We recently connected with Megan Ewing and have shared our conversation below.
Megan, thanks for joining us, excited to have you contributing your stories and insights. How did you scale up? What were the strategies, tactics, meaningful moments, twists/turns, obstacles, mistakes along the way? The world needs to hear more realistic, actionable stories about this critical part of the business building journey. Tell us your scaling up story – bring us along so we can understand what it was like making the decisions you had, implementing the strategies/tactics etc.
When I started Think Big, Act Bold, it wasn’t a polished, high-performing business overnight—it was built step by step, with every decision, challenge, and pivot shaping the foundation for what it is today.
Laying the Foundation
I left corporate America a decade ago, diving into entrepreneurship through Paint Nite, a venture that thrived until market saturation forced me to pivot. That’s when I shifted focus to Kevin Ewing Photography, helping my husband turn his creative passion into a structured business. This wasn’t just about photography; it was about building scalable systems, optimizing workflows, and leveraging automation—skills that would later become the backbone of Think Big, Act Bold.
The Scaling Strategy
Scaling up didn’t happen because I simply “worked harder.” It was about working smarter and building systems that allowed for growth without burnout. Here’s what made the biggest impact:
1️⃣ Automation & Systems: I leaned heavily into tools like 17Hats to automate client management, marketing, and sales funnels. This allowed me to scale without increasing the workload exponentially.
2️⃣ Recurring Revenue & Community: Instead of relying on one-off services, I launched the Inner Circle Membership, giving entrepreneurs a space for ongoing coaching and accountability. This shifted my business from transactional to relationship-based growth.
3️⃣ Strategic Positioning & Brand Authority: I invested in content marketing, speaking engagements, and partnerships, ensuring Think Big, Act Bold became a recognizable name in business strategy.
4️⃣ Refining My Offers & Pricing for Profitability: Initially, I underpriced my services, which made scaling difficult. I restructured my offerings, focused on value-based pricing, and ensured my programs were both impactful and profitable.
Pivotal Moments & Challenges
Scaling wasn’t smooth sailing. There were failed launches, pricing missteps, and moments of doubt. One of the hardest lessons was realizing that not every idea should be pursued at once. I had to narrow my focus to core revenue streams instead of trying to do everything.
Another turning point was embracing data-driven decisions rather than emotional ones. Tracking conversion rates, audience engagement, and revenue streams helped me refine what worked—and eliminate what didn’t.
The Takeaway
The reality of scaling is that it’s messy, strategic, and requires endurance. Success isn’t about overnight wins but about consistent execution of the right strategies.
If I could give one piece of advice to entrepreneurs looking to scale, it’s this:
Build systems, price for profit, and create a business that supports your lifestyle—not one that traps you in constant hustle.
Now, Think Big, Act Bold is positioned to help entrepreneurs hit their first $100K year, leveraging the exact strategies that built my success.
Megan, before we move on to more of these sorts of questions, can you take some time to bring our readers up to speed on you and what you do?
I’m Megan Ewing, a growth strategist, business coach, and automation expert, dedicated to helping entrepreneurs streamline their businesses, scale with systems, and hit their first $100K year. I founded Think Big, Act Bold to equip small business owners with the mindset, strategies, and automation tools to grow sustainably—without the overwhelm.
How I Got Into Business Strategy & Coaching
My journey into entrepreneurship started with a leap from corporate America over a decade ago. I was working at a federal courthouse while running a side hustle with Paint Nite, a creative event business. That experience introduced me to the power of marketing, automation, and systems, but as the market became saturated, I had to pivot.
Instead of returning to a 9-to-5, I poured my energy into building my husband’s photography business, Kevin Ewing Photography. I quickly realized that talent alone doesn’t build a profitable business—systems do. From refining workflows to implementing automation, I helped transform it into a scalable, efficient, and profitable brand.
Seeing the impact of these strategies firsthand, I knew I had a bigger mission—to help entrepreneurs stop running in circles and start running their businesses with clarity and control. That’s how Think Big, Act Bold was born.
