TLDR – What’s The Verdict On Audiobook Impact Academy (AIA)?
So, you’re all set to dive into the Audiobook Income Academy (AIA) and make it rain with audiobook royalties?
Hold your horses for a second.
Before you whip out your credit card, let’s pump the brakes and take a closer look at what you’re signing up for.
Sure, AIA sounds like a dream come true.
Who wouldn’t want to sit back and watch the dollars roll in while their audiobooks sell like hotcakes?
But let’s not put the cart before the horse.
The reality is a bit sobering.
While AIA can help you make some extra cash on the side, it’s not a magic bullet that will replace your 9 to 5.
Why?
1) The competition is fierce, and the market is flooded with audiobooks, making it tough to stand out without some serious hustle and marketing know-how.
Amazon is a jungle with 48.5 million books!
That’s right, you’re not just a needle in a haystack—you’re a grain of sand in the Sahara.
To catch a reader’s eye, you’ve got to do more than just show up and produce books.
Having a snazzy title and a glossy cover isn’t enough.
Without authority, your book will be as invisible as a ghost at a sun-filled beach party.
What you need is thought leadership.
People have to see you as the go-to expert in your niche before they’ll fork over their hard-earned cash for your work.
Without it, people will see through you faster than a cheap knockoff and swipe past your fluff (trust me, I know a guy).
2) The revenue split.
While KDP offers up to 70% royalties, Amazon’s cut can feel like a hefty bite out of your earnings.
Plus, your book has to be priced just right to get that 70%.
Price it outside the $2.99 to $9.99 range, and you’re looking at a measly 35% royalty.
Now, let’s put this into perspective.
Say your book is priced at $4.99, which qualifies you for the 70% royalty rate.
After Amazon takes its cut, you’re left with about $3.49 per sale.
To hit that magical six-figure income, you’d need to make $100,000 a year.
That means you’d have to sell approximately 28,571 copies in a year—or around 2,381 copies every single month.
Think about that.
You need to convince over two thousand people each month to buy your book. That’s like selling out a small theater every month – no small feat if you ask me.
The reality is that most self-published authors don’t come anywhere close to those numbers.
So, while it’s definitely possible to make a small side income, reaching six figures or replacing a 9 to 5 will take an extraordinary effort in marketing, promotion, and sheer luck.
Now, let’s compare this with Digital Leasing – which is what I would recommend instead.
This is a method where you help local businesses get more customers.
Here’s where it gets interesting: you charge between $500 to $2,000 per client, and this income is semi-passive and recurring.
Competition?
Not so fierce.
There are over 400 million small businesses in the world, and you only need a few customers to replace your 9 to 5 income.
With profit margins soaring at 80-90%+, you make $500 to $2,000 per client on a recurring basis. Sell a client once and reap the benefits month after month.
With Digital Leasing, you don’t need to sell thousands of units to make a meaningful income.
A handful of clients can bring in a steady stream of income that can potentially replace your day job.
It’s like having a goose that lays golden eggs—consistent, reliable, and lucrative.
So, while AIA can be a decent side hustle – if you’re looking for a more dependable and scalable way to earn a living, Digital Leasing is a much better alternative.
Check out how Digital Leasing works.
| Area | Score | Description |
|---|---|---|
| Time Investment | 3.2/5 | Finding topics and writing your audiobooks will take some time in the beginning, so you’ll need to stay focused and keep your head down. |
| Level Of Control | 2.8/5 | You can sell on Amazon which is a great platform with a huge customer base, but Amazon could flag or ban your account without notice. |
| Ease Of Implementation | 2.7/5 | Everything you need to get started is in the course, but areas like writing, artwork and marketing can be tough when starting out. |
| Profit Potential | 2.4/5 | There is a lot of competition in the audiobook industry, so you may need to invest a fair amount of time and money before seeing a profit. |
Who Should Consider Audiobook Income Academy And Who Should Take A Detour?
