Running three businesses, raising two kids, and leading a community of 700+ members? It sounds like a lot, because it is. But today’s guest, Pumen from Champions Gym, shows us exactly what resilience, leadership, and heart really look like.

From fighting in the ring as a teen to building one of WA’s most respected combat sports communities, Pumen’s journey is about way more than Muay Thai. It’s about purpose, discipline, identity, and staying the course when things get hard.

Whether you’re a business owner, a parent, or someone searching for the next version of you, this episode will land deep.

We Talk About:

The unexpected love story that sparked Champions Gym

How martial arts became a vehicle for confidence, resilience, and purpose

Building a business from the ground up, and the real costs along the way

Losing (and finding) your identity after walking away from something you love

Balancing parenthood, partnership, and purpose without burning out

Navigating the challenges of digital marketing in a sea of “promises” that don’t deliver

Why professionalism, presence, and people-first values built a brand with staying power

About Champions Gym:
Champions Gym has transformed thousands of lives through Muay Thai, boxing, and strength training, with a focus on community, discipline, and inner strength. Founded by Pumen and Whitney, it now spans three locations across Perth.

Connect with Champions Gym:

Website: championsgym.com.au

Instagram: @championsgym

Want more?

Follow Sonja on Instagram: @sonjathesearchqueen
Book your free Salon Scaling Demo today
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Follow me on Instagram: @sonjathesearchqueen
Explore more at: sonjathesearchqueen.com
Loved this episode?

Tag me @sonjathesearchqueen with your biggest takeaway! And if it helped you make a smart next step in your strategy please leave a 5-star review. It helps the podcast reach more salon owners like you.

Because resilience isn’t built in perfect moments, it’s forged in the fire. 🔥

Ever wondered if Google Ads or SEO is better for your salon?

In this solo episode, I’m diving deep into the question I get asked the most, “Which one should I do first?”

Here’s the truth: choosing the wrong strategy (at the wrong time) can waste your money and your momentum. But when you get it right? It’s the difference between empty chairs and a waitlist.

Whether you’re a brand new salon or a seasoned business owner planning your next expansion, this episode breaks down exactly how to use Google Ads + SEO to grow without the overwhelm.

In this episode, I share:

• Why Google Ads is a powerful now strategy for bums on seats
• The #1 mistake salons make when running ads (and how to fix it)
• How SEO works differently and why it’s your long-term engine
• What type of salons are ready to use both strategies together
• Why some campaigns flop and others fly (hint: it’s not luck)
• The real cost breakdown and when each is most profitable

Whether you’re stuck posting every day with nothing to show for it or just tired of inconsistent bookings this is your permission slip to stop guessing and start growing.

Want more?

Book your free Salon Scaling Demo today: https://offer.sonjathesearchqueen.com/salon-scaling-system

Download the Google Ads + SEO checklist: google.com/url?q=https://sonjathesearchqueen.com/google-ads-and-seo-checklist/&sa=D&source=editors&ust=1761120765018170&usg=AOvVaw0sSOzweOtqeVSfxbma5K89

Follow me on Instagram: @sonjathesearchqueen

Explore more at: sonjathesearchqueen.com

Loved this episode?
Tag me @sonjathesearchqueen
with your biggest takeaway! And if it helped you make a smart next step in your strategy please leave a 5-star review. It helps the podcast reach more salon owners like you.

Here’s to smart search strategies and fully booked days ✨

If you’ve ever had one week of fully booked appointments followed by a week of crickets — this episode is for you.

I’m diving deep into the science of keeping your salon chairs full all year round. In this episode, I share why relying on social media and word of mouth alone keeps you stuck in the feast-or-famine cycle, and the proven systems I use to help salon owners build predictable lead flow, consistent bookings, and a client base that truly values their expertise.

From understanding Google as your 24/7 “silent salesperson” to creating retention systems that keep clients coming back, I’ll show you exactly how to create the financial and time freedom you started your salon for in the first place.

In This Episode, I Cover:

Why “predictable marketing = predictable bookings”
The biggest mistake salon owners make with their lead generation
How Google Ads + SEO can bring in high-quality clients on autopilot
The real ROI of marketing that works (and how to stop undercharging for your time)
The 3 systems that keep salon chairs full:
1️⃣ Lead Flow
2️⃣ Retention
3️⃣ Scaling Wisely
How to build a client base that values your expertise, pays premium pricing, and stays loyal

Are you ready to take control of your visibility, stand out in your industry, and create lasting impact? Book your free Salon Scaling Demo today: https://offer.sonjathesearchqueen.com/salon-scaling-system

Key Quote

“Keeping your salon chairs full doesn’t happen by luck — it happens by design. When you treat Google like the business development arm of your salon, that’s when you start getting your time and freedom back.”

