TLDR – What’s The Verdict on The Free Model Challenge?
The Free Model Challenge takes a somewhat unique approach to health and wellness coaching. She believes that it’s most important to provide a ton of value upfront to your clients so they’re more willing to purchase your coaching on the backend.
We’ve seen this before though. Give away a ton of free stuff – and people are more likely to work with you.
Simple enough.
But I see it like this.
Imagine you’re trying to grow a beautiful garden. The Free Model Challenge is like a fancy new fertilizer that promises to make your plants grow faster and bigger.
If you go out there and you sprinkle it around, follow the instructions very carefully, and everything falls into place perfectly, you’ll likely end up with a wonderful garden.
But what happens if there’s a little dry spell and you don’t get any rain? Your garden is done.
That’s the issue I see with the Free Model Challenge.
You need to hit the ground running and create a ton of free content, do so consistently, and have the time and resources to offer everything for free with no promise of ever getting anything on the backend.
Plus, she’s pitching this to complete startups so these people likely have their hands full with a bunch of other tasks.
You’ll likely face hurdles such as:
- Creating engaging challenge content
- Managing participants and their progress
- Constantly promoting the challenge to attract new leads
- Converting challenge participants into paying clients
- Maintaining the momentum and enthusiasm throughout the process
But aha… here’s the catch.
Ashley’s primary offers are completely done for you solutions to these problems.
So, she’s essentially doing to you, what she’s teaching you to do to your coaching clients.
Reel them in with a bunch of free stuff but make it impossible to actually achieve your goals without paying for her help. Smart right?
But what if there was a way to actually make money online passively while providing a solution that people actually need?
This is why I recommend Digital Leasing.
This business model is like having a self-watering, self-fertilizing garden that practically grows itself.
The concept is straightforward – you create digital assets that attract customers and then lease those assets to local businesses in exchange for a monthly residual income.
No more worrying about crafting the perfect challenge, keeping participants engaged, or constantly hustling for new leads.
With Digital Leasing, you can focus on providing value to businesses in your community while enjoying a hands-off income stream.
Still unsure? That’s fine, let’s keep going with the Free Model Challenge review.
Who Benefits From Free Model Challenge and Who Doesn’t?
Ashley Shaw’s Free Model Challenge is designed to help business owners and entrepreneurs in the health and wellness industry attract and convert leads through interactive challenges.
While this approach can be effective for some, it may not be the best fit for everyone.
Let’s talk about it.
Who Benefits
- Health and wellness startups that already have a strong understanding of their target audience and possess a unique value proposition already. For example, if you specifically target bariatric patients or something like that, you can get enough value from the free stuff without having to pay.
- Entrepreneurs with a knack for creating compelling content and a willingness to dedicate time and effort to crafting challenges that resonate with their audience.
- Business owners who already have an established online presence but are simply looking for a way to craft better and more interesting health and wellness offers.
Who Doesn’t Benefit
- Anyone who doesn’t already have a clear customer avatar. If you don’t know who exactly you want to target with your health and wellness coaching, you’ll struggle because Ashley requires that upfront.
- Entrepreneurs who prefer a more hands-off approach to lead generation and client acquisition. Running successful challenges requires consistent effort and involvement, from planning and promotion to engagement and follow-up.
- Business owners who are looking for a quick and easy solution to grow their customer base. While the Free Model Challenge can be effective, it’s not a magic bullet. It takes time, patience, and persistence to see results.
One of the biggest issues I also see here is monetary investment. Since Ashley’s services are geared primarily towards startups – she’s looking for coaches that have the money to invest in her DFY services.
It can be pretty hands-off if you let her handle everything for you, but it will also be expensive.
Plus, I don’t think you’ll learn a lot of the necessary basics of lead generation and actual business development. This is more like a social media training program geared towards fitness gurus.
Don’t miss out on exploring my other article featuring the top Digital Marketing Courses & Gurus for additional insights.
1,000 FT View of Free Model Challenge
| Title | Description |
|---|---|
| Program Name | Free Model Challenge |
| Owner | Ashley Shaw |
| Price | $7-$97 |
| Refund | Varies |
| Website | Source |
The core offer of this program is teaching you how to create free challenges that attract potential clients and convert them into paying coaching clients.
This approach is designed to be more effective than traditional lead magnets or free content, as it actively involves the audience and demonstrates the value of the coach’s expertise.
Understanding This Business Model
The fitness coaching business model has evolved significantly in recent years, with the rise of online platforms and digital marketing.
Many coaches now offer their services remotely, using tools like video conferencing, email, and social media to connect with clients.
