AMA JON FISHER - ASK ME ANYTHING
- Thread starter Jon
- Start date
1. What are the main qualities needed to succeed in IM these days? Except for connections and having a ton of $.
2. What would you do if you were starting from the bottom in IM world (no connections, no $)?
3. Who would be your top posters in WF regarding media buying except yourself, smaxor, mpbiz, dickarmy, mattaw, xmcp123, adhustler and sumitdhawan?
4. Any thoughts about the future of IM besides what you said in mGrunins trading thread?
I hope you will answer one of those!
2. What would you do if you were starting from the bottom in IM world (no connections, no $)?
3. Who would be your top posters in WF regarding media buying except yourself, smaxor, mpbiz, dickarmy, mattaw, xmcp123, adhustler and sumitdhawan?
4. Any thoughts about the future of IM besides what you said in mGrunins trading thread?
I hope you will answer one of those!
A huge range... My lawyer and accountants hate me because of it. I confuse myself sometimes.
First off, I don't even know how to define WHAT my title or job description is, so I don't bother with biz cards or any of that stuff. When someone asks me what I do, I try to keep it simple and boring. Many of us seem to have the same response.
My absolute goal right now has been to consolidate all of my interests, sell off positions or full projects that require too much of my time without a consistent profit to boot, and simultaneously organize one hell of a management team.
I'm tellin ya, people with a natural talent for executing/getting shit done, project/team management, being loyal, bold, upfront and somewhat fearless workhorses are rare as shit these days. If any of you match this, get in touch with me asap. /end adv
I'm involved in a lot of online but also many offline industries too. Some of the offline stuff I've done or a mix of both online and offline, would be crisis management and more covert mass persuasion stuffs. I've got a few big boy campaigns under my belt for some very well funded, very evil industry corps in the private security, energy, and agriculture industries, as well as staple clients and partners in banking/financing, commercial/industrial firms, etc.
I like doing work for these kinds because its incredibly challenging and it always blows my fucking mind at just how far reaching and destructive they can be, but to their credit, they always pay their bills in full upfront and go above and beyond, resources/connections wise if I should ever need it. It makes it easier to sleep at night. Sorta.
For online stuff, a little of everything. So long as its legal or even gray area (not so high on the ethics and morals scale), challenging for me, and profitable, then you'll find me dabbling. I really like longterm plays, but short term ones are a lot of fun and snagging those big cash out days are great, so I won't say no. But the gems I take on are almost always long term, medium risk, high return, services/products you'd never think of as big winners.
I still do consulting every now and again to individual clients, but none of that mentoring/coaching bullshit. My current rate is $10k per 3 hours, and only a few of them pay me a monthly retainer to be on call whenever for however long, but that can get dicey.. Clients don't just get management or any other type of biz advice, they get what I would do if it were me in their shoes kinda advice, and many times, connections and pro intel sourcing to make sure they are five steps ahead. Wish I had someone like me to help me sometimes. I'd be a cajillionaire.
Great job building a great gay webmaster forum. Nothing like WF
So I am curious, did the owner himself ever do a guy?
Very interested. Will you demand sexual favors?
So I am curious, did the owner himself ever do a guy?
Very interested. Will you demand sexual favors?
I start from scratch every single day. That's my attitude. That's just one way I'm able to stay on top and ahead of everyone else. The moment you stop doing precisely that, you can kiss your position goodbye, as it will only be a matter of time from then. Fairly quickly too.
Anyway, great question...
I'd stay clear of most adult stuff these days. It used to be the holy grail and the never ending Golden goose laying golden eggs and the gift that just keeps giving, but those days have dried up. Significantly. I still consider it part of our industry, because it is, after all, the founding industry of all aff marketing, internet commerce, and media creation and distribution. But, its also the most whored out (pun) place to be, because as well as sex may sell, selling of the actual sex is tough now since those TGP idiots started to give it out for free as a means to market their shit, and then it turned on them.... However advertising on the tube sites and such, are a completely different story.
Stay clear of anything that is easy for consumers to get for super cheap or free, unless you have an edge.
Now, you can certainly create the perception of having an edge, by adding a bit of unique spin to it. But don't be toooo creative, as the FTC doesn't like this.
Also stay clear of offers in general that look like they aren't the real deal or are claiming shit that you know is impossible. These types of offers and advertisers, while they may sell well, they almost always blow up in your stupid face down the line, and/or you're going to run into major competition that likely has more cash and a bigger war chest than you.
There are some niches I do want to reveal that you should look into, especially now, but I won't go there. I won't be a massive tease, if you pm me I'll tell ya a few.
There are always niches that go up and down like a roller coaster. Most of them are not the ones you'd think.
