Season 1 Episode 262
The Irony of Paid Transparency
I saw a post the other day that made me stop mid-scroll.
An actor—let's call him Workshop Guy—was going viral for saying he was "tired of gatekeeping in the industry." He wanted to break down the walls, create transparency, build community… all that good stuff.
And then, at the end of his video, came the link. A $200 workshop.
I laughed out loud. Because, honestly, that's not transparency. That's marketing.
Let's talk about why.
The Anti-Gatekeeping PaywallHere's the thing: if your solution to exclusivity is to sell tickets to your version of inclusion, you've missed the point.
This particular actor is an NYU grad—one of the most expensive, most exclusive programs in the country. That's not shade, it's context. The gate was already built long before graduation.
So now, instead of widening that gate, he's charging admission.
That's not transparency. That's a rebrand.
And look, I have zero issue with people charging for their time. I do it too. I teach workshops, classes, coaching. That's education.
But when you say you're ending gatekeeping while collecting checkout links? That's manipulation dressed as empowerment.
Boundaries Aren't BarriersHere's where people get confused.
When working actors say no to a "pick your brain" chat, that's not gatekeeping. That's energy management.
You don't owe unlimited access to your time or experience.
Protecting your energy isn't selfish—it's smart.
Gatekeeping is exclusion for control. Boundaries are protection for sustainability.
If someone says, "Hey, I can't jump on a call right now, but I teach a class next month," that's not blocking the door. That's structure.
And if you've done any of Peter's Core Work, you already know—energy management is everything.
What Real Transparency Looks LikeTransparency isn't a sales tactic. It's a culture choice.
It looks like:
Sharing what you've learned, within reason.
Answering a quick question in a Facebook group.
Being open about your rates and usage terms.
Talking honestly about rejection, burnout, or bad contracts.
Transparency says, Here's what I know, take what helps.
It's generosity, not a business model.
Why We Still Need Some GatekeepingOkay, this might sound controversial—but I think some gatekeeping is good.
Without it, anyone can say they're an "agent" or "coach" and start charging people money.
Gates aren't the problem. **Who holds the keys—and why—**is.
If you're protecting integrity, professionalism, and ethics,
Published on 11 hours ago
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