I’ve created my fair share of audiobooks and I have to say that getting your thoughts down on paper and converting it to audio is relatively simple, the hard part comes when you are trying to get customer to buy your product.
Some of the courses that I purchased did help me in a few ways, but others kind of had me feeling like I just got one of those rides at an amusement park that spins in circles for what seems like forever.
So, who do I think this program would be good for:
People With A Message: If you have a message that you want to get out to the masses, then creating an audiobook is a great way to express yourself and this program can help shorten the learning curve.
Need Extra Cash: If you want to make some more money but can’t leave your day job, this program shows you how to do it when you have free time.
College Students: This program seems to be made with the college student in mind. If you can pull yourself away from all the late-night parties and road trips, you could pad that resume’ for future job applications.
However, if you relate to these Audiobook Impact Academy reviews, you might consider taking the exit ramp:
- This Reddit user says that the program is a scam and has to wonder why the Mikkelsen Twins would need to convince customers to buy it using a long-winded webinar. He also believes the strategies are outdated and the market is too saturated.
- This Reddit user says that creating an audiobook is one thing, but you also need to buy Amazon Ads just to get people to see it. So if your advertising budget is minimal, it could take a while.
Audiobook Income Academy: A 1,000 Ft View
Just to recap, The Mikkelsen Twins teach about making money online by creating audiobooks and selling them on Audible.
Imagine a place where you can sell your audiobooks all day, every day. People can buy it whenever they want, and you don’t have to worry about packaging and shipment. It’s all audio, so people just download it to their phones or computers.
However, his isn’t a way to build long-term passive income. You have to work hard at the beginning to get your thoughts down, make sure it sounds good, and get people interested in buying it.
I’ve looked into other ways to make money, like how to start dropshipping or starting a social media marketing agency, and while you can make a decent amount of money with audiobooks once you’ve jumped through all the hoops, there are clearly better options.
Creating audiobooks sounds like a great hobby, it just doesn’t provide the best return on your investment.
Who Are Rasmus and Christian Mikkelsen?
I know your eyes might be getting a little tired, so I’ll keep this short.
Rasmus and Christian Mikkelsen were born in New Jersey in 1995. They had a hard time finding their way, jumping from job to job, but their luck changed one night while delivering Chinese food.
They found a self-publishing course called Project Life Mastery and the rest was history.
Even though they tried to make it with dropshipping, they felt that self-publishing was the best route for them. I can’t blame them, dropshipping can be tough.
In 2018, they created a series of audiobooks and made $60,000, but soon after, they were banned by Amazon for using bad translation software. After that setback, they got back on their feet and created AIA making $53,000 from their first 100 students.
Finally, in 2020, they created an education company called Publishing Life, and today they’re back on Amazon, showing people how to make money online.
How Much Does Audiobook Income Academy Cost?
The cost of Audiobook Income Academy is a little unclear, with reports having it range anywhere from $1,497 to $1.997, with that cost going up slightly if you make payments.
However, it does appear that the program is currently not available for reasons unknown.
Audiobook Impact Academy Reviews: How It Differs From Other Similar Programs?
Since Audiobook Impact Academy focuses mainly on the audiobook niche, let’s do a quick side-by-side comparison of AIA with other programs in the same general space:
Fiction Profits Academy
In this Fiction Profits Academy review, I talk about how Karla Marie teaches her students how to create and sell fiction books. It’s more genre-based, which is ideal for people who have a knack for storytelling.
Kindle Cash Flow
In this Kindle Cash Flow review, I go over how Ty Cohen makes his money with Kindle Direct Publishing (KDP), which is great if your choice is creating ebooks.
Self Publishing School
In this Self Publishing School review, I show how Chandler Bolt also teaches about ebook publishing but primarily focused on entrepreneurs, influencers, and public speakers.
Personal Opinion – Mikkelson Twins, AIA Scam Or Legit?
Chances are, you’re eyeing the Audiobook Income Academy (AIA) and wondering if it’s legit or just a messy scam.
