The Course Cartels Are Keeping You Stuck & Broke

The Course Cartels Are Keeping You Stuck & Broke

No. There are legitimate course creators who create valuable courses and systems to help students implement them.

The issue I am addressing is about a specific type of online guru: ones that sell business opportunities with misleading claims and incomplete information. I help you identify the difference.

I use the term “Cartel” because it perfectly describes how many gurus sell their courses.

A cartel is a group of people that band together to control or dominate a market. The products that they create continuously create a dependency on each other's products.

Another aspect of a cartel is restricting competition. Many of these creators maintain high prices with misleading marketing claims, which stifles the market.

Many gurus I have followed showed a “cartel” side of their business when they cross-promoted their “competitors” to their students.

While legitimate businesses actively collaborate and promote each other’s products, the bigger issue is the systemic problems with how the cartels operate their businesses.

Valid question! 4 key differences:

1) I'm providing this eBook completely free with no strings attached

2) I'm transparent about both failures and what actually works

3) I don't make income claims or promise overnight success.

4) I actively try to encourage the timeless business fundamentals that produce lasting success, not “new methods” or “untapped traffic sources.”

My goal is to provide genuine value first, which builds trust through actions rather than just words.

Whether someone joins my community, purchases from an affiliate link, purchases my website building or blogging services, or never spends a dime, I know I’ve done my best to help and move them in the right direction.

I run a free community where I share resources (both free and paid)

Occasionally, I offer paid training, coaching, website building, or blogging services for those who want extra support. However:

This is true, but it’s often used as an excuse to shift the blame.

Lack of effort is certainly a factor for some people. However, I know many students (including myself) work extremely hard, implementing exactly what they're taught, and still fail.

The real issue is often:

Don’t forget that almost all the testimonials came from their high-ticket coaching programs. So, their business model may be legal, but it was deceptive and misleading that their $997 course could even produce results.

One point that I’ll share with you, since you’re reading this FAQ: many of these gurus promote ad strategies that ultimately lead to suspended ad accounts. Then, they’ll offer their high-ticket coaching (often $6000+) to recover their accounts and share more compliant ad strategies.

Absolutely, success is possible!

The key is to focus on real business principles, not gimmicks. In my community, we focus on ethical, sustainable approaches—not chasing "shortcuts" or "hacks."

Legitimate online businesses focus on fundamentals rather than tactics. They typically involve:

1) Identifying real market needs rather than chasing "hot niches”

2) Creating genuine value through products or services that solve specific problems

3) Building sustainable traffic sources that don't depend on exploiting platform loopholes

4) Establishing real business infrastructure (proper business registration, compliance, etc.) that many courses never mention.

My eBook breaks down these differences in detail, particularly in Chapters 7-10.

That's a decent observation, but there's some nuance to it. I do use some of the same channels and structures because they're effective ways to share information. The key differences are in the substance and intent:

1) I don't make income claims or promise quick results

2) My free content contains complete, actionable information—not just teasers for paid products

3) I'm transparent about business realities rather than selling fantasies

4) I focus on education rather than manufactured urgency

Marketing tools themselves aren't inherently problematic—it's how they're used that matters.

Contrary to the "30 days to success" promises common in many courses, legitimate businesses typically take 6-12 months of consistent effort before seeing meaningful revenue.

The most successful online entrepreneurs I know spent years building foundations before experiencing significant growth.

This timeline isn't exciting to market, which is why the cartels don't mention it. However, once established, legitimate businesses tend to grow steadily rather than experiencing the boom-and-bust cycles common with tactical approaches.