What I Do & How I Help Entrepreneurs
At Think Big, Act Bold, I provide:
✅ Business Coaching & Strategy – Helping entrepreneurs clarify their offers, price for profit, and implement action plans that actually move the needle.
✅ Automation & Systems Setup – Specializing in 17Hats automation, lead generation, and workflow optimization to save entrepreneurs time while scaling their revenue.
✅ Execution-Based Workshops & Challenges – From my Execution Lab: Build Your $100K Blueprint event to my 5-Day Productivity & Systems Reset Challenge, I create hands-on experiences where entrepreneurs actually get the work done, not just learn theory.
✅ Content & SEO Blog Services – Helping businesses generate high-value, keyword-driven blogs through an automated system that boosts visibility and authority.
✅ Community & Support Through the Inner Circle – A membership-based program designed for ongoing support, accountability, and implementation.
What Sets Me Apart
🚀 Execution Over Theory: Many coaches give advice—I help you implement and execute. My programs are action-driven, so clients see real progress, not just a notebook full of ideas.
🤖 Automation & Efficiency Focus: I specialize in helping business owners work smarter with the right tech and systems. My expertise in 17Hats, Make.com, and other automation tools allows entrepreneurs to scale without working 24/7.
💡 Relatable & Transparent: I’ve been in the trenches, bootstrapping my business and figuring things out along the way. I openly share my wins, failures, and lessons so others can fast-track their own success.
🎯 Helping Entrepreneurs Get to $100K Faster: I focus on real, sustainable revenue growth—not just vanity metrics. My mission is to help entrepreneurs make their first six-figure year with structured, scalable strategies.
What I’m Most Proud Of
✨ The Think Big, Act Bold Women’s Conference: I brought together 40+ women entrepreneurs for an empowering, strategy-driven event, proving that small business owners need spaces to connect, grow, and collaborate.
✨ Launching the ‘Share the Vision’ Initiative: I host free vision board events for students in schools and underserved communities, using my business success to create meaningful impact.
✨ Growing My Business While Prioritizing My Family: I’m a wife and mom, and I’ve built Think Big, Act Bold in a way that allows me to run a thriving business without sacrificing time with my family.
What I Want Clients & Followers to Know
✔️ Scaling isn’t about working harder—it’s about working smarter. You don’t need to do everything manually or figure it all out alone. My job is to help you create a business that grows without burning you out.
✔️ I believe in action, not just inspiration. If you follow my content, work with me, or join my community, you’re going to be pushed to execute, not just consume information.
✔️ Your success doesn’t have to take years. I help entrepreneurs make progress faster by leveraging automation, strategy, and mindset shifts that actually work.
Think Big, Act Bold isn’t just a brand—it’s a movement for entrepreneurs ready to step up, simplify, and scale. If you’re tired of spinning your wheels and ready for a clear path to $100K and beyond, I’d love to help you get there. 🚀
We’d love to hear a story of resilience from your journey.
Entrepreneurship is a test of resilience—every success is built on the back of challenges, pivots, and lessons learned. One moment that truly tested my ability to adapt and persevere was when my first business, Paint Nite, started to decline.
When I first started with Paint Nite, it was everything I had hoped for in a business—fun, profitable, and growing fast. I built a solid customer base, hosted sold-out events, and felt like I had truly found my stride as an entrepreneur.
But markets change, and saturation hit hard. More people started running similar events, and attendance numbers dropped. Suddenly, what once felt like a thriving business became a struggle. I had a decision to make: hold on and hope things turned around, or pivot.
Rather than clinging to a sinking ship, I chose to take a step back and ask, What’s the bigger lesson here? I realized my real strength wasn’t just in running events—it was in building businesses, creating systems, and finding ways to scale.
That’s when I shifted my focus to Kevin Ewing Photography. Instead of starting from scratch, I applied everything I had learned about branding, automation, and scaling to grow my husband’s photography business. The shift was uncomfortable at first—I went from being the face of my own events to working behind the scenes, but it taught me the power of reinvention in business.
