Jordan Platten's Affluent Academy Review: How To Build a Profitable Agency? + A Business Alternative

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Jordan Platten’s Affluent Academy is an online training program that teaches you how to start a social media marketing agency (SMMA) from scratch. It includes mindset training, closing clients, Instagram and Facebook ads, marketing, and more. Students access video lessons, case studies, templates, and tools. The program also includes access to a supportive community and regular live Q&A sessions.

People from Trustpilot and Reddit have mixed opinions about Affluent Academy. It has a rating of 4.8 out of 5 stars from Trustpilot, while the sales page has a perfect rating of 5 stars. Many students praised the detailed content, real-world applications, one-on-one mentorship, and strategies. Others were critical of its marketing tactics, sales pressure, effectiveness, and high cost. Despite the criticism, many testimonials cite improvements in their business. For example, Todd Starr grew his agency and hit £100K a month after taking the course.

Affluent Academy is worth it only if you’re ready to commit to daily sales, ad performance pressure, and client churn. It’s a solid SMMA course, but not passive, not guaranteed, and not hands-off.

As a digital marketer myself, my opinion on Affluent Academy’s SMMA model is that it’s like curating a temporary exhibit inside the Louvre Museum, where attendance, buzz, and approval depend on tourist traffic, critics’ opinions, and changing trends. SMMA leans heavily on unpredictable social media algorithms, campaign performance, and how satisfied your clients feel in any given month. It ends up feeling fragile and outside your control. It’s not passive income either, as you’ll always have to find new clients, create new ads, or manage accounts.

In this Affluent Academy review, I cover its pros and cons, content, reviews, who it’s for, and who the creator is. I also talk a bit more about social media marketing agencies. Then, I answer the main question, “Is Affluent Academy worth it?” At the end, I recommend a business model that puts you more in control and offers true passive income. This business is local lead generation.

What Are the Pros and Cons of Affluent Academy?

ProsCons
The Affluent Academy has a very comprehensive content.The Affluent Academy is quite expensive.
The Affluent Academy has easy to follow lessons with applicable advice.It has mixed reviews online.
The Affluent Academy course offers one-on-one mentorship calls.There is no guarantee that it works for everyone.
PriceAffluent Academy 3.0's price isn't clear. Some users report $3K or $5K / year. In 2020, it was $1,497.
TrainingThe Affluent Academy training comes in video lessons, case studies, mentorship calls, and many more. It is available on the Skool platform.
GroupThe Affluent Academy has a private group called Agency Owners with 35.2k members from the Skool platform. It also has a Facebook page called Affluent.co with 7.4K followers.
Refund PolicyThe Affluent Academy has a full 14 day money back policy from purchase to those who have watched under 15% of the course content.
OriginThe Affluent Academy started in 2019.
ReputationJordan Platten has built a reputable name for himself in the digital marketing industry. He is particularly known for his expertise in social media marketing. He has a substantial social media following of over 500K combined.

July 27, 2024

I bought his course years ago and found it decent, but not exceptional. I’ve purchased many courses, and they are selling the same thing: you get rich following their methods and nothing else. However, I’m unsure if his course is still available. Did I manage to get clients from it? Yes, but I also did a lot of research on my own.

Clyde

3.0

3.0 out of 5 stars (based on 1 review)

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How Affluent Academy Helps You Build a Profitable Agency?

  • Build a strong mental foundation. Affluent Academy helps you set clear goals and develop the right entrepreneurial mindset before you launch your agency.
  • Identify profitable niches and ideal clients. The program shows you how to choose niches for a target audience. This way, your services match real market demand.
  • Set up systematic operations. You learn how to map out client acquisition and service delivery. You also learn how to automate repetitive tasks so you can scale.
  • Use effective sales and marketing strategies. Affluent Academy teaches you to use social media and outreach systems to generate leads and convert them into paying clients.
  • Provide exceptional value and service. The training emphasizes delivering strong results so you can retain clients and generate referrals and positive reviews.
  • Keep learning and adapting. You’re encouraged to stay updated on the latest tools, trends, and strategies in digital marketing to stay competitive.
  • Build a strong team. Affluent Academy covers hiring, training, and managing team members. The goal is to make sure you’re not doing everything yourself.
  • Monitor your financial health. The program shows you how to track cash flow, profit margins, and ROI. This is to make sure your agency stays profitable and sustainable.

What Is Affluent Academy?

