Amplify Client Story: Sara O’Brien
Name: Sara O’Brien
Business: Sara O’Brien Coaching
Website: https://saraobriencoaching.com/
Problem: Inconsistent 1-1 income and unpredictable client flow.
Result: Launched a beta programme and got awesome feedback. Filling email list via ads and no longer reliant on social media.
“Now that I’ve successfully launched my first beta group programme, I’m feeling confident and excited about what’s next.”
This story is written in Sara’s voice and based on the above recorded conversation, lightly edited for clarity.
Before working with Gemma…
Before I joined Amplify, I was in a bit of a limbo. I had a coaching business that was steady in some areas but inconsistent in others.
I had part-time contract work bringing in some regular income, but my one-on-one coaching clients came in sporadically, which made it difficult to plan and feel confident about my monthly income. I had been coaching for a while and had been following Gemma for some time, but I knew I needed a shift.
I wanted to move away from just having occasional clients and instead create a more predictable flow of clients, particularly for a group programme. I wanted to scale and grow my business, but I didn’t have the clarity or the strategy to make it happen.
What wasn’t working
Before joining Amplify, I had already spent a lot of money on coaching programmes that promised to help me scale. The issue was that these programmes often relied on generic, one-size-fits-all strategies. I was pushed to implement things like high-ticket offers right from the start, which didn’t feel authentic to me. I didn’t resonate with those methods, but because I’d invested so much, I felt like I had to keep trying.
What felt different inside Amplify
It was such a breath of fresh air.
There was structure - I loved diving into your modules - but there was also flexibility within it so that you felt like you could find your own way.
Moving away from icky sales
Gemma’s approach to sales calls was a complete game-changer. Instead of focusing on closing a sale, she encouraged me to see sales calls as a conversation to determine whether we were a good fit. This made the process feel much more relaxed and natural, and I found that the potential clients I spoke to felt the same way.
The first time I used Gemma’s method for a sales call, it felt like a coaching conversation, and I was amazed when the client said yes without any push from me. It was such an eye-opening experience and completely shifted my mindset around sales.
My experience with ads
I had tried ads before and found them confusing and overwhelming. Inside Amplify, the approach felt much simpler and more stripped back.
The ads support in Amplify is exceptional. Sophie, the Facebook ads expert, made everything so simple, breaking down the process into manageable steps. She explained how to create ads that work and how to track results in a way that wasn’t overwhelming. I no longer felt lost or unsure about how to use ads effectively. Instead of trying to figure everything out on my own, I was able to leverage the expertise within the programme.
Once my ads were set up, I only needed to make small tweaks. My email list continued to grow quietly in the background, and I secured a client through ads, which helped ease my concern about whether I’d reach the right people that way.
Letting go of social media pressure
For so long I had been doing the LinkedIn thing. I’d have waves of success and then fall back. It felt like a really tall mountain.
Now I just don’t care. Social media became more of a storefront for me. I’m not on there all day responding to comments or working the algorithm, and it still works.
I leaned into my podcast and the Facebook ads and my email list. People find me, listen to the podcast, feel like they get to know me, and the rest works itself out.
Launching my first beta group
It felt so good to put a group together with the beta pricing. My goal wasn’t to make X thousand dollars. It was to fill the group, get feedback, get results, and build the programme.
My beta group just finished yesterday, and they all said .”That was an amazing experience.”
As much as it was for them, it was for me too.
Now when I talk about the programme, I’m like, “Of course you should join. It’s amazing. And you’re going to love it.”
That confidence is real. Not me pretending something is something it’s not.
The biggest shift
Confidence-wise, it’s a 180 for me. It gets to be easy. I was very surprised at how many people just started reaching out.
I’m not at the place where I can say, yes, I can fill X spots every month, but I can see it happening.
When you’re enjoying your business, it affects every aspect of your life. I’m happier with my family, my kids, my husband - everything.
What I’m focusing on now
I’m excited to meet goals I’ve had for years that I didn’t see how I could achieve. I’m excited to coast, not hustle. I’m creating spaces that feel like what I would want to step into, not what I think other people want. This year my word is intuition.
What should others know about working with Gemma?
The content in Amplify is incredibly well thought-out, with clear steps that take you from where you are now to where you want to be. But the best part is that Gemma’s coaching is designed to meet you where you are. She didn’t impose a one-size-fits-all approach; instead, she gave me the tools I needed to build confidence, figure out what worked for me, and take the right steps forward in a way that felt authentic. The emphasis on building your own path within the structure was refreshing, and I felt supported every step of the way.
What are you looking forward to next?
Now that I’ve successfully launched my first beta group programme, I’m feeling confident and excited about what’s next. The beta group went better than I expected, and I received fantastic feedback that will help me refine and improve the programme. Moving forward, I’m excited to shift into an evergreen model, allowing me to continuously support clients who are ready to join at any time, without the need for cohort-based launches.
