Alright – so today we’ve got the honor of introducing you to Suzanne Chadwick. We think you’ll enjoy our conversation, we’ve shared it below.

Suzanne, thanks for taking the time to share your stories with us today 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 people ask me how I scaled my business, they’re often expecting tales of complex strategies and relentless hustle. The truth? My biggest growth came when I started doing less—a lot less.

My entrepreneurial journey began with a simple Women in Business Breakfast. There’s something magical about bringing like-minded people together over coffee and conversation, don’t you think? Those early mornings turned into full-blown conferences, and before I knew it, I had inadvertently built something precious: a community.

As faces became familiar and relationships deepened, something interesting happened. People started approaching me for coaching. They’d experienced my energy, insights, and approach firsthand through these events, and they wanted more personalized guidance. Just like that, my business began expanding organically.

By 2016-2017, I was riding high on this success and thinking, “If coaching one person at a time is good, coaching many must be better!” So I created my signature program, Brand Builders Academy (which I’m proud to say is still going strong today).

But here’s where things went sideways.

In my enthusiasm, I thought, “Why stop there?” I launched a membership program, developed multiple courses, continued running events and workshops, maintained one-on-one coaching, and offered strategy sessions. My calendar was packed, and my offerings list was impressive—or so I thought.

What I didn’t realize was that I’d created a buffet of options that was overwhelming my potential clients. They’d come to me excited to work together but then freeze when faced with too many choices. “Should I join the membership or take the course? Maybe I need one-on-one coaching first? Or would a workshop be better?”

Analysis paralysis was killing my conversions, and I couldn’t figure out why people weren’t buying.

The Podcast That Changed Everything

Have you ever had one of those conversations that shifts everything? For me, it happened during what I thought would be just another podcast interview.

The host mentioned Gary Keller’s book, “The One Thing,” explaining how focusing on a single core offering allows businesses to scale effectively. “When you’re known for one thing,” she told me, “everyone knows exactly how to work with you. That’s how you build a scalable brand.”

I remember sitting there, microphone in front of me, having an internal “aha” moment while trying to maintain my external composure. Everything she said resonated with the friction I was feeling in my business.

That evening, I took a hard look at my business model. With a deep breath and a slightly queasy feeling, I made a decision that seemed crazy at the time: I would eliminate 80% of my offerings.

No more membership. No more multiple courses. No more scattered focus.

I streamlined everything down to just three elements:

One-on-one coaching for those who wanted personalized attention
Brand Builders Academy for those ready for a structured program
Community events to keep nurturing connections
Friends thought I was nuts. “You’re cutting revenue streams? In this economy?” But something in my gut told me this was right.

The results were nothing short of astonishing. Within three months, my profit had tripled. Not my revenue—my actual profit.

Turns out, all those diverse offerings weren’t just confusing my clients; they were draining my resources. By focusing on fewer things, I could make them exceptionally good. My messaging became crystal clear. My marketing became more targeted. And most importantly, my potential clients could easily understand how to work with me.

When someone approached me interested in my services, the decision was simple: Did they want the high-touch experience of one-on-one coaching, or did they prefer the structure and community of my signature program? No more twenty-minute explanations of all their options—just a simple choice that made it easy to say “yes.”

Now, every year, I perform what I call my “simplicity check-up.” I sit down with my offerings, my processes, and my client journey and ask, “How can I make this even simpler? How can I reduce friction for my customers?”

Sometimes that means saying no to exciting new ideas. Sometimes it means combining services or streamlining processes. But every time I choose simplicity over complexity, my business thanks me for it.

If there’s one thing I’ve learned on this journey, it’s that scaling up often means narrowing down. In a world that constantly pushes us to do more, be more, and offer more, there’s incredible power in doing less—but doing it exceptionally well.

So if you’re feeling scattered in your business, if your customers seem confused about how to work with you, or if you’re stretched too thin trying to maintain too many offerings, consider taking a page from my book. Ask yourself: “What’s my one thing? What could I focus on that would make everything else easier or unnecessary?”

Your answer might just lead to the kind of breakthrough growth I experienced—not by working harder, but by focusing smarter.

And trust me, there’s nothing quite like watching your business thrive while actually doing less. It feels a little like cheating the system, in the best possible way.

Suzanne, 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?

For those who haven’t encountered my work before, my journey into business coaching wasn’t exactly a straight line – but looking back, all the pieces were perfectly aligned for where I am today.

