Why “Free” Business Advice Is Getting More Expensive

For years, leaders could search YouTube or Google and quickly learn how to solve common business problems.

That still looks possible—but the incentives have changed.

Today, most “educational” business content isn’t monetized by ads.

It’s monetized by selling an outcome.

Search for something like “How to build a lead funnel” and you’ll notice a pattern:

  • First, you’re told traditional approaches no longer work
  • Then you’re told only their AI-powered tool can solve the problem

You don’t actually learn how to build a funnel.

You sit through a sales pitch.

The same thing is happening across AI, SaaS, marketing, and productivity. Advice hasn’t disappeared—it’s just conflicted.

Worse, the flood of “I made $1M a month with AI” content creates noise, urgency, and false confidence—usually to sell courses, templates, or memberships.

The real cost of “free” information today isn’t money.

It’s time, confusion, and bad decisions.

This is why experienced consultants still matter.

Not because they have secret knowledge—but because they:

  • Understand your specific context
  • Explain trade-offs instead of pushing tools
  • Aren’t paid to sell a product

Content can show you what’s possible.

Judgment helps you decide what’s right.

And when the stakes are high, clarity beats clicks every time.

If you’re facing a decision around technology, AI, or custom development, a focused 45-minute conversation can help clarify trade-offs, risks, and ROI before you commit. Schedule a 45-minute executive conversation

 

 

Mark Tebault

Mark Tebault is an accomplished leader specializing in process optimization through AI adoption and digital and business transformation. With a proven track record of driving revenue growth and operational excellence , Mark excels at leveraging technology—including AI-powered process automation—to centralize data, improve workflow efficiency, and enable real-time strategic decision-making. Mark's expertise spans strategic planning, KPI management, and elevating the customer journey, making him an ideal partner for businesses seeking to achieve transformative growth and enhanced operational efficiency.

Comments

Related posts

Search Build vs. Buy in 2026