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If you’ve ever scrolled social media and immediately felt behind because someone had a “$30K day” or a “$15K launch,” this episode is for you. The online space is full of inflated numbers, half truths, and marketing tactics that trigger comparison and pressure instead of clarity. And honestly? It’s messing with how service based business owners think about money, growth, and success.

In this spicy “New York Michelle” episode of The Real Truth About Business, Michelle calls out deceptive and unethical marketing practices around money and launches. She breaks down what those big revenue claims actually mean behind the scenes, why partial truths are still misleading, and how these tactics distort expectations for small business owners. This is a reality check about profit, capacity, pricing, and what sustainable growth actually looks like in an online business.

Whether you’re a coach, consultant, OBM, VA, designer, copywriter, or ADHD entrepreneur, this episode will help you stop comparing yourself to exaggerated success stories and start making grounded, informed decisions about your own business.

You’ll learn:

1. What “$30K days” and “big launches” usually look like behind the scenes
2. Why partial truths in marketing are still unethical
3. How payment plans, delivery timelines, and expenses impact real revenue
4. Why comparison fueled marketing wrecks confidence and nervous systems
5. What to focus on instead of flashy numbers to build sustainable profit

This is the real truth about business growth, especially for neurodivergent service providers who crave clarity, structure, and results without falling for every trend online.

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Here's your Next Steps:

1. Take the "Where's the Gap in Your Business Strategy" Quiz
2. Connect with Michelle on LinkedIn, Instagram, Threads or Facebook
3. Visit my website to learn more and apply for the Focused Visionary Accelerator
4. Sign up for my newsletter - Sunday Morning Brew - delivered every Sunday at 6 am

About the Host:

Michelle DeNio is a business strategist and growth advisor for service-based entrepreneurs, especially neurodivergent and ADHD business owners. Creator of the Focused Visionary Accelerator and host of The Real Truth About Business podcast, she helps clients simplify, focus, and grow sustainably. With 15+ years in business operations, she’s known for turning big ideas into simple, profitable action plans.

Buckle up, buttercup.

We're diving into what many call a New York Michelle episode.

And I thought long and hard about whether or not I wanted to record this episode, because it's going to be spicy, right?

And it's going to call out some serious bullshit that I am seeing in the space, the online space around marketing.

I don't see it so much in the brick and mortar space because it's bullshit marketing, and this is just not how business is done.

So, I mean, it wouldn't make sense that you would see it in the brick and mortar, mortar space, but in the online space, it's pretty, pretty prevalent.

And, yeah, it's just some bullshit, super deceptive, unethical marketing when it comes to money and finances and things like that.

And so I had the conversation several times inside of the Focus Visionary Accelerator, and the clients inside of there really encouraged me to record this episode because they feel as though there are people out there that kind of fall.

I don't want to say fall into the trap, but there's like, I can't come up with another word for it.

So anyway, that's what we're talking about today.

So buckle in, because this one's going to be a.

A spicy ride.

All right, you ready?

Okay.

All right, so before we dive in, quick little reminder.

If you're not on the Sunday morning Brew list, link is in the show notes.

CEO power move of the week.

I think my emails are pretty fucking fantastic.

I'm not gonna lie.

Like, I write these emails and I think, damn, I wish somebody would send me these emails, right?

Like, I think they're really, really good.

And the power moves have been ones that are easy to execute but make big differences.

Anyways, if you're not in the list, get your booty over there.

Okay.

All right, let's talk about deceptive marketing.

And I'm not going to name names because the names don't matter.

We've all seen it.

It's happening, whether they're big creators, small creators, influencers.

But I do see it happening most in more of, like, the influencers.

Not even the influencer space.

That's not even the right word.

People that have built big audiences.

So I guess influencer, right?

But I'm not talking, like, you know, fashion and, you know, that type of influencer.

I'm talking, like, in the online space, these.

