Lessons Learned: My Costly Experience with a 7-Figure Coach

Building a business often involves taking risks and making investments, but not all investments yield the desired results.

In this blog post, I'll share a personal story about a costly experience I had with a 7-figure coach.

While it wasn't a success story, the valuable lessons I learned from this experience have shaped my approach to running my own business.

The Tempting Offer

Early in my entrepreneurial journey, I had a burning desire to grow my business and achieve financial success.

That's when I stumbled upon a 7-figure coach who claimed that their clients were making $15,000 to $20,000 per month using their system.

Intrigued and desperate to make a breakthrough, I decided to explore this opportunity.

However, there was one significant hurdle: I didn't have the money to invest in the coach's program.

My credit cards were maxed out, and I was in a challenging financial situation.

So, I turned to my dad, hoping he would see the potential in this investment and agree to support me financially.

After explaining the program and its potential, my dad reluctantly agreed, with the condition that I would pay him back.

The Expensive Lesson

With my father's financial backing, I eagerly embraced the coach's system, trusting that it would work for me too since we operated in the same niche of performance and productivity.

Little did I know that this journey would take a costly turn.

The coach's "marketing system" consisted of cold DMing over 100 people per day using a copy-paste template.

It felt wrong from the start, and I disliked every minute of it. To make matters worse, my Facebook messenger account was repeatedly shut down due to this approach.

When I informed the coach about the issues I was facing on Facebook, their response was disheartening: "If that happens, just move to Instagram and continue. And if it happens there, try LinkedIn."

I was so focused on making this work that I didn't even realize a month had passed, resulting in my dad's card getting charged another $5,500.

Confronting my dad with the news that I hadn't made any money from the program and that his card had been charged again was daunting.

He was livid, and rightfully so.

We attempted to seek a refund from the coach, but they claimed it was non-refundable and even involved their lawyer, threatening legal action.

In the end, not only did I not recoup my investment, but I also lost access to all the assets provided during the program, without retaining a single template or course despite the $11,000 spent.

The Road to Redemption

The shame and financial burden weighed heavily on me, especially knowing that my dad had trusted me.

Despite this setback, I remained committed to growing my business and repaying my dad.

It was during this challenging period that I learned some of the most valuable lessons about how I wanted to run my own business.

I realized that the most important lesson was never to make an investment with someone else's money. If I couldn't pay for it upfront or use a credit card with a clear plan to pay it off, I wouldn't proceed.

It was a realization that there were more crucial aspects of business to focus on.

My simple mantra, "Connect, Inspire, Invite," became the foundation of my marketing approach.

I understood the importance of connecting with people genuinely, inspiring them with the value I could provide, and inviting them to take the next step, whether it was joining my email list, booking a call, purchasing a course, or signing up for coaching.

I made an agreement with my dad to repay him a minimum monthly amount, and every time I enrolled a client, I would allocate the money directly to him.

Over time, the relationship with my dad improved as we worked together to resolve the financial aftermath of my investment.

Conclusion: The True Currency of Business

While this experience was far from ideal, it served as a powerful lesson in business ethics and financial responsibility.

The most critical currency in business isn't just dollars and cents; it's your reputation.

Building trust and delivering on promises are paramount to success.

So, as you navigate your own entrepreneurial journey, consider how you run your business.

Upholding your reputation as someone who consistently delivers on their promises and goes the extra mile will ultimately lead to lasting success.

Remember, the lessons learned from challenging experiences can often be more valuable than those gained from success.