Last Updated on May 3, 2025 by Eric Cantu
Are you getting ready to take Keala Kanae’s business launch challenge? In this review I want to shed some light on how it works, what it really is, how it ultimately leads to massive upsells, and why, in my opinion, it’s not worth your time. The numbers don’t lie!
Is Keala Kanae’s Business Launch Challenge Legit?
Overall, I found Keala Kanae’s Business Launch Challenge to be lacking in substance. While the curriculum covers the basics of starting a business, there’s little to no actionable advice, the sales approach felt very pushy and salesy, and the finale is a massive $15k price tag.
I’ve reviewed many, many of Keala Kanae’s training platforms and ad campaigns, from the now defunct AWOL Academy to it’s reboot Fullstaq Marketer, to his ads for his Freelance Affiliate Guide and more.
Sadly they all follow the same exact pattern and it’s the same exact complaints that echo in their wake. “I had no idea this would be so EXPENSIVE!”
His Business Launch Challenge is no different. A weekend seminar leading up to, you guessed it, a massive upsell into his Fullstaq Marketer platform and the ultra expensive Fullstaq Elite package at $15k.
Keala Kanae and Fullstaq Marketer
When I was first starting out looking for a training platform to learn affiliate marketing, ads for Keala Kanae’s training were all over my social media. The deeper I got, the more my instincts were telling me it was a bad idea.
Maybe you feel the same way and that’s why you’re here doing your due diligence. If so, I applaud you. After review after review of his platforms, I’ve seen first hand that his tried and true approach doesn’t waiver: low buy-in, massive upsell.
These are the comments I see all over my YouTube review videos of Keala’s training:
All Keala’s recent campaigns revolve around funneling customers to his latest venture, Fullstaq Marketer, a series of courses that aims to teach beginners how to make money online through affiliate marketing.
While Fullstaq Marketer may seem like a great course on the surface, in my opinion it’s filled with the same red flags I’ve talked about in my online business coaching scam articles.
No matter what any “guru” tells you, remember:
- There is no such thing as a “done for you” business
- Unrealistic promises of revenue like “15k in 90 days” never pan out
- The second you start hearing “one on one coaching call” think “pressured sales call”
Training That Delivers!
• Turn your own niche website into revenue
• Step by step training, tools, & support
• Your own AI powered Business Hub
• Get me as your support coach!
• Free test drive to see if it’s a good fit!
Business Launch Challenge Overview
- Weekend Seminar Approach: The Business Launch Challenge covers two and a half days of training, covering business setup, sales funnel creation, and enhancing your online presence.
- Intro to Affiliate Marketing Basics: The draw for many is the introduction to a reality where they can earn money by simply promoting other people’s products. Yes, affiliate marketing and digital marketing are both extremely lucrative, however the push in this training is to buy and resell Keala’s expensive platform..
- Module on Sales Funnel Creation: Includes a module on creating sales funnels and converting visitors into customers.
- Community Engagement: Offers opportunities to interact with other participants for questions and feedback, with a “us against the world” vibe common in multilevel marketing business models.
The Offer and Products, Get Your Wallets Ready
- Basic Offer with Upsells: Entry to the program costs $39, but it leads to multiple upsells, encouraging additional spending.
- Expensive Recurring Expenses: Sales funnels, landing pages, paid ads, and more all require substantial monthly spend. These are painted as sure-fire tools to explode your business, but without proper training they can become a money pit very quickly with monthly expenses adding to several hundred dollars per month.
- The Massive Upsell: The grand finale is a “once in a lifetime” offer to get accepted into his Fullstaq Elite personal coaching program from Keala Kanae himself, also including exclusive access to his Facebook group, and his “done for you” proven system for $15k
Even filling out surveys online is better…
You’re not going to break the bank filling out surveys and playing game online, but it’s better than Keala’s nonsense. Check out my Swagbucks review and see how I made $800 playing games online.
Are There Keala Kanae Success Stories?
There are plenty in the Keala Kanae community who will argue that you have to spend money to make money, and this is true. There are success stories who talk about their $1000 commissions. But the fact is affiliate marketing training doesn’t have to be that expensive.
When you spend tens of thousands right out the gate you put yourself in such a hole that you become desperate to make a sale of that same expensive product to someone else. This is where his training ultimately becomes more and more of “buy my product, sell my product” and less about true affiliate marketing.
