I did the homework
JP asked me to watch his YouTube videos and a "mandatory pre-call training video" before the meeting. I did — I spent hours preparing, and I told him so.
Independent first-hand account
My experience with JP Middleton and StartGrowSell.ai
In June 2026 I scheduled a meeting with JP Middleton of StartGrowSell.ai, did everything he asked to prepare, and showed up on time. What happened next is why I built this page. Below is my honest account — with the dated emails — so anyone considering working with him can read it and decide for themselves.
About the StartGrowSell.ai website
Every time I tried the root domain startgrowsell.ai during our dealings, it returned a 403 Forbidden error — I never once saw it load (I flagged it in my June 18 email). As of publishing, the root domain still does not load normally; a separate storefront at shop.startgrowsell.ai is reachable. I'm not stating a conclusion — I'm sharing what I saw and letting you judge whether this looks like a fully operational business.
What happened, in brief
I prepared in good faith. The meeting never really happened.
Over about a week I exchanged emails with JP, watched the videos he required, shared my own credentials, and confirmed everything. Here's the short version — the full timeline and the screenshots are on the Proof page.
I showed up on time
On meeting day I joined on time. There was already another client in the room, and I was removed from the call — the link would no longer let me back in.
A 403 site, and silence
His website never once loaded for me — a 403 Forbidden error the whole time. I emailed about it and got no meaningful response.
Who I'm describing
So you can verify who this is about.
JP Middleton describes himself as the Founder & Owner of GymMembersNow and StartGrowSell.ai, based in the Louisville, Kentucky area. GymMembersNow is the brand I first found him through. Here are his own public, official profiles — provided for verification and context only, marked nofollow, and not an endorsement.
Why I'm publishing this
Because I'd have wanted to read it first.
I run an AI SEO agency. I came to JP genuinely interested in a partnership, and I treated the process with respect — I watched what he asked me to watch, I answered his questions, and I prepared a real demo of what I could bring to his network. Being removed from the meeting I'd prepared for, then met with a broken website and silence, cost me hours and a good-faith effort.
I'm not asking anyone to draw a particular conclusion. I'm doing what consumers have always done: telling my story, showing my evidence, and letting the next person make an informed decision before they invest their time or money. Everything here is my own first-hand experience and my honest opinion.
Insights
Vetting an AI "mentor" or agency
What I took away from this — practical, so it's useful to you whether or not you ever cross paths with the people in my story.
The full account
Read what happened, with the receipts.
The complete story in my words, plus the dated email screenshots laid out in order.