These people that have big followings that use this bullshit marketing.

And this is what I'm talking about, about, oh, my gosh, I just had a $30,000 day thanks to Xyz she had a thousand dollar launch.

If you're craving $15,000 days, then join in on my blank method.

This is what I teach.

Okay?

That's what I'm talking about.

And here's what I want to just dissect because again, I really thought long and hard about whether or not I wanted to record this.

But the reality is the name of this podcast is called the Real Truth about Business.

And so I'm going to dive in and I'm going to, I'm going to give you the real truth.

Okay?

The real truth, and you know, here's the thing that I just want to preface before I dive into this and get super spicy, is that if half of these people that give this bullshit about these 15,000, 30,000, 20,000 launches, dollar launches, if they would just give the real truth about it, like it can still be super impressive with the truth behind it.

Okay?

And like that's what's missing, right?

It's not.

And the thing is, is like they're getting by like with this.

Oh, it's ethical.

It's the truth.

It is the truth in a sense.

It's just not the whole truth.

Okay, so let's break down example number one.

Example number one is one I've been seeing for quite a while.

This woman is a bit of an influencer and she is now kind of promoting, you know, people who are ready to have $15,000 days.

Okay, cool.

Right?

Here's the truth, here's the real truth about this.

Her 50, because she does this, right?

She has a $5,000 program and she can sometimes sell two to three a day.

So she has a $15,000 day.

$5,000 times three is $15,000.

That's the truth.

Here's what's not being said, is one $15,000 or that $5,000 program is a three month program.

Okay, so it's $5,000 over the course of three months or $15,000 over the course of three Months.

Okay?

So that's $5,000 a month, not a $15,000 a day.

And yeah, okay, maybe you could continue to sell three of these a day and you continue to have $15,000 a day.

But here's the other part of this, is that this is a one to one offer and some of it for her is done for you.

So there's only so many hours in a day and there's only so many clients you can take on.

So how many clients can she take on at one time in a three month container?

Right?

So still delivering on Everything that she says she's going to deliver on and have her life and all of these other things, yada, yada, yada.

With a $5,000 offer, that's over 90 days, right?

So again, it's.

Yes, she may sell and have a $15,000 a day, even if she does that twice a month, right?

That's $30,000.

It's $30,000 over the course of three months, right?

And that's assuming a pay in full, right?

This is like number.

The one thing that I see all the time too is that people always talk about pay in full, which again, some people love pay in full.

I've talked about this on the podcast before.

I'm not a huge fan of pay in full because again, like, I.

That $5,000 is over three months, right?

So it's not like it's $5,000 a month for three months.

That's not what she's selling.

That's not what the program is.

Okay?

So she's got to take that $5,000 and split it up again.

Even if she takes on six clients, it's a $10,000 month.

That's.

That's awesome.

That's amazing.

But a $10,000 month doesn't sound the same when you're promoting.

It is a $15,000 day, right?

So you see, the ethics here is like, oh my gosh, I want a $15,000 day and she's promoting this.

And it's like, yes, but are you only going to take pay in full as your offer?

$5,000?

We don't know.

Right?

Like, just because you decided it should be $5,000.

Right?

Like, again, I don't know where that number comes from.

It depends.

So, so again, so that's like example number one, right?

Example number two is one that I saw recently surrounding a book launch, and she promoted that she had a $15,000 launch.

I actually am like sitting here.

I've got to do the math.

Like right here on my computer.

Yeah, okay.

So her thing was.

Oh no, she had a $30,000 launch.

Let me get this straight.

Okay.

She had a $30,000 launch.

All right, cool.

That sounds awesome.

Wouldn't everybody that launches a book want a thirty thousand dollar book launch?

I mean, of course we would.

Why would we not?

Right?

That's.

That's one thing.

Okay.

But here we go.

Here's the real truth.

I'm actually like typing as I look something up because I want to see what is actually happening here.

Okay.

