339. She Had $10K for Ads. I Told Her No.

339. She Had $10K for Ads. I Told Her No.

Author: Salome Schillack February 3, 2026 Duration: 28:59

A client came to me with $10,000 cash and big plans for her Q4 launch—and I turned her away. 🚀

Six months later, she sent me a message thanking me for saying no. Here's the thing: ads aren't a magic scaling button. They amplify what's already working in your funnel—and expose what isn't, expensively.

After managing close to $7 million in ad spend for course creators, I've learned that the difference between people who scale beautifully with Facebook ads and those who burn through their budget in weeks comes down to just three numbers. Most people have never calculated any of them. In this episode, I'm sharing two very different client stories and giving you the exact framework to know if you're actually ready for paid traffic—or if you're about to make a very expensive mistake.

🔥 In This Episode:

  • Why I turned away a client with $10K (and why she thanked me later)

  • The critical difference between warm and cold traffic that trips up most course creators

  • How to calculate your maximum cost per acquisition

  • The three numbers that determine if your funnel can handle ads at scale

  • Why you need a 90-day runway before touching paid traffic

✨ Ready for growth partners who make every marketing dollar work harder? Just 2 agency spots available for successful course creators,  coaches or online experts doing 10K+ monthly. We dive deep into your data, funnel strategy & customer journey for predictable scaling. Apply now at thelaunchlounge.com/agency 💫

 

💚 💚💚 

Salome

 

Get full show notes here

Follow The Launch Lounge on Instagram.


For a decade, Salome Schillack operated behind the scenes, crafting the advertising campaigns that propelled many leading online course creators to success. Now, she’s pulling back the curtain in The Launch Lounge Podcast. This isn't about vague theory; it's a direct line to the precise online marketing, advertising, and business strategies that actually work for knowledge-based businesses. Each episode feels like a candid conversation in a trusted space, where Salome translates a complex landscape of digital promotion into actionable, practical advice you can apply immediately. You'll find that rare blend of hard-won tactical know-how and genuine inspiration, all aimed at building something profitable and sustainable. The goal is straightforward: to move your ideas from concept to a living, breathing enterprise. Tune in to this podcast for a clear-eyed, often fun, look at what it truly takes to construct a business around what you know, cutting through the noise to focus on what drives real growth and impact.
Author: Language: English Episodes: 50

The Launch Lounge Podcast
Podcast Episodes
372. Raise Your Prices. Keep Your Clients. Here's How. [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 29:39
You want to raise your prices — but what if people stop buying? Before you change the number, there's something far more important you need to change first. And if you skip it, you'll end up like the coach I watched doub…
371. Why Nobody's Seeing Your Content (And the Simple Fix) [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 30:17
If you're posting consistently and your audience still isn't growing, you probably don't need better content. You need to become more memorable. 🚀 The people building cult-like followings online aren't smarter, louder, o…
370. Use AI to Turn Sales Call Notes Into a Better Offer [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 36:04
You already have a secret weapon that could double your sales in your next launch. It's sitting in your sales call transcripts, your post-launch surveys, your non-buyer feedback — and most people never mine it. 🚀 In this…
369. The $5 Per Day Ad That Gets Instagram Followers [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 30:09
Are your $5 a day ads getting tons of engagement but barely any new followers? You're not alone — and it's not your budget, it's your setup. 🚀 Salome has taught the $5 a day engagement ad strategy since 2018, but she rec…
368. How to Add 100 Leads to Your List in the Next 30 Days [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 54:10
If you're posting every single day and your list still isn't growing, going viral was never the missing piece. This week I'm sharing three ways to add 100 new people to your email list in the next 30 days, no big followi…
367. The One Decision That Changes Your Next 12 Months [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 20:56
If your business looks roughly the same 12 months from now as it does today, how would that feel? There's a decision you're making right now — or avoiding making — that matters more than any new funnel or piece of conten…
366. Why Those Who Scale Fastest Never Do It Alone [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 49:53
If you know exactly what to do in your business and still can't get yourself to do it, I don't think that's a willpower problem — I think it's an isolation problem. And today I'm telling you why. 🚀 I'm breaking down the…
365. The Difference Between Growing and Scaling Your Expert Business [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 19:48
When was the last time a complete stranger found you online and became a paying client? If you can't remember — or it only happens when you post like a maniac for two weeks and then collapse — this episode is for you. 🚀…
364. How to Stop Feeling Invisible Online [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 41:51
You're posting consistently, sending emails, showing up — and somehow feeling less connected to your audience than ever. You're not imagining it. And the answer probably isn't more content. 🚀 In this episode I get honest…
363. Want to Grow Faster? Stop Hiding Behind Your Content [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 33:13
What if the one thing you keep doing to grow your business is actually the thing keeping you stuck? 🚀 More content, more lead magnets, more podcast episodes — it can all feel like marketing. But sometimes it's just a ver…