https://www.instagram.com/stephgorton__/).

You’ll hear:

0:00 - Our personal updates: Steph’s first driving experience in Thailand and the masseuse did what to Tim?! 

4:18 - The real cost of hiring a VA

5:47 - The role split for Steph and her VA (what Steph spends her time on to increase revenue in the business)

6:53 - Easy and quick tasks you should be handing off to a VA

8:23 - The differences between a $5p/h VA, $20p/h VA and an Australian based VA

13:32 - The pros and cons of hiring a VA privately or through an Agency

14:16 The best websites for hiring an overseas VA 

14:46 - Our exact process for hiring VAs (job description, questions to ask + what to look for in their communications with you)

16:58 - How much should you be paying your VA

18:47 - What should daily/weekly reporting look like so you know your VA is doing what they should be

20:09 - Should you be hiring a VA full time or part time to start with?

22:00 - The time tracking websites to manage your VAs time

23:18 - How many chances should you give a VA before firing them?

27:32 - How many VAs we’ve had to fire and the reasons for it

30:15 - Listen to this if you’re on the fence about hiring a VA

31:40 - VA personal assistant business you can get in touch with in Australia

• www.theoeagency.co (http://www./theoeagency.co)

• www.www.socialfriends.net.au

• www.collaborativeco.com.au

Watch the YouTube version of the podcast here (https://youtu.be/B28Jtyw8MiE).

Build Your Predictable Lead Machine: Proven frameworks for scaling coaching & service businesses beyond referrals. Join 1000+ founders building profitable, scalable businesses with Tim & Steph.

Apply now: www.makemoreprofit.com

And if you don’t want Tim to get fired make sure you hit follow wherever you’re listening. 

Got questions or want more free content? Follow us over at @timfrey__ (https://www.instagram.com/timfrey__/) or @stephgorton__ (https://www.instagram.com/stephgorton__/)

If you’re currently thinking to yourself: 

“No one can do my job as good as me”

“My clients would get upset if someone else in my team started coaching them”

“My business just isn’t set up to…”

“I can’t afford to hire this person because…”

Then we’re sorry but you need to hear this.

You are the bottle neck in your business.

And until you fix that - you’re not going to build the business that will get you financial freedom.

Most coaches don’t make it past $100k a year. Don’t be like most coaches.

Today we’re talking about the mindset, systems and team you need to get yourself out of your own way.

You’ll hear:

0:00 - We moved to Thailand!

3:09 - One of the biggest reasons why most coaches don’t make it past $100k a year

5:24 - Do you do these things? You might be the bottleneck in your business

11:06 - What Tim does deliberately to stop the business relying on him

12:37 -Where most coaches go wrong when they hire under pressure

17:10 - The Hiring Ladder: The order you actually need to hire in if you want sustainable growth

20:42 - The core systems your business needs so it doesn’t fall apart when you need a holiday

26:06 - How to know what you need to delegate, automate or get rid of entirely in business

28:01 - How do you know if you’ve hired a donkey

Watch the YouTube version of the podcast here (https://youtu.be/If0yBsCOx6c).

Build Your Predictable Lead Machine: Proven frameworks for scaling coaching & service businesses beyond referrals. Join 1000+ founders building profitable, scalable businesses with Tim & Steph.

Apply now: www.makemoreprofit.com

And if you don’t want Tim to get fired make sure you hit follow wherever you’re listening. 

Got questions or want more free content? Follow us over at @timfrey__ (https://www.instagram.com/timfrey__/) or @stephgorton__ (https://www.instagram.com/stephgorton__/)