Growthink Jay Turo, Luke Brown, Dave Lavinsky, Melissa Welch, Jean Jaughn As a first time entrepreneur I cannot describe how upsetting it has been to deal with this company. Although I felt their prices were at the very high end. I was prepared to pay the $17,500 they asked for because I imagined that the plan would be amazing. The opposite happened. It was awful. When I tried to get it fixed they removed the plan and everything else from basecamp. They said they were preparing for litigation. Six months later I have no plan, no refund and rude emails from senior members with sexist comments. My suggestion to all women founders out there is to deal with a company who cares about us. All entrepreneurs beware. Los Angeles California
As a first time entrepreneur I cannot describe how upsetting it has been to deal with this company. Although I felt their prices were at the very high end. I was prepared to pay the $17,500 they asked for because I imagined that the plan would be amazing. The opposite happened. It was awful. When I tried to get it fixed they removed the plan and everything else from basecamp. They said they were preparing for litigation. Six months later I have no plan, no refund and rude emails from senior members with sexist comments. My suggestion to all women founders out there is to deal with a company who cares about us. All entrepreneurs beware.
2 Updates & Rebuttals
No Merit to Jeffs rebuttal : Read the horrible Email from Luke Brown
#3Author of original report
Sat, July 15, 2017
Jeff claims to treat us as a valued client. He is also accusing me of Extortion. He claims they are happy and willing to discuss but when given countless opportunities…HE DID NOT. I did not misplace- they dismantled the files they created on Basecamp which is where the documents were stored so I could no longer have access to anything. I anticipated that they would try something unethical so to protect my business Thankfully I took screenshots From BASECAMP before they took it down. Which show dates and timelines of everything I am 100% certain of that will validate my claim.
Instead of resolving they chose to reply with an accusatory defamation of my character with no evidence I behaved in such a way. I’m an entrepreneur who was RIPPED OFF! I was taken advantage of. All I want is my money back. Growthink has countless complaints about their business practices available online. One representative replying to an open public compliant verified that there is a money back guarantee. I WANT MY MONEY BACK. That’s it. It’s a fair resolution…end of story. I will not go away until I get my money back. I will stand for myself and all start-ups who get taken advantage of by misleading services provided by companies such as Growthink. If it takes a 100 more posts and added nmedia coverage…I will not allow them to get away with this.
This was how I tried to resolve the matter peacefully and professionally.
On Nov 9, 2016, at 9:59 AM, Bonnie Kim wrote:
Hi Melissa & Jean,
After careful review of the Third Draft of the Business Plan you have submitted, on behalf of the entire BML Goup team, Lauren, Melissa & I have come to the conclusion that this is not usable or even salvageable product delivered.
In June we agreed to working with your team at Growthink because you verbally promised to deliver a working business plan for investors. You viewed what was basically the very first vision of the possible road map to scaling our service-based company as Individual Stylists to an On-line business platform. A step by step by step guide professional group hired to, coach, develop, outline, and produce a well designed business plan that would clearly convey the message of our company and brand. You have not held up you your end of the deal.
July 13, 2016: A meeting is held with Melissa W., Jean, Lauren & myself. This served as a discussion followed by one brief meeting prior to present an outline of the Kick-Off Agenda. A vague week-by-week agenda was drafted.
We left feeling confused about the process but trusted you would follow through with clearer direction and face-to-face discussions to leading us through the process.
August 3, 2017: A Research Assessment of our companies “Couture/Luxury Level” business arrived with a cartoon graphic introduction of what appeared to be a 5yr old girl playing dress-up in a dollhouse. This misses the mark completely.
This email was sent only after multiple requests to resolve in more efficient ways were presented. Not one person from Growthink replied to my email.
SINCE I FELT WAITING 7 DAYS WITH ABSOLUTLEY NO ATTEMPT FROM ANY MEMBER OF GROWTHINK’S TEAM RESPONDED TO MY ATTEMPT TO RESOLVE THE MATTER. EVEN IF THEY WOULD HAVE COME BACK A SAID “WE WANT TO DELIVER A GREAT PRODUCT LET’S DISCUSS” WHICH NEVER HAPPENED! Would have been a step in a positive direction. THIS WAS A TYPICAL WAY THEY CONDUCTED BUSINESS WITH US AND REPEATEDLY IGNORED ANY REQUESTS. I sent a follow up email on November 15th, 2017
On Nov 15, 2016, at 2:38 PM, Bonnie Kim wrote:
To: Welch Melissa
Cc: Jean Jaughn
Subject: Re: Final Draft Decision
The email is addressed to the Entire Original Team at Growthink involved with servicing BML Group, Inc.
MELISSA WELCH, JEAN JAUGHN, ETHAN BENNETT & JEFF JONES
I am completely stunned that not one representative from Growthink found it necessary to respond to my previous email. This lack of professionalism and ethical business practice simply continues to validate the complaints we have with your company.The highest desired outcome from our end would be to settle this matter without allowing it to escalate to a legally represented matter. Due to the lack of any type of response that this matter was being handled and because not one person acknowledged any receipt of the previous email, I am including additional names on this email that were available to contact at your company. This is simply to reach a larger member of the Growthink team and hopefully, we can get someone who can care enough to get us to the right person and resolve this matter more efficiently. I am prepared to issue public complaints, public reviews and notify all business schools who accept sponsorships from Growthink along with obtaining legal council to get our money returned and to prevent this from happening to any other innocent victims of this fraudulent and misrepresentation of services. I intend only to voice openly and honestly of our factual experience with Growthink and how each member of the Growthink team conducted themselves professionally through out the entire engagement. Please choose to close this matter where a positive outcome without involve any further action would be needed. Maybe we can all learn from this experience, however, not at any cost to us. THINK & GROW FROM THIS GROWTHINK! Don’t let us suffer from this any longer. Do the right thing.
I will ask kindly, please consider this the second request to refund the entire amount by 11/16/2016 end of day. Please respond ungently to this email today that the matter will be resolved as we have requested.
Then on November 15th an email that was sent to ALL the Growthink executives and members of their team was a reply From Luke Brown. He unknowingly CC’d his sexist and unprofessional reply to Members of Company.
Here is the copy of the email:
Sent from my iPhon
Begin forwarded message:
From: Luke Brown
Date: November 15, 2016 at 6:02:34 PM PST
To: Welch Melissa
Cc: Jean Jaughn
Subject: Re: Final Draft Decision
I don't know who this woman is but she's clearly a nut job. At the same time, she seems like she is vindictive enough to follow through on her threat to publicly air her version of dirty laundry. She mentioned USC Board of Directors members. That would have a negative impact on me at USC since I was just named a Visiting Scholar.
I will be sending her an email tomorrow demanding she remove my name from any association with this project.
Sent from Luke's iPhone
Luke Brown was more concerned about his social status at USC than US as the VALUED CLIENT than what Jeff claimed in his rebuttal.
Jeff
Los Angeles,California,
USA
Extortion Attempt
#3UPDATE Employee
Wed, July 12, 2017
We are very sorry for the dissatisfaction expressed by this valued Growthink client.
Unfortunately, it is part of a long and documented history by this individual to extort a return of monies paid for services fairly and well performed.
We remain happy and willing to discuss this matter directly with Ms. K to continue to attempt to arrive at an amicable resolution (along with of course providing her again with copies as / if she has misplaced them of the prepared business plan and all project work materials).