Like many entrepreneurs, my path was paved with “starter businesses.” While on maternity leave with my first baby, I dove into a kids’ clothing and sleepwear venture. I also dabbled in creating a “shopping the runway” fashion business – even went as far as purchasing inventory, though that particular dream remained in storage rather than on shelves.

During this experimental phase, I was still anchored to my corporate job, balancing the security of a steady paycheck with the pull of entrepreneurial possibilities. Little did I know that the skills I was developing day-to-day would become the foundation for my true calling.

The turning point came through a simple conversation. A friend on maternity leave mentioned she wanted to start a business, and without thinking twice, I offered to help. This wasn’t actually new territory for me – I had previously built an employer brand agency from scratch within my corporate role. I had created the branding, messaging, products, and services, and successfully sold those offerings to clients.

With a background in recruitment, sales, and branding, the process came naturally to me. So there I was, sitting at my dining room table with my friend, glass of wine in hand, mapping out everything she would need to launch her business – from conceptual framework to product development to go-to-market strategy.

As we wrapped up our impromptu strategy session, she looked at me and said something that changed everything: “Suze, you need to do this.”

Those five words made me pause. What struck me wasn’t just her encouragement, but the realization that I had been taking my abilities for granted. Creating business structures, developing strategies, and building brands was second nature to me – but I hadn’t recognized it as a valuable skill set that others might need.

That dining room table consultation sparked something. My friend referred me to someone else looking to start a business, and then another. Initially, I simply charged for my time, helping these budding entrepreneurs navigate their beginnings.

But I quickly realized I needed to expand my network in Melbourne. Despite growing up there, I had spent eight and a half years in London and returned to find my local connections limited. The solution? Create my own community. That’s how my Women in Business Breakfasts were born, which eventually expanded into conferences.

These events served a dual purpose: they connected me with incredible women in business, and they became an organic pipeline for coaching clients who witnessed my expertise firsthand.

What distinguishes my work in this crowded coaching space is my blend of corporate experience with entrepreneurial instinct. I’ve sat on both sides of the table – I understand the structured approach of corporate strategy while embracing the agility needed for startup success.

My flagship program, Brand Builders Academy, evolved from those early dining room consultations. It embodies my belief that business growth doesn’t have to be complicated – in fact, simplicity is often the key to scaling. This philosophy was cemented when I made the bold move to eliminate 80% of my offerings and focus solely on what I did best, resulting in triple the profits within just three months.

The Problems I Solve
At its core, my work addresses the overwhelm that comes with entrepreneurship. Many business owners, particularly women, find themselves drowning in options, spreading themselves too thin, and losing sight of their most profitable path forward.

I help them cut through the noise to identify their “one thing” – that core offering or approach that can become their signature in the marketplace. Then we build systems and strategies to amplify that strength rather than diluting it across too many initiatives.

What I’m Most Proud Of
While business growth metrics are gratifying, what truly fills me with pride is watching my clients experience their own “dining room table” moments – those instances when they suddenly recognize the unique value they bring to the table and find the confidence to build around it.

I’m also proud of practicing what I preach. By embracing simplicity in my own business model, focusing on Brand Builders Academy and selective one-on-one coaching, I’ve created a sustainable business that doesn’t require me to be everything to everyone.

What I Want People to Know
If there’s one thing I want potential clients to understand, it’s that business success doesn’t always mean adding more – sometimes it means doing less, but with greater focus and excellence. My own journey from scattered ventures to concentrated impact is testament to this approach.

I believe that within every entrepreneur is a singular strength that, when properly positioned and packaged, can become the foundation of a thriving business. My job is simply to help you find it, frame it, and free yourself from everything that distracts from it.

Whether through my frequent community events, my structured Brand Builders Academy, or personalized coaching relationships, my mission remains consistent: helping you build a business that’s not just profitable, but also profoundly aligned with who you are and what you do best.

Because sometimes, all it takes is someone across the table saying, “You need to do this” – and I’m honored to be that voice for the entrepreneurs I serve.

Can you share one of your favorite marketing or sales stories?

Breaking the Launch Rules: How I Generated $100,000+ in Three Weeks

One of my favorite marketing stories comes from the time I completely broke the standard launch playbook—and it paid off in ways I couldn’t have imagined.

If you’ve been around the online business world for any length of time, you’ve probably noticed the typical launch pattern: a frenzied four to seven-day window of webinars, emails, and countdown timers designed to create urgency and drive quick decisions. It’s effective, but also exhausting—for both the business owner and their audience.

