Jason McKay, one of Darren Campbell’s brand managers, recently led a mentorship session that doubled as a motivational pep talk. His focus? Mindset, self-belief, and pushing through adversity. While Jason’s energy was infectious, his advice leaned heavily on personal development and less on the practical guidance clients paying thousands for mentorship desperately need.

The Power of Mindset (Or So They Say)

Jason opened the session with classic motivational fare: “Success starts with you,” he said. “If you don’t believe in yourself, how can anyone else?” Drawing from his own journey of building confidence, Jason urged participants to embrace challenges and “push themselves out of their comfort zones” to achieve growth.

But for participants who’ve shelled out £6,500 for the program and face an additional £150 monthly fee for support, mindset alone isn’t enough. Many came to this program for actionable advice on how to succeed on Amazon. Instead, they’re being asked to trust a process that offers little transparency on critical decisions like product selection and PPC strategy.

The Real Story Behind Product Selection

One area of the program that requires blind trust is product selection, arguably the foundation of any Amazon FBA business. Clients are tasked with creating a shortlist of five products they’d like to sell. But the final decision? That’s made internally by Darren’s team using proprietary software.

The problem? There’s almost no transparency about how these decisions are made. Clients don’t get to see the criteria or methodology behind the selection—they’re simply told to trust the system. Jason didn’t address this during his session, opting instead to reinforce the importance of faith in the process.

“We’re here to help you succeed,” Jason said. “If you’re stuck on anything, just reach out and we’ll get you sorted.”

It’s reassuring on the surface, but for clients left wondering whether their product will perform—or why it was chosen in the first place—it falls short of addressing the deeper concerns about control and accountability.

Pushing Yourself or Pushed Into Debt?

Another hot-button issue Jason didn’t touch on is the mandatory monthly cost for PPC (pay-per-click) campaign management, which is controlled entirely by Darren’s team. Advertising on Amazon is non-negotiable for visibility and sales, yet clients pay an additional £175 per month for a service that often feels like a black box.

With product selection and advertising management out of their hands, participants are effectively asked to trust that the team knows what they’re doing—while shouldering all the risk if things don’t work out.

One participant on the call summed it up perfectly after Jason encouraged them to push through the hard times:

“It’s hard to stay motivated when you’re paying so much and still don’t feel like you’re in control of your business.”

Motivational Rhetoric: Hollow Words for a Complex Business

When asked about struggles with sales and mounting advertising costs, Jason’s answers were vague at best.

• On slow sales: “Keep tweaking and testing your ads. Consistency is key.”
• On rising PPC costs: “Double down on what’s working and trust the process.”

While Jason’s passion is evident, his advice doesn’t equip clients to navigate the intricacies of Amazon FBA. For example, slow sales might require advanced keyword research, listing optimization, or a more detailed A/B testing strategy—none of which Jason mentioned.

The Emotional Cost of “Trusting the Process”

The biggest takeaway from Jason’s session is the program’s reliance on mindset as a cure-all. While it’s true that resilience and determination are essential in any entrepreneurial journey, they’re not substitutes for expertise or transparency.

The lack of control over critical decisions, combined with hefty fees, puts clients in a precarious position. They’re essentially gambling on Darren’s team to make the right calls while being told their success hinges on how hard they push themselves.

As one participant put it:

“I didn’t pay thousands to sit through motivational speeches. I paid for a roadmap—and I’m still waiting to see it.”

Motivation Can’t Mask the Program’s Flaws

Jason McKay’s mentorship session was a spirited attempt to inspire clients, but it sidestepped the real challenges participants face. With limited control over product selection, little transparency in advertising strategy, and mounting financial pressures, clients need more than pep talks to succeed.

For now, “pushing yourself” seems to be code for pushing through uncertainty, debt, and frustration. And while Jason’s words might resonate with some, they ring hollow for those left wondering if the process they’re trusting is worth the price they’re paying.

Jason, did you ever sort out those client issues you were asking about on Amazon seller forums? We hope you had the right mindset at the time—it sure sounded like you were panicking!