Success School

Join Steph and Tim Frey on the Success School Podcast, where we share the exact systems we use to help service businesses get new clients every week and stay fully booked. Each week you'll get: System Deep Dives – How to install a simple marketing system that brings new clients in consistently, without relying on referrals or social media. Real Results – Behind-the-scenes stories from service businesses we've worked with who went from unpredictable referrals to fully booked calendars. Listener Q&A – Raw answers to the questions service business owners are asking as they build predictable demand and scale their teams. Proven Frameworks – The exact strategies, systems, and processes that keep calendars full weeks in advance and build real business momentum. Expect practical tactics, honest advice, and real conversations about what actually works for service businesses ready to stop relying on referrals and start building sustainable growth. Hit subscribe and tune in every Monday to join 250+ service business owners building fully booked, in-demand businesses.

  1. 22h ago

    We Scaled Past $1M Three Times - Here's What Actually Works

    You want to scale past a million dollars. You've got the offer. You've got the clients. But you're still stuck. That's not a strategy problem. That's an execution problem. Today we're breaking down six brutally simple rules that will take you past the million dollar mark. And if you're not doing these six things, you're leaving money on the table every single day. We're talking about the uncomfortable truth about going all in, why charging more will attract better clients and grow your business faster, and the one thing that separates people who hit a million from people who stay stuck at 200K. We get into why being on Instagram all day is killing your focus, the story of how we ran a webinar the day Steph's dad passed away because we said we would, and why our business coach replied with 40% of the goal when we hit our first 400K month. We also talk about why you need to burn the boats and remove your safety net, the client who paid 30 grand and moved faster than anyone we've ever worked with, and why if you're blaming the algorithm or Meta ads or anything else, the answer is always more effort. If you're a service business owner and you're ready to scale past a million, this episode is for you. You'll hear: Why you need to go all in and burn the boats if you want to scale past a million The brutal truth about charging more and why it attracts better clients who refer better clients How we went from criminal underchargers to on track for 400 to 500K months by raising our prices Why doing what you say you're going to do builds self trust and moves your business forward faster The story of how we ran a webinar the night Steph's dad passed away because we committed to it Why you need to get off Instagram and stop wasting time on b******t that doesn't drive you towards your goal How being tunnel vision on a million dollars a month means we don't give a f**k about what anyone else is doing Why you need to put in more effort and stop blaming the algorithm when your ads aren't working How we built a new webinar in 12 hours because that's what it takes to feed the team Why you need to listen to the people you're paying and implement their advice immediately The difference between hiring a pusher and hiring someone you want to be friends with Why our business grew four times in 18 months after we hired a coach who pushed us harder The story of our coach replying 40% of the goal when we hit our first $400K month If you're a service business owner and you're tired of relying on referrals to keep your calendar full, go to https://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 week.

    We Scaled Past $1M Three Times - Here's What Actually Works
  2. 3d ago

    The Psychology Trick Behind Our Follow-Up Emails

    You booked a sales call. They didn't show up. And now you're wondering how to get them back without looking desperate. That's not a no show problem. That's a follow up problem. Today we're breaking down the Ghost Protocol, the exact strategy our sales team uses to turn no shows into paying clients. And it's got nothing to do with better reminder emails, better sales scripts, or chasing people down on social media. It's about using psychology and email deliverability to get straight back to the top of their inbox. If you're a service business owner and you're tired of no shows killing your close rate, this episode is for you. If you're a service business owner and you're tired of relying on referrals to keep your calendar full, go to https://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 S*it that works!, 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 Thursday for S*it that works!

