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The 3 Numbers That Separate Course Creators Who Scale From Those Who Burn Cash

Ready to find out if you're actually ready for Facebook ads—or if you're about to make a very expensive mistake? 🚀

I'm going to tell you a story that might ruffle some feathers. A health coach came to me with $10,000 cash, a shiny Kajabi funnel, and big dreams 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 most course creators don't realize: ads aren't a magic scaling button. They're an accelerant. They amplify what's already working—and expose what isn't, expensively.

After managing close to $7 million in ad spend for online course creators, I've learned that the difference between people who scale beautifully with Meta ads and those who burn through their budget in weeks usually comes down to just three numbers. Most people have never thought about any of them. In this episode, I'm sharing two very different client stories and giving you the exact framework to figure out which camp you're in before you spend a single dollar on Facebook or Instagram ads.

Whether you're thinking about running ads yourself, hiring an ads manager, or simply curious about whether paid traffic is even in your future, this episode will give you the clarity you need to make smart decisions about scaling your online courses business.

“The most ready clients I've ever worked with are usually the ones who don't think they're fully ready. Meanwhile, the ones who come in guns blazing, ready to drop 20K tomorrow—they usually need another six months.” ✨

🔥 In This Episode:

• Discover why I turned away a client with $10,000 cash (and why she thanked me for it later)
• Learn the critical difference between selling to warm traffic versus cold traffic—and why confusing the two is gambling, not scaling
• Calculate your maximum cost per acquisition so you know exactly what you can afford to pay for leads
• Identify the three numbers that determine whether your funnel can handle paid traffic at scale
• Build your financial and emotional runway so you can optimize without panic

Grab your favorite coffee and let's dive into these numbers together—you'll want a calculator handy for this one! ☕️

💚 💚 💚 

Salome

✨ 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 💫

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⏱️ Chapter Guide:

(00:00) The $10K client I turned away—and why she thanked me later 

(01:51) Welcome to The Launch Lounge (plus a special shoutout to Tara!)

(04:12) The dangerous assumption most course creators make about ads

(05:48) Why ads are an accelerant, not a magic fix for broken funnels

(08:15) Red flags I spotted in the health coach's data 

(12:30) The difference between warm traffic and cold traffic (this is where people get burned)

(15:45) What I told her to do instead of running ads 

(18:20) Six months later: How she scaled to $80K launches 

(21:00) Meet Emma: The client who was ready before she knew it 

(25:30) The three numbers that tell you if you're ready for ads 

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📚 Resources Mentioned:

＞＞ The Launch Lounge Marketing and Ads Agency

＞＞ Email your episode requests to: podcast@thelaunchlounge.com

＞＞ Other episodes you might like: 338. Podcasting – What's Working in 2026

＞＞ Other episodes you might like: 337. Amy Porterfield Retired DCA… So Are Online Courses Dead?

＞＞ Other episodes you might like: 336. The Only 2 Things That Matter if You Want to Nail Your Marketing

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“Valuable and funny! ★★★★★

I love these tangible tools Salome gives us! Finally a podcast with a full picture strategy. And she makes it fun which makes you remember what you learned even better and you can’t wait for the next episode to air. Thank you!”

Mtillie in Sweden

Please rate, review and follow the show. When you do, it helps me reach more people and help them create wildly profitable businesses that impact millions of people! You'll also unleash good carma get the best parking spots forever (ok, I made that up – but rating and reviewing can be your good deed for today).

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