The "Burned Before" Series, Episode 2: Magical Thinking

We recently got a call from a business owner who was starting up a new software venture in the AI space. He proudly told me that he had spent over $300,000 on product development. He was now ready to bring the product to market, and he wanted our help.

After assessing his goals and value proposition, I asked what his budget for marketing was.

His response was that he didn't have any money left for marketing. But because the market is so vast, and his product is so good, we should be willing to work on a straight commission basis.

And besides, marketing companies have promised him great results before, and not delivered.

He was the fifth person that week to ask us to invest our money in his dream.