I told her to go ahead—no skin off my back.She sent a rambling complaint to the AG, which was full of nonsense.

Yes, we pay a fee for the coaching, that many of us feel is fully worth the cost, maybe having "skin-in-game" makes us more likely to take action and be excited about the company, but that is for you to decide. 

The “horizontal”construction, while sometimes can be partially financed by debt depending on developer track record, is more often regarded as the “skin” in the game put in by developer either theirselves or thru a syndicated equity offering.

@Todd Goedeke My comments aren't "biased", I have no skin in the game, and unlike some, have no ego on the line.

Then SiG- skin in the game from sponsor.

Having someone with some skin in the game has been a good option. 

Without adding value through rehabilitation, you will not circumvent the required skin in the game.

Half of the reason for a downpayment is to make the borrower put skin in the game. 

It kept flaking and clocking the pool filter.

. $50 sounds crazily low, but there could be some justifications for it from the seller's perspective.1) There could be some upselling involved, so $50 is just to see that you're willing to spend money2) As someone else mentioned, some people mentor for free, but they might prefer that you have skin in the game so that it's worth it to them.