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Why I No Longer Do Free Guest Trainings
For the past five years, I’ve shared my Pinterest expertise in memberships, on podcasts, in online summits, and beyond. And like many people growing their business, I often said yes to free guest trainings in the hope of expanding my network, gaining visibility, and bringing in future sales.
But over time, I started to notice something: the return didn’t match the investment I was putting in.
As an introvert, these sessions don’t just take an hour of my time. There’s the mental prep beforehand, the energy drain during the session, and the recovery time afterward. When you add it all up, it’s a significant commitment.
While I’ve had some great experiences, I’ve realised that the benefits often favour the membership owner more than the guest speaker.
Why this no longer feels aligned for me
Membership owners absolutely benefit from having guest experts:
- They don’t have to plan or deliver the session themselves
- They diversify learning inside their membership, which improves retention
- They gain credibility by featuring experts
- They may get exposure to the expert’s audience (if the guest promotes the session)
But on the guest speaker’s side, the value exchange isn’t always equal. If the only “payment” is visibility, it doesn’t always translate into tangible results.
What I’m choosing instead
Now that I have more experience, I’ve made a shift: I focus on paid speaking opportunities inside memberships that align with my values.
As a membership owner myself, I know how valuable guest experts are. That's why I always pay for guest training inside my own membership. I see it as an essential part of delivering value to my members, just like any other business expense.
And honestly? The paid speaking opportunities I’ve had have been far more impactful and rewarding than any free ones.
The thing is, everyone benefits from a paid guest session.
- The membership owner gets high-quality, expert-led content without the stress of planning and delivering it themselves.
- The guest expert is valued for their time and can show up fully prepared, energised, and invested in delivering their best work.
- The members get a better learning experience, because instead of a rushed or “favour” session, they’re getting a well-thought-out, high-value training from an expert who has been paid to bring their best.
But what if you’re just starting out?
I’m not saying free guest trainings are never worthwhile. When you’re early in your business, they can be a great way to:
💡 Gain confidence in presenting and teaching
💡 Get feedback on your content and delivery
💡 Build genuine relationships with like-minded business owners
But if you’ve been doing them for a while and find yourself feeling drained, undervalued, or just misaligned, it might be worth reassessing whether they still serve you.
This shift has made my business feel more aligned and sustainable, and I’m excited to keep building in a way that feels right for me.
Feeling ready to get started on Pinterest? Here’s how I can help…
📌 Download my FREE Pinterest Quick Start Guide to get you off to the best possible start on Pinterest for your business marketing.
📌 Visit my Template Shop for easy-to-customise and high-converting pin templates for Canva
📌 Join the PinPower Growth Academy, my low-cost Pinterest membership provides you with everything you need to grow on Pinterest!
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Pinterest A-Z Cheat Sheet
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