Over time, I built a structure that allowed Kevin Ewing Photography to scale efficiently, leading to new revenue streams, higher-value clients, and the ability to work smarter. That experience planted the seed for Think Big, Act Bold, where I now help other entrepreneurs streamline, automate, and scale without hitting burnout.
That chapter of my journey taught me one of the most valuable lessons in business:
💡 Resilience isn’t just about pushing through—it’s about knowing when to pivot and adapt.
Had I tried to force my way through a declining business model, I might have spent years struggling. Instead, by leaning into change, recognizing my strengths, and trusting my ability to build again, I ended up creating something even bigger—a business that continues to grow, impact others, and align with my long-term vision.
For any entrepreneur facing challenges, my advice is:
✅ Don’t fear change—embrace it. What looks like a failure could be the setup for your biggest win.
✅ Build skills, not just businesses. When one door closes, your skills will open another.
✅ Success isn’t about never falling—it’s about always finding a way forward.
That’s what resilience in entrepreneurship truly looks like. 🚀
How’d you build such a strong reputation within your market?
Reputation isn’t built overnight—it’s earned through consistency, results, and trust. In the entrepreneurial space, where competition is high and attention spans are short, I knew that if I wanted to stand out, I had to do three things exceptionally well:
1️⃣ Show Up Consistently
From day one, I made it a priority to be present, share value, and engage with my audience—whether through social media, webinars, speaking engagements, or coaching. Even when I didn’t have a massive following, I made sure that the people who did follow me saw me as a reliable source of knowledge and support.
2️⃣ Provide Real, Actionable Value
A lot of business coaches talk in circles about “mindset” and “hustle,” but I wanted to set myself apart by being solution-driven. I built my brand around helping entrepreneurs execute—automating their businesses, setting up workflows, and getting to their first $100K.
I focused on teaching practical strategies that people could implement immediately—whether through my 17Hats automation services, business coaching, or live workshops. People don’t just follow me for inspiration; they follow me because I help them get real results.
3️⃣ Deliver Results & Let My Work Speak for Itself
Nothing builds a reputation faster than happy clients and tangible success stories. From photographers to coaches, I’ve helped business owners streamline operations, automate lead generation, and scale without burnout. Word-of-mouth referrals and testimonials have played a huge role in my growth—when people get results, they naturally tell others.
4️⃣ Authenticity & Transparency
I’ve never tried to be a “perfect” business coach. I openly share my journey, the challenges I’ve faced, and the pivots I’ve had to make. People resonate with realness—they want to learn from someone who has been in the trenches, not just preaching from the sidelines.
5️⃣ Positioning Myself as an Expert
I took strategic steps to establish credibility in my space:
✔️ Speaking engagements & workshops – I didn’t wait to be invited to the table; I created my own stages (Think Big, Act Bold Women’s Conference, Execution Lab, etc.)
✔️ Strategic collaborations – Partnering with brands like 17Hats helped build authority.
✔️ Content marketing & visibility – From blog posts to YouTube content, I continuously share my expertise to stay top-of-mind in my industry.
The Takeaway: Reputation is Built Through Consistency & Impact
At the end of the day, reputation isn’t about being the loudest—it’s about being the most effective. I built my reputation by consistently helping people solve problems, sharing knowledge generously, and showing up as my authentic self.
If you’re looking to establish yourself in your industry, remember:
✅ Be consistent. Show up, even when no one is watching.
✅ Provide real value. Focus on impact, not just engagement.
✅ Let results build your brand. Success stories speak louder than self-promotion.
That’s how I built my reputation—and why entrepreneurs trust me to help them scale. 🚀
Contact Info:
- Website: https://www.thinkbigactbold.com
- Instagram: @i_am_meganewing
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/ThinkBigActBold
- Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/@BehindtheBreakthrough
Image Credits
Kevin Ewing Photography