interview_with

My secret to success is by attaining happiness...and the way to happiness is by staying present, no thought, just complete presence.

Brought to you in partnership with Rod Beckwith - http://mrjv.com/

Highest Education: One year at a university - "I dropped out. It seemed like prison."

Year Started Business: 2004

Type Of Business: Affiliate marketing

Target Market: "Almost everyone! About every category you can think of on the Internet has an affiliate program for affiliates to sell their product(s) or service(s). The No. 1 product I enjoy selling is anti-spyware software, anti-virus software, and MP3 download sites to name a few."

Best Month (Gross Revenues): 21,500

Hours Worked Per Week During Startup Phase: 35

Hours Worked Per Week Now: 20

Favorite Business Magazines: Revenue - "This magazine is dedicated to helping affiliates grow their own online business. They have many affiliate program advertisements inside of it to get affiliate marketers to promote many company products."

Favorite Business Books Or Authors:

The Power of Your Supermind, by Vernon Howard
The Road to Good Fortune (audio), by Guy Finley
The Power of Now, by Eckhart Tolle.
"Their teachings have helped changed my life in a way that cannot be conveyed in words."

Relaxes By: Staying present in the here and now - "As long as my mind isn't lost in thought, I'm relaxed."

Keeps In Shape By: Doing situps and pushups to keep in shape - "I also stay in shape by only eating when my stomach tells me to." :-)

Favorite Part Of The Job: "All of it! The first thing would be the residual Income, which gives me time freedom. The second thing I enjoy is that I'm not tied down to it. I can leave my business any day of the week and travel to the other side of the world and simply look at my business by using the Internet. I also like the fact that I don't have to wear nice looking clothes just to impress people to get their business. It's nice when you can be yourself and not care what you look like in front of the eyes of others. If I want to work in my underwear, I can :-). These are just a few of the things I love about affiliate marketing. I could probably fill a book on all the benefits it has to offer."

Least Favorite Part Of The Job: "Dealing with people of no Integrity. Just like any business, you must not be vulnerable to people. You got to keep a keen eye out on people who want your money. That is why I only do business with people who win only if I win. So my advice would be to always make sure it's a WIN-WIN situation! This is a powerful lesson for anyone who truly wants long-term success."

Companies Admired: Life of Learning Foundation and New Life Foundation

Favorite Quotes: No man is really interested in what he craves. He is really interested in being at peace with himself, but doesn't know how. —Vernon Howard "His teachings have been so powerful; they have helped my life take on an entirely new meaning."

Special Business Achievements/Honors: "The day my business made a profit. When I first started affiliate marketing, my only goal was just to turn a small profit....and if that could happen, I new that bigger profits were just around the corner."

Number Of Months Before Achieving A Profit: The first month in business -"I started out making only about $2/day in my first month. Of course, I didn't tell anyone at this point, since I know what their reaction would've been. So instead I persisted on and kept quiet. By my second month in business, I was making about $120/day in consistent profits. Then by my third month in business I was making over $500/day and became financially free. My most recent accomplishment to date was the making of my e-book Affiliate Money Tree™
that allows affiliates to copy my success in the pay-per-click engines.

Books/Tapes/Reports Authored: Affiliate Money Tree™ Handbook—an e-book that teaches affiliates how to make over $18,659 a month in the Pay-Per-Click search engines by simply copying Mike's already proven Keywords used for his affiliate programs -"I basically give them everything they need to know and have to become financially free."

Contact Mike At: Phone - (519) 864-5850 or E-Mail - mike@affiliatemoneytree.com

GETTING STARTED TIPS:

I'm starting a home business next month. I have a maximum of $3,000 in start-up capital. Where should I invest it?

The great news about affiliate marketing is that you can get started on a "shoestring" budget for less than $100. In fact, in my e-book, AffiliateMoneyTree, I show you how to get started with $0 and absolutely no risk. Starting an affiliate marketing business is so cheap, simple, and profitable because:

You don't need a Website,
You don't need to have a product or service,
You don't need employees,
No overhead (you just need a computer and Internet connection), and
Unlimited profit potential.

I've just started a home business. My spouse has given me six months to make it work. Any advice?

Just like a seed, a business needs time to grow. It can't be rushed, and you can't keep plucking it up hoping it will sprout. You have to allow it to grow in its own time frame or it won't work at all. This is a huge reason why many business startups so often fail—because they keep plucking it up instead of being patient with it.

Throughout our lives we have been conditioned by mediocre minds. Why do we so easily believe the opinions of other people? Does it really take money to make money? The answer is NO.
The good news is, is that affiliate marketing (a business seed) sprouts fairly quickly and can usually see profits in less than 24 to 48

hours after launching it. Putting a time frame on a business to make it work isn't something I would recommend. Instead, you should nurture it, like you would a seed that needs water, warmth, oxygen, and sun to make it grow. Your affiliate business should have all the proper tools, such as a computer and Internet connection. Other tools for marketing would include the pay-per-click search engines. But the most important tool of all, is to have a clear mind. This allows you to make better business and marketing decisions.

