Success School

We hit $400K a month. And honestly? It's been harder than we thought it would be.

We thought we'd be at a million by now. We're not. And today we're breaking down exactly why, what we've learned, and what we had to completely blow up and rebuild to get here.

This episode is raw. We're talking about the beliefs that held us back for months, the assumptions we made about hiring that cost us tens of thousands of dollars, why we completely changed our business model, and the days where Tim literally cried on a walk because he didn't know how to solve the problem in front of him.

We also get into why group coaching is dead, how we're now running a one-to-one model that's actually scalable, the shiny object syndrome that almost derailed us, and why being a CEO is genuinely the worst job in the company.

You'll hear:

0:00 - The brutal truth about scaling to $400K a month (and why we're not at a million yet)

3:17 - Why hiring A players isn't enough, and the training mistake that cost us months

10:10 - The belief systems that held us back from growing faster

18:27 - Why we killed our group coaching model and went all in on one-to-one

29:51 - How we're now running a one-to-one model that's actually scalable and profitable

35:28 - The grind: why Tim was dreading Mondays and crying on walks

41:03 - Does entrepreneurship get less fun the longer you're in it?

46:17 - Why being a CEO is the worst role in the company

52:44 - The funnels that got us here and why call funnels burn out in 48 hours

58:19 - How we went from filming three times a week to once a fortnight and got better results

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. 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're answering five of your spiciest questions today. And we're not holding back.

From why men tie their worth to their income, to what we'd actually do if we had to rebuild from zero, to the uncomfortable truth about why most coaching businesses are failing their clients.

We also get into the real stats on how many of our clients actually succeed versus fail, what it's like when you've given everything to your business and have nothing left for home, and why we think personal development has completely fucked up entrepreneurship.

You'll hear:

0:00 - Why is it so hard for men to separate what they earn from who they are?

8:42 - If everything went to zero today and we had to build a seven figure business from scratch, what would we do and why?

18:27 - How many of the businesses we coach actually work versus fail, and what's the main character difference?

29:51 - Have you ever come home and given so much to business that you've got nothing left to give at home? What do you actually do in that situation?

41:03 - Our most controversial opinion about the coaching industry

46:17 - Why personal development has fucked up entrepreneurship

52:44 - The fastest way to bust through limiting beliefs (and it's not more inner work)

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. 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 your business feels stuck, it's not your strategy. It's not your offer. It's not your marketing.

It's you.

Today we're getting into the real reasons why businesses don't grow, and it's got nothing to do with what you're posting or how many leads you're getting. We're talking about mindset, standards, and the invisible beliefs that are keeping you playing small.

We're sharing stories from our own upbringing, the moment Steph realized she was settling for mediocrity, the coach who taught Tim what excellence actually looks like, and what we've learned from spending $170,000 just to be in rooms with people doing $5M+ months.

You'll hear:

0:00 - Why your business is stuck (and it's not what you think)

4:37 - How Tim's dad programmed belief into him from a young age

9:12 - The moment Steph realized she was accepting mediocrity in every area of her life

14:28 - Why 97% of your thoughts and actions were programmed between ages 4 and 7

19:45 - The mindset work that changed everything for both of us

26:33 - What Tim learned from coaching NCAA champions at 4am in Arizona

32:51 - Why we've spent $170,000 to get in rooms with people doing $5M+ months

38:19 - The uncomfortable truth about standards and why most people settle

43:07 - Camels, donkeys, and stallions: which one are you?

47:52 - Why business is simple but the human overcomplicates it

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. 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.

Six months ago, we left Australia permanently. And the question we get asked more than anything is: was it actually worth it?

This is the full story. The decision, the move, the guilt, the chaos, the $30,000 we're currently fighting to get back from a landlord lol, and what life actually looks like now that we're here.

We're not holding anything back. The panic attacks on the couch in Perth, the weeks we questioned everything after landing, the moment Steph’s dad passed away three weeks after we decided to leave, and how we finally told our families we were going.

We also get into the stuff no one talks about: what it's like being watched while you eat by your private chef, how we justified leaving our parents behind, why our dogs were rattled for a month, and the identity crisis that comes with cutting ties to your home country.

You'll hear:

0:00 - Why we were having panic attacks on the couch in our million dollar home

8:14 - The moment in a Bali pool that changed everything

12:37 - How we convinced ourselves it was the right move (even when it felt insane)

18:42 - The guilt of leaving family behind and how we got over it

24:19 - What happened when Tim's dad passed away three weeks after we decided to move

29:51 - The first two weeks in Thailand: why we both thought we'd made a huge mistake

35:28 - How we burnt out in paradise (and what we did to fix it)

41:03 - The $30,000 bond we're fighting to get back from our landlord

46:17 - What life actually looks like now: housekeepers, private chefs, and being watched while we eat

52:44 - The numbers: visas, costs, taxes, and how we actually did it

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. 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 Q&A time again, and this one got spicy.