Let’s get one thing straight: the Mikkelsen Twins aren’t scammers and therefore, neither is AIA.
They’re not going to ride off into the sunset with your money.
But the real question here isn’t about legitimacy—it’s about whether AIA is worth your hard-earned cash.
And the honest answer for most people?
Probably not.
First, let’s talk about horror stories.
Ever heard of the dreaded KDP account termination?
Yep, it’s a thing. There are tales of authors waking up to find their Kindle Direct Publishing (KDP) accounts terminated for no apparent reason.
Here’s an example of someone’s account who had their account banned immediately and lost all royalties…
Imagine pouring months, maybe years, into creating and marketing your audiobooks, only to have Amazon pull the plug overnight.
It’s like building a castle in the sand, only to have it washed away by an unexpected wave.
If you need proof, check out this Reddit post.
People have shared their experiences, warning about the instability of relying solely on KDP for income.
It’s a stark reminder that putting all your eggs in one basket—especially one where you don’t have full control over your income!
Amazon holds the reins, and you’re bound by their rules and regulations.
They can change their terms of service at the drop of a hat, affecting your royalties, pricing options, and even your book’s visibility.
Basically, you’re playing a game where the rules are constantly changing, and not in your favor.
But what if there was a better way?
With Digital Leasing, you’re in full control of your income and your future.
No corporate overlords dictating your success.
The more work you put in, the more likely you are to succeed. No one’s going to ban your account out of the blue.
The Digital Leasing program offers plug-and-play templates made by the best in the industry.
You get to take what already works and apply it to land clients and deliver exceptional results to local businesses.
This is the only business I’ve found that allows you to travel around the world and gives you the freedom to live life on your terms.
In fact, many of my friends run their 6-figure Digital Leasing businesses from:
- A cozy cabin in the Rockies
- Surfing hotspots in Bali
- A sailboat cruising the Mediterranean
- Ski lodges in the Swiss Alps
Thanks to Digital Leasing, they prioritize enjoying life over stressing about income.
They can take weeks or even months off, and the cash keeps flowing. Happiness is their top priority.
If control and happiness is something you’re after, check out what Digital Leasing is all about.
What’s Inside Audiobook Impact Academy?
Audiobook Impact Academy is broken down into seven modules, and also includes:
- one-on-one coaching calls
- a private Facebook group
- weekly group sessions
Next, let’s break down what you’ll find in each module.
Module 1: The Transformation
This module gets you geared up for the course. It goes over:
- Mindset and the new daily habits you’ll need
- Putting together a to-do list for your first week
Module 2: Launching Your Online Publishing Business
Here, you learn the basics of running an online publishing business. You’ll learn about:
- the kind of money you can expect to make
- how to pick a topic for your first book
- money management
Module 3: How To Write Your First Book
This module has seven lessons that teach you about:
- Your future customers
- How to build your brand
- How to plan and write a book
- Hiring ghostwriters to write for you
Module 4: Passive Systems And Automations
This module is about making your marketing easier by using email. You’ll get:
- Training on how to build an email list
- Training on how to write emails that people will want to read
- Tccess to email templates
Just remember, everyone in the course gets the same email templates, so you might want to change them up a bit.
Module 5: Launch Week
Now it’s time to put your audiobooks online. Here you’ll learn:
- How to check that everything is ready for your launch
- How to become known as an expert in your field
Module 6: Amazon Ads And Audiobook Conversion
This module teaches you how to convert your ebooks into audiobooks and use Amazon Ads to help people find them. You’ll learn:
- How to target specific keywords
- How to get narrated
- How to use the ACX editing tool
Module 7: Next-Level Publishing
This module shows you how to scale your business. You’ll learn:
- How to be on many platforms and publish globally
- How to use Facebook ads
- How to build your website
My Conclusion: Should You Join Audiobook Income Academy?
