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: 100

The Launch Lounge Podcast
Podcast Episodes
338. Podcasting - What's Working in 2026 [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 26:24
If your podcast growth has flatlined, it's not your content—it's the platforms. And I'm going to prove it. 🚀 The algorithms have changed. They're no longer pushing shows to new listeners like they used to. Now they rewar…
337. Amy Porterfield Retired DCA… So Are Online Courses Dead? [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 29:17
Amy Porterfield retired Digital Course Academy—so are online courses dead? 🚀 Here's my full-body, gut-level answer: absolutely not. But when someone as established as Amy pivots, I get why course creators everywhere star…
336. The Only 2 Things That Matter if You Want to Nail Your Marketing [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 16:16
The Only 2 Things That Matter if You Want to Nail Your Marketing What if everything overwhelming you about marketing right now could be stripped down to just two things? 🚀 If you're posting, emailing, launching, and rebu…
335. What You Can Expect in 2026 [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 17:34
What if the smartest content strategy isn't about reaching more people—but going deeper with the ones already here? 🚀 I'm shaking things up in 2026. After an email list disaster cut my podcast downloads in half overnight…
334. Stop Half-Working Through Christmas [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 21:43
If your version of "time off" is scrolling on the couch while mentally auditing your funnel, this episode is your intervention. 🚀 Let's be honest—most course creators have mastered the art of fake rest. You know the kind…
333. Still Not Making 'Quit My Job' Money? This Might Be Why [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 24:23
What if you never make the "quit my job" money you've been dreaming about? 🚀 If that thought has been quietly haunting you, I need you to hear this: the problem isn't your work ethic or that you're not cut out for this.…
332. 3 Signs You're Ready to Scale (And 3 Signs You're Not) [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 25:29
Scaling your course too early is one of the fastest ways to burn cash and accidentally build a business you hate. 🚀 Everyone's screaming "scale, scale, scale" online — but nobody mentions that scaling doesn't magically c…
331. If I Had to Start Over Again: What I'd Do Differently in 2025 [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 26:45
What if you could keep all your skills and lessons but rebuild your business the smarter way? 🚀 I've been playing with a fantasy lately: burning it all down and starting fresh. Because if I had to rebuild my online cours…
330. Your "One More Launch" Is Keeping You Stuck [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 25:27
What if that "one more launch will save me" energy is actually the thing keeping you stuck? 🚀 I'm seeing it everywhere right now—smart course creators pouring everything into one more webinar, one more challenge, hoping…