Web-based Businesses ......a Lot Of Misguided Souls.

[endure]

Let's not start accusing each other of breaking the law, eh?

[blizzard]

please share jimjim.

you all say you doing good please give us yr link so we can believe.

all i seen so far is" i make a lot but cant tell you coz fear of copycats". i thought the idea of the web was to reach as many as possible.

[Nongneungja]

The biggest tip I can give anyone, is to learn SEO (search engine optimisation) Understanding what the search engines require to position a site higher than others is your most valuable asset. I consider my understanding of SEO to be the main reason behind my success. I can get any site, for any keyword, on the home page of the search engines. This gives me the scope to promote ANYTHING! Learning SEO will provide you with the ability to drive targeted traffic to your web site, "targeted" being the magic word.

The problem is that if there are more than ten of you experts in the world all trying to optimize for the same keyword, you can't all claim that you can get a site on the first page of google. But look on the web and you'll find thousands of people who claim just that. Anyway, if you can really do it, I have a couple sites I would like on page one of google USA. We can put your payment in escrow until the site shows up on page one and stays up for at least 6 months. What do you think?

Regarding the guy making $30,000 a month, it's hard to believe, but who knows? It does seem strange that he doesn't want us to see his URLs, but of course all his customers are welcome... I myself have dropped US$50,000 into a few online businesses and three years later have yet to break even. But I learn as I go and I expect that I will eventually achieve success (although success to me is about $5000 a month profit...)

[Livinginexile]

There are also alot of us making tons and tons of money for doing almost zero work. And believe it or not an internet travel agency is one of the better websites to run for a beginner because it requires zero maintainance, just promotion. Nothing like 50,000 baht a month for sitting on your a**

Anybody can make money on the internet. And since Thailand is so strict about farang working, the internet is one of the only things we can really turn to for business. There is so much opportunity out there, you just need to find what works for you.

And this comes from a guy that sells web sites for a living.

lol

[Livinginexile]

So you are making $360,000 USD per year?

I'm not disclosing my personal finances here. I just stated what is possible, from my own experience.

for the guys who make money on net. give us the details, the web site etc. free exposure for you and maybe others can learn a thing or 2.

The competition is already tough enough, I'm not going to teach others how to do it

100,000's must visit your sites everyday Rainman, why are you scared so only T/V readers will steal your idea. It would only benifite your business to adveretise here.

Show us your websites Rainman...without that, it just seems you are full of it.

There is absolutely no reason for you not too.

[rainman]

I'm sorry but you just don't seem very credible.

25 years old making $360,000 per year since you were 17, and spending only $20,000 per year?

So by my calculations you have already managed to save $2,720,000 USD (excluding interest); congratulations.

Do you honestly expect us to believe that someone with this kind of dough (and being young) would not want to lead a slightly more extravagant lifestyle that 60,000 THB per month.

If you can continue this way until say 55 you will have managed to save atleast 35million dollars (or 1.19 billion THB)

I'm not asking you to believe me. I write what's in my mind and what I think is helpful to others. Not everyone needs to live an "extravagant" lifestyle. I have the house I want to live in, I can eat the food I want to eat, I can do in my free time whatever I want. I'm happy with what I have and I'd rather have it than spend it.

Rainman won't disclose his sites for fear of duplication. That is quite strange when all other companies want to be seen at the top of google search, exposure etc.

If his idea is so easy to duplicate then it must take no skill at all.....

Or Rainman got some illegal sites up and doesn't want to lose face here.....

LN

P.S. the last guy that told me he was a major spokesperson for a huge internet co. etc. was in fact just selling fake replica watches from Th to Europe

I said in my previous posts, which you maybe didn't read, that it involves nothing illegal. I'm also not concerned about "losing face", I haven't been in Thailand for that long yet to be worried about "losing face"

100,000's must visit your sites everyday Rainman, why are you scared so only T/V readers will steal your idea. It would only benifite your business to adveretise here.

Show us your websites Rainman...without that, it just seems you are full of it.

There is absolutely no reason for you not too.

