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Introducing the brand new (and highly improved) A Gutsy Girl website and why my website is ad free.

That’s right.

Nothing here has changed from a content standpoint, but something MASSIVE changed.

As of today, there are NO MORE ADS.

And I want to tell you why.

Great Articles on Your Website, But…….

In January, a woman who I would imagine is a new reader, sent this message to me:

It looks like you have some great articles on your website. I was searching for something and was led here.

But I honestly can’t get through a single article with all the ads!

I understand why you have ads of course, but it’s nearly impossible so I was about to leave, but I thought I’d let you know just in case it was helpful.

This is true for so many of these kind of websites and I see an option for doing some sort of program with you, but I’m always curious as to if there is an option to even just pay for an article even if it’s just a dollar or a few dollars or something to read it, I would pay it so that I don’t have to be bothered with all that stuff!

It’s these videos and all these flashing things and I’m really trying to focus on my health. It’s super annoying!

Now, I fully realize that most creators with a site like A Gutsy Girl would feel an anger of sorts.

It feels triggering, given how much of our heart and souls we pour into all the free information.

These pop-up ads and in-line ads are how so many of us creators are able to survive from a financial standpoint.

Even still, I felt NO anger.

Not even a little bit.

Instead, here is how I responded to her,

This is more helpful and insightful than you know.

And, in fact, I’ve been thinking of cutting ALL ads for this reason.

Like you, I am TIRED of seeing them.

I am TIRED of how they clog up the website and how, so often, aren’t even in alignment with anything I teach and preach.

The pure chaos of them alone completely goes against everything I’m trying to teach and achieve in my own life.

Transparently, the only reason they exist because it’s income for me to keep the site going for free. 

But even still – as one of my last major sources of income for the site, I’m thinking of removing all of them.

Why My Website is Ad-Free

When I started A Gutsy Girl, I wanted to share my journey…..initially not knowing what was wrong, to finding out I had Colitis, and then ultimately to a whole host of other things (SIBO, a low-functioning thyroid, leaky gut, and “adrenal fatigue”).

Honestly? In the beginning it was probably just my mom and dad reading.

But then it all sort of just grew, organically.

I’ve never paid a single cent for people to come to the website.

And yet, as traffic increased, so did my personal expenses to keep the website going.

Income…..That Came with a Price

There’s a “business” side to websites like A Gutsy Girl.

To believe otherwise is only fooling yourself.

You don’t read an author’s book or go to your local mechanic for information and believe it will be free, right?

Unfortunately, that’s how most websites like this one are perceived.

So once I hit a certain number of people reading the website on a consistent monthly basis, I was able to work with a major advertiser for automatically inserting ads on the website.

In return, I’d have an extra income source each month.

The Price You Pay

But as I’ve already stated…..yes, it was income.

But ultimately, yes, it also came with a price.

That price includes:

• Ads which do not reflect my beliefs, teachings, and values (aka products I’d never actually use and/or recommend)
• Clutter and chaos
• Intrusion for your reading, learning, and consumption experience (i.e. poor user experience)

One of my favorite recent articles is the “Bloat Free Meal Plan.”

And when I had the ads running on the website, these 26 (yes, that’s TWENTY-SIX) ads popped up for just the one post.

Not only is this insane and disgusting, but just look at the types of ads being served up.

NOTHING I would ever promote.

In fact, Wegovy? Quite the opposite!

The Price is Too High

And at this point on the A Gutsy Girl brand and business journey, THAT price is too high.

The negatives for having the ads have now completely outweighed the monthly income I personally make by hosting them.

And so, as of today, Friday, March 7, 2025 — my website is ad free.

This means you won’t be reading A Gutsy Girl any longer with multiple ads popping up all over the place.

How Can You Help Keep A Gutsy Girl Ad-Free?

If you want the honest truth, this was a scary decision for me to make.

Take your own monthly paycheck, and now slash off 1/3 of it.

That’s what just happened.

But this is my gift to you.

And this is what I deeply feel to be most in alignment with my values and what I want for the long haul.

So, if you enjoy all that is this website, here are 3 ways to keep this website running ad-free:

1] Donate

2] Make a purchase for any of our products:

1. Books, PDF’s, private coaching
2. Courses
3. Supplements

3] Try and buy from my preferred partners / affiliate links:

You can get the full list (100’s of items) via the Ultimate Gut Health Spreadsheet [it’s FREE].

I earn a small amount from these preferred partners, in many cases you’ll also save, and it doesn’t cost either one of us anything.

Thank You

Thank you for helping me keep A Gutsy Girl ad-free, and for hanging in here through the ad chaos.

I have never taken your friendship for granted.

Xox,

SKH