Empowerment or Exploitation?

When I first stumbled into the world of financial domination—or findom, as it’s affectionately and sometimes controversially called—I was enthralled. Here was a world where women could wield power, demand tribute, and build empires from their personalities alone. It felt empowering, radical even. But as I quickly learned, not everything marketed as “empowerment” in this space is built with good intentions.

Especially when it comes to the explosion of findom courses promising to turn brand-new dommes into instant money magnets… for a hefty price.

This is the story no one warns you about: how so-called empowerment courses can actually exploit the very women they claim to uplift.

The Rise of the Findom Course Hustle

Over the past few years, as findom has gained more mainstream attention, an entire cottage industry of “coaches” and “mentors” has sprung up. These self-proclaimed experts sell expensive courses to eager beginners, offering the dream of six-figure earnings, online fame, and effortless tributes from desperate men.

They speak the language of empowerment fluently—phrases like “step into your power,” “charge your worth,” and “become that rich, unbothered goddess” pepper every sales page. And for many women, especially those new to domination or coming from marginalized backgrounds, that language resonates.

Who wouldn’t want to invest in themselves if it meant taking control of their financial future?

The problem is, once you scratch past the shiny surface, many of these courses are nothing more than overpriced, repackaged common sense. Worse, they often set up new dommes for failure, shame, and a cycle of spending even more money chasing success.

The $600 Mistake: A Cautionary Tale

I’ll be honest—I fell for it, too.

I paid $600 for a “Master Findom Academy” that promised insider secrets, marketing blueprints, psychological techniques, and even scripts “guaranteed” to attract high-paying subs. The sales page was gorgeous, littered with testimonials from glamorous women flashing designer bags and PayPal screenshots.

It felt like an investment in my future.

What I got instead was a series of recycled PDFs filled with the same basic advice you can find for free in any subreddit, Twitter thread, or blog post:

• Post confidently.

• Demand tribute.

• Block timewasters.

• Use pretty pictures.

• Stay consistent.

There was no depth, no guidance on emotional labor, no discussion of boundaries or ethics, no conversation about safety risks. Just a lot of empty motivational slogans and constant upsells. “Need help getting your first whale? Buy the Premium Mentorship package for $2,000!”

If you struggled (and most did), it was framed as your fault. You must not be confident enough. You must not want it badly enough. You must not be investing enough.

It took me months to shake off the shame—and the suspicion that maybe I just wasn’t “good enough” to be a domme.

Why These Courses Keep Succeeding

There’s a brutal irony at play: many women come to findom for empowerment—and the first thing they experience is being exploited by other women cashing in on their dreams.

Why does this keep happening?

Because it taps into real needs:

• Financial desperation: Many new dommes are seeking a way out of low-paying jobs, debt, or instability.

• Desire for autonomy: Findom is marketed as the ultimate escape from bosses, schedules, and traditional labor.

• Validation hunger: The idea of being adored, worshipped, and paid just for existing is incredibly appealing.

• Community longing: “Boss babe” culture creates a faux sisterhood that feels uplifting… until it asks for your credit card number.

These courses aren’t succeeding because they’re good. They’re succeeding because they’re hope in a box—and hope sells.

How to Spot a Findom Coaching Scam

If you’re a new or aspiring domme, here are a few red flags to watch out for:

• Big promises with no specifics: If a course claims you’ll make thousands in a month without real skills, run.

• No background in actual domination: Some coaches have no experience beyond selling courses—they’re not dommes; they’re marketers.

• Pressure tactics: “Spots are limited! Prices are going up! You’ll regret it forever if you don’t act now!” This is manipulation, not empowerment.

• Upsells and endless tiers: Beware programs that constantly dangle success behind another paywall.

• No real discussion of emotional labor or safety: Ethical domination involves complex psychological dynamics, not just demanding money.

• Testimonials that feel too good to be true: Often, the “success stories” are cherry-picked—or fabricated.

What Real Empowerment in Findom Looks Like

True empowerment in findom—or any domination dynamic—comes from knowledge, not quick fixes.

It looks like:

• Learning about psychology, consent, negotiation, and emotional regulation.

• Building genuine online personas that reflect your authentic power.

• Understanding marketing basics without being trapped in a sales funnel.

• Setting boundaries and financial goals that protect you.

• Finding mentorship in communities that don’t ask you for money upfront.

• Accepting that success looks different for everyone—and that’s okay.

You don’t need to spend $600 to become a respected domme. You need time, practice, and a commitment to your own growth.

There’s no shortcut—and that’s not a bad thing.

It means that your power, once earned, will be truly yours.

A Final Word

If you’re feeling ashamed because you bought into one of these courses, please know you’re not alone. These systems are designed to prey on smart, ambitious, hopeful women.

The scam isn’t that you believed in yourself.

The scam is that someone else saw that belief—and sold it back to you in a cheap, glittery package.

Real empowerment doesn’t come from a checkout cart.

It comes from within you, and it’s something no scammer can ever sell—or steal.