Boxer Rebellion / Sue Zimmerman's Instagram & Coaching Business

Sue Zimmerman didn't start with online courses. She first built a million-dollar business right out of college called Boxer Rebellion, selling handcrafted boxers. Eight years ago, she appeared on QVC teaching the world how to embellish real-life photos via scrapbook tape—a moment that would shape her entire trajectory. Over 18 years, she launched 20+ companies selling physical goods, but the recurring challenge was the same: how to reach customers at scale and build meaningful relationships with them.

When Sue launched her first Instagram course two years before this interview, she priced it at $197, significantly higher than competitors charging $97. As her audience grew and she validated that her content was worth more, she made a bold decision to raise the price to $997. This high-ticket positioning was intentional: she wanted to attract serious students willing to invest in premium, exclusive content. The "Insta Results" course became a six-hour video experience with 14 exclusive interviews from online experts and thought leaders sharing their Instagram strategies. The infrastructure was built using ConvertKit for email, Wistia for video hosting, OptimizePress for landing pages, and Leadpages for lead capture—a lightweight tech stack optimized for conversion, not complexity.

Sue's customer acquisition strategy defied conventional startup wisdom. She didn't run Facebook ads directly to the $997 course. Instead, she built an email list through a free 2015 Instagram Strategy Guide, capturing 4,900 subscribers in just a few months using a simple Bitly link. Speaking at conferences like Social Media Marketing World became her secret weapon: she delivered massive value on stage, then offered a free strategy guide to those who wanted more. She appeared on over 100 podcasts, using each interview to build know-like-trust before asking for the sale. The gold, as she repeatedly emphasized, was in the email list—not in direct conversion funnels.

Sue was transparent about what didn't work: "We are not finding a huge conversion to the $997 directly from a Facebook ad." High-ticket courses require relationship building. She found that most $997 course buyers had either met her in person at a conference, heard her on a podcast, or were already familiar with her brand. The weekly email strategy worked differently than traditional sales funnels—she didn't pitch the course directly but instead shared tips, YouTube content, Facebook insights, and Slideshare presentations, letting conversion happen organically when prospects were ready. In contrast, her lower-priced beginner course "Ready Set Gram" (tested at $97 and $197) converted faster without requiring the prospect to know her personally.

By the time of this interview, Sue had sold 67 of her $997 Insta Results courses in one year (after raising the price from $197), generating ~$67,000 from that course alone. Across all price points and products, she had sold over 300 courses total. But courses weren't her only revenue stream—coaching at $1,000/hour, speaking fees, and a broader portfolio of digital products and ebooks contributed to what she described as "multi-million dollar" annual revenue. Her email list of 6,000+ engaged subscribers became her most valuable asset, fed by her relentless commitment to speaking, podcasting, and teaching on stages worldwide.