Two kids under two. A FIFO husband. And a teaching job that left her drained, day after day, Steph knew something had to give.
So with no business background and zero guarantee, she made a bold move and quit her stable job to build something of her own. Something flexible. Something that could actually support her and her future.
Fast forward just 12 months, and she has:
- Built a leading digital agency from scratch
- Earned over $70,000 online
- Grown her recurring income to $6,000 a month
- Recently acquired her first business.
Want to hear how she did it, so you can too?
Click below to listen to Steph’s interview. Hear how she built a lifestyle business and her advice for any mum who’s stuck, stressed and ready for change.
From Teaching Burnout to Digital Freedom
Steph’s story began in a place many parents will recognise – exhausted, overwhelmed, and watching their partner sacrifice higher pay for family time. When her husband Jack left his well-paid fly-in-fly-out mining job to support the family at home, their household income dropped significantly. This meant Steph had to return to teaching part-time, despite feeling completely burnt out.
“I didn’t want to teach anymore. Teaching is an incredibly important job, and I really feel that if teachers don’t want to be in that job, they shouldn’t be in that job. I felt guilty going to work because I didn’t want to be there.”
Living in Hervey Bay, Queensland – a beautiful but small regional area – Steph felt trapped in a cycle. Wake up, go to work, come home exhausted, barely see the kids, sleep, repeat. The family couldn’t afford holidays or even visits to see cousins five hours away. Something had to change.
The Turning Point That Changed Everything
The catalyst came through an unexpected phone call from Steph’s brother. While juggling a six-week-old baby and heading to her first postpartum eyebrow appointment, he told her about Matt and Liz Raad’s digital education program. Though initially overwhelmed, the idea planted a seed that wouldn’t stop growing.
“I was born with that ‘why not?’ attitude,” Steph explains. “Why not have a go?” Despite having zero business experience and no entrepreneurs in her family, she decided to take the leap. The decision wasn’t just about money – it was about creating a life with purpose and being present for her children.
Burning the Ships – No Plan B
In what many would consider a risky move, Steph quit her teaching job in December after landing just one paid client in November. She had no backup plan and faced school holidays with no income. Her husband Jack worked overtime and weekends to keep them afloat while Steph threw everything into building her digital agency.
“I quit my job, burn the ships. There’s no plan B. I’m not going back.”
This wasn’t the recommended approach – even Matt Raad was surprised by her bold decision. But for Steph and Jack, the cost of not taking action was greater than the risk. They couldn’t continue living paycheck to paycheck, missing out on family experiences, and feeling unfulfilled.
Building a Business Through Sheer Determination
Without any formal networking groups in her area, Steph adopted a grassroots approach that would make most people uncomfortable. She literally walked the streets, dropping flyers at local businesses. Panel beaters, mechanics, retail shops – no business was off limits.
“I genuinely felt sick to my stomach,” she admits. “Who am I to walk into someone’s business, bother them in the middle of their day and try to sell them something?” But she pushed through the fear, and by her third flyer drop, she’d secured a $4,000 website project.
The strategy was simple but effective: talk to everyone. Steph discovered that business owners love discussing their ventures, and she genuinely enjoyed learning about their passions and challenges. This authentic interest in helping others became her superpower. To hear how others have achieved this in their own business journeys, start with Calem story about how he quit his job for the laptop lifestyle.
From Zero to $70K – The Financial Transformation
The results speak for themselves. Starting with her first paid job in November, Steph’s income followed the classic entrepreneurial growth curve – slow at first, then explosive. From July 1st alone, she earned over $35,000, putting her on track to exceed $70,000 for the year.
Her success came entirely through word-of-mouth referrals. Happy clients told their friends, and her reputation spread beyond Hervey Bay to neighboring Bundaberg. She even started ranking on page one of Google for “best web design services in Hervey Bay” – validation that her business was becoming a leading force in her local area.
The Mindset Shift That Made It Possible
Perhaps the most significant transformation wasn’t financial but mental. Steph and Jack began practicing abundance thinking – driving through wealthy neighborhoods, visualizing their dream home, planning future holidays as if they were already booked. This shift from scarcity to possibility thinking coincided directly with her business breakthrough.
“I realized there’s no glass ceiling anymore. The only thing stopping me is me. I wake up and think, ‘What am I going to do to move that needle closer to who I want to be?'”
For someone who never saw women in her life earn their own money, let alone out-earn their husbands, this mental transformation was revolutionary. She went from feeling trapped in a system to realizing she could create her own reality.
The Ripple Effect on Family Life
The impact extends far beyond bank accounts. Steph’s children now have a mother who’s excited about her work, who demonstrates that pursuing dreams is possible. Instead of complaining about Monday mornings, she models enthusiasm and purpose.
Her next goal? Retiring her husband Jack from his job so he can join the family business. It’s a complete reversal from their situation just 12 months ago when they were struggling to make ends meet on two incomes.
Key Lessons for Aspiring Entrepreneurs
Start Before You’re Ready
Steph had no business experience, no network, and no safety net. What she did have was determination and a willingness to figure it out as she went. Waiting for perfect conditions would have meant waiting forever. This is the same as what we discussed in Amish and Avani’s story of building a 7‑figure asset within 3 years.
Embrace Uncomfortable Action
Door-knocking at businesses terrified her, but she did it anyway. Every uncomfortable conversation built her confidence and brought her closer to success. The hard things you do today become the foundation for tomorrow’s achievements.
Focus on Helping Others
Rather than seeing sales as bothering people, Steph reframed it as offering valuable help. This shift from taking to giving transformed both her confidence and her results. Business owners responded to her genuine interest in their success.
Invest in Mindset Work
The practical strategies matter, but Steph’s breakthrough came when she changed her internal beliefs about what was possible. Visualization, abundance thinking, and acting “as if” created the mental environment for success.
Your Path to Digital Freedom Starts Now
Steph’s journey from burnt-out teacher to successful digital agency owner proves that transformation is possible for anyone willing to take action. In just 12 months, she went from feeling trapped to creating a business that provides both financial freedom and personal fulfillment.
Her story continues to evolve – she’s recently acquired her first business and is building toward $30,000 monthly revenue. But the foundation was laid in those early days of pushing through fear, dropping flyers, and believing in a better future.
If you’re feeling stuck in your current situation, wondering if there’s more to life than the daily grind, Steph’s story offers hope and a roadmap. The question isn’t whether you can start a profitable online business – it’s whether you’re ready to back yourself and take the first step.
Ready to start your own digital transformation? Begin where Steph did by attending Matt and Liz Raad’s free masterclass on buying and building profitable websites. Your journey to digital freedom could start today.