They say it takes money to make money. Should I try to get a small business loan for my startup capital or just try to get by with my own limited finances?

Throughout our lives we have been conditioned by mediocre minds. Why do we so easily believe the opinions of other people? Does it really take money to make money? The answer is NO. I'm living proof of that. When I started I, was completely broke, and at the end of my rope...but instead of going to get a loan, I did research on affiliate programs and then started in the pay-per-click search engines with less than $100.

But knowing what I know now, I realize that I could have started with nothing. In my e-book, Affiliate Money Tree, I show how simple it really is to make money with no money in the pay-per-click search engines. Yes, even with no money in the pay-per-clicks where people pay for clicks while you are not! So to answer your question, I would say NOT to get a loan. Many things happen when you're running your business soley on your own capital. Psychologically speaking, time, money, and resources become used much differently and more wisely. First, you will be less foolish on throwing your money away on non-targeted advertising. Second, you will allow yourself to think outside the box so that you have the resources to make it work on nothing. And third, your time will be more focused on the essential parts of your business when you know that money isn't gowing to buy your way into a successful business.

TECHNOLOGY & TOOLS:

How quickly do you adopt new technology for your business?

Not much technology is needed for this business. Just a computer and Internet is really all I need. But even if you didn't have that, it would still be possible to run my business by going to Internet cafes, friends, etc. This is just another example of how a person can start with nothing.

How do you use e-mail in your business?

E-mail is my business' main source of communication. I use it for affiliate marketing and customer service. I help my readers of Affiliate Money Tree via e-mail when they have questions or need some advice. It works very well and is free.

How do you utilize the Internet?

I use the Internet for 100% of my marketing.

How many of your own Website(s) do you have?

I don't have any Websites for 100% of the affiliate programs I make money with. I simply direct the traffic straight to the affiliate Website. The only two Websites that I own are the one where I offer Affiliate Money Tree, which teaches affiliates how to copy my success, and http://bugdoctor.com/ (coming soon!), which is a software that cleans your windows registry for any bugs and errors that might be messing it up

Do you use autoresponders?

I've just started using this tool in my business for my Free Affiliate Money Tree Newsletter that gives affiliates tips for making money on Google Adwords and other pay-per-click search engines.

Describe your computer system and how you use computers in your business.

I don't have any Websites for 100% of the affiliate programs I make money with. I simply direct the traffic straight to the affiliate Website.
I own an eMachines laptop that I use for everything. The reason I chose a laptop computer is, so I can bring it with me anywhere I go. I also own a HP printer and scanner if I need to quickly print something off such as receipts or something else important.

What software do you consider in the "must-have" category?

I recommend people to have an antivirus software, firewall software, and other security software's to keep their PCs clean and safe from viruses and other garbage that can get onto their computer and mess it up.

What other technology do you use in your business?

As of now, the only technology I have is my laptop computer.

Name up to five personal favorite business URL's our readers can benefit from:

The top two affiliate networks I highly recommend is Clickbank.com and CJ.com. The top three pay-per-click search engines I recommend would be Overture.com, Adwords.com, and Findwhat.com.

Of all the technology you use, rank the top three. Why do you consider these to be the top three?

Of all the technology I use, the top three would be my laptop, Internet connection, and printer. These are about the only three that are necessary to start an affiliate marketing business.

MARKETING & ADVERTISING:

How do you market on the Internet?

Up until now, 100% of my marketing has been used in the pay-per-click search engines. I'm now going into other marketing fields such as e-mail marketing, joint-venture marketing, and other business projects where I give affiliates the opportunity to market my products, such as Affiliate Money Tree.

Approximately what percentage of your sales originate from Internet marketing?

100% of all my sales originate from Internet marketing.

What other kinds of marketing do you utilize?

I'm currently working on many JV opportunites that will expand my business and create brand awareness for my products.

Where do you market (locally, nationally, internationally, all three?).

I market locally, nationally, and internationally since my business is run using the Internet. Wherever there is an Internet connection, that is where I'm selling my affiliate products/services.

THE HOME OFFICE:

How should someone set up his/her home office to maximize its effectiveness?

Keep things neat and organized. The less clutter on your desk the better. Also, having a filing cabinet is useful for filing your expenses and affiliate commissions, as it will be much simpler during tax season.

What, if any, ground rules have you established for yourself and family in order to operate a successful home business?

My No. 1 ground rule is to do one thing at a time. This gets the job done much faster and with better quality. Plus it creates less stress.

What are some of the advantages to working at home? What are some of the disadvantages?