It doesn't take 100,000's of visitors to a website per day to make money. For all you know, I could be selling golden easter eggs for $1000 a piece. It just takes 30 customers per month (one a day) to make 30k, while the other guy sells normal easter eggs for $1 a piece and needs 30,000 customers

The reason why I'm not posting my business here is because I do not want my posts here associated with my business. What I write here is my personal opinion, not the opinion of my business. I like to keep it that way. Plain and simple, accept it or not.

[bangkokrick]

I have never read so much crap in my life here's why. My site is number 2 on the googls search and if you wish to check the stats i have had around 2000 hits in 2 years. Your standing on Google does not mean that you will get hits. If you want to check this just google terrific thailand

By the way i am not trying to make money on the web.

Why do people fabricate the so much when the OP obviously wants to have something like the truth.

Cheers Rick

[A_Traveller]

I have never read so much crap in my life here's why. My site is number 2 on the googls search and if you wish to check the stats i have had around 2000 hits in 2 years. Your standing on Google does not mean that you will get hits. If you want to check this just google terrific thailand

By the way i am not trying to make money on the web.

Why do people fabricate the so much when the OP obviously wants to have something like the truth.

Cheers Rick

Might want to look at the OP's status and think for a moment.

Regards

[rainman]

I just find it totally unbelievable.

If you're a "non-believer", I won't try to "convert" you.

I started my first business not with the intention of making money (as strange as that sounds), but then it took off. I ended up selling it and started again, it took off again. Now in the coming days, I am starting another new business, but not before taking a nice holiday somewhere.

Because let me tell you, building a good business wrecks your personal life. When you spend 16-18 hours a day on the computer, you have no personal life. And until your business takes off and somewhat runs by itself, it's not fun. There have been times when I didn't go outside for a week and slept only a couple of hours a day, working 24/7.

These days, since I'm married, I try to work a bit less, but I'm still working from 10am (I sleep late) until 2-3am, every day. Saturday and Sunday is like any other day for me, I haven't known what a "weekend without work" is since ...never.

Like I said before, making a good business and good money takes lots of intensive hard work and dedication. If you get online with the I just find it totally unbelievable. mentality, better stay in bed.

If he is making $30,000 per month he must be getting hundreds of thousands of hits a month but yet still worried about couple of clicks from this forum stealing his ideas?

Wrong thinking. Why does everyone these days think that you need hundreds of thousands or millions of visitors per month to make money on the Internet? It seems most companies these days focus on getting as many visitors as possible, rather than attracting potential buyers. This answer takes us straight back to the topic of this post ......a Lot Of Misguided Souls.

Or maybe i will just join the masses and create myself an alternate fantasy life which i will use for forums.

If your "fantasy life" makes you money, why not?

People spend so much time trying to find a way to make money, that they forget how easy it is.

Take my advice: There is money in everything around you.

(and no, I'm not selling books on how to make money, if that's your next guess)

[bangkokrick]

I have never read so much crap in my life here's why. My site is number 2 on the googls search and if you wish to check the stats i have had around 2000 hits in 2 years. Your standing on Google does not mean that you will get hits. If you want to check this just google terrific thailand

By the way i am not trying to make money on the web.

Why do people fabricate the so much when the OP obviously wants to have something like the truth.

Cheers Rick

Might want to look at the OP's status and think for a moment.

Regards

I am fully aware of the OP status but i cant help but think that he was 'digging' by bringing up this topic. But why not consider also my point or are you getting 100000 hits per month as well?

Regards

[bkkmadness]

I have never read so much crap in my life here's why. My site is number 2 on the googls search and if you wish to check the stats i have had around 2000 hits in 2 years. Your standing on Google does not mean that you will get hits. If you want to check this just google terrific thailand

By the way i am not trying to make money on the web.

Why do people fabricate the so much when the OP obviously wants to have something like the truth.

Cheers Rick

The reason people talk about getting good hits when they reach the top of google is they are only counting good results for well searched terms.

When a consumer comes on the net and wants to find info or whatever about Thailand they don't type in 'terrific Thailand', that's why you are not getting the hits, your key word is useless.

If you was coming up for number 2 in google for 'Thailand Travel' it'd be a different story.

[dave111223]

If your "fantasy life" makes you money, why not?

