Re: Ditto. I googled him.

Patricia,

I for one can appreciate what you are saying here. However, it would be a mistake to dismiss Sam's posts altogether.

You see, I know him personally and he IS as successful as he says he is. BUT . . . it was not done with any sort of trust fund, etc. He did it (and continues to do it) all on his own. No help from anyone.

As well, once you learn to read past his inflammatory and self-promoting stuff, you will find that he DOES impart some very good knowledge. Everything he gives advice about - he does or has done. Every product he promotes he has bought and tried.

I don't know that many "Guru's" that can claim that. Most nowadays promote each other "willy-nilly" simply because they know each other - or promote products that are given to them free (and they never even open). And it would surprize a few of you whan I say I personally know several of them and they have personally TOLD me that they don't even open half the stuff they promote.

Being controversial is NOT equal to having nothing useful to say.

> He's 27-ish and may never have worked... oh yes, he's also inherited
> money. He got an "let me introduce my wonderful self" message
> heavily edited on another board and is accused as a blog spammer. I also
> used the Wayback Machine to look at his other websites. He's been in
> business on the Internet since... oh.... late 2004-ish.

So, he's got an ego. Show me one PERSON that doesn't. He just flaunts his more than others...

> You know, I've seen advice here from hardworking people who have worked
> jobs and businesses for many years (and I want to complement Bupol for his
> recent wonderful posts, by the way). If we were all 20-somethings with
> trust funds and/or a nice inheritance, I bet we could gain from his
> advice.

Go back and re-read my first paragraph. He accomplishes what he does with no help. This is something I know to be true.

> But frankly, I think we're better off taking the advice of the people who
> have struggled (and are struggling) with issues of how to get enough money
> to be comfortable -- people who understand where we are coming from and
> what issues we are facing.

Napoleon Hill has some great advice from his "Think and Grow Rich" book. Take a look at the 10 closest people in your life. See where they are financially. Then see where YOU are financially. Odds are that you are in the same situation as they.

If you want to progress to the next level, you need to surround yourself with people at the next level.

Taking advice from well-meaning but largely unsuccessful people may be "nicey-nice", but odds are it won't help. This I know because since I have changed my associations, my own successes have been skyrocketing.

> So here's to our Old Regulars, who understand what it's like out here with
> little money and no inspiration, with more family and love at the end of
> the month than money. People who know where we're coming from and can give
> us advice based on what we're facing instead of advice from someone born
> with a silver foot in his mouth.

Again - well-meaning but largely unsuccessful (I'll bet). I don't say that to be mean. But me making THAT judgement soley based on your statement is as bad as you making YOUR statements about Sam without knowing where he come's from.

His style is In-Your-Face. But it really helps many break through. We get so juiced-up by "nice" but inaccurate information from all over the net. Personally, I would MUCH rather have someone say, "Hey idiot - don't be stupid. Here's what you should be doing and why. Here's why WHAT you're doing is wrong. Here's how to change it."

I find that MUCH more useful than "Oh, hey you did a GREAT job but the conversion just wasn't what we expected. Oh well, let's try THIS approach. Just go here and buy THIS tool/ebook, etc. and we'll move forward".

Even my personal mentor - whom I pay BIG BUCKS to - tells me the way it is. Not just what I want to hear. No matter if it hurts my feelings.

And let's face it - if people are so over-sensitive to be affected by Sam's style of posting they will have a hard time in this business.

> You Board Old Timers may have silver in your hair, but your advice to us
> struggling parents is pure gold.

Sure - pure gold if you don't mind taking several more years to learn anything.

For me it's "Cut the BS, cut to the chase. Hurt my feelings if you need to but Show Me The Way.

To each their own, I guess.