The Three-Week Experiment

I remember sitting at my desk one day, planning my next launch for Brand Builders Academy, when a question popped into my head: “What if I slowed things down? What if I gave people more time to decide, but still maintained that sense of urgency?”

This curiosity led me to design what my peers considered a radical approach—a three-week launch period. Yes, you read that right. Not seven days. Not even ten. A full three weeks in the spotlight.

Most of my business friends thought I was setting myself up for burnout. “You can’t sustain that energy,” they warned. “People will tune out after the first week,” others cautioned.

But something in my gut told me this was worth testing.

The Strategy Behind the Madness

Instead of cramming everything into a week, I structured the launch into three distinct phases, each with its own focal point and incentive structure:

1. Week One: I ran a live webinar introducing the program and unveiled the full suite of bonuses—additional trainings, templates, and resources that complemented the core offering. Anyone purchasing in this first week would receive every single bonus (a substantial value-add).

2. Week Two: Another live webinar, but with a slightly different focus, addressing common objections and showcasing student success stories. Buyers during this period would receive about 75% of the bonuses—still valuable, but clearly less than week one offers.

3. Week Three: The final live webinar dove deeper into implementation and results. At this stage, only about 25% of the bonuses remained available—creating a clear “you’ve missed some opportunities, but there’s still value here” message.

Each week built on the momentum of the previous one while creating legitimate urgency through the diminishing bonus structure. It wasn’t manufactured scarcity—it was a genuine “earlier birds get more worms” approach.

What happened next surprised even me. People bought during every single phase of the launch.

Week one naturally attracted my “ready-to-go” audience—those who had been waiting for the program to open and didn’t need much convincing. They were thrilled to get all the bonuses and jumped in immediately.

But then came week two, and instead of seeing a dramatic dropoff, we welcomed another wave of students. These were people who needed a bit more information, who had watched the first webinar but weren’t quite ready to commit. The second presentation addressed their specific concerns, and the still-substantial bonus package gave them reason to act now rather than wait.

Week three brought in those who typically need more time to decide, who perhaps needed to see consistent messaging and proof before investing, or who simply hadn’t caught the earlier webinars due to scheduling conflicts.

By the end of those three weeks, I had generated over $100,000 in sales—a figure that far exceeded my expectations and justified every ounce of energy the extended launch required.

The Lessons Behind the Success

Looking back, I realize several key factors contributed to this success:

-Different Decision-Making Styles: Not everyone makes purchasing decisions at the same pace. By extending the launch window, I accommodated both quick decision-makers and those who need more time to consider.

-Fresh Content Throughout: Each webinar offered new perspectives and information, keeping the campaign feeling fresh rather than repetitive.

-Genuine but Declining bonsues/Incentives: The bonus structure created legitimate reasons to buy sooner rather than later without resorting to false scarcity tactics.

– Increased Visibility: Three weeks of consistent messaging meant my launch stayed top-of-mind longer and reached people who might have missed a shorter window.

– Community Building: The extended timeline allowed participants to engage more deeply, ask questions, and see others joining—creating momentum and social proof.

Beyond the Numbers

While the revenue was certainly validating, what I’m equally proud of is how this approach grew my audience. Even people who didn’t purchase engaged with the content, joined my email list, and became part of my community. Many of them eventually became clients in future launches because I’d established a relationship during that extended visibility period.

This experience reinforced one of my core business philosophies: sometimes the most powerful strategy is questioning established “rules” and finding approaches that align better with how real people make decisions. The standard seven-day launch isn’t wrong—it’s just not the only way.

So if you’re considering your next launch strategy, remember that there’s value in testing your assumptions and creating systems that honor different decision-making styles. Your audience (and your business bank account) might just thank you for it.

We often hear about learning lessons – but just as important is unlearning lessons. Have you ever had to unlearn a lesson?

Pricing in business can be hard and it’s easy to overthink it and keep going around in circles trying to work out what you think is right. Years ago a mentor said something to me that has stuck with me since and helps me think about pricing in a different way.

She said “stay out of your clients wallets”.

Which means don’t assume what people can and can’t afford.
When you create something that you know is of value and you price it the way that you want, then you’ll attract the right people. Don’t low ball your pricing in the hope that you’ll attract more clients.

Contact Info:

• Website: https://www.suzchadwick.com
• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/suzchadwick
• Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/suzannechadwick/
• Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/suzchadwick

Image Credits

Photographer: https://www.jessicaroberts.com.au/