Yes I've just created my new online forum fantasy life. I now make $150,000 per month. I live in a magically castle, and have 16 super model girl friends. (I am much happier now)

Edited June 17, 2007 by dave111223

[rainman]

You don't even need good Google positioning. Sure, it helps. But if you're advertising on sites that target your "niche", it can be much more effective. I've also seen people selling things on eBay making huge profits (buying low, selling high), they're not dependent on Google either.

The fact is, most visitors to a website don't come from search engines. Perhaps about 10% from personal experience.

[rainman]

Yes I've just created my new online forum fantasy life. I now make $150,000 per month. I live in a magically castle, and have 16 super model girl friends. (I am much happier now)

Like I said above, not everyone needs to live an "extravagant" lifestyle. I have a house, not a castle ...and a wife, not 16 super model girlfriends. But whatever works for you

I've been on this forum for over 3 years, I always try to be helpful and sometimes I need help as well. I always write what's on my mind, whether someone likes it or not, believes it or not. After all, its my life and I'm the only one I need to prove something to.

[bangkokrick]

I have never read so much crap in my life here's why. My site is number 2 on the googls search and if you wish to check the stats i have had around 2000 hits in 2 years. Your standing on Google does not mean that you will get hits. If you want to check this just google terrific thailand

By the way i am not trying to make money on the web.

Why do people fabricate the so much when the OP obviously wants to have something like the truth.

Cheers Rick

The reason people talk about getting good hits when they reach the top of google is they are only counting good results for well searched terms.

When a consumer comes on the net and wants to find info or whatever about Thailand they don't type in 'terrific Thailand', that's why you are not getting the hits, your key word is useless.

If you was coming up for number 2 in google for 'Thailand Travel' it'd be a different story.

The title of my site is 'Terrific Thailand' my keywords are numerous. The point i am making is that your rank on Google or any other seach engine is not the 'b all and end all' as far as quality hits are concerned.

There is no quick and easy way to make money on the internet period.

Cheers Rick

[on-on]

I've been an online marketing consultant for a number of years now and I've been in online marketing since 1997, when I joined a startup (we didn't know it was called online marketing then, because it didn't have a name yet, heh), so I've got some experience with the topic. What I would say is, "Don't buy into get rich quick schemes." Most (thought not all) of the advice about not doing this or that on the internet is just focusing too hard on the medium - like when people talk about pedophilia on the internet or terrorists meeting on the internet. The problem, generally speaking, is with people who think they can toss in a few thousand bucks, sit back and wait while a sustainable income rolls in. At the very least, even if you're not doing the work yourself, you need to understand the market well enough to understand the projects you're investing in. Usually, though, at such a low capital investment level, you'll be doing the work yourself. In that case, how does one expect to make money in any field that they're not proficient in? It has nothing to do with the internet.

I will say that there are a number of us here in Bangkok who make money in the larger field of online marketing, either on their own or working as part of a larger enterprise. We work in all kinds of fields, ranging from one man SEO shops to international endeavors that span the gamut of OM disciplines. There's plenty of money out there in the field and, yeah, there are guys who individually pull in five figures a month (though there are a lot more people who say they do than who actually do). It is possible, but it's not magic. At the end of the day online marketing is about creating lots of little transactions, so the more transactions you can create, the more money you can make. To create transactions, you need people and then you need some way of enticing those people to fulfill a revenue-generating activity. Anyone who claims to make a mint should be able to show you either a massive network of either web sites (blogs, niche sites, etc) or presence on others' web sites(tons of links on social networking sites, forum posts, ad buys, etc), a very well funded PPC account, a large database of user information or some combination thereof. Anyone making that kind of money doesn't fly blind, so they'll have statistics to back this up. If they're a single player shop using less complicated efforts like SEO, they'll usually be handling this through some kind of outsourced application like Google analytics or a software package - maybe WebTrends. If they're larger and/or more complicated, they'll have in-house tracking and accounting systems. Either way, they should be able to show you the stuff that causes the eyeballs to come to the site and they should be able to show you some kind of evidence that the eyeballs have been there and if the effort is ongoing then it should be independently verifiable. Or, if you're like most online marketers, fire up your AZ/CJ/LS/AF/AS account and show the monthly balance, heh. If they can't show you the source of eyeballs and they can't show you a history of traffic and they can't show you a balance at a major affiliate or click network then either they're blowing smoke or they're a shady fire-and-forget operation that's doing something that they don't want to track for other reasons.