Anyways, so here's the $30,000 book launch.

Okay, and so this is a book that she's selling on Amazon 95, okay?

I'm not really sure.

Right, but okay, whatever.

I know some further truth about this, but I'm not going to, I'm not going to spill it because it's, it's behind the scenes.

But let's just say she encouraged people to purchase the book and basically at like a lower rate because she needed the sale so that Amazon would push it out.

Okay, that's a, that's a launch strategy, right?

Like get people to buy it at the 99 cents or whatever.

There's more to that 99 cent story, but I'm not going to share it.

All right?

So she does this enough people all at once quickly buy the 99 cent book.

Amazon supposedly now pushes this out.

Or $30,000 launch.

She didn't have a $30,000 launch.

Amazon did.

Every single one of those people paid Amazon, not her.

Okay?

So I just went on Amazon KDP and did a little royalty calculator.

Again, not bad, right?

Like not bad.

Fucking killer.

Right?

Here's my point again.

This is, what I'm saying is like the real truth is just as impressive as this overinflated unethical truth, right?

So it wasn't a $30,000 launch or whatever the frig it was.

I'm getting my math maxed up.

It was a $7,500 launch, which is still freaking incredible for a book launch, right?

But like, my point here is like why do we have to fake it?

Why do we have to go on and on about how she had a $30,000 launch?

No, she didn't.

Amazon had a $30,000 launch.

Every single one of those people paid Amazon, not her.

Right?

And potentially there was some sales on the back end of this to her one to one offer, right?

So again, there's like this overinflated bullshit truth and then there's the real truth and the real Truth is like I said, impressive too, right?

Just like the last example I gave you, $10,000 months are impressive.

Now it's not like easy peasy to hit that.

All right, a 70$500 book launch is impressive, right?

That's profit potentially.

I don't know what she invested into like getting the book launched and everything else.

Again, not bad, right?

But it's a $30,000 launch is not the freaking truth.

Okay, so that's that, that's example number two.

And then here we go with example number three.

Example number three again, selling high ticket program, having a $30,000 day.

Had a $30,000 day, okay.

It was three sales of a ten thousand dollar program.

Potentially a ten thousand dollar year long program.

So now we're at a.

We, we're going from a thirty thousand dollar day to a thirty thousand dollar year because the program is twelve months long.

Okay.

And included in it is done for you services, two additional coaches or service providers that are needing to be paid.

Right.

And an all inclusive retreat.

Not necessarily.

And it could potentially be internationally.

All right, Again, I don't know how many spots she's selling to this program.

If she sold three upfront, that's $30,000 day.

It's not a $30,000 day.

$30,000 year minus all of the expenses because she has actual direct costs related to this.

Related to this.

Okay.

Like this is not just her time, this is cost like a retreat, hotel, travel, paying to other people.

Right?

Like actual costs that are coming off the top of this.

So again, not a bad thing to say.

I sold XYZ number of spots to this program in day one.

Super impressive.

The real truth, but it's not a $30,000 day.

It's $30,000 that you've now got to space out for 12 freaking months.

Again, not terrible.

And there's more people into that program.

But like let's just freaking call a spade a spade.

This is what I'm talking about.

So here's my point in sharing all of these examples, okay, is that there's always more to the story.

What you're seeing is like the overinflated, exaggerated truth.

Again, it's not an actual lie.

There's.

She took on three new clients that she sold three.

Like right, they might have those receipts.

But again, let's call a spade a spade and let's talk about what it really looks like because there are so many people that are getting wrapped up and caught up in this freaking constant comparison of like, how do I have a $30,000 day?

I would love to have a $50,000 day.

Here's the thing about it.

Like, I'm never going to incentivize pay in full versus pay like monthly payment plans because I'm a huge fan of monthly reoccurring revenue.

I'm also, I think it's better for cash flow.

I think it's easier for tax planning.

