Loving The Internet Lifestyle
Talk about an advert for the internet lifestyle: I opened the curtains our bedroom this morning to one of those perfect days. The sun was shining on a flat calm sea (the first thing I see every morning I’m at home) and there was a little frost on the ground. It’s January 14th 2016 and I’m in Innellan, near Dunoon on the Cowal peninsula high above the firth of Clyde. This is my version of the internet lifestyle – yours can be anything you want.
My partner and I moved here from Glasgow 7 months ago. We have just (almost) finished renovating a house we bought here. Initially we rented one nearby to see how we liked the place. We love it. It’s been a hard slog of non stop painting, decorating, sanding and varnishing floors. We also had a new kitchen installed and boy it’s been worth it. Lots still to do but the back of it is broken and we’re in no hurry to start the next projects. The attic studio, extended parking area and Garden will be longer term projects.
Update for 2019: Garden has progressed, parking area done.
This morning I donned a thick sweater and brewed some coffee which I took out to the decking in our back garden to ease myself into the day. We’re at that stage where the house is really feeling like home – we even got a kitten! This was a perfect day to really enjoy life, our surroundings and yes – the internet lifestyle. While we were renting we enjoyed a beautiful summer here. We look forward to doing that this summer in our new “Ivory Tower”. On days like this it really is all plain sailing – like the guys out there on the sail boats today.
How I Built My Version Of The Internet Lifestyle
This is a far cry from where we were a couple of years back. I’m writing this to hopefully show you what’s possible in these days of hyper connectivity and digital technology. Back then things were very different. My 12 year long career in the audio visual industry had ended suddenly with redundancy. We had just remortgaged our spacious apartment in Glasgow to start my partner’s driving instruction business. I was 47 and my prospects of finding a similar job with the same pay in the same industry, as I soon found, were not good.
While going through the depressing process of signing on – not for the pittance of money that provided – but to keep my national insurance up to date, I was asked if I’d ever considered self employment. I had in fact. At that stage though I was more worried about how long my redundancy pay and our savings would last. My partner’s new business was slowly growing but I needed income. I’ve since learned that trying to keep money festering in a bank account is stupid. Leveraging it by investing in sound business models is far better in the long term.
So What Is This Internet Lifestyle Anyway?
I had in fact looked into online business possibilities. I was drawn to “the internet lifestyle” they promised when I could see that my job was probably going to go. I’d bought a franchised e-commerce business in fact. This however turned out to be a non starter. Not technically a scam, but certainly “not what it said on the tin”. It folded just before the axe fell at work. Luckily I was able to get a refund. I’d seen the possibilities – even made a little money. Essentially though I was back at square one – plan B having failed.
I then joined an online advertising programme which did earn me some good money but – as most of them do – it collapsed. Lessons learned the hard way but a first taste of the internet lifestyle for sure. I even had a second hand sports car to show for it!
The E-commerce store had been loosely based on the affiliate marketing model: Selling other people’s products online for commission. Although the business hadn’t worked out I had seen the potential of the affiliate marketing model and wanted to pursue it as a business. So my research started again. With the benefit of hindsight I knew that to really get the internet lifestyle that was so attractive I needed to learn internet marketing properly. So I looked for a business that first and foremost incorporated serious, up to date training on that subject.
Failing Forward
Eventually through networking I was introduced to a company that seemed to fit the bill. I’d had enough experience by then to avoid the “Get rich quick” nonsense. When I watched their free 7 day video series, I knew this was the real deal. I joined their business first as an affiliate, then as an affiliate partner. I’ve never looked back.
I won’t tell you this has been an overnight thing. I absorbed and put into practice countless hours of in depth training. I’ve acquired skills in market research, numerous online advertising platforms, blogging, video making and SEO. I’ve written hundreds of blog posts, published hundreds of videos and invested a not inconsiderable chunk of change along the way. This internet lifestyle thing is definitely not ALL glamour.
I’ve also done a lot of work on myself. But along the way I’ve been part of an incredible community of fellow new entrepreneurs all taking advantage of this education and business system. Many from situations similar to mine, other’s from all sorts of situations, careers and dilemmas.
Making Progress
I’m now at the stage where my online affiliate business has more than replaced my previous salary as a business development manager. In fact I’ve had months recently when I’ve earned many times more in a week than I used to earn in several months. I know that the business is infinitely scaleable. I’m also about to start on some digital marketing consultancy work on projects that interest me. I also do all of the marketing for my partner’s now thriving business. So I feel now that I really can say that I’m living the internet lifestyle.
But money aside, the best thing, as I tried to share at the start of the post, is the absolute freedom I now have. Earning money on the internet with the affiliate marketing model is just not like being in Kansas anymore! With the right systems, tools and training and the right products, it just doesn’t take much time. Much of the sales process can be automated meaning you can reach millions of potential customers anywhere in the world 24/7/365. Online advertising enables you to reach only the right people with the right products and services and they can buy them right at the point where they see them.
Time Is Not Money – Leverage Is
In other words there is absolutely no link between time and money in the online business world. You can write a blog, post a video, place an advert and go and do whatever you want while they work for you day and night. It’s really all about leverage – probably in it’s ultimate form.
The internet lifestyle then can be anything you want it to be. You can make a little money or a lot. You can spend a little time on it or a lot. If you learn how all the pieces of internet fit together all you really need is a laptop and an internet connection. I’ll make no bones about it there is a lot to learn but so what? We only get one life and I doubt there’s a better, more accessible way to wring the most out of it in our current world.
If you like the sound of the internet lifestyle why not have a look at the same series of videos I did – well an updated version of them – it was 2 years ago for me and things move ever forward here. Rest assured by the way, you don’t need to be technically minded, have previous experience or be any particular age or gender. Ideally you will have a serious desire to improve your lot in life, a good work ethic, a willingness to learn and to be prepared (as with any business) to invest some time and money. But let’s not get ahead of ourselves – start by signing up for the videos on the link below.