    The Psychology Trick Behind Our Follow-Up Emails
  3. Sep 6

    Business & Pregnancy - Our 3.5 Year Journey

    You're building a business. You're planning for a family. And you're wondering how the hell you're supposed to do both without everything falling apart. Today we're pulling back the curtain on the 3.5 year journey it took us to get pregnant, the brutal reality of IVF, and exactly how we've removed Steph from the business so it can scale to a million dollars a month without her. We're talking about the moment we realized our entire business relied on Steph being the face of everything, why we had to kill our group coaching model and move to one to one, and the three key hires we made in two weeks to prepare for this. We also get into why Tim's sperm count was zero for 18 months, the choice we had between scaling down or building a real business, and why waiting until you're six months pregnant to prep for maternity leave is way too late. We also answer your questions about why we wanted kids, how we knew it was the right time, whether we're having the baby in Thailand, and why Steph's not reading a single parenting book. If you're a business owner planning for a baby or any extended time away from your business, this episode is for you. You'll hear: Why it took us 3.5 years to get pregnant and the IVF journey that got us here The moment we realized our entire business relied on Steph and why that was a problem How we changed the business model from group coaching to one to one so we could scale without Steph The three key hires we made in two weeks (ops manager, sales manager, and content manager) Why if Steph got taken out of the company tomorrow, nothing would change The brutal truth about waiting until month six of pregnancy to prep for mat leave How we mapped out what it takes to hit a million dollars a month and built the team around that Why we're having the baby in Thailand and the hospital experience that changed our minds How we knew it was the right time to have a baby (and why we're glad we waited) The advice we'd give to anyone planning for a baby while running a business Why Tim's not reading a single parenting book and Steph doesn't have a birth plan The Snoo versus Cradle Wise debate and why we're about to start a war in the comments If you're a service business owner and you're tired of relying on referrals to keep your calendar full, go to https://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 week.

    Business & Pregnancy - Our 3.5 Year Journey
  4. Aug 30

    We Studied 1,600 Offers, Here's What Scales Past $1M

    You've got an offer. You're running ads. You're posting on social. And you're still stuck under a million dollars. That's not a marketing problem. That's an offer problem. Today we're breaking down exactly what it takes to build an offer that scales past the million dollar mark. We've studied over 1,600 offers from businesses we've worked with, and we've found a specific formula that separates the offers that scale from the ones that don't. And by the end of this episode, you'll know exactly what's missing from your offer and how to fix it. We're talking about the 5P framework, pain, promise, person, process, and profit, and why most offers fail because they don't solve a painful enough problem. We get into why being scared to make promises is killing your close rate, how to know if you're targeting the wrong customer, and why your offer needs to be designed for the client, not for your lifestyle. We also talk about the photographer who pivoted from real estate agents to financial services and turned her business around in two months, the beauty clinic owner who was marketing massages when she should have been marketing skin treatments, and why high ticket beats low ticket every single time if you actually want to scale. If you're a service business owner and you're stuck under a million dollars, this episode is for you. You'll hear: What an offer actually is and why most people get it wrong The biggest mistake people make when building offers (hint: they build it for themselves, not the client) The 5P framework: pain, promise, person, process, and profit How big does the problem need to be for your offer to scale? The beauty clinic owner who was marketing massages instead of skin treatments (and why that was a mistake) Why businesses are terrified of making promises and how to fix that How to know if you've chosen the wrong customer (and what to do about it) The photographer who pivoted from real estate to financial services and turned it around in two months Why you need to start as you mean to go on (and what we learned from Shelby Sapp) How to scale your offer without burning yourself out Is high ticket better for scale? (The answer is yes, and here's why) Why you should never read client feedback as a founder Why founders feel the need to create multiple offers (and why that's a mistake) The one thing that will scale your offer past a million dollars If you're a service business owner and you're tired of relying on referrals to keep your calendar full, go to https://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 week.

    We Studied 1,600 Offers, Here's What Scales Past $1M
  5. Aug 27

    This AI Trick Boosted Our Close Rate By 20% 🤯 | STWs

    You're following up with leads. You're sending generic emails. And you're wondering why they're not converting. That's not a follow up problem. That's a personalization problem. Today we're breaking down the one AI tactic that boosted our close rate by 20%, and it's got nothing to do with better scripts, better objection handling, or better sales training. It's about mining your sales calls with AI and using that data to create personalized follow ups that actually convert. We're talking about how to use Fathom to record every single call in your business, how to take those transcripts and feed them into Claude or ChatGPT to extract pain points and objections, and how to turn that into personalized email outreach, social media content, and follow up sequences that feel like you're speaking directly to the person. We also get into how this works for sales calls specifically, why generic follow ups are killing your close rate, and how we implemented this exact process in our own sales team and saw an immediate 20% jump in conversions. If you're a service business owner and you're not recording your calls and using AI to personalize your follow ups, this episode is for you. If you're a service business owner and you're tired of relying on referrals to keep your calendar full, go to https://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 S*it that works!, 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 Thursday for S*it that works!