The advantages that come from working from home can fill the entire encyclopedia. The top three advantages I like are:

I can work in my underwear; since I'm my own boss and don't have any employees; I can wear whatever I want and don't have to impress anyone to get their business.
My computer is right beside my bed, so I don't have to deal with heavy traffic every morning and waste fuel getting there. My office is five steps away!
I can create my own hours. This is big, and will be even bigger in the future for if I ever get married and have a family. For anyone who wants to see their kids grow up, affiliate marketing can give you that option.
As for disadvantages, I would say the clutter of e-mail I get everyday from spammers is a concern, since this can tend to take your focus off the more important tasks of your business.

MANAGEMENT STYLE:

What part(s) of your work do you farm out?

The advantages of earning a lot of money is that you have more options. You can travel to more places, you can eat food that tastes better, and you can keep investing your money to expand and diversify your business.
The only parts of my business I farm out is for tasks such as Web design and software programming. I currently work with VirtualAbstract.com for the Web design of my sites. Highly recommended!

What part(s) do you feel should never be farmed out?

The heart of your business should never be farmed out. For me, that would be the marketing of my affiliate programs in the pay-per-clicks.

Do you encourage or discourage Partnerships?

I encourage partnership's only if it involves a WIN-WIN situation.

Do you encourage or discourage hiring family members?

That depends on the kind of family you have. If you and your family members have ever gotten into a fight about money...I would say NO.

When legal issues arise, what's your usual response?

My response is to hire a lawyer with Integrity. If they're not honest, you will likely find yourself dealing with another "criminal" trying to dip into your pockets.

MONEY & INVESTMENTS:

What are the advantages of earning a lot of money. What are some disadvantages?

The disadvantage is that people sometimes get a bigger ego when having more money. So my advice on this would be to remember who you are, not what you have.

Best general tax advice?

Once you start making a lot of money... I would highly recommend hiring the best accountant you can find; they can save you a pile of money that would've been easily handed over to the government out of ignorance.

Best general investment advice?

Best general investment advice would be "if something works, don't fix it!"

You're in business already, and you've just received a windfall of $20,000. What would you do with it?

Re-invest it back into the same business as well as testing new markets for business expansion.

POWERFUL IDEAS:

What was the motivating factor that drove you to start your own business?

Creating my own lifestyle.

What role, if any, did your family play when you were getting your business off the ground?

Nobody knew about my business when getting it off the ground. I find more times than any, when you tell someone what you're doing, they tend to give their opinion, which is usually negative feedback if they aren't already successful with what you want to do.

What motivates you now to continue building your business?

At the beginning, it was the fear of being broke my entire life and working for someone else. Today, I don't depend on motivation to build my business. Instead, it's more natural and enjoyable.

What's the best thing about being self-employed?

It gives you more options!

How often do you read books and/or listen to or watch tapes for improving your business skills or knowledge?

I rarely, if ever read business books to improve my lifestyle or business skills. I find that it actually stunts the long-term growth of my business. Instead, I learn the same way as I learned how to ride a bicycle—trial and error! The only kind of books I read anymore are the ones that will truly help all aspects of my life, which is happiness. These books include:

The Power of Your Supermind, by Vernon Howard
The Power of Psycho-Pictography, by Vernon Howard
In Search of the Miraculous, by P.D. Ouspensky.
These kind of books I read everyday, as they are helping me transform my life and see things much more clearly.

The most underrated activity in business is…

The most underrated activity in business is the personal touch. With so many online businesses and new people using the Internet for shopping, personal touch can highly increase your overall sales.

The most overrated activity in business is…

The most overrated activity in business is that people think they need to buy tons of books about business before they decide to get their feet wet. The best and fastest way to learn business is by making mistakes...because only then you will know whether or not something works!

What was the biggest obstacle you had to face when you were launching your own business? What's your biggest obstacle now?

My biggest obstacle I faced when launching my own business was the thought in my head saying that I couldn't do it. Today, my obstacle is still the same....keeping the thoughts out and the mind clear!

If you had to start your business all over again, what would you do differently?

Nothing!

What was your worst business decision?

The best and fastest way to learn business is by making mistakes...because only then you will know whether or not something works!
My worst business decision was the best mistake I ever made, since I learned something entirely new. What I learned was to stay targeted with my advertising. The more broad you get with your advertising, the higher the risk it will end up being unsuccessful.

What was your best business decision?

The best business decisions I make is when I don't listen to my thoughts.

What do you consider to be the main keys of your success?

The main keys of my business success would be to keep it simple and highly targeted.

What's your success philosophy?

To always start small and to never rush anything.

What about you has changed the most since finding success in business?

The thing that has changed most in my life is that I have found that no matter how much a person makes in the outer world, true prosperity is in the hands of the person who lives with a free mind.

What is the legacy you hope to leave?

To have people see that they are lost in thought. Once they see this, happiness can be achieved.

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