Sam McFarlane

Meet the Member
Sam McFarlane, Building Calm, Consistent and Trust-Led Marketing

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This month, we are delighted to spotlight Sam McFarlane, the founder of Sam Says and a highly experienced strategic marketing consultant with over 25 years in marketing and communications. Sam works with established small to medium businesses to build visibility, trust and consistent leads through thoughtful and tailored marketing strategies.

Known for her calm, practical and relationship-focused approach, Sam supports time-poor business owners through social media management, content planning, email marketing and strategic marketing guidance. She believes in quality over quantity, long-term partnerships and marketing that feels achievable rather than overwhelming. Since joining Brava, Sam has brought clarity, generosity and steady leadership into the community.

We caught up with Sam to talk about networking, mindset and making bold moves that support sustainable growth.

Sam’s Interview:

• What was the moment you realised networking was a game changer for your business?

  I realised networking was a game changer when I noticed that my best clients were not coming from ads or cold outreach. They were coming from real conversations built over time, where people understood how I worked, trusted me and felt confident referring me.

  The moment it really clicked was when work started coming in because someone else had explained my value for me. That is when I understood that networking is not about collecting contacts. It is about building relationships, credibility and being top of mind long before someone actually needs your services.

• What is one connection you made through Brava that led to a meaningful opportunity, big or small?

  One connection I made through Brava became a client, but more importantly, a long-term professional relationship built on trust. What started as a simple conversation grew into ongoing work and meaningful collaboration over time.

• What is one piece of business advice you wish you had known when you started?

  I wish I had known that you do not need to say yes to every opportunity to succeed. Early on, I thought momentum came from doing more, working harder and keeping everyone happy.

  In reality, growth came when I set clearer boundaries, charged appropriately and focused on the work I do best. Learning to value my time, trust my experience and choose the right clients made my business more sustainable and far more enjoyable.

• What business belief or mindset has helped you stay motivated during challenging times?

  The belief that progress does not always look loud or fast has helped me stay motivated during challenging times. Consistency, showing up and doing the next right thing, even when things feel uncertain, is what builds resilience.

  I remind myself that challenging seasons are part of business, not a sign that I am doing something wrong. Trusting my experience, backing myself and remembering why I started keeps me grounded and moving forward, even when momentum feels slow.

• How do you want your business or impact to grow over the next 12 months, and how does networking support that vision?

  Over the next 12 months, I want my business to grow in a more intentional and sustainable way. My focus is on deeper client relationships, higher-value strategic work and fewer, better-aligned projects.

  Networking supports that vision by keeping me connected to people who understand the value of what I do and can collaborate and refer with confidence. Brava fits into this next chapter as a trusted community where relationships are nurtured over time and genuine connection leads to meaningful, aligned growth.

• Bonus Brava Question: What is your signature Brava Bold Move?

  My Brava Bold Move was choosing to step away from work that no longer aligned with how I wanted to run my business, even when it felt uncomfortable financially.

  Saying no to misaligned clients, raising my rates and trusting that the right opportunities would follow took courage. That decision shifted everything. It strengthened my confidence, improved the quality of my work and changed the types of relationships I now attract. Choosing courage over comfort created space for a business that feels sustainable, aligned and genuinely rewarding.

Thank you, Sam, for sharing your insights, experience and thoughtful approach with the Brava community. Your commitment to clarity, boundaries and relationship-led growth is deeply inspiring. We are proud to have you as part of Brava and look forward to seeing this next chapter unfold.

If you would like to connect with Sam or learn more about Sam Says, you can find her here:

Website: https://www.samsays.com.au/
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/sammcfarlane/
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/samsayssocial/
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/SamSaysSocial/

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This Member Spotlight is part of Brava Bites, where we share the stories, insights and journeys of women in the Brava community.