Like, there's so many benefits to it, in my opinion, that I just don't favor pay in full, right?

So a lot of people incentivize it.

I don't, because to me it's not a benefit, right?

And again it's.

Then you're in this constant state of like, okay, so what if you have this program?

Let's even just say you have a 12 month program and you only sell it once a year.

And maybe you sell it to, you know, ten people at $10,000.

That's a hundred grand, right?

That's a hundred grand.

But like, do you only make a hundred grand one time?

Because you only launch this program once a year, right?

And then there's obviously other money coming in.

Again, I'm not discrediting and saying it's not impressive.

It is.

What I'm saying is unimpressive is the way it's being marketed, the way it's being shared, the way it's creating comparison, the way it's making people feel less than that is what I can't stand behind.

Because there's truth, there's more truth to this.

There's more details to it, right?

And again, when I started this episod, what I said, like, I.

You only see it online space because I'm being serious in the sense of like, when's the last time you walked into your local coffee shop or your favorite little boutique and they went, oh my gosh, I'm so happy you're here.

Like, can you believe it?

We had a ten thousand dollar day yesterday, right?

Like, it's just not normal.

Like, this is not normal behavior.

It's not normal marketing.

And we have to stop being impressed by it.

When we stop being impressed by it, then this shit stops.

And when the stops, we all start really like having a more regulated nervous system.

We all stop comparison, comparing ourselves.

We all right, like, the shit's got to stop.

I'm here for motivation.

I'm here for inspiration.

I'm here to see what's possible.

I'm not discrediting any of that, but I don't Want to continue seeing it happen in unethical ways because too many people fall for this.

And it's, that's exactly what it is.

It's absolute freaking bullshit.

Okay?

And so I just like, I feel it's like my duty to you as somebody who calls herself or calls her podcast the real truth about Business to share these type of things.

Because this is the real truth, okay?

The real truth is that you're only making maybe 50% royalty on a book launch if that minus your cost, right?

The real truth is that if you sell a one, a three month, one to one program, you're going to cap out.

There's only so many one to one clients you can take on until you stagger it and you have this constant lead flow and all for that.

But again, there's only so many clients you can take on in that capacity, in that amount of hours and on a 12 month, like there's.

The truth is, is like you can sell a 12 month program but again, take into consideration like if I were looking at that pricing with every single thing that was included, I think she's losing money on it.

I don'.

Think $10,000 is priced correctly.

I don't see how she's going to do all of that for $10,000.

She's banking on quantity, which again, but still, from all the things that were included in the package that I saw, the profit margin is so low on it by the time she pays taxes and everything else, I don't think it's even enough.

And that's my other point.

Like I'm going to do another episode on pricing because it's just where do these prices even come from, right?

Like, are they even set up to cover your cost, to cover your expense, to give you actually that you want to make?

Because half of them aren't even set up that way, right?

So again, just don't fall for it, all right?

That's all there is to it.

That's the, that's the episode, like scroll on by and go, okay?

It's not to say we can't be happy for somebody.

It's not to say we can't celebrate somebody.

But like just leave it at that.

Leave it as a.

That's cool.

That's their truth, right?

They believe in that.

Like, I know there are a lot of people that will stand behind that.

They will stand behind that messaging, they will stand behind that marketing.

They will say it's the truth, yada yada yada.

And you know what?

It's their truth, I guess in their head.

But it's not the whole truth.

Like I said, it's a partial truth.

It's not the real truth, it's not the whole truth.

And I just don't play by partial truth.

Okay?

So, anyways, that's my rant for today.

Take it.

What?

Take with it what you will, but I'm here for the real truth.

So if you really want to see a breakdown of numbers and you want to price your shit to where you actually get profit, like, reach out to me, right?

Like, let's talk real numbers.

Let's talk real profit.

Let's talk real what it takes to really run a business.

Okay?

All right.

I love you.

I believe in you.

I'll talk to you soon.