At today’s Founder Friday session, we met an Arden student running an online therapy business. She spoke openly about the challenges she’s facing in today’s tougher economic climate. In better times, word of mouth kept her business running. But these days, fewer people are coming to her through referrals.
And like many founders with a service mindset, she admitted: “I don’t really like selling.”
It was a moment many in the room related to. She’s focused on helping people — not pitching products — and doesn’t want to lose that integrity.
I suggested a mindset shift: Stop thinking of business as selling and start seeing it as helping people at scale. Selling is just a conversation — one that starts with care and curiosity. And as it turns out, she’s already brilliant at this.
She begins every client relationship with a free consultation. No pressure, just listening and understanding. And here's the kicker: 95% of those free consultations convert into paying clients. That’s an incredible success rate — far better than most startups can claim.
So, the question isn’t how to “sell” more. The question is: how can she start more conversations like the ones she’s already having? If almost everyone who speaks with her becomes a client, then the goal should be to multiply those entry points. That means sharpening her marketing — not changing her values.
I encouraged her to dig into her current client base. Ask them a few simple questions:
What first attracted you to my service?
What made you feel confident working with me?
From those answers, she can find patterns — shared values, needs, or pain points — and turn them into clear, honest marketing messages that resonate with others like them. This kind of marketing isn’t about hype or gimmicks. It’s about clarity.
And when you speak clearly to the people you’re best suited to help, more of them will find their way to you — even in a tough economy.
So for any founder feeling stuck right now: Don’t get louder. Get sharper. Focus on starting meaningful conversations, and the right clients will come.
Because in the end, the best kind of growth still starts with trust and making sure the right people hear about you.
Join us at Founder Friday — an informal, supportive space for Arden founders to share challenges and spark ideas. Or, if you’d prefer a more personal conversation and explore how the Arden Enterprise Incubator can support your business, book a 1:1 call by contacting us here: aei@arden.ac.uk
