G’day, legends! Feeling like you’re flogging a dead horse with your business? Working harder than ever but the numbers just won’t budge? Mate, I’ve been there – staring at empty shelves, maxed-out credit cards, and wondering if the dream was worth it. Then I cracked the code: stop grinding harder and start thinking smarter.
I’m Nathan Baws – serial entrepreneur, Shark Tank survivor, Guinness World Record holder, and the corporate speaker Aussie companies call when they’re ready to stop surviving and start dominating. Today I’m handing you the exact 10 unconventional growth strategies that took me from broke to building multiple seven-figure businesses – no fluff, no million-dollar ad budgets, just raw, proven tactics that work in the real world.
1. Zero-Cost Marketing That Actually Moves the Needle
Forget paying Meta or Google a second sooner than you have to.
Guerrilla stunts still crush it I once paid a mate $50 to dress as a giant broccoli and dance outside my first health store. We took 400% more foot traffic that week and the video went viral locally – total cost under $200.
Cross-promotions on steroids Team up with non-competing businesses that share your customer. One gym + one juice bar partnership I brokered added $180k combined revenue in year one – zero cash changed hands upfront.
2. Turn Your Brand Story into a Customer Magnet
People don’t buy products; they buy transformations and the people behind them.
My Shark Tank “no deal” actually became my best marketing asset. I told the raw truth – the nerves, the rejection, the comeback – and customers flocked because they saw themselves in the struggle. Your mess is your message. Share it unfiltered.
3. Social Media Growth Without Spending a Cent
Post less, engage more.
Run “ugly” behind-the-scenes content (late nights, warehouse packing, pitch fails) – authenticity outperforms polished ads every day of the week. One 47-second clip of me crying after a failed investor meeting got 1.2 million views and 8,000 new followers overnight.
4. Networking That Actually Builds Empires
Stop collecting business cards. Start collecting allies.
My golden rule: give three times before you ask once. One coffee where I helped a stranger fix their pricing strategy landed me a partnership now worth seven figures annually.
5. Embrace Failure Like a Pro Athlete Embraces Pain
Every “failure” is data.
Shark Tank rejection? Became my best story. First store that bled money? Taught me location is everything. Product launch flop? Showed me exactly what customers actually wanted.
Treat setbacks like free consulting from the market.
6. Mental Toughness – The Real Superpower
Success is 80% psychology.
Daily non-negotiables that kept me sane:
- 5-minute cold shower every morning
- 10-minute gratitude journal
- Visualising the win before every big meeting
Do this for 30 days and watch your resilience skyrocket.
7. Bootstrap Like Your Life Depends on It (Because It Does)
I built my first million-dollar business with under $20k startup capital.
Hacks that still work in 2025:
- Barter everything (I swapped supplements for accounting for 18 months)
- Pre-sell before you produce
- Use free trials of every tool under the sun
8. MVP Obsession – Launch Ugly, Win Beautiful
Perfect is the enemy of profitable.
My supplement range started as handwritten labels and ziplock bags sold from a market stall. First month revenue: $47k. Get it into customers’ hands fast, then let their feedback shape version two.
9. Delegate or Die (Slowly)
You’re the bottleneck.
The moment I started paying people smarter than me to do things I hated, revenue doubled. If you’re still doing your own books, social media, and packing orders – you’re running a job, not a business.
10. Customer Obsession – The Only Strategy That Never Fails
Under-promise and over-deliver is dead. Over-promise and over-deliver is the new baseline.
One customer complained about slow shipping. I overnighted a replacement plus $200 of free product and a handwritten apology. He’s now spent $38,000 with us and refers everyone he knows.
When great keynote speakers take the stage, they all say the same thing: the businesses that win long-term are the ones obsessed with the customer experience. Live it every single day.
The Compound Effect of These 10 Strategies
Use just three of these consistently for 90 days and you’ll see momentum. Use all ten? You won’t recognise your business in 12 months.
I’ve taken companies from $400k to $4 million in under two years using nothing but these exact plays. No fancy funding, no big ad spend – just smart, scrappy, unconventional execution.
Ready to Skyrocket Your Success?
Skyrocket success – these 10 growth strategies by Nathan Baws Australia have been battle-tested across retail, e-commerce, health brands, and professional services. They work in Perth, Sydney, Melbourne, or the smallest town in the outback.
Stop waiting for permission, funding, or the “perfect time”. The best time to start was yesterday. The second-best time is right now.
FAQs
- Which strategy gives the fastest results? Zero-cost guerrilla marketing + raw storytelling. Most clients see measurable traction within 2–4 weeks.
- How do I start when motivation is low? Use the 5-minute rule: commit to just five minutes on one tiny action. Momentum kicks in every single time.
- Can these work for service-based businesses? 100%. Trades, consultants, agencies – I’ve applied every single one successfully across industries.
- What if I’m completely bootstrapped? Perfect. These strategies were built for exactly that reality – zero to little cash required.
- How do I pick which three to start with? Choose the ones that scare you slightly. That discomfort is the sign you’re stretching into growth.
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