Affluent Academy is a mentorship program that helps you establish and grow a digital marketing agency, specifically for social media. It provides coaching, personalized guidance, and support in building your agency. It includes extra resources like agency website templates and custom agency management platform. The program also has a weekly live Q&A sessions. Affluent Academy teaches brand new niche-based training and client acquisition systems.

Participants can enjoy three weekly live group calls and a new client success team dedicated to one-on-one coaching. Affluent Agency’s curriculum is extensive. It has over 80 video lessons spread across many modules. The program covers mindset training, client acquisition, and sales strategies. It also covers service delivery and agency scaling. Each module also ends with a Recap Quiz, which comprises short end of module multiple-choice quiz. The curriculum also covers launching websites, selecting your niches, marketing, scaling, and many more!

What Do You Get With Affluent Academy?

  • 12 modules with over 80 video lessons
  • A private Mastermind Facebook group
  • VIP email support directly with Jordan Platten
  • Full script, contract & funnel templates
  • Weekly Live video Q&A’s
  • Affluent Lead Sourcing Service
  • 1-on-1 “Done With You” coaching
  • Ready-to-go website templates to create your agency website in as little as 30 minutes
  • Access to an Agency Management Platform

What Is Affluent Agency E-Learning Platform?

Affluent Agency E-Learning Platform is a comprehensive and interactive online learning environment for students. Inside the platform, there is a Community tab where students can engage with each other. The Classroom tab houses all the courses, modules, and lessons, offering easy access to educational content. A Calendar tab displays the schedule for live Q&A calls and other events. It helps students stay organized and connected to upcoming activities. Additionally, there is a Leaderboard tab that showcases the top students and their points. This adds a competitive element to the learning experience.

What Is Affluent Academy’s Curriculum?

  • Module 1: Mental Foundations. Module 1 comprises seven lessons. It focuses on preparing participants mentally for success before launching their own agency. It emphasizes the importance of personal development and establishing a solid mental foundation. These are essential prerequisites for professional success. It teaches that having the right mindset and personal habits is crucial. This ensures that you are well-equipped mentally to tackle the challenges of starting and running a successful agency.
  • Module 2: The Launch Sequence. Module 2 comprises six lessons. It equips participants with the essential tools and knowledge needed to start a marketing agency. This is beneficial for those new to business, as it guides them through the initial steps of establishing an agency. The lessons cover creating a strategic launch plan and developing a sustainable agency model. It also includes building a brand identity and designing an effective website. Other topics are on formulating services and setting up a pricing structure. By the end of this module, participants will understand how to position their agency in the industry.
  • Module 3: Finding Clients. Module 3 includes seven lessons focused on the critical aspects of client acquisition. It teaches participants how to identify the best niches for their services. The module also ensures that students understand the characteristics of their ideal client. These things are crucial for targeting marketing efforts effectively. Additionally, it covers strategies for lead generation to attract potential clients. It also includes the implementation of a customer relationship management (CRM) system. A CRM helps organize and streamline interactions with clients.
  • Module 4: Securing Meetings. Module 4 comprises 10 lessons that focus on converting potential leads into actual business meetings. This help participants master various strategies for engaging with cold leads. It covers comprehensive sales training, effective cold calling, and the use of direct messaging. Additionally, it teaches email automation and the use of Loom for video messaging to enhance communication. Lastly, it includes tested outreach formula to increase the chances of securing meetings.
  • Module 5: How To Close Clients. Module 5 includes 11 lessons that are integral to transforming warm leads into committed clients. This module assists even those with no prior sales experience. Participants will learn a comprehensive multi-platform meeting strategy designed to maximize conversion rates. It also includes preparing for meetings , engaging potential clients, and handling objections . Other lessons are on setting up payment systems and onboarding new clients. Additionally, the module uses case studies to illustrate successful strategies and tactics. This serves as practical example that participants can emulate.
  • Module 6: Real Sales Examples. Module 6 has six lessons that provide a practical, hands-on look at the process of closing high-ticket clients. Participants will watch actual recordings of Jordan as he navigates the full sales process. Key elements featured in this module include call recordings, Zoom calls, and examples of live cold calls. This gives participants a clear and comprehensive understanding of effective sales strategies.
  • Module 7: The Science of Getting Results. Module 7 comprises seven lessons. It delve into the underlying principles of effective marketing. It teaches participants about the psychology that drives consumer behavior and decision-making. This provides a foundation for creating impactful marketing strategies. It also talks about content creation and producing engaging and relevant material for your target audience. This module also includes comprehensive marketing strategies for various channels and tactics. Lastly, it also covers ROI tracking. This is crucial for measuring the effectiveness of campaigns and understanding ROI.
  • Module 8: Agency Scaling & Automations. Module 8 comprises 10 lessons focused on expanding your agency. It also includes implementing systems that enhance efficiency and scalability. It explores strategies to align agency growth with your personal goals. This is crucial for long-term success and satisfaction. It also teaches setting clear targets and developing a robust referral system. This increases client acquisition through word of mouth. Other focus in on mastering high-ticket sales and creating automated marketing funnels.
  • Module 9-12: Service Delivery. Modules 9-12 have 37 lessons. It focuses on the delivery of effective social media advertising services. Specifically, through Facebook and Instagram ads. Participants will learn the crucial aspects of crafting successful ad campaigns. This includes setting clear advertising objectives and pinpointing the most effective targeting methods. Other lessons are on developing compelling creative content, and formulating comprehensive strategies.