In my opinion, the Mikkelsen Twins have put together a decent course for publishing audiobooks on Audible
Regarding what you get for cost of the program, there are other courses available (and even some free material) that would give you what you need.
Although, I can’t see myself spending all the time that would be necessary when creating, publishing, and marketing an audiobook. I simply believe there are better ways to make money online, and audiobook publishing is not my #1 pick.
What Is My #1 Way To Make Money Online In 2024?
I’ve spent years researching, reviewing, and vetting dozens of business models and thousands of programs.
While there may be no “perfect business,” the research IS conclusive:
Digital Leasing is the #1 online business model for those just starting out.
Whether you’ve never made a penny online or you’ve been in this industry for a while but never really “found your stride”, Digital Leasing is for you.
Why?
1) It’s Flexible: If you can spare just an hour a day, you can do this. Ready to drop everything else and jump in full-time? You can do this. Yes, the more time you put in, the faster you see results. But even with a little time each day, you can move the needle in a Digital Leasing business.
And because this system is so flexible, you don’t have to constantly be working to make more money. It’s called PASSIVE INCOME because if you stop working, the money doesn’t.
Imagine taking 3 months off to just tour around Europe, rent a cabin in the woods to write a book, hike the Manitou Inclinel, or live on the beach and surf all day.
This is only possible if you have an income stream that’s not tied to your time.
2) You Own & Control EVERYTHING: With Audible Publishing, you don’t really own anything. Sure, you own your ebook which is considered your intellectual property, but you have no control over the Audible platform.
So be sure to look at the fine print for most of the agreements you sign when you join companies Amazon or Audible. At any point, the company can change your commission structure, reduce your profit margins, or kick you out entirely.
With Digital Leasing, you own the assets, which means you have all the power and all the control. For example, if a client decides that they no longer wish to use your services, you can easily find another client (in some cases, their competitors) to take their place and for even more money.
3) Little To No Startup Costs: It’s possible to get into Digital Leasing with zero dollars upfront. Because, using the strategies outlined in this program, you can get a client to pay you BEFORE spending a penny out of your own pocket…even before you do any work.
Even without getting paid in advance, you can have your first Digital Rental Property up, running, and generating profits for less than $100.
With audiobook publishing, you have to put in the time and money to write an ebook, convert it into an audiobook, publish it to Amazon, then advertise it all before you see one red cent, which is assuming your audiobook makes any sales.
4) Easy To Duplicate: Ok, here’s the best part: once you have your first Digital Rental Property up and running, you can literally DOUBLE your income with a few clicks, a couple of keystrokes, and a single phone call (and you don’t actually need the phone call).
Remember: each Digital Rental Property is worth $500 to $2,000 monthly in semi-passive income (over 95% profit). Every time you decide to create another one and increase your income, it gets easier.
Because you have more knowledge, more experience, more results, and more momentum.
If you wanted to double your income with Audiobook Income Academy, you’d probably need to double the number of hours you spend working. Because, again, this program doesn’t scale.
Also, you can’t duplicate an audiobook. Your best case scenario would be to rewrite an audiobook in less time it took to originally write it, give it a different title, then advertise it to a completely different market. The chances of doing this effectively and without getting flagged is likely pretty low.
5) You Make Money Helping Real People: With Digital Leasing, you’re actually helping people by solving your clients’ biggest problem:
Small, local businesses need more customers, and with Digital Leasing, you are unleashing a flood of happy, paying customers for these businesses.
You make money by helping them make money. Which, unless you’re actually writing an audiobook about starting your own business or the latest strategies for the winning the lottery, the person the primarily benefits from the sale of the audiobook is the author.
You’re no a big, faceless corporation either…
You’re helping small business owners who are using that money to put food on the table for their family, start a college fund for their kids, or take care of a sick parent.
Once you see how Digital Leasing makes a real impact in the lives of real people, you’ll sleep like a baby with a big smile on your face.
Now, the choice is yours. You could continue browsing, looking at opportunities like the Mikkelsen twins talk about in Audiobook Income Academy, which could one day make you money.