True affiliate marketing training teaches you how to:
- Choose your own niche
- How to build your own websites
- How to do keyword research to build traffic,
- And how to monetize your websites and your traffic in many ways.
The bottom line is that if you are ok with spending the kind of money Keala Kanae’s training platforms ask of you, then more power to you. In my experience, this kind of spending right out of the gate leads to the complaints that are so common with Keala Kanae’s training platforms.
Keala Kanae Reviews & Complaints
The main complaints you see throughout Keala Kanae’s training are:
- Huge upsells
- Pressured sales tactics
- Revenue promises that go nowhere
- Unexpected monthly expenses you’re not prepared for
More than one YouTube commenter has told me about “coaching calls” that they quickly realized were pressured sales calls. Being asked “How bad do you want this?” and then told they could connect them with a loan service to make the big jump. Not cool.
Want training that delivers? Check out my detailed review and full walkthrough of the affiliate marketing training platform I owe all my success to! The training is straightforward, affordable, and you can test drive it first to see if it’s a good fit. Click here to check out my full review!
Final Thoughts
If you’re interested in taking Keala Kanae’s Business Challenge, at least know what’s coming: online business basics followed by the big upsell. In my experience, his training leads to more let downs than success stories. Buyer beware.
What do you think? Have you been to Keala Kanae’s Business Challenge? What did you get out of it? Are you a success story? Were you left high and dry? Let me know what you think in the comments section below!
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the Fullstaq Marketer affiliate program and how does it work?
The Fullstaq Marketer affiliate program is a high-ticket online business training platform created by Keala Kanae. It offers digital marketing courses designed to teach entrepreneurs how to build, launch, and scale profitable online businesses. Members can also earn commissions by promoting Fullstaq Marketer’s courses through its affiliate program.
Is Fullstaq Marketer a legitimate program or a scam?
Fullstaq Marketer is a legitimate online education company. Founded by Keala Kanae, it provides real training in affiliate marketing and business growth strategies. However, the program includes multiple high-priced upsells, and users often spend between $9,800 and $15,000 for full access to advanced levels like Fullstaq Elite.
How much does Fullstaq Elite cost and what does it include?
Fullstaq Elite, the premium level of Fullstaq Marketer, typically costs between $9,800 and $15,000. The investment depends on the support and mentorship packages selected. It includes in-depth coaching, business building tools, marketing strategy sessions, and personalized guidance to help scale an online business faster.
Want More Honest Reviews?
- Savage Affiliates Review: Is Franklin Hatchett’s Course Worth It?
- The Affiliate Lab Review (2025): Why It’s Closed and What To Do Now
- How to Make Money on Patreon (2025 Guide for Creators)
- The Get-Paid-to-Watch-YouTube Scam: What You Need to Know in 2025
- Is Legendary Marketer Worth It? My Honest Experience After the 15-Day Challenge
- Affiliate Marketing Vs. Dropshipping: Which Is Better?
Thanks to your review me and plenty of other people can stay clear from this and not get sucked in. Your content was very helpful and is saving a lot of people from wasting their money to get an online career started. I’ve seen him on social media and something just told me he wasn’t trustworthy.
Great content!
Glad this helped you out! Thanks for the comment!
I’ve seen this guy all over my Facebook and when you dig deeper everyone is upset about how much the training ends up costing. He acts like it’s so easy but then you have to spend $10,000 and how are you supposed to profit when you’re already in a hole like that? Nice article.
That’s exactly how I feel. Thanks for the comment!
Eric, I’m SO glad to see your review of this program. I’ll be honest, I was flooded with his ‘program’ in my social media and in my searches as well – and I almost dove in, but I’m glad I didn’t.
When something just doesn’t *feel* right, the harder the sell, the more it creates doubt. And the $15k upsell was what slammed this door shut for me. I can’t imagine being duped into buying this only to have to depend on duping others… that’s the worst.
Thank you again for the great content. You’ve got a fan here!
Really glad you enjoyed this. You’re not alone in all those feelings. I think his tactics are to romanticize this idea of “if it’s really expensive it has to work”, and make lots of insane promises. Unfortunately so many people realize too late that it’s not a good fit for them. Affiliate marketing training just doesn’t have to be like that. Thanks for the comment!