Today we're answering the questions you actually sent us: the Australian government's new small business taxes, how to know if your content is working, what we'd do differently if we started the gym again, and yes, how a strippers agency could run a sales event (you read that right).

We also get into the real cost of hiring the wrong sales person, why going viral doesn't always mean making more money, and what it's like navigating IVF as a couple in business together.

You'll hear:

0:00 - The new Australian government taxes on small business and how much we've saved since leaving

5:38 - Is the era of easy coaching businesses over?

10:09 - If we were starting the gym over again today, what would we do differently?

14:01 - Should you care about viral content or just focus on conversions?

18:27 - The most powerful way to use AI to grow your business (controversial take)

21:57 - The most common objections on sales calls right now and how to overcome them

27:33 - How any business can run a sales event (including a strippers agency)

33:03 - Navigating fertility and IVF as the male partner

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. 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 been in business together for 8 years, and married through all of it. In this episode we're pulling back the curtain on the stuff most couples never admit: the screaming matches, the money wars, the night in Bali that changed everything for us, and the health scare that nearly ended it all.

Here's what we get into:

The New Year's Eve in Bali, and the plant medicine trip, that broke down 4 years of distrust in a single conversation.

"That's MY money" — the brutal money fight that nearly split us, and where it really came from.

How we watched overwork turn into an autoimmune disease, until Steph woke up one morning unable to feel her own body.

Too many chefs in the kitchen — why two alphas in one business is a recipe for disaster.

The "girl boss" movement, the ego, and the quiet distrust it planted in our marriage.

The jockey and the horse: the concept that changed how we pick what to build.

Why giving your partner feedback can blow up your business, and the rules we live by now.

If you're in business with your partner, or thinking about it, this is the episode for you.

And 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.

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.

 In the last four years, we've earned over $10 million in our own business, and we're on track to do $4 to $5 million this year. 

Today, we’re covering  the five steps so that you can nail your offer, marketing, sales process, what the team needs to look like, and what reinvestment needs to look like to get you to that $1 million mark. 

You’ll hear:

0:00 - The client that went from $15k to $140k a MONTH in just 18 months

2:50 - The biggest lever they pulled to get there

4:08 - Why high-ticket offers make scaling to $1M much easier

9:44 - Organic content alone probably won’t get you to $1M..

16:19 - The key to nailing your sales process

19:49 - The hires that stop YOU becoming the bottleneck

28:27 - Outsourcing marketing (and why doing this too early could backfire massively)

30:52 - What reinvestment should look like if you’re committed to building a $1m business

33:03 - Common mistakes to avoid while you’re trying to build this!

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

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. 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.

Back in the good old days, you could drop a link to your product, service or event in a Facebook group and get 400 leads.

Now? Not so much.

There is still a way to make lead magnets work though, and so many service businesses are missing the chance to bring leads into their world while they’re asleep.

So today, we’re talking about exactly that: how to run a lead magnet on paid ads, get it in front of the right people, and build the follow-up system that actually turns those leads into sales.

You’ll hear:

0:00 - Why the old way of getting leads stopped working, and what service businesses need instead

6:50 - How to turn your social media from random posting into an actual marketing system

10:57 - Why your content probably isn’t meant to generate all your leads directly

13:13 - How long-form content helps people trust you faster before they ever book a call

15:56 - The follow-up step most businesses skip after someone becomes a lead

18:08 - How to get in front of your ideal people (and no one is doing this yet!)

21:57 - How to give people clear next steps once they’re in your world

27:33 - Do low ticket offers still work?

29:23 - When high ticket offers can be easier to sell

33:30 - What you need in place first to get the lead magnet funnel running

34:21 - The content, email and sales mistakes you should avoid

Watch the YouTube version of the podcast here (https://youtu.be/4jk0RTW9SDk).

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. 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 Q&A time again!

Today we’re answering the kinds of questions that usually come up when your business is making money… but you’re still not sure what’s working and how to get to the next level.

We’re chatting about ads, AI, client acquisition, getting stuck around 30k months and what moving to Thailand has done for both us and our business.

You’ll hear:

0:00 - Q1: I’m getting leads via Facebook Ads, how do I know if it’s worth it?

5:58 - Q2: Am I going to be left behind by not going hard with AI?

8:32 - Q3: How much should I expect to acquire a client for?

12:50 - Q4: Where do business owners get stuck when scaling from $20k to $100k months?

18:17 - Q5: How has moving to Thailand affected the business?

Watch the YouTube version of the podcast here (https://youtu.be/F9dYmwAWPK4).

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. 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 your leads are taking longer to buy, this episode will probably explain why.

These are the 7 worst ways to sign clients.

Key moments:

0:00 - Why your marketing is great but you still might not be signing clients

3:17 - Email marketing

6:59 - SMS

8:03 - Google Ads

10:10 - Active Referral Pushes

13:38 - Organic social media marketing

18:43 - Meta ads

19:15 - Long form content

Watch the YouTube version of the podcast here (https://youtu.be/NIuMBo5rDZg).

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. 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.