    This AI Trick Boosted Our Close Rate By 20% 🤯 | STWs
  6. Aug 23

    The Only 3 Funnels You'll Ever Need (Steal This)

    You're running ads. You're burning cash. And you have no idea which funnel is actually right for your business. That's not a strategy. That's just guessing. Today we're breaking down the only three funnels you'll ever need to scale a service business in 2026. We're talking about the lead magnet funnel, the call funnel, and the webinar funnel. And by the end of this episode, you'll know exactly which one to run first, which one will make you the most money, and which one is burning out your ad budget without you even realizing it. We get into the hairdresser who signed eight expensive blonde clients in six weeks using a lead magnet, the fitness coach who pivoted to AI and signed five clients in a month with zero proof using a call funnel, and how we've made over five million dollars from webinars alone. We also talk about why most people think they have a leads problem when it's actually a sales problem, the number one mistake that kills webinar funnels before they even start, and why your ads will never work if your offer isn't different enough. If you're a service business owner and you're sick of relying on referrals or guessing which funnel to run, this episode is for you. You'll hear: The number one mistake people make when they think about running Facebook ads Why the more unique your offer, the cheaper your leads will be The three funnels that actually work: lead magnet, call funnel, and webinar How the lead magnet funnel works and why it's the easiest to start with The hairdresser who signed eight expensive blonde clients in six weeks using a lead magnet Why most people fall down on lead magnets (hint: they don't follow up) The brutal truth about wanting clients to fall into your lap without calling anyone How we've made over five million dollars from webinars and why they're not dead The art teacher who signed 31 new members in five days from one webinar Why webinars are the fastest way to build know, like, and trust with your audience The call funnel: what it is, why it's the hardest to execute, and when it actually works How a fitness coach pivoted to AI and signed five clients in a month with zero proof Why your ads burn out and what you can actually do about it Which funnel you should start with and how to scale horizontally once it works Why your offer is everything and how to know if yours actually sucks If you're a service business owner and you're tired of relying on referrals to keep your calendar full, go to https://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 week.

    The Only 3 Funnels You'll Ever Need (Steal This)
  7. Aug 20

    Why Being The First to Call Your Leads Beats EVERYTHING Else | STW

    You get a lead. You wait an hour to call them back. And by then, they've already booked with someone else. That's not a leads problem. That's a speed problem. Today we're breaking down the one tactic that could literally triple your business overnight, and it's got nothing to do with better ads, better offers, or better sales scripts. It's about being the first person to call your leads. And if you're not doing this, you're leaving money on the table every single day. We're talking about why 78% of people buy from the first person to respond, the Harvard study that showed you have a 391% increased chance of converting a lead if you call them within five minutes, and the exact story of how Steph hired a couch cleaner based purely on who got back to her first. We also get into the service business owner who hired someone for $50K a year just to sit there and call leads immediately (and why it was worth every dollar), how to set up automated bounce backs and speed to lead systems in your CRM, and why your leads are never in as much pain as the moment they book the consult. If you're a service business owner and you're not calling your leads within five minutes, this episode is for you. If you're a service business owner and you're tired of relying on referrals to keep your calendar full, go to https://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 S*it that works!, 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 Thursday for S*it that works!

    Why Being The First to Call Your Leads Beats EVERYTHING Else | STW

About

Join Steph and Tim Frey on the Success School Podcast, where we share the exact systems we use to help service businesses get new clients every week and stay fully booked. Each week you'll get: System Deep Dives – How to install a simple marketing system that brings new clients in consistently, without relying on referrals or social media. Real Results – Behind-the-scenes stories from service businesses we've worked with who went from unpredictable referrals to fully booked calendars. Listener Q&A – Raw answers to the questions service business owners are asking as they build predictable demand and scale their teams. Proven Frameworks – The exact strategies, systems, and processes that keep calendars full weeks in advance and build real business momentum. Expect practical tactics, honest advice, and real conversations about what actually works for service businesses ready to stop relying on referrals and start building sustainable growth. Hit subscribe and tune in every Monday to join 250+ service business owners building fully booked, in-demand businesses.

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