Follow Sonja The Search Queen
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/sonjathesearchqueen/?hl=en
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/sonja-pototzki-raymond/
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/sonjathesearchqueen/ | https://www.facebook.com/thesearchrepublic/
TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@sonjathesearchqueen
Apple Podcast: https://podcasts.apple.com/au/podcast/diary-of-the-search-queen/id1815923828
Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/157G6kAL8knOATrTNTohcs?si=f74babd25ec94561

If You Loved This Episode

Subscribe to Diary of the Search Queen
Leave a 5-star review to help more salon owners find these conversations
Share this episode with a fellow salon owner who’s ready to stop relying on socials and start showing up where their dream clients are searching

Discover the three brutal mistakes salon owners make with Google Ads and why they’re losing money. Many rely on organic social media or Meta ads, but Google Ads work on intent, bringing warmer, high-quality leads ready to book. This episode covers the importance of niche targeting, tracking conversions, and avoiding broad, wasted spending.

Learn how to attract your dream clients, increase bookings, and grow your salon with smart Google Ads strategies.

Are you ready to take control of your visibility, stand out in your industry, and create lasting impact? Book your free Salon Scaling Demo today: https://offer.sonjathesearchqueen.com/salon-scaling-system

Follow Sonja The Search Queen
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/sonjathesearchqueen/?hl=en
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/sonja-pototzki-raymond/
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/sonjathesearchqueen/ | https://www.facebook.com/thesearchrepublic/
TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@sonjathesearchqueen
Apple Podcast: https://podcasts.apple.com/au/podcast/diary-of-the-search-queen/id1815923828
Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/157G6kAL8knOATrTNTohcs?si=f74babd25ec94561

Timestamps
00:00:00 - Introduction
00:00:42 - Why Google Leads Are Warmer Than Social Media Leads
00:01:56 - Mistake #1: 71% Start Their Search on Google (Here’s Why That Matters)
00:02:44 - Why You Shouldn’t Treat Google Ads Like Social Media Ads
00:03:29 - Mistake #2: Targeting Too Broadly
00:04:27 - Mistake #3: Not Tracking Your Data
00:05:34 - Where to Get Proven Salon Google Ads Strategies

What happens when you build the empire of your dreams… only to realise you’ve lost yourself in the process?

In this episode of Diary of the Search Queen, I sit down with powerhouse strategist Lezly Kaye. Lezly went from scaling a $60M business partnership that imploded, to building her own $20M company, to walking away from it all after realising success without alignment isn’t success at all.

Lezly’s story is raw, brave, and filled with wisdom about ego, burnout, resilience, and what it really means to create a business and life that feels as good as it looks.

In this episode:

• How Lezly Kaye built and lost a $60M partnership
• The hidden costs of ego-driven success
• The moment she realised money meant nothing without happiness
• Her journey through psychedelics, breathwork, and deep healing
• Why she now helps women scale sustainably, without sacrifice

This episode is for you if:

• You’ve ever tied your worth to your revenue or results
• You’re chasing “more” but feel emptier than ever
• You’ve faced burnout or breakdown in the pursuit of success
• You’re ready to define success on your own terms

Connect with Lezly:

www.lezlykaye.co

https://www.instagram.com/lezlykaye/

Want more?

• Buy The Search for Resilience: Amazon AU
• Follow me on Instagram: @sonjathesearchqueen
• Get the Google Ads & SEO Checklist: Download here
• Explore more at: sonjathesearchqueen.com

Love this episode?

Tag me @sonjathesearchqueen with your biggest takeaway.

And if it resonated, please leave a 5-star review so we can reach more women building businesses with heart and grit.

What if the bravest business decision you could make… was to say no?

In this episode of Diary of the Search Queen, I share the raw truth about one of the scariest (and most freeing) parts of running a business: firing clients who aren’t aligned.

I take you behind the scenes of some of the hardest calls I’ve ever had to make, letting go of clients who didn’t share my values of trust, respect, loyalty, and integrity. Clients who micromanaged, distrusted, or drained the very energy I built my business to protect.

