Blackballed: How I Lost Everything Overnight

15 Years to the Top—Gone in an Instant

A survey was taken a few years ago that asked 300 freelance copywriters one question:

"What’s the worst thing that can happen in this business?"

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Some said writing a promo that flops.

• "Zero conversions. Client pulls the plug."

Others said pouring your soul into a campaign, only to have the client rewrite it themselves.

• "We love it—just gonna tweak a few things."

Some said it was writing a promo that makes millions… but your name’s nowhere on it.

• "Congrats to our Copy Chief for this record-breaking launch!"

But one person answered:

• The worst thing that can happen in copywriting?

Getting fired.

Blackballed.

Everything vanishing overnight.

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This is a true story, but except for my own, I’ve obscured all the names and identities for reasons that’ll become clear.

I’m Anton Volney, and for a while, I thought I’d never write again.

I grew up on a tiny island in the Caribbean—3,000+ miles from the U.S. mainland.

I clawed my way into the world of high-level copywriting, working for Tony Robbins, writing promos that made millions.

And then—

A weak man decided he didn’t like me.

One moment, I was on top.

The next—I was erased.

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My Copy Chief gets a standing ovation for the same gig.

And I’m the one who actually did the writing.

I spent 15 years chasing this dream.

And in an instant, I watched it collapse.

But…

This journey wasn’t quick.
It wasn’t clean.
It was slow. Painful.

When I was 36, for no particular reason, my career exploded.

“Suck it up.”

Smart advice.

With a boss attitude…

Ten months later—

I was locked out of my accounts.
Emails gone. Contracts vanished.
Clients I thought were friends—silent.

I had what’s called Rapid-Onset Blackballing.

One weak man’s ego, and suddenly—

I wasn’t just fired.

I was erased.

"He’ll be fine…"

They wouldn’t let me write for them anymore.

Definitely not for Tony.

And obviously, writing at the highest level?

Out of the question.

Oh, I know.

I’ve got one last promo for the next biggest client I’ve ever landed.

This is the Alzheimer’s Promo for Behind The Markets.

The stakes? Seven figures in royalties—if I get this right.

15 years boiled down to one moment.

The deadline is in 48 hours.
The inbox is flooded.
The competition is brutal.

I’ve spent years preparing for this moment.

One launch.
One sales letter.
One chance to prove I belong at the highest level.

I’m watching my competition.

One guy played it too safe—no edge, no fire. Dead on arrival.

Another tried to be clever. Written for copywriters instead of real people.

They’re talking about the biggest names in the room—guys with resumes stacked with million-dollar promos.

But they missed the mark.

I can make my name right now.

“Go get it…”

And if I have a perfect launch…

The BEST work of my life…

I can beat the control, beat the veterans, and make my mark on the industry.

Then?

Start living like a king.

Find a smoking hot wife

And send my kids to private school.

My Copy Chief is on Zoom, telling me to check my hook.

"Check your hook."

I check my hook.

Affiliates ready.

Strong lead. Killer Offer. Perfect funnel. Lots of anticipation. Set up for the close… and… make the sale.

Now, two things you need to know before I attempt the final lift note:

The first is that when the offer isn’t clear—when the research is a mess—you take big swings.

You make bold, risky claims just to break through the noise.

The second is that the tightness of your copy is determined by what’s called The Big Idea… If you’re a beginner, this is what triggers the “lizard” part of you brain to activate wild, irrational desire.

If you’re an experienced freelancer, you’ve got a handful of winners under your belt.

Mine?

A killer control. One that prints money.

It’s locked in. Battle-tested.

Right. So how the hell does this happen?

Zero conversions. No sales. Flatline.

It happened because of a sudden market shift—one bad clinical trial.

And I hit it so precisely that it snapped my entire promotion’s credibility in half.

Right at that moment, I didn’t have time to calculate the odds of that happening—because I was about to land hard on a seven-figure campaign held together by spare parts from my dwindling reputation.

"Back up! Back up! Move!"
"Kill the launch!"
"We’re pulling the offer!"

None of this has anything to do with Tony Robbins.

I’m only mentioning it because I wanted to say to whoever answered that the worst thing that could happen in copywriting was a promo that flopped…

Try losing everything.

I don’t write these stories for fun.

I write them because this is what really happens behind closed doors at the highest level.

The blackballing. The power plays. The erasures. The game isn’t just about writing words—it’s about survival.

This is Late-Stage Capitalism, ya’ll.

If you don’t know how to defend yourself in this cutthroat society…

If you can’t outthink your competitors…

And create an edge that no one can take from you…

Then you’re just waiting for someone to slit your throat.

Never again.

Most copywriters will never tell you this.

But I will.

Inside Permission to Be Powerful, I don’t just give you theory.

I give you war stories. The real strategies, the hard-won lessons, and the raw truth about what it takes to win in this game.

But here’s the thing—I don’t know how long I’ll be sharing this stuff.

I’ve seen what happens when you tell the truth in this business.

If you’re reading this, you already know you’re not like everyone else.

So don’t think like everyone else.

→ Join as a paid subscriber today. Get the inside track, learn the moves that matter, and never be blindsided again.

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Until next time,

Anton

Dancer, Writer, Buddhist