On a side note, one of the funniest things about marketers is that they're addicted to optimism, so the online marketing community is full of online marketers trying to sell e-books on "MAKE MILLIONS ON EBAY NOW NOW NOW" and the like, but also full of online marketers who actually buy the stuff. It's like if a Mary Kay convention, an Amway convention and a Scientology convention all accidentally booked the same hotel for the weekend.

Edited June 17, 2007 by on-on

[Khun Jean]

My next product sold 'online' will be a niche product.

My target is 1000+ customers worldwide. At 500 euro a piece (yearly subscription) they will be delighted and wonder how they ever did without.

Difficult? Not for me. It is based upon what i did the last 5-6 years (6-7 days a week 10+ hours a day)).

Is there a market? Sure i have a good deal with a manufacturer and they sell thousands of products each month. Each of his customer will save a bundle of money when they use my product, and my little brochure and CD will be included in every package.

I can give a small hint. It is a virtual appliance. Estimated development time 2 man for about 6 months.

1000 x 500 = 500.000 yearly! (Euros, not those cheap dollars! and certainly not bahts. )

Wish me luck.

(I am already happy with 100, not that hard when anyone in the world is a potential customer!)

Only doing this because the oppertunity is there and i feel an urge to make it.

(Ok i also can use the extra money.)

Edited June 18, 2007 by Khun Jean

[Oleg_Rus]

Only doing this because the oppertunity is there and i feel an urge to make it.

Oppertunity ? Do they speak English in "Oppertunity" ?

Blah

[canadiangirl]

On a side note, one of the funniest things about marketers is that they're addicted to optimism, so the online marketing community is full of online marketers trying to sell e-books on "MAKE MILLIONS ON EBAY NOW NOW NOW" and the like, but also full of online marketers who actually buy the stuff. It's like if a Mary Kay convention, an Amway convention and a Scientology convention all accidentally booked the same hotel for the weekend.

I love this quote! Well put.

[wish_i_was_there]

Wow good topic PRGUY

There’s a lot of good info within these posts. And I’d like to ad my 2 cents, and before I do a little about myself as related to my views on this topic as I’m sure people will ask.

I’ve been online since ’95 in the ‘surfer” compactly and been working in different capacities for web companies since 1999. I’ve owned a couple different websites from adult (retired from that), modeling, stock investments to tours.

I’ll just be blunt the people that are getting going broke investing in “Websites” are the same people that would go broke with any other business it just happens to be that they chose to venture online for whatever reason. Making money on the web is not rocket science in fact it’s probably one of the most written about businesses where you can find a ton of free “how to” info online..go figure. People need to do their homework (market research), write a business plan, secure a cash flow, etc aka cover the basics. It also really doesn’t matter what business you decide to get involved in online so long as you can market it and convert (make money) from your visitors. It’s about having a right niche, whether the website is an Online Travel Agency, Online Dating site, Online Trading site or you sell Thai products why should I go to your site. Competition is a good thing and lots of sites dealing with the same industry usually means there is money to be made ( a link to a guy that has a dating site and made $900K in 3 months and 7 other internet entrepreneur stories * admin not spam not my site, http://online-interest.blogspot.com/2007/0...most-money.html ) These are unquie situations and there are probably 10000+ people that didn’t make it big for each one of those that are “super successful” but isn’t it the same offline? I believe the key is instead of waiting for the million dollar idea and passing on the “small” opportunities, I’d rather have 10 sites pulling in $500 a month then waiting around for the site that I think can bring me in $5000 a month. Most people are misinformed, it’s not build and they will buy its build and give me a reason to buy and buy more. That’s if you have a product, it’s even harder if you are selling information or providing a service because a large group of people who surf the net view the internet as ONE BIG FREE RESOURCE so getting them to pay for what they feel should be free is the key.

