Blog Post: My Experience with 6 Figure Creative’s Coaching Program – A Cautionary Tale for Artists
Posted by Gabriel Valles
March 29, 2025
Hey fellow artists and freelancers,
If you’ve been freelancing long enough, you know the dream: a steady stream of clients who value your craft, without the feast-or-famine rollercoaster. That’s why I signed up with 6 Figure Creative last fall, hoping their “custom client acquisition strategy” would boost my art mentorship business, MentorWings. I’ve spent decades helping artists succeed—teaching advanced skills to land high-paying industry jobs without crazy college costs—so I figured a pro marketing plan could take it to the next level. Spoiler: it didn’t. Here’s my story, straight from the easel, so you can decide before dropping $5,000+ on their program.
The Pitch That Hooked Me
I watched their marketing video (you can see it here: https://the.6figurecreative.com/your-client-acquisition-strategy-a?campaign_id=120218313276870255&fbc_id=120218313276980255&h_ad_id=120218313277260255) and got excited. They promised:
“We’ll create an entire custom client acquisition strategy for you in the next 14 days. And if you don’t absolutely love it, you pay us nothing.”
“We’ll help you generate 100 brand new leads in the next 90 days.”
“We’ll implement it to generate at least $10,000 worth of new clients… if we haven’t, we’ll keep working for you for free until you do.”
Music to an artist’s ears, right? They bragged about clients like Jordan (from $277 to $10,000/month) and a team generating $15M for others. I thought, “If they can do that for me, I’m in.” So, I paid $4,000 upfront (onboarding fee) and $750 for the first month—$4,750 total—expecting a masterpiece plan tailored to my vision.
The Roadmap Reality
They started strong with a “Continuous Clients Marketing Roadmap” (October 2024). It nailed my gig: “teaching advanced art skills to help people land high-paying industry jobs - without needing overpriced college tuition.” Perfect! Step one was solidifying my offer, then building lead funnels and sales systems. Their contract even promised a $4,000 refund if I didn’t approve the roadmap and they couldn’t revise it to my liking. I signed off, pumped to see it unfold.
The Pivot That Painted Me Out
Then came the coaching calls. I shared some worries about scaling my model—sure, every artist frets about growth—but instead of refining it, they flipped the canvas. They suggested I ditch teaching art skills and start coaching established artists on setting up teaching businesses… without even addressing how those artists would get students. What?! That’s not remotely practical—teaching without clients is like painting without a brush. I said no way—this wasn’t the plan I’d “absolutely love”—and asked them to stick to my original vision. They didn’t.
The Broken Promises
The video said, “If you don’t love this plan, you pay us nothing.” I didn’t love it—I hated it—and yet, my $4,750 was gone. No 100 leads (it’s been months, and I’ve got zilch). No $10,000 in clients (they didn’t even try after I rejected the pivot). No free work to get me there—they just kept my cash. The contract’s refund clause? Ignored. I demanded my money back in February and March, citing their own words, but they refused, claiming I’d “collaborated” on the shift. Discussing scale isn’t agreeing to abandon my vision—nice try.
Why I’m Sharing This
I’m not here to trash anyone—I just want you to know what you’re signing up for. That video hooked me with big promises, but when the paint dried, I was out $4,750 with a plan I couldn’t use. Now, I’m filing in Texas Justice Court (March 29) to get it back, armed with their video and contract. If they lose, it’s public—plus, scam-detector.com already flags them, and I’m ready to file a complaint with the Texas AG.
Artists like us deserve better. We pour our souls into our work, and $5,000+ is no small bet. If you’re eyeing 6 Figure Creative, peek behind the curtain first. DM me at gabriel@mentorwings.com—I’ll share more if you’re curious. I’ve been in this game decades; I’d hate for you to lose your palette chasing a mirage.
Keep creating,
Gabriel Valles
MentorWings