And what to do instead if you want a values-aligned, inclusive, and thriving business
If you’ve ever sat in front of your screen wondering why your offers aren’t reaching the right people—or why your email list is growing but your business isn’t—you’re not alone. Most online business owners (especially the heart-led, justice-oriented ones like you 💜) have been taught the same traditional list-building strategies.
But here’s the thing most marketing coaches don’t know:
Those traditional audience growth methods were never designed to include marginalised people.
In fact, they rely on systems that actively leave people out.
Exclusion has been normalised
Most mainstream strategies centre people with a whole lot of privilege—people who have always been spoken to, catered to, and centred in the business world. These strategies are built on assumptions that:
- Everyone has equal access to time, money, energy, language, or tech
- What feels accessible or safe to some must feel that way for everyone
- People who don’t engage must not be interested or “ready”
But what if your values say otherwise?
What if you don’t want to build a business that only speaks to the status quo?
When marginalised people (like First Nations folks, trans and non-binary people, disabled people, people of colour, or neurodivergent folks etc) are consistently left out of marketing messages, designs, and lead gen strategies—it’s not just an oversight. It’s a reflection of deeper systems of oppression that have taught us to centre whiteness, cis-ness, abledness, and wealth as “normal.”
And because this exclusion has been normalised, most people don’t even realise it’s happening. The result?
A list full of people who were always going to feel comfortable in your world… and very few of the people you actually wanted to reach.
Inclusion starts before someone ever becomes a client
You care deeply about inclusion. You want your business to feel safe, welcoming, and aligned with your values. Maybe you’ve already spent time thinking about your client experience, using inclusive language, or creating safer spaces inside your offers.
But here’s the thing most business advice leaves out:
If the way you grow your audience isn’t inclusive, the people you want to reach may never make it into your world to begin with.
It’s not that marginalised folks aren’t interested.
It’s not that they “don’t invest.”
And it’s definitely not that your work isn’t powerful or needed.
It’s that traditional audience growth strategies:
- Don’t reflect the lived experiences of marginalised communities
- Don’t build trust with people who’ve been harmed, excluded, or ignored
- Don’t signal that your business is a safe or relevant space for them
And if those people never see themselves in your marketing, they’ll likely opt out—even if you created your work with them in mind.
It’s time for a different approach
You deserve to grow your business in a way that reflects your values.
And the right people deserve to find you.
Which is why I’m hosting a free live webinar to show you how to attract the right people to your email list—without spammy tactics or playing by outdated rules.
FREE Webinar: How to Attract the Aligned Clients to Your Email List (So You Get Clients, Not Just Subscribers!)
🦋 An inclusive, ethical approach to email list growth
🗓️ 23rd May 2025
🎟️ REGISTER FOR THE FREE LIVE WEBINAR HERE
🎁 BONUS for live attendees, read on to find out more!
In this gentle, practical session, I’ll walk you through how to:
- Grow a list full of values-aligned, diverse subscribers who actually want to buy from you
- Create lead magnets that feel natural, not manipulative
- Use inclusive, ethical strategies to build connection and trust
- Avoid the mistakes that fill your list with the wrong people
Because:
❌ A big list doesn’t mean a successful business
❌ Marginalised people won’t magically find you unless you build with them in mind
❌ The “normal” way of doing things often excludes the very people you care about
You can absolutely grow your audience without compromising your values.
If you want an inclusive, ethical approach to email list growth—without spammy tactics, misaligned audiences, or upholding oppressive business norms.
I’d be honoured to show you how to do it in my upcoming webinar. And there’s a bonus too!
🎁 Bonus for Live Attendees 🎁
Everyone who shows up live will receive a free 30-minute 1:1 a personalised Growth Readiness Session.
- We’ll map out your biggest audience growth blocks,
- review your current lead magnet (or lack of one), and
- identify what’s keeping aligned people from joining your list.
You’ll walk away with clarity on where your gaps are in and what needs to shift your list growth strategy.
You can sign up for this FREE LIVE webinar HERE.
Please note that when you sign up, you will receive emails about this webinar and be added to my general email list. You can unsubscribe at any time.
I look forward to seeing you there!
Until next time, happy audience growth! Xx
Louise O’Reilly is a social impact business coach helping values-led entrepreneurs grow businesses that honour inclusion, justice, and positive change.