A couple quick thoughts $30k US is not an unbelievable amount of money to make in fact that is probably on the lower end of some of the most successful sites. Quick story regarding age and money I became good friends with the webmaster of one of the adult sites I was an affiliate of back from 2000 – 2002 I chatted often with him about the biz and various things this guy never showed up at any of the web conventions or had his picture out there plastered on the net. Long story short I was in his city on business and we met for drinks at umm ah Starbucks!!! age had never came up in our conversations before but I was shocked to find out that the guy who had been sending me $2000 - $3000 checks for the past 2 years was an 18 year old recent high school grad. The great thing about the internet and having a web business is as long as you have an idea and access to a computer with internet connection you can be and do anything no matter what your ethnicity, age, and or sex is.

Rainman,

Good points your delivery is rough at times but seems like you know what you’re talking about regarding the web business best of luck to ya. One point though as maybe I misinterpreted it but just as you say you live on 60,000 BHT a month I think your definition of a successful website is a little skewed as IMO a successful website is whatever the owner sets as his goals yours may be 430k a month because you feel that’s what your time and engery are worth were as the guy making $10k USD a month might be more then content. The key is to save for a rainy day though because if you are living check to check off of your $2,000 USD a month and you hit a dry spell for a couple months and you have no reserve to adapt to the market and make changes then you are screwed.

BTW I have a friend that lives in Thailand and makes about $15k USD a month US and spends about $2k USD a month for his living and entertainment expenses. I asked him why he “doesn’t party like a rock star” he said he’s perfectly content with his house, his wife and living his comfortable low key lifestyle.

Bangkokrick,

You are absolulty right about “There is no quick and easy way to make money on the internet period.” Keywords can be a big help to websites here’s one FREE tool to help those find and research keywords *admin not spam https://adwords.google.com/select/KeywordTo...l?defaultView=2

Hmm looks like I typed enough BTW one of the websites I’m currently developing is going to be a property sales/rental listing site... Yep I know 100’s of those out there already but again why run from competition if you know you can do it with a twist and there is a demand so if anyone out there owns property , has looked for property to rent or buy recently feel free to PM me what you liked, hated or wished that site had on it that lists properties for rent and sale.

[OxfordWill]

I can get any site, for any keyword, on the home page of the search engines.

It's just not possible to do what you claim you can do on a consistent basis. You're claiming to have jagger-knowledge every 3 months?

Edited June 19, 2007 by OxfordWill

[OxfordWill]

The fact is, most visitors to a website don't come from search engines. Perhaps about 10% from personal experience.

I was behind you all the way until you said this. Anyone with solid experience in websites over the last 6 years knows that 80%+ of web traffic is organic. "most websites" = "web traffic".

edit: unless of course you mean "most visitors" to "a particular website" in which case you have no business making a generalisation of any sort.

Edited June 19, 2007 by OxfordWill

[bangkokrick]

Wow good topic PRGUY

There’s a lot of good info within these posts. And I’d like to ad my 2 cents, and before I do a little about myself as related to my views on this topic as I’m sure people will ask.

I’ve been online since ’95 in the ‘surfer” compactly and been working in different capacities for web companies since 1999. I’ve owned a couple different websites from adult (retired from that), modeling, stock investments to tours.

I’ll just be blunt the people that are getting going broke investing in “Websites” are the same people that would go broke with any other business it just happens to be that they chose to venture online for whatever reason. Making money on the web is not rocket science in fact it’s probably one of the most written about businesses where you can find a ton of free “how to” info online..go figure. People need to do their homework (market research), write a business plan, secure a cash flow, etc aka cover the basics. It also really doesn’t matter what business you decide to get involved in online so long as you can market it and convert (make money) from your visitors. It’s about having a right niche, whether the website is an Online Travel Agency, Online Dating site, Online Trading site or you sell Thai products why should I go to your site. Competition is a good thing and lots of sites dealing with the same industry usually means there is money to be made ( a link to a guy that has a dating site and made $900K in 3 months and 7 other internet entrepreneur stories * admin not spam not my site, http://online-interest.blogspot.com/2007/0...most-money.html ) These are unquie situations and there are probably 10000+ people that didn’t make it big for each one of those that are “super successful” but isn’t it the same offline? I believe the key is instead of waiting for the million dollar idea and passing on the “small” opportunities, I’d rather have 10 sites pulling in $500 a month then waiting around for the site that I think can bring me in $5000 a month. Most people are misinformed, it’s not build and they will buy its build and give me a reason to buy and buy more. That’s if you have a product, it’s even harder if you are selling information or providing a service because a large group of people who surf the net view the internet as ONE BIG FREE RESOURCE so getting them to pay for what they feel should be free is the key.

