I judged a book by it's cover
3 fantastic business principles from a not-so-bro-marketer
Last week, I went for a stroller walk and stumbled upon a Free Little Library. My eyes immediately gravitated toward this book:
I’m embarrassed to admit that I picked it up and immediately rolled my eyes, thinking: ‘What could this bro marketer say that I would actually use in my business?’
Talk about judging a book by it’s cover.
The upward growth bar-chart graphic, orange highlighted ‘millionaires,’ and “two free tickets $2,996 value inside” sticker made me assume that the book was for another type of entrepreneur. Someone who:
Cares about the money, not the impact.
Grew their business in 1994, not 2024.
Pushes on pain points, hustles 24/7, and scoffs at the ‘woo’ meeting the work
Then, I opened the book and the smug smirk fell off my face as soon as I started thumbing through it. (Forgive me, Colin Sprake!!).
This *bro*’s ‘success recipe’ is pretty freaking heart-led. These are three of Colin’s principles that are worth writing on a sticky note for your bathroom mirror (plus, nuance from my own brand beliefs):
(Note: I didn’t read the book, I skimmed, so take all of this with many grains of salt)
Success Spotlight #1:
Your number one marketing and sales asset is you!
My take: couldn’t agree more. If people don’t like you, they won’t want to work with you. In your content + conversations, be a human first, entrepreneur second. Be vulnerable, get your audience invested in your process/the behind-the-scenes, don’t gatekeep, and always be kind.Success Spotlight #2:
When you are passionate and you stay focused on the true intentions of your business, the money will come easily.
My take: preach, Colin. In content and conversations with clients, I often say: ‘your magic makes the money.’ I like to illustrate this brand belief with the story of how Andrew and I grew our first business, Crescent Choirs. Read it on my about page.Success Spotlight #3:
You have to be able to handle comments from people, even those close to you, and stay true to your plan.
Colin refers to this as “be a rhino” (have thick skin).
What I’d add: you also have to be able to handle internal comments from yourself and stay true to your plan. Often, the fear of ‘what other people think’ keeps us the most stuck in place; this usually stems from our negative self-talk, rather than actual feedback from our audience, friends, or family.
Get comfortable with being curious about and actively rewriting your limiting beliefs, so your action plans don’t get derailed by your own (real and valid) stories.
The Lessons:
Don’t judge a book by its cover.
Be curious and willing to learn from everyone – even if you don’t think you’ll jive with them right away.
Tried and true principles for massive business growth are rooted in heart, mindset, passion, impact, and personal connection.
Have a beautiful week,
Samara
How we can work together at the moment:
I have 1 spot opening in December 1:1 mentorship for the person who is looking for incredibly high-touch, intimate support to grow their business in 2025.
Consider joining The Expansion Collective. The next cohort kicks off in 2025 and the waitlist is open through the start of December. This program gives you the exact strategic roadmap I’ve used to grow multiple multi-six figure creative businesses (w/ softness + impact at the forefront) – and get the personalized mentorship to make the strategies your own.
Waitlisters get access to discounts + bonuses + limited spaces. DM me with any questions.