You could continue researching, never making a decision.
OR, you could take a look inside, consider what you really want, and join a program that makes your dreams a reality. At the same time, joining a community of over 2,000 successful students that are living life on their own terms, thanks to Digital Leasing.
A consistent, reliable, semi-passive stream of income that doesn’t depend on you or your time to keep producing profits.
All while genuinely helping real people who are grateful and happy to pay for it.
If this sounds more like what you want out of life (or if you just want some nice side income), click here to learn more about Digital Leasing.
22 Responses
Hello everybody. Yes, I made the mistake of buying it (on 23/01/2022) and I am here to tell why I think you shouldn’t.
First, watching that advertising on YouTube, everything looks easy, fast. Then I watched almost 1 hour of explanations, even easier, faster and then it comes the pressure to pay. They say there are only a few places, like that webinar was live (it is not). And then I paid. And everything becomes more real, they start to say that it’s possible, but not easy, neither fast. That we have to put a lot of effort on it. And then I started to think (which I haven’t done before paying) and realizing that is totally against my principles. I have a job, that I love, but doesn’t pay me much. I saw this as an opportunity to keep this job and have a financial freedom, an easy money where I don’t have to spend a lot of time. Fake. It needs time, especially at the beginning. It needs effort (not easy as they say before we pay). And particularly, I would have to go against my principles.
Yes… I am totally against this superficial economy where everybody buys everything without the necessity. I was imaging myself paying someone to write a book for me, another one to make the cover and other to make the narrative and then myself selling on Amazon. And for all that I had to just choose a title, I probably wouldn’t even read the book before selling. They probably don’t do it either.
So, when I realized that, like 6 or 7 hours later, I asked for a refund, based on the Contract Policies. They answered me in the next day and made the refund 2 days later.
As I paid in euro and the euro was dropping, I received less money. Maybe I am wrong, but in my opinion, that’s not right. They should guarantee I would receive the same amount in my own currency, as there is nothing being said differently in the contract.
Anyway, that’s not the point. I just wanted to ask everybody to think before paying and not believe in the pressure they put on before we pay. There are a lot of wrong things on their process and I hope I could help some people to make a decision.
Thanks Vinicius!
I wanted to pay for this course but your comment makes me doubt and I have to think about it. But I would like to ask you a question: he says in his ad that we the parteners do almost nothing and that we delegate all the work, isn’t that true?
Thanks for the answer
Thank you!! I am sorry you didn’t get a full refund but your review to help others is refund in itself. Your review is letting others know it’s like every other self employed company, you have to work hard in the beginning to see the pay off later. Thank you again. I pray God will make up the difference to you with a better financial business investment to add to your salary.
Thank you from the bottom of my heart for this honest review ! I pray that you’re blessed a hundred times over ! I was SO close to buying into it!! And then something told me to research it further . So again, thank you ! You’re a good person and your review is to the point and not harsh , yet brutally honest!
I appreciate your research in the legitimacy of this venture. I pray your information is honest as I am taking your word as the hard working researcher. You seem to be honest when you said one CAN make money from the twins and listed the ways how…to allow us to think twice. I will look for your name for future research you have completed in order to see pro’s, con’s, the fine print per se, and what the steps are to make the money these ppl claim.
Thanks for telling us this. I’m tired of scams and being taken in just trying to find my way in publishing.
Whew! I didn’t almost buy, but I listened to the entire spiel. I also have to admit that I had hope.
I’m not working for cash right now, I’m working on a book. But like I said, I had hope – and this came off as easy. I’d love to have that security right now … only 30 minutes a day to riches. Here are 7 things that gave me pause, and caused me to do a little research of my own.
#1 – the webinar – it was about to start a few minutes after I clicked over to the page. I didn’t see anyone in chat.
#2 – the cost of the ghostwriter is $500. When you start adding up the costs, you’re looking at about $2700, and more when you factor in advertising … and stuff.