A couple quick thoughts $30k US is not an unbelievable amount of money to make in fact that is probably on the lower end of some of the most successful sites. Quick story regarding age and money I became good friends with the webmaster of one of the adult sites I was an affiliate of back from 2000 – 2002 I chatted often with him about the biz and various things this guy never showed up at any of the web conventions or had his picture out there plastered on the net. Long story short I was in his city on business and we met for drinks at umm ah Starbucks!!! age had never came up in our conversations before but I was shocked to find out that the guy who had been sending me $2000 - $3000 checks for the past 2 years was an 18 year old recent high school grad. The great thing about the internet and having a web business is as long as you have an idea and access to a computer with internet connection you can be and do anything no matter what your ethnicity, age, and or sex is.

Rainman,

Good points your delivery is rough at times but seems like you know what you’re talking about regarding the web business best of luck to ya. One point though as maybe I misinterpreted it but just as you say you live on 60,000 BHT a month I think your definition of a successful website is a little skewed as IMO a successful website is whatever the owner sets as his goals yours may be 430k a month because you feel that’s what your time and engery are worth were as the guy making $10k USD a month might be more then content. The key is to save for a rainy day though because if you are living check to check off of your $2,000 USD a month and you hit a dry spell for a couple months and you have no reserve to adapt to the market and make changes then you are screwed.

BTW I have a friend that lives in Thailand and makes about $15k USD a month US and spends about $2k USD a month for his living and entertainment expenses. I asked him why he “doesn’t party like a rock star” he said he’s perfectly content with his house, his wife and living his comfortable low key lifestyle.

Bangkokrick,

You are absolulty right about “There is no quick and easy way to make money on the internet period.” Keywords can be a big help to websites here’s one FREE tool to help those find and research keywords *admin not spam https://adwords.google.com/select/KeywordTo...l?defaultView=2

Hmm looks like I typed enough BTW one of the websites I’m currently developing is going to be a property sales/rental listing site... Yep I know 100’s of those out there already but again why run from competition if you know you can do it with a twist and there is a demand so if anyone out there owns property , has looked for property to rent or buy recently feel free to PM me what you liked, hated or wished that site had on it that lists properties for rent and sale.

Thank you for an interesting and extremely well written post.

Good Luck, Rick

[rainman]

Rainman,

Good points your delivery is rough at times but seems like you know what you’re talking about regarding the web business best of luck to ya. One point though as maybe I misinterpreted it but just as you say you live on 60,000 BHT a month I think your definition of a successful website is a little skewed as IMO a successful website is whatever the owner sets as his goals yours may be 430k a month because you feel that’s what your time and engery are worth were as the guy making $10k USD a month might be more then content. The key is to save for a rainy day though because if you are living check to check off of your $2,000 USD a month and you hit a dry spell for a couple months and you have no reserve to adapt to the market and make changes then you are screwed.

BTW I have a friend that lives in Thailand and makes about $15k USD a month US and spends about $2k USD a month for his living and entertainment expenses. I asked him why he “doesn’t party like a rock star” he said he’s perfectly content with his house, his wife and living his comfortable low key lifestyle.

Exactly my point I'd rather live a less "high-so" lifestyle and have the peace of mind of money in the bank than spending my paycheck to the last cent every month and being worried that if the next paycheck doesn't come in, I'll be in trouble.

[zorro123]

Hi Prguy,

Read your posts, and its very true. But there is also somebody who is making thousands of dollars, as I found it in other thread...........Thailand Forum > Business in Thailand, Jobs in Thailand > Jobs, economy, banking, business, investment in Thailand.................. the thread is "Trading Forex, Able to generate a modest income?".....................Very interesting conversation for those who are interested in making money from web based businesses!!!!!

