I've had many jobs during my working life, none of which were exhilarating. I had my own business for 10 years. I was excited about that at first but eventually burned out. Day after grueling day, I tried to keep customers satisfied, did quarterly taxes until two in the morning with a six-pack of Heineken watched the ebb and flow of cash, and, in the end, had nothing to show for it but the profit from the sale of the business and property.

Then, I moved on to a steady diet of 8 hours a day working for someone else. What a drag. I wanted to return to business, but I didn't want to do it like I did before.

The first time I heard about affiliate marketing, I fell in love with the business model. The idea of leveraging my time sounded terrific. I failed several affiliate marketing attempts until I ran across an article comparing the platform I was treading water at and Wealthy Affiliate. I'm home now.

Dave

Wow, I feel like this is going to be a book. I will try to keep it short, but there is A LOT that has inspired me to be where I am today.

*DISCLAIMER I didn't hold back on why I do this, and some things might disturb readers*
*Viewer reading advised*

I grew up in the Bay Area of California. I learned from a young age (through many unfortunate life experiences of my mother's making) that you should only rely on yourself to take care of yourself. I started working as soon as it was legal for me to do so and saved to buy the things I wanted. We were poor-ish, and I did what I could to help my family.

When I got my own place, I was working 2 jobs to pay for it. I met a guy, ended up getting married, and then several years learned he had severe PTSD when he started hurting himself and completely shut down from me. I became his caregiver-wife and tried to do that for a couple years. I escaped into online video games to give myself the mental break I needed from reality.

When his grandmother died, his parents moved up to Washington to be closer with family and I didn't want to go. So, I left him. I met my now husband through one of the games I played online. I went to Arizona to visit, and it was almost love at first sight. We are both crazy and weird, and we complement each other like pieces of a jigsaw puzzle.

I made the decision to move her to be with him and his kids in 2017, and 3 days after I arrived my father passed away on July 4th. He had been sick for a while, but he ended up having a heart attack when we thought he was going home from the hospital. I dealt with his death by trying to embody his life philosophy of “Just do what you need to do and be happy”.

Fast forward a year, and I happily and surprisingly found myself pregnant. I thought I couldn't have kids because of a complication from a procedure I had 15 years prior to deal with cancer. Plus, I had tried for almost 6 years with my previous husband and got nowhere (not for lack of trying believe you me).

Four months into being pregnant my younger sister died by being strangled by a clothing donation bin. She would go inside them to get clothes of poor families for the winter where she was, and dumpster dive for recyclables, to help them live. My Mother found out at her services that was the reason she did that. She had lived this double life that was completely altruistic helping those who she could in any way she could. She helped over a dozen families each year survive just cause she could.

That was when I join WA. In dealing with my grief, I needed something that I could do on the move, while pregnant, to help my family. I started a website dedicated to health in honor of my father, and one on parenting because I was going to be a Mom. Things were going wonderful until right after the birth of my son.

We found out that he was born with a heart defect called Epstein's Anomaly and will eventually need to have open heart surgery to repair it. We go every year to his cardiologist to get an echo cardiogram (think ultrasound of the heart) to find out how well his heart is functioning. We are waiting and hoping that we can delay surgery till his teens to give the surgeons more material to work with and reduce possible extra surgeries to correct growth-spurt issues in his heart.

So, we wait and watch for signs his heart is going south. We have oxygen in the house and extra doctor visits. We stay a little more isolated than most because of his heart. When COVID hit, we were so scared that if he got sick it would be his end since respiratory is tied right in with the pulmonary system. To this day we still wear masks when we go out in public because the “what-ifs” are enough.

So why do I do my website?

The short answer, because I want to. I need to have a sense of contributing to my family. My husband has a very good job, and we are well taken care of, but I still need to contribute. I am a stay-at-home mom who homeschools in the middle of a national forest in the middle of Arizona, but I still feel the need to contribute. I want to work, but need to be home, so it has to be remote as town is an hour drive away.

Doing my website, I have learned so much about homeschooling. I knew I was going to homeschool my little one, but I had no idea the depth that homeschooling could go. I have read so many articles, but many were so diluted to what actually was needed I felt lost with all there was. My blog is to help other homeschooling adults find a way to make homeschooling work for them. Everyone is on a journey, and I have learned it is best to help others as much as possible, because so many people are lost but mean well. So why not help if you can?

My real driving force that I blog is for myself, to better myself, to better my knowledge, to give my little guy the best I can with what I have. HE is my main and ultimate drive. He is the reason I am learning and writing about homeschooling. He is the reason I get up and get on my computer before he wakes. I want to be better because of him.

And if I can make money doing something thing that I was going to do anyways to better myself, why wouldn't I?

Book done.

Angela M :)

My story goes back to graduating from college and working various jobs looking to find my true purpose. I worked in sales because I was very shy and wanted to work through my fear.

It was a difficult process and even as I began to succeed I still dreaded picking up the phone or even going door-to-door on sales calls. I forced myself to do it and my fear lessened but didn't go away.

I found my true calling in working in the mental health field in which I was trained in college. I was able to relate to the kids with emotional hang-ups because it was I worked through over the years. Those kids helped me grow further as a person as I planted positive seeds over the years. Teacher and student hand-in-hand growing and discovering more about ourselves.

Now I am semi-retired after several years in business and mental health, and find myself combining both fields as a partner in a business that is purpose-driven and is raising money for teen mental health and suicide prevention as well as building a brand.

It's been a long journey but it continues as each day is a new adventure.

I appreciate the opportunity to share this. All the very best to all.

Joseph

Hummm, what is the story behind the scenes... of my career. I think the biggest is that I was raised by a father who believed, and taught all of his children (3 girls and 1 boy), that the only things standing in our way for success was us. His mantra and hard work had placed him in millionaire status.

I wanted that. I knew my hunger had to be as great as his. I chose after graduating from High School to enter the Air Force. And it stuck. I was active duty for 21.5 years. During that time I had gone through some really tough times. From a violent divorce to a joyous marriage. My husband and I have been married 48.5 years.

While I was in the service I learned so much, too. How to be comfortable speaking in front of large crowds, writing reports that went up the chain of command, and how lead people who didn't want to be led. Lol In other words I learned how to herd cats. (Try it some time... it is so much fun and challenging.)

After my retirement I went into to corporate America. That was a shock. But I got to do things that many rarely had the opportunity to do... I got to sit in the cockpit of a B-2 test plane. Now that was cool.

From there I went into ministry for several years, again speaking and encouraging people from all walks of life. Heading up several departments within the church and creating a newsletter for the congregation that went around the valley where we lived.

I got involved in Mary Kay Cosmetics and achieve directorship, along with earning the first level