Fit for ‘The King of Sales’: McCaughey reveals his secrets to success and the power of “one conversation to shift your perspective”

With the launch of the new Success By Design show, Adam McCaughey is sitting down with top business minds to explore the grit, hunger, and key moments that have proved life-changing for Australian entrepreneurs.

Adam McCaughey has packed a lot into 30-something years: a career in fine dining’s pressure-cooker kitchens, a troubled stint living out of a Volkswagen Polo, a six-figure bill of debt, and a remarkable reinvention that would later earn him the moniker ‘The King of Sales.’

Following a series of setbacks, McCaughey used his culinary skills to create his own luck. Working for years as a private chef to business tycoons, he made connections and conversations that turned his life around.

Today, as a recognised authority in sales and scaling, and a 40 Under 40 Business Elite Award recipient, he is a well-established advisor helping brands unlock more revenue. After helping scale more than 83 offers across the online education and service industries, including taking one creator from $30,000 a month to more than seven figures a month within six months, McCaughey earned himself a reputation and a guest spot on the Today show.

In 2026, McCaughey is taking on a new role in those Today studios, launching his Success By Design video series. The series features conversations with some of the most inspiring figures in entrepreneurship and sales, including Brooke Triplett, founder of SheSells; Blake Micola, CEO of GMS Media Group; Calvin Coyles, CEO of Wild Success; and Rachel Carey, a leader in the NDIS sector.

“They’ve all come from a place similar to myself where it wasn’t designed for them, but they had that dog inside them, that hunger, the eagerness to really succeed,” says McCaughey. “Sometimes all you need is that one person, that one conversation to shift your perspective and put you in a whole new direction.”

Brooke Triplett

Triplett started She Sells With Brooke from scratch and raced to $10 million in annual revenue in just two years. The recruitment and training company equips women to launch sales careers and confidently guarantees their employment in the sector.

With nearly 64,000 across all social media platforms, Triplett has proven hugely successful. The former primary school teacher is now mapping out a path for others to pursue more financially rewarding careers.

“She is giving complete empowerment for women to truly unlock another version of themselves and not settle for anything less than they deserve,” says McCaughey. “She is creating a full movement internationally, and she is really successful at what she has done.”

She Sells hosts an annual gala that recognises and celebrates women’s achievements in sales, honouring standout performers, career milestones and women creating more financially liberated futures.

Calvin Coyles

As CEO of Wild Success, Coyles leads a global coaching empire spanning 170 countries. The company generates over $10 million annually.

“He has built a very successful brand around empowering people,” says McCaughey. “Whether it is to start their first business, to land their first job, or to be in their perfect relationship, Calvin has built the infrastructure to really give people what they truly deserve.”

The UK-born Coyles is a bestselling author and international speaker who has led over 1,000 events worldwide and is driven to transform lives. “He has impacted millions of people, and it is very powerful,” McCaughey says.

Blake Micola

Micola is a seasoned CEO and co-founder of the award-winning digital growth agency GMS Media Group. Micola also co-founded CASPR, an innovative venture providing creative, media, web, and technology solutions to enterprise clients.

“He has just created a place where he is empowering businesses to not just trust in an agency, but results speak louder than words for what he has been able to achieve,” says McCaughey.

He has driven transformative results for more than 1,200 brands, delivering over $1 billion in client revenue and managing more than $200 million in media spend.

“Blake has worked with the biggest brands, guiding them to really scale through paid media and creative. He is one of the best agency leaders at what he does,” says McCaughey.

Rachel Carey

As founder of Allara Support Services, Carey leads a registered NDIS provider specialising in supported independent Living, in-home support and community access. Established in 2020, the organisation is anchored by an impact-first mentality.

“What she has been able to do is create and, more importantly, redefine the disability support worker sector,” says McCaughey. With experience in disability services dating back to 2008, Carey prides herself on ensuring each program is highly personalised, and has evolved business practices to achieve that goal.

“She has been able to really shift the space, which has been very exciting,” says McCaughey. “That is more around impacting so many people and changing and redefining the sector.”

Follow Adam McCaughey, Brooke Triplett, Calvin Coyles, Blake Micola, and Rachel Carey for more.