Zorro

I have witnessing a new trend here in Bangkok especially by single Farang Guys who are nearly going broke. They suddenly come up with ideas or are advised by others to go into a web-based business and they then invest huge amounts of money or even borrow money from friends...amounts like Bt 30k to 120K to get somebody to do their websites,etc and then after a month or two, they desperately start seeking help as are broke or the money is not coming in.

Examples are: Online Travel Agencies, Online Dating, Online Trading especailly Thai products, etc

Please before spending you last dimes on a web-based project...do your market reseach properly and also understand that just a web-ste and also links with search engines are not enough. There is lots of competition these days days and also you need offline mainstream marketing, PR and promotional strategies to make your sites work along with unique Unique Selling Points,Products,etc.

Please don't go bust embarking on something you know little about.

[Flow]

I think the thing to note is a lot of young people view the web in an entirely different way than those who did not grow up with it.

Also just because someone's first attempt, or tenth attempt doesn't make them a millionaire, does not mean their next attempt will not. There are lessons to learn and the internet business model can be a pretty low cost means of doing that. (unless of course you spend a lot of money on an 'Expert' who promises to guide you through the traps and in fact does no such thing).

I run a small internet business a self funding hobby. I look at it as fun, a means to pay for my holidays and importantly somewhere to learn new skills.

My plea to anyone wanting to start an internet business would be 'Please do have a go, but please don't spend money on 'experts' go out and learn for yourself'. Start small and build up as you go'.

Richard Branson started his business life selling records outside a public phonebox in Reading, using the public phone to run his business.

It's not about how you start, but how good is your idea, how hard you want to work and a large dollop of luck.

Indeed after using the services of a so called internet or web company. I can't agree with you more Guesthouse! What most web companies will do here is try to sort of hold you as a hostage so to speak by not telling you soem things that you need to know. I for one had no clue as to from who to buy a domain name or what a host was. Passwords? yes, you need them. But most webmasters won't give them to you for fear you leaving them for another company. And they always seem to advise you on more changes on your site so that they earn more money. They will also, I found, pick (in my experience) a host that is quite expensive, that way they get a nice cut. Not to mention every little change or what they call maintenance fees, whcih is really the uploading of pages any schoolboy can do.

waht Id did. I closed the site down, and hired a private turor 6 hours at 1800 Baht. I've got a nice enough site hosted with a the world's biggest Company for 250 Baht now. Previously I was payig 550 Baht per month in hosting fees!!! I am in the driver's seat, I got the passwords, and I can upload the pages I want whenever i want. In conclusion, I strongly advise against hiring a webmaster, unless of course you really want something professionally and state of the art and something that is really difficult to design...

[blizzard]

i still dont understand why you successful web operators dont want to give us your real life examples of how you make money on web!

[Norrad]

Web related businesses don't just mean sites with products or services to offer. Many foreigners with sites that "Make it" don't sell or offer anything from their site. They simply supply good content and live off the ad revenues.

Making your site work takes time and effort, there are no get rich quick ways about it. You will need to find marketable products or provide interesting content. I run a content site (See my profile for the link) and it's slowly starting to get popular. I spend most of my day working on the code, trying out new advertising oppotunities and building up quality inbound links.

If you stick at it and find a good niche, almost anything you do will become a success.

[JimsKnight]

Yup thats how I do it.

Ad revenues rock

They only kicker is someone selling a niche product on the web will usually be the 'pinnacle' of how far you can take making money on the net.

I've never had the balls to even go there

[simon43]

Someone made a previous comment about growing a fledgling company, and the issues concerned with getting funding, taking on staff etc. Depending upon what type of business you're running, this should not be a concern if your business can function without employees. (Isn't that the best sort of business??).

I've been in the same business since about 1999, and I always work alone, with no employees, no website and no affilates! The money I earn is down to my own skill and hard work. $15,000 each month is regularly achievable, although now I tend to spend only about 30 minutes a day on my business, - too busy with family:)

You do not neccessarily have to think of a new idea or innovation to be successful. Some existing ideas are not being fully exploited. But you do need to be determined!

Simon