Who Is Affluent Academy For?

  • People who need a clear roadmap to start a digital marketing or SMMA agency from scratch.
  • Existing agency owners who want to grow revenue, improve client acquisition, and systemize delivery.
  • Marketers and freelancers who want to transition into a niche agency model and scale beyond solo work.
  • Anyone who prefers a mentorship-style program over a DIY course and wants personalized guidance, tools, and community support to get real-world results.

What Are People Saying About Affluent Academy?

People are saying mixed things about Affluent Academy. The positive reviews collectively attest to the high value and transformative impact of the Affluent Academy. There is frequent praise for its comprehensive approach, supportive community, and effective mentorship. The negative reviews showed concerns about misleading advertising, policy changes without proper communication, and dissatisfaction with the coaching and course value.

What Do Affluent Academy Trustpilot Reviews Say?

Affluent Academy Trustpilot reviews say that the program helped them in many ways. For instance, Doug DuFur praises the program as excellent, noting that it’s costly but worthwhile for those ready to commit and work hard. He also appreciates the mentorship and community engagement offered. Feras Khalbuss credits the Affluent Academy with reviving his e-commerce agency. He also said that the mindset and discipline training as unique benefits.

Other positive reviews are about the quick and personal response from Jordan Platten and community support. Lewis and Maki Sama both report significant improvements in their business since joining the academy. Genesis Moncayo and Michael Ahn praised the structure course. Stevie, Arthur Hahne Paes, and RVG Media Backup all express satisfaction with the comprehensive content.

However, some students shared negative reviews about Affluent Academy on Trustpilot. One student named Jordan from Canada claimed that he worked hard but didn’t achieve the results he expected. He also found the requirements to qualify for a refund unreasonable and unlawful.

Greg Williams expressed dissatisfaction with the academy changing its policy on lifetime access. Afterwards, they requested him to pay a renewal fee to maintain his membership in the community. Henri Berest claimed poor performance on his ad campaigns and a lack of accountability from the agency. Brodie McNally complains about the course content being mostly filler and not as applicable as advertised.

What Do Affluent Academy Reddit Reviews Say?

Affluent Academy Reddit reviews say both positive and negative things about the program. Some suggest that similar education might be available for free on platforms like YouTube. One Redditor said that the program could be worth it for those who can afford it. Especially because of the mentorship and client acquisition support it offers. Another Reddit user, LampaPC, praised the quality of information and community support.

Reddert said it offers good learning opportunities and earning potential but can be challenging. He said success depends heavily on ad performance, making it a stressful endeavor. However, IngenuityPopular3942 criticized the course. He labeled it as a scam focused on teaching cold calling rather than effective client acquisition. He also claimed that the promised strategies didn’t yield results even after many attempts. Another user expressed skepticism about the authenticity of Affluent Academy’s reviews. Some people suspect that Affluent Academy may be fabricating the reviews. This is because they observed patterns in the timing and content of the posts.

What Are Affluent Academy Success Stories?

Affluent Academy success stories are abundant on its website and Jordan Platten’s social media pages. One of these is from Charlotte Courtney and Caitlin McLaren, who reported having earned £10K in 10 months. Todd Starr watched Jordan Platten on YouTube for 18 months before taking the course. He is now earning multiple £10K days and is going to hit £100K in revenue at the end of one month. His company previously earned £8K per month.

Most of the testimonials talked about the level of value and the detail of the course. Others reported significant increase in their revenue and number of clients.