The Free Model Challenge fits into this landscape by providing a novel way to attract and nurture leads.
Instead of relying solely on free content or complicated sales funnels, this approach focuses on creating a highly engaging and interactive experience that guides participants towards a specific goal.
Essentially, you’re just reeling in people with some free stuff in the hopes that they will convert into a paying fitness client.
This is the key though. Having a unique offer and way of getting attention because if you’re just simply pitching the same type of training as everyone else. You need a way to stand out and Ashley can help teach you how to do that.
Not to mention the fact that there’s no training on how to actually start a fitness coaching business so you’ll have to already possess that knowledge.
…or you can pay her to do it for you! Yippie!
About Ashley Shaw
Ashley has been around the block a time or two in the fitness space and has over 18 years of experience. She’s held numerous positions ranging from personal trainer to managing different fitness and sports clubs.
In 2016, Ashley founded her own fitness company, VI Fitness Center, and later transitioned into providing marketing and advertising services to health and wellness businesses in Canada, the United Kingdom, Australia, New Zealand, and the United States.
Overall, her reputation online is pretty clean but also somewhat thin.
She has a very small following on both YouTube and Facebook but her “Business Bootcamp” program does have over 10,000 members on FB.
I’m gathering as I research more about her that she has a lot of offerings in terms of courses, mentorships, programs, and trainings so it’s pretty easy to lose track.
Free Model Challenge Cost
It’s impossible to really cover the Free Model Challenge cost because there are so many options available and each has it’s own price tag.
For example, the VIP Cash Converting Challenge is only $7 and is supposed to help with launching a course or coaching business and make $48k in sales in five days apparently.
Whereas the 30-day DFY social media posting plan is $67. Just keep in mind, this doesn’t mean she posts for you – it just means she offers you the copywriting and creative elements.
Long story short, there are a million cheap little offers baked into this program that range from as low as $7 to as high as $97.
What Makes This Program Different?
I mean, there’s really nothing truly unique about this program besides the emphasis on having a very narrow audience and utilizing AI to create social media posts and sales funnels. I can get behind that though.
If you have a narrow target, it means you can really drive home the fact that you have expertise in that specific area.
Like I mentioned, you can offer fitness and wellness coaching to bariatric patients who require a certain level of customization to their training.
You can also design training programs for certain age groups, specific disabilities or ailments, etc.
Ashley isn’t going to help you figure out which one of threse niches you should go after but once you’ve established that, she’ll work with you to develop unique social media posts and sales pitches to bring them in for free and then monetize the traffic on the backend.
This concept isn’t revolutionary by any means but could be valuable for someone who already has a bit of a following and understands what makes their audience tick.
Plus, AI can definitely help simplify the process – but I’m pretty sure you can learn the same skills for free almost anywhere.
My Personal Opinion
| Area of Importance | Score | Takeaway |
|---|---|---|
| Time Investment | 2/5 | No matter how you cut it, this business model isn’t designed to be passive so you’ll need to spend a lot of time marketing and servicing clients. |
| Upfront Cost | 3/5 | The programs are very affordable and most of the methods taught within are free. |
| Learning Curve | 3/5 | If you already possess the knowledge needed to start a fitness and coaching business, this shouldn’t be too hard for you to learn. |
| Profit Potential | 3/5 | Any business model has profit potential with the right strategy. I think you can bring clients in using the strategies taught in this program to make more money. |
Based on my research and experience after reviewing thousands of programs, I know what’s honest and believable and what’s all fluff.
The Free Model Challenge provides some value in the social media marketing aspect and methods taught that will help you build your own challenges to get attention, I can’t deny that.
But the buck stops there.
One of my primary concerns is the time and effort required to successfully implement the Free Model Challenge.
Creating engaging challenges, promoting them effectively, and consistently following up with participants demands a significant investment of resources. Not all entrepreneurs are prepared to dedicate the necessary energy to make this strategy work.
That’s why there is such a heavy focus on her DFY services. That’s the point here.
Ashley’s goal is to the reel you in with the promise of free stuff but tease you to the point of wanting more and more until you start paying for her services.
Online reviews and testimonials for Ashley Shaw and her programs are generally positive, with many praising her social media marketing tips and strategies. However, there’s just not a lot of them.
I recommend talking to other people in the space to see how they’re selling their fitness coaching services, look at what they’re doing that’s unique, and see if there’s any way you can piggyback off that.
You can use the social media posting training and templates provided by the Free Model Challenge but I wouldn’t be so quick to whip out your wallet because there’s a lot of free stuff available on the internet too.