#3 – I’m a writer, I’d want to write my own book.
#4 – I just couldn’t get over the options that they offered for me to pay.
#5 – they called nonfiction writing story tales.
#6 – knowledge that there had to be other sites with information and having the wherewithal to search and happening upon this informative site.
#7 – before coming to this site, I read an article by Neil Lassen of Neillasson.com and the model that the Mikkelsen twins used is the same one that Lassen laid out.
My money is exactly where it’s supposed to be – in my account. I’ve been scammed before, but never to the tune of 2 grand.
For me, they made a huge mistake, because I know that nothing in life that’s worth having comes easy … money is work, love is work, life is work.
How much does Neil lassen’s program cost? Is it the same? Did you sign on with him?
Another scam
I also listened to the whole spiel. There were just too many warnings. First, just choose a topic and someone writes it? Ummm, couldn’t be so. What’s the quality of the writing? Who de ides what to writ, etc. writing even an outline for a good book isn’t as easy as it sounds. First, what comprises a good book? In the day it just seemed too good to be risk so I bailed and saved my money.
I feel sick, I signed with the twins and AIA, what is wrong with me that I fell for this scam.
Now I am out $2600 because I paid $1997 USD for the course.
What can I do now?
Request a refund if you’re still in that time frame. I have heard several people that changed their mind and they did get there money back
I have done audiobooks through Audiobook Creation Exchange (ACX) since 2015. I kept seeing the ads for AIA. After about 10 or so ads it finally dawned on me–ACX does NOT pay royalties by check. Red Flag! AIA is complicating a simple concept. One can generate a good steady income on ACX, but it takes more time investment than advertised by AIA.
Just my two cents.
I knew it. It’s all a scam. Check out some videos on YouTube for “Mikkelsen Twins scam” and you’ll figure it out. Too much promise of easy money. Why are they selling the concept of doing it, instead of actually doing it? Their reason? “There is just too much money to be made, and we need partners.” Anybody else’s BS detector go off? I know people who made some money with audiobooks. That’s totally cool. But like everything else in life, it can’t be that easy. Low entry barrier, high competition. Duh!
Report those scammers!
o.i don’t know if it’s a scam but all could hear was my late father’s voice saying “if it sounds too good to be true. It probably is.” No body gives you money for nothing and only a fool would believe that. I admit i was tempted because his sales pitch is good but then my better judgement told me no
I did buy into this deal but after all this negative feedback, I’m sorry I did this. How do I contact them to get my money back? I’m 78 and should know better. I too kept saying to myself, if it sounds too good to be true, it probably isn’t. Help, please. Thank you.
I signed up last night, and went to get my 72 hour refund. Of course, I signed up on a Thursday night, so when I went to cancel on Friday night, they aren’t open until Monday… How they will work this is anyone’s guess.
The emails I’ve gotten say that they time stamp the emails, so I did a reply to every email that I had from them, including the receipt. We’ll see what happens on Monday.
ngl i thought these guys were hot af hahaha it doesnt hurt thats for sure BUT i noticed they werent seeming too legit…after a few min…thx for saving me some $$ i didnt read everything here but basically seems liek what i thought
I see I’m not the only woman who was lured in by these guys…all that glitters is not gold, ladies! My mind is still open, but after reading this I just don’t see how we can make good money with the twins.
I’m not sure if the “Digital Leasing” stuff is for me, but I do like the earning potential. I’ve set up a call just so we can discuss a little further.
Thank you,
– Melissa W
I was also wondering about the Digital Leasing please let me know how it goes kinda seems like another version of what I just avoided with the twins
It’s totally different from the twins! This is actually a business model that is straight up and not all fancy marketing by twins that really just have good marketing for their course.
HA I thought these dudes were gay together when I first saw them. Don’t care if it’s not PC they LOOK GAY taking shirtless selfies together not exactly what my boys get up to on the weekend haha.
GOod review, clicked on your recommendation we’ll see — so far no TikTok bros!