This isn’t just about business strategy.

It’s about boundaries.

It’s about freedom.

And it’s about remembering that not every door is meant to stay open.

In this episode, I share:

• The story of the first client I ever let go, and why it changed everything
• How misaligned clients can cost more than money (stress, energy, and joy)
• Why bigger contracts don’t always mean better business
• The power of protecting your peace, even when the decision feels scary
• The reminder that some doors must close for the right ones to open

This episode is for you if:

• You’ve ever felt trapped by difficult clients but were too scared to let go
• You’re learning to trust yourself in making hard business calls
• You want to build a business rooted in alignment, not just revenue
• You need a reminder that your peace is worth protecting

Want more?

• Buy The Search for Resilience: Amazon AU
• Follow me on Instagram: @sonjathesearchqueen
• Get the Google Ads & SEO Checklist: Download here
• Explore more at: sonjathesearchqueen.com

Love this episode?

Tag me @sonjathesearchqueen with your biggest takeaway.

And if it resonated, please leave a 5-star review so we can reach more women building businesses with heart and grit.

What if the thing you thought you’d do forever… turned out not to be your destiny?

In this episode of Diary of the Search Queen, I sit down with my dear friend and powerhouse coach Alicia Bode, a woman who walked away from the identity she thought she’d carry for life as a salon owner, and stepped into her calling as a mentor, leader, and guide for women creating freedom and impact.

Alicia shares her journey from running salons for 15 years to building her coaching business, and the pivotal moment when everything she thought was secure. her team, her business, her identity, fell apart while she was postpartum. Instead of breaking her, it rebuilt her into the leader she was always meant to be.

This conversation is about resilience, intuition, and the bravery it takes to pivot when your soul whispers “this isn’t it anymore.”

In this episode, I share with Alicia:

• The story of losing 12 staff in one week, and how she rebuilt stronger
• Why trusting your intuition can feel terrifying, but will always guide you home
• The difference between building a business that needs you and one that runs without you
• What it means to bring both strategy and spirituality into your success
• Alicia’s biggest lessons in resilience, motherhood, and leadership

This episode is for you if:

• You’ve ever faced a moment where everything fell apart, and you wondered how to start again
• You’re standing at a crossroads in business or life, questioning whether to keep holding on
• You’re curious about what it looks like to build with both strategy and soul
• You need a reminder that breakdowns can become the birthplace of breakthroughs

Want more?

• Connect with Alicia: @alicia_bode
• Buy The Search for Resilience: Amazon Link
• Download the free Google Ads & SEO Checklist
• Follow me on Instagram: @sonjathesearchqueen
• Visit: sonjathesearchqueen.com

Love this episode?

Tag me @sonjathesearchqueen with your biggest takeaway.

And if this episode moved you, please leave a 5-star review so we can reach more hearts who need it.

What happens when you say yes to everything, and then realise the cost was higher than you imagined?

In this reflective episode of Diary of the Search Queen, I look back on the last six months, a season filled with massive wins, sacred lessons, and a pace that nearly swallowed me whole. From launching my book and podcast, to being named a 40 Under 40 award winner, to raising two little girls alongside it all. It looked unstoppable on the outside. But behind the scenes, it told a very different story.

This isn’t an episode about achievement.

It’s an episode about alignment.

Because success doesn’t come from doing it all.

It comes from doing what matters most, in the season you’re in.

In this episode, I share:

• The truth behind the highlight reel of the last six months
• Why chasing every “yes” came at a cost
• The power of asking for, and receiving, help
• What it means to choose the right season for your big goals
• A journal prompt to help you reflect on where you’re saying yes out of habit instead of alignment

This episode is for you if:

• You’ve been carrying the weight of “doing it all” and it’s starting to feel unsustainable
• You find yourself saying yes out of guilt, pressure, or fear of missing out
• You’re craving more spaciousness, grounding, and presence in your life and business
• You’re ready to stop chasing momentum, and start choosing alignment

Want more?

• Buy The Search for Resilience: Amazon Link
• Download the free Google Ads & SEO Checklist
• Follow me on Instagram: @sonjathesearchqueen
• Visit: sonjathesearchqueen.com

Love this episode?

Tag me @sonjathesearchqueen with your biggest takeaway.

And if this episode moved you, please leave a 5-star review so we can reach more hearts who need it.