G’day, you absolute legends! If your business feels like it’s stuck in first gear while everyone else is flooring it, you’re not alone. Most owners grind away doing the “right” things – ads, funnels, networking breakfasts – and still wonder why the needle barely moves. I’m Nathan Baws, and I’ve built 15 businesses from scratch, landed on Shark Tank with zero ad spend, and turned a tin-shed health shop into a national brand using nothing but cheek, hustle and tactics the textbooks call insane.

This isn’t theory. These are the exact unorthodox moves that 10X’d my revenue when the bank account was screaming red. And they’ll do the same for you – whether you’re a café in Cairns, a tradie in Penrith, or a tech startup in Perth.

From Broke to Booming: My Real Story (No Fairy Dust)

Picture this: one folding table, a $200 Esky of homemade protein bars, and a dream bigger than the Nullarbor. That was day one. No investors, no fancy website, no clue.

First move? I dressed as a 7-foot green smoothie and danced outside the local footy club. Looked like a complete idiot. Made the 6 pm news. Sold out in two days.

That single ridiculous stunt taught me the golden rule: attention is the new currency, and creativity is free.

Fast-forward: same zero-budget mindset got me on Shark Tank with “Shark Bait” bars, a deal in my pocket, and sales that jumped 800 % in a month. No paid ads. Just ballsy, memorable moves.

Tactic 1: Zero-Cost Publicity Stunts That Blow Up Overnight

Forget $50k ad campaigns. One viral moment beats a year of boosting posts.

Real examples that worked:

• Challenged the local mayor to a plank-off in the main street → front page of the paper + 3,000 new followers
• Parked a wrecked car wrapped in my branding outside a competitor with a sign “This is what boring marketing looks like” → 1.2 million organic views
• Gave away 500 free coffees if people tagged us wearing our shirt → 40 % sales increase that month

Cost? Under $800 total. ROI? Off the charts.

Tactic 2: Turn Customers into a Rabid Cult (Not Just Buyers)

Loyal customers are your unpaid sales army.

How I did it:

• Created a secret Facebook group called “The 5am Crew” – only customers who trained before sunrise got in
• Ran “Bring Your Mate” days – both got a free product, shop was chaos (the good kind)
• Sent handwritten birthday cards with a $20 voucher – people posted photos everywhere

Result? 68 % of new sales came from referrals. Zero ad spend.

Tactic 3: The “Famous Before You’re Famous” Hack

Act like the biggest brand in town even when you’re tiny.

I did this:

• Printed mock magazine covers with my face and “Health Revolution Leader” and stuck them on the shop wall
• Created fake “As Seen On” badges before I’d been on anything
• Walked into suppliers quoting fake numbers that were only three months away

Suddenly banks, landlords and partners treated me like I was already massive. Confidence became a self-fulfilling prophecy.

Tactic 4: Embrace Epic Failure (It’s Your Best Marketing)

My first protein drink tasted like lawn clippings mixed with despair. Sold three bottles. Instead of hiding, I turned it into content: “The Worst Drink in Australia” challenge. People lined up to try it and laugh. Became my bestseller story.

Lesson: flops are rocket fuel if you own them publicly.

Tactic 5: The “No Budget, No Problem” Media Formula

Journalists need stories more than you need money.

My exact template that still works in 2025:

1. Do something visually ridiculous or newsworthy on a Tuesday morning
2. Film it on your phone
3. Email every local TV, radio and newspaper with the headline already written
4. Offer to do live taste tests or challenges

I’ve had breakfast TV ringing me before 9 am begging for the footage.

Tactic 6: Strategic Partnerships on Steroids

Find businesses with your exact customer but zero overlap.

Real wins:

• Teamed with a divorce lawyer – gave every new client a “Fresh Start Protein Pack”
• Partnered with a funeral director – “Live Healthier, Longer” campaign (dark, but it worked)
• Swapped customer lists with a high-end barber – both doubled turnover in 90 days

Look for the weird fits. They work best.

Tactic 7: The Mindset That Actually 10X’s Growth

Most owners quit at the first no. I treat 100 no’s as proof I’m one yes away.

Daily habits that changed everything:

• Write three wins and one lesson every single night
• Cold-call or cold-DM one “impossible” person every day
• Publicly commit to scary goals (forces you to follow through)

As a consultant motivational speaker, I’ve seen this alone 3X revenue for clients in under six months.

Ready to Stop Playing Small and Start Swinging Big?

You don’t need another safe strategy. You need bold, unorthodox moves that scare you a little. That’s where the 10X lives.

I still use every tactic in this article today – because they flat-out work.

Want me to personally walk you through which ones will explode your business in the next 90 days? Jump on a quick call. No pitch, no fluff – just real talk about what’ll actually move your needle.

Let’s turn your business into the one everyone’s talking about.

FAQs

How fast can these unorthodox tactics actually 10X growth?

Some go viral in 48 hours (publicity stunts). Most compound to 3–10X in 6–18 months when stacked consistently. I’ve seen cafés double foot traffic in a single weekend.

Do these crazy marketing stunts damage your brand?

Only if you’re boring. Done right, they make you memorable and human. My green-smoothie costume is still my #1 branding asset ten years later.

What if I’m in a “serious” industry like law or finance?

The bolder the industry, the bigger the cut-through. A mortgage broker who dressed as a bank vault and let people “break in” for free advice booked 47 appointments in one day.

How do I get started with zero budget?

Pick one ridiculous, shareable thing you can do this week that costs under $200. Film it. Post it everywhere. Email the media. Repeat.

Can introverts pull off these bold tactics?

100 %. Many of my best stunts were silent (wrapped cars, flash mobs, giant cheques). You don’t have to be loud – just unforgettable.

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