Harry worked as an account manager while reselling designer clothes as a side hustle. However, he encountered issues with his retail business because of the brand’s copyright concerns. He shifted his focus to SMMA that caters to e-commerce businesses. His sister’s aesthetic clinic was his first client. Harry struggled to acquire more clients because he didn’t have results to show. Harry’s testimonial claimed he signed 12 clients in just a few months. However, he did not mention how much these contracts are worth or how long the clients signed up for.

Paul Kennedy is the director of Life Like Media, a creative and social media marketing agency. He learned a lot of skills from Jordan and Affluent Academy. This includes Facebook ads delivery, ad placement, and buying techniques. With the knowledge he learned from the course, he grew his business and work with multiple brands. He currently earns $60,000 monthly revenue.

Who Is Jordan Platten?

Jordan Platten is a keynote speaker, author, and entrepreneur. He has a reputation as a digital marketer from Norwich, England, United Kingdom. He claimed that he is a university dropout. Jordan got expelled from university for running a nightclub events company. He worked through three unsatisfying jobs before focusing on digital marketing.

Jordan founded a marketing agency that achieved six-figure profits within 90 days at age 23. He founded Affluent Academy to use his personal coaching and branding to help people achieve financial freedom. He also authored “The 15 Minute Agency”.

Is Jordan Platten Legit?

Jordan Platten is legit as he has built a strong online presence and a large student base. He has over 10K followers on LinkedIn, 20K on Facebook, and boasts 319K subscribers on YouTube. His Instagram has 47.3K followers, while his TikTok has over 2.5K followers. He also managed a private group called Agency Owners with 35.2k members from the Skool platform. Besides that, he offers a transparent course delivery. However, some students criticize its refund policy and marketing claims.

What Are Alternatives to Affluent Academy?

  • Millionaire Mentorship (Danish Khan). This course helps beginners start a social media marketing agency. It mixes basic–advanced tactics like niche selection, crafting offers, lead scraping, and outreach. Its unique angle is the “mentor + tech stack” combo. Here, you get Discord-based mentorship plus extra tracks on AI (Gen AI, machine learning) and SaaS/no-code tools. It takes on more modern, software-driven offers to your agency.
  • 6 Figure Agency (Billy Willson). This course is all about building a Facebook Ads agency. It’s a step-by-step blueprint from foundations → finding “hidden gem” clients → cold outreach → closing → running and scaling Meta ads. Its standout feature is the depth of Facebook ads and funnel execution. You get 25+ hours of training, ad/landing page templates, call recordings, and done-for-you scripts.
  • Agency Dominance (Keaton Walker). This course focuses on systems and scaling for agency owners. The focus is more on tightening operations, onboarding, and appointment-setting. It uses GoHighLevel and shows you how to get clients, keep them, and run campaigns across channels like Facebook, Google, YouTube, and more.

Is a Social Media Marketing Agency Profitable in 2025?

Yes,  a social media marketing agency (SMMA) is still profitable  in 2025 because of the vast number of people using social media daily. Sprout Social reported that over 5.17 billion total social media users worldwide. An average person uses 6 different social networks per month.  According to Commercial Institute, 4.4 million businesses opens every year in the US and 810K opens in the UK.

A strong social media presence is crucial for modern brands. This led to the continued demand for social media marketing agencies. According to Agency Analytics, agencies can earn between $1,500 and $25,000 per month per client. The average digital marketing agency has a profit margin of 11% to 20%. SMMA has low overheads. However, its profitability hinges on the owner’s ability to manage the business effectively.

What Are the Challenges of Starting an SMMA in 2025?

  • High competition. The low barrier to entry means there are many agencies out there, making it a highly competitive market. Standing out from the crowd can be very difficult.  Agencies and social media marketers with more experience can attract better traffic. Clutch reported that there are over 13,000 social media marketing agencies in the United States alone. This does not include agencies that are doing freelance work.
  • Difficulty in acquiring clients. This is the biggest challenge with starting an SMMA. Because of the plethora of options available, convincing potential clients can be tough. This is especially true for new entrants without a track record. Saleshandy suggested doing cold calling, using social media, and business partnership.
  • Pressure in setting your price. Because of the high competition, there is a certain pressure to set competitive pricing. This can make it difficult to maintain a healthy profit margin. Wrong pricing can deter potential clients.
  • Keeping up with trends. The digital marketing world is growing. There are frequent changes in social media platforms’ algorithms, features, and user behaviors. Staying current requires continuous learning and adaptability.
  • Difficulty in managing client’s expectations. Clients have high or unrealistic expectations on campaigns. Managing these expectations and educating clients about realistic outcomes is crucial.
  • Scaling challenges. As your agency grows, scaling up operations can be challenging. Maintaining quality service can become increasingly complex.
  • Finding skilled employees. This is crucial because the quality of your team’s work affects client satisfaction and retention.