But the most solid, consistent ones, are actually those damn zip/email submits, coupons, mobile related, the nothing new here, they are well financed by the offer owners and networks, and its just one massive data fire sale anyway, so they know all the tricks in the book, but many times, they will look the other way if the volume is consistent and the quality isn't total shit.
Trial/CC-required offers still do well. Most people have abandoned the US due to fear of being frozen by the FTC or by being sued by consumers and state AG's. Can't really blame them for leaving, but what that has done instead is opened the market for a new resurgence of the same shit, but different name and color now. We'll def see the whole Acai/weight loss/bizop clusterfuck happen all over again. The money is just too good for the big sharks to turn down, so that's inevitable.
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I actually did do that, sorta. After the adult industry, I sold off all of my interests and got out before I became too numb to everyone and everything, plus I didn't want to be that really creepy guy in the corner that drools and jerks off with sandpaper.. you know...
I went off to Europe, with no bags, no plans, nowhere to stay, etc.. I just figured, fuck it, I'm done, never need to work again, I'm set for life, let's see what the Europeans will do for the monies... It was great fun, learned a lot, but I was back here, stateside, after just about 10 months.
I got bored, fast. I will never retire fully. I may take a leave of absence, or I may not focus as hard into one area, but retiring isn't for me. Then again, I'm not married and I have no kids, so depending on priorities like those, who knows. It may be for me someday.
But for now, I feel like I have a lot more to accomplish, a lot more money to earn, and technically speaking, I'm not part of the absolute ruling class just yet and its always been my goal to earn my way into that sector.
I did however, about four years ago, begin doing heavy research into acquiring acreage in Scotland, building a castle, obtaining noble rites, and spend the rest of my days floating in my Loch, naked, smoking the pot, and having topless hot chicks run around for me all day long... And I am completely serious and have it all mapped out and ready to go, all that's left is the financing and me saying "go". But I'm not ready for that shit just yet.
Thanks for doing this, been an interesting read so far.
Any lifestyle habits/rules you think are particularly conductive to success?
Any lifestyle habits/rules you think are particularly conductive to success?
Cash used to be the answer to this, but after hitting a certain level, you realize that no amount will ever truly satisfy your desire to keep making/getting more. So I did some self reflection a few years ago, took off a few months from everyone and everything, and came to some very profound realizations. One of those being the answer to this.
The absolute thing that drives me is my desire to take on challenging sometimes seemingly impossible business related projects, and both defy and over-exceed MY own expectations. I used to always think "now if I can just prove this to them/him/her..." and that left me open. Now, I do it for my own expectations, and realistic ones too.
Everyone needs to reach this region inside themselves on their own. I am a firm believer that if everyone starts out, and continues to push themselves and force themselves into a non-comfort zone, and then take on a challenging project, so long as they can prove it to everyone around them, they will be able to build themselves up and conquer their career/niche arena. Only when they achieve that level of success (you'll know it when it happens, or someone will end up telling you eventually, so don't worry) only then, can they from that point on, take on challenges and prove it only to themselves, and not everyone around them. I think most people are taught to prove it to yourself first and then others, and I think that's counterproductive, because of course if you have the power to decide "yes, you've done it, congrats!" from the start, without being a seasoned professional or expert level, you'll sell yourself short from the start and thus will begin your cycle of doing shit half assed or not as great as it could be, and thus... you will settle! In my mind, settling is the enemy.
Rarely am I unable to take on a challenging project/client/etc, and not conquer it. However, another thing I realized and have accepted too, is that I am human, therefore not perfect. Sometimes, you just need to know when to quit and accept that you're just not the man for the job and by being upfront about it to yourself and to others on that team/project, you'll be doing everyone a great service by removing yourself from that equation asap.
Thus is life. Usually you can win, but at what price, and other times you lose, and you just need to accept it for what it is, and break away from it/let it go, and find the next one.
Simple.
You said online, not in general so...
Its the same old story, with a new name and color and a bit of a seemingly new and improved spin. The last NEW type of product/service was way back in the 90's when those retards started selling .exe ebooks and magical everything does it for you in one place, software. Selling magic cures in pill form isn't very new. Just look at anything that was popular via mail-order catalogs and backroom operations, change the name, colors, add some new spin to it, and voila, you've created a new hit from old shit. Amazing how that works....
If you were referring to traffic/means of selling to the masses, then you're probably going to assume I say mobile/devices and all of that shit. But I won't, because as great as those options are, they all have their limits, plus they are still an old way of doing so, with a few twists and tweaks to spin it as new and the next big thing.
I think audience targeting/delivery is the big thing. I mean really, fuck having to advertise on specific sites, when you can pick out an audience and find them everywhere, all the time, you know, follow them around, and don't stop until they buy/interact... and even then, bother them some more because you know they are just living, breathing, consuming machines anyway. Psh!
NYC pizza, shrimp and pepperoni. God will strike me down dead, someday for not keeping kosher. I know it.