Explore my Agency BTS Masterclass review to get an in-depth understanding of its digital marketing content, one-on-one sessions, and private community access. However, note its limitations, including brief content duration and additional costs for premium features.
Other review is for Growth Partner Accelerator – course that aims to boost marketing agencies’ profits with customized pricing, self-paced training, and a $50,000 in 5 months money-back guarantee.
Is This a Free Model Challenge Scam?
Realistically, there’s no Free Model Challenge scam.
From what I’ve seen, Ashley Shaw does:
- Provide the value she claims
- Doesn’t necessarily hide the fact that the ultimate goal is to encourage you to purchase her Done-For-You (DFY) services
- Offers plenty of free value upfront
But here’s the thing – is this really “done for you” or is it, “done for you… but you have to do a lot too”?
And let’s be real, there’s no guarantee these cookie-cutter templates will actually resonate with your audience. I haven’t seen any data, case studies, or testing to prove they work.
So, sure, Ashley Shaw’s program might not be a total scam, but it’s got some pretty big limitations. You’re still the one doing the heavy lifting.
That’s where Digital Leasing swoops in like a superhero. With Digital Leasing, you’re in the driver’s seat. You’ve got full control over your digital assets, and you can customize them to perfectly fit your target audience.
No more relying on one-size-fits-all templates or strategies that may or may not hit the mark.
Plus, Digital Leasing is like the ultimate passive income cheat code. Once you’ve got your digital assets up and running, generating leads like a boss, you can kick back and watch the money roll in.
No more constantly churning out new content or stressing over posting schedules.
When it comes down to it, Ashley Shaw’s Free Model Challenge and DFY services might have some value, but they don’t quite give you the freedom and long-term sustainability that most entrepreneurs are after.
What’s Inside Ashley Shaw’s Training
Let’s talk about what you can actually learn inside this training:
Mindset Shift Module
The course begins by focusing on the importance of having the right mindset when starting a new business or implementing a new marketing strategy.
This module helps participants overcome limiting beliefs and develop a growth-oriented approach to their business. But then again, we see this all the time in programs where there’s a heavy focus on mindset but little true value.
Challenge Creation Module
In this module, Ashley Shaw teaches participants how to create engaging and effective challenges that resonate with their target audience. She covers topics such as choosing the right challenge topic, structuring the challenge, and creating compelling content.
Website Creation Module
Participants learn how to create a high-converting website to host their challenges and capture leads. Ashley provides guidance on website design, copywriting, and technical setup, making it easy for even non-tech-savvy individuals to create a professional-looking site.
Promotion and Marketing Module
This module focuses on strategies for promoting challenges and attracting participants. Ashley covers various marketing channels, including social media, email marketing, and paid advertising, providing actionable tips and templates to help participants effectively spread the word about their challenges.
I want to stress the fact that this is no where near a comprehensive list of all the training that is available in this program. The offerings are seemingly endless and as soon as you think you’ve hit the end, more options unravel. This is simply an overview.
After My Free Model Challenge Review: Are You Ready to Get Started?
I think this is a great question to ask yourself. Are you ready to dive in and start pumping out social media posts and challenges to get people into your coaching business?
Or… do you feel like this might not be the best strategy to deploy right now? Because I feel like templated social media posts just don’t work anymore. People are used to it and if you add AI on top of that, it makes it even less personal.
Because of that, I don’t recommend the Free Model Challenge.
What is My Top Recommendation for Making Money Online in 2025?
Throughout my years of trying, testing, and reviewing a ton of business models – I’ve had some wins and losses.
I’ve made money with Amazon FBA, dropshipping, affiliate marketing, and a bunch of others.
But nothing was sustainable, simple, and passive.
That is, until I discovered Digital Leasing.
Digital Leasing involves creating lead generating assets like websites, driving traffic to them, and then leasing the space out to local businesses that need leads.
Think plumbers, electricians, chiropractors, etc.
Here’s why it’s a great business model:
- Genuine Passive Income: Once your digital assets are established and leased to businesses, the income flows in automatically without the need for constant traffic generation or platform dependence. Your assets continue to provide value to your clients while generating revenue for you.
- Reduced Ongoing Effort: Unlike fitness coaching that requires continuous updates, marketing campaigns, and customer support, Digital Leasing allows for a more hands-off approach once your assets are in place. You can enjoy a more balanced lifestyle while still earning a substantial income.
- Effortless Scalability: Expanding your Digital Leasing business is as simple as replicating your successful assets and connecting them to new payment systems. This process can be completed in a matter of minutes, allowing you to grow your income without requiring you to do more work in return for more money.
If you’d like to learn more about Digital Leasing, click here!
