How to Scale Without Borrowing—or Breaking Your Business

Everyone wants to scale. But most ecommerce store owners go into growth mode without a plan—and end up more stressed, less profitable, and dangerously close to burnout. In this episode, Susan and Inner Circle coach Melissa Davies break down the five steps you must take before you try to scale.

If you’ve been thinking about growing your sales without taking on debt or burning through your savings, this one’s for you.

1. Start With Your Numbers—Not Your Ads

Scaling isn’t just about running more ads or launching new products. It starts with getting crystal clear on your numbers. And the first thing you need is a proper monthly P&L—done with accrual accounting.

Most store owners operate on a cash basis, which leads to misleading profit reports and financial whiplash. You’ll think you’re having a bad month when you just bought inventory. Or worse—you’ll think you’re doing great, only to run out of cash.

Make it a non-negoti...

The 3 Books That Changed the Way I Work, Earn, and Think

They’re short, powerful, and actually useful—no fluff involved.

A few weeks ago, a member asked me:  “What are the most impactful books you’ve read for personal and business growth?”

It’s a great question—and it got me thinking. Because there are books I’ve liked… books that were smart… and books that looked good on my shelf.

But there are only a few I return to over and over. Books that actually changed how I think, how I work, and how I make decisions in my business.

In this post, I’m sharing the three books I can’t stop recommending—and why I believe every ecommerce store owner should read them (maybe more than once).

1. The One Thing by Gary Keller and Jay Papasan

If you’ve ever felt pulled in a million directions, this one’s for you.

I reread The One Thing every year between Christmas and New Year’s. It’s how I reset and get focused. Because it’s really easy to stay busy in your business—and totally miss the one t...

Should You Hire Someone to Make Your Reels? Not So Fast.

Before you outsource your content, hear what coach (and ecommerce founder) Melissa Davies wants you to know.

If the thought of filming Reels or TikTok’s makes you cringe, you’re not the only one. For most ecommerce store owners, video content feels like a time-sucking task they’d rather not touch. So when you finally think, “Maybe I’ll just hire someone to do this for me,” it feels like a relief.

But that quick fix? It’s not always the solution.

This week on the podcast, Inner Circle Coach and Bike Pretty founder Melissa Davies joins Susan to talk about the trap of outsourcing too soon—and what you should do before handing off your content.

Know What You’re Asking For Before You Pay For It

But first, reality check: if you don’t know what success looks like, no freelancer, agency, or influencer is going to deliver it.

Before you invest in someone else to make your Reels (or manage your content in general), you need...

The 3-Part Video Strategy That Builds Awareness, Traffic, and Sales

A no-fluff framework for using video to grow your ecommerce store—without burning out or wasting time.

Let’s be real: most ecommerce store owners feel the pressure to “do more video,” but few have a clear idea of what kind of video content actually drives sales.

It’s easy to fall into the trap of creating videos because you think you’re supposed to—when in reality, video works best when it’s tied to your sales funnel.

Today we’re breaking down a 3-part video strategy that mirrors your customer’s journey—from discovery to purchase—and shows you how to use video content at each stage to grow awareness, drive traffic, and increase conversions.

Here’s what to make (and why).

1. The Brand Video: Get More Eyes on Your Products

This is the video that lives at the very top of your sales funnel. It’s not about selling—it’s about showing up in front of the right people and making them curious enough to want more....

How Jen Trained a Team to Make a High-Touch Product—and Got Her Life Back

The repeatable framework one maker used to scale her handmade business without sacrificing quality (or her sanity).

Most makers hit a wall when demand grows. You can only sew so many hours. You can only fulfill so many orders. And when the product is high-touch and sentimental—like a heirloom memory bear made from someone’s loved one’s clothes—the idea of handing over the reins feels impossible.

That’s exactly where Jen Cura found herself. She runs The Patchwork Bear, a handmade business that transforms meaningful clothing into custom keepsakes. Every order is unique. Every customer is emotional. And every step, from intake to sewing, is personal.

But Jen figured it out.

Today, she leads a 12-person team, has stepped out of daily production, and just launched her first new product in over a decade—all while maintaining the quality and trust her business is known for.

Here’s how she did it.

The Oprah ...