Episode 125
If you’ve been in the Instagram space for any length of time, you’ve probably heard of Sue B. Zimmermann — the woman widely known as the Instagram Expert. With 15 years of teaching Instagram, multiple million-dollar businesses under her belt, and a refreshingly no-nonsense approach to social media, Sue B. sat down with us on The Other 99% for one of our most insight-packed conversations yet.
Whether you’re a direct seller trying to figure out where to focus your energy, a small business owner overwhelmed by all the platforms, or someone who just wants to show up more authentically online — this one’s for you.
Who Is Sue B. Zimmermann?
Sue B. is a lifelong entrepreneur who has built 18 different businesses, sold products direct to consumer, run a retail store on Cape Cod, wholesaled, manufactured, and licensed products. She discovered the power of Instagram through her Cape Cod shop and has been teaching it ever since.
But at the core of everything she does? Teaching people how to sell by serving.
“At the core of who I am is teaching people how to make money. It never has been a difficult thing for me. And it seems to be a recurring challenge for most people, especially women who just don’t feel comfortable or know their value.”
The #1 Thing to Get Right on Instagram: Your Bio
When asked where to start on Instagram in 2026, Sue B. didn’t hesitate — nail your bio first.
She calls it creating a boss bio, and she’s clear that it’s not about plugging your info into an AI generator and calling it done. It’s about understanding the SEO keywords you want to show up for in search, and strategically hitting eight specific touch points that make your bio work hard for your business.
“If there’s a disconnect from what you say, who you are and what you do to your content, it’s no one’s job to figure out what you do.”
Your bio sets the promise. Your content needs to fulfill it.
Understanding Instagram’s “Neighborhoods”
Sue B. uses a powerful analogy: Instagram is a village with many different neighborhoods. Here’s how she breaks it down:
Your Feed (Posts, Reels & Carousels) This is your evergreen content — the stuff people scroll through to get a sense of who you are and what you do. It needs to reflect what you promised in your bio.
Stories Stories disappear in 24 hours and are primarily seen by your existing followers. Think of them as your behind-the-scenes content — but with intention. Sue B. is quick to point out that stories full of unrelated personal content (your dog, your lunch, generic holiday posts) are the fastest way to get muted.
“I mute so many stories because they’re boring. There’s so much noise. I like to mute noise.”
Reels Reels have their own separate channel and are your best opportunity for reach beyond your existing audience.
Instagram Live Sue B. is especially excited about a new feature she discovered — the ability to add a clickable link directly to your Instagram Live. That means you can talk about a product and give viewers a one-click path to purchase. For direct sellers, this is huge.
Instagram DMs This is where Sue B. generates a significant portion of her revenue — and she does it all without automation.
“There is no automation in my DM. I take it very seriously. I want to leave voice messages, leave video messages, call in the DM and connect and create relationships.”
Why Sue B. Is All In on Substack
Here’s the part of the conversation that surprised even us: Sue B., the Instagram Expert, is genuinely excited about Substack — and not just excited, she’s already monetizing it.
She joined in August 2025, has nearly 30 paid subscribers, and has been asked to appear on podcasts and featured in a magazine — all from her Substack presence.
So what is Substack, exactly?
Think of it as a space where you can share your thoughts, knowledge, experience, opinions, and lifestyle in long or short form — through written posts, notes, video, photos, or even a podcast. It’s built around building deeper connections with people who genuinely want to hear from you.
For Sue B., her Substack is called the Soulful Selling Sisterhood, and it’s focused on teaching women in midlife and beyond how to sell.
“Figure it out in a way that is authentic to you, your personality, your brand, and the thing that brings you joy.”
The Substack + Instagram Synergy
One of the things Sue B. loves most is how Substack and Instagram feed each other. When she goes live on Substack, it can be shared to YouTube. Podcast episodes get distributed automatically. Clips can be repurposed to Instagram. The cross-platform opportunity is built right in.
The Customer Journey (Not a Funnel)
Sue B. is very deliberate about her language here — she doesn’t use the word “funnel.” She calls it a customer journey, and hers looks like this:
- Someone finds her on Instagram and visits her bio
- Her bio link leads to a free download of 30 icons delivered via Instagram DM
- An email sequence introduces her Notes Masterclass ($47)
- She then offers her Instagram DM video training
- Over time, trust builds toward her course Ready, Set, Grow or one-to-one coaching
It’s a story, not a system. And it works because every touchpoint delivers real value.
Advice for Direct Sellers: Where to Focus
When asked what platform direct sellers should be building their content strategy around, Sue B.’s answer was clear:
Live broadcast — whatever platform you can do it on comfortably.
“Whatever platform you can go live on comfortably and talk about your knowledge, your wisdom, your experience with the products that you sell without a script so people can feel your energy, hear your voice and connect with you more intimately — that’s the right platform.”
For her, that’s Instagram. Especially now that she can add a direct product link to a live video, the ability to sell in real time with minimal friction is unmatched.
On Imposter Syndrome & Showing Up Anyway
This is the part of the conversation that hit home for a lot of people. Susan brought up something many of us feel — who am I to be sharing this?
Sue B.’s response was direct and honest:
“The only way to make money and to make an impact is to show up. And the more top of mind you can be, the more people remember you.”
She shared the story of a coaching client who had been following her silently for 10 years before finally reaching out. Never liked a post. Never commented. But she was watching the whole time.
The takeaway? You never really know who’s paying attention. Don’t let the silence fool you into thinking no one cares.
“This is who I am, this is what I want, this is my place in this one beautiful life I have, and I’m gonna make an impact, and I’m gonna do it my way.”
How to Connect With Sue B. Zimmermann
Sue B. has five ways to work with her:
- Boss Bio Session — Strategy and Instagram bio overhaul
- Ready, Set, Grow — Her 9-hour Instagram course (updated yearly)
- One-to-One Coaching — 3-month container (limited spots)
- In-Person Masterminds — Cape Cod, MA and La Jolla, CA
- Soulful Selling Sisterhood on Substack — $15/month or $100/year
📲 Find her on Instagram: @suebzimmermann
She also has a challenge for anyone listening to this episode — go to her last post on Instagram, leave a comment sharing your favorite takeaway, and mention this podcast. She personally comes back to say hi.
Our Biggest Takeaways
- Start with your bio. It’s the foundation of everything on Instagram.
- Each content type has a job. Feed builds trust, stories nurture followers, reels reach new audiences, and lives create real-time connection.
- The DM is where the money is — but only if you’re genuine about it.
- Substack is worth paying attention to, especially if you want a platform that rewards depth over virality.
- Show up anyway. Someone is always watching, even when it doesn’t feel like it.
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