Is Affluent Academy Worth It in 2025?

Affluent Academy is worth it in 2025 if you’re fully prepared to deal with the hard parts of running an SMMA. You need a lot of dedication, passion, skills, and effort to push through when it’s not working. If so, the course is good as it gives you structure, scripts, mentors, and a community. But if you’re expecting a plug-and-play shortcut to easy income, it’s not worth the price.

Starting your own SMMA is tougher than most sales pages admit. You’re fighting in a crowded market, trying to land retainers from cold outreach, and every client relationship depends on Meta’s ad costs, algorithm shifts, and your ability to prove ROI month after month. Recent data shows that about 42.5% of new marketing companies shut down within 5 years. Many social media agencies never get stable or profitable. Most people quit when outreach is draining, results are inconsistent, and churn kills their momentum.

If you’re looking for a business with more control and passive income, my personal recommendation is local lead generation. This is the business model that I run, and it makes me $52,000 per month without the heavy lifting.

If you’re okay with pressure, churn, and chasing results month after month, Affluent Academy can give you structure. But if you want more freedom and stability, local lead generation lets you build something once, and profit from it for years. I’ve tried both. One paid the bills. The other built my life.

Why Local Lead Generation Is More Profitable Than SMMA?

local lead generation vs social media marketing agency

Local lead generation is more profitable than SMMA because it brings high-quality leads. With SMMA, the person who clicks an ad is often just browsing and not ready to buy. Many of those leads never turn into customers. In turn, your client doesn’t make much money from your campaigns, so they see your service as a cost, push back on your fees, and are more likely to cancel.

With local lead gen, you build simple local service websites (like a plumbing site), rank them on Google, and attract people who are actively searching for that service in their area. These people usually need help right now, so they convert into paying jobs more often. You then send those leads to a local plumbing company and charge them for the leads or a commission on the jobs. You aren’t just offering a marketing strategy. You’re already offering them customers.

It’s more difficult to get clients for social media marketing than for local lead generation. Business owners often want to see proof of your claims as a social media marketer. They always expect massive results, for the least amount of money, in a very short space of time. With local lead generation, you are giving actual leads with their information. This shows your value to business owners.

In my opinion, SMMA is like running a small booth at San Diego Comic-Con. Thousands glance at your banner, but hardly anyone buys from you. In a big contrast, local lead gen is like operating the emergency line at the Los Angeles Fire Department. Every call is from someone who urgently needs help. Comic-Con traffic feels exciting but flaky, while fire department calls are like local Google leads that almost always turn into real jobs.

The best part is that local lead generation is more hands-off. Once the sites rank high on Google and are fully optimized, they generate leads on autopilot. Businesses often pay $500-$3000 or a 5%-10% commission per month for a single site. Imagine having 5 or 10 of these sites. SMMA client retention is low, so you’re always hunting for new clients. You’ll be pitching all the time. With local lead generation, business is recurring, making client retention longer. As long as your site brings in leads, you will have a client who happily pays you forever.

Local Lead Generation Is My Top Business Recommendation

Rank and rent websites

Local lead generation is my top business recommendation because it’s true passive income. One of my websites, Santa Ana Elite Roofing, 135 East Garry Avenue, Santa Ana, CA 92707, 714-581-9695, santaanaeliteroofing.com, only took 25 hours to set up. Every month, it generates $3,500 for me. This is because it sells 6 exclusive leads to my roofing company client in Santa Ana. My client earns $70,000, and gives me a 5% commission. And with over 50 websites that I barely have to maintain, my total monthly income is $52,000.

If you’re interested, there are a few skills you must learn, especially with SEO. I created a local lead generation training program to help you with this. I show you how to start and scale this business, the skills you need, and the tools to quicken the process. So check out the program today! Or, you can build and rank websites for my roofing client. You do the building and ranking for a 1% to 5% commission.

Ippei Kanehara

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Ippei Kanehara

Founder/CEO

$52K per month providing lead generation services to small businesses

Ippei.com is for digital hustlers, industry leaders and online business owners.

His #1 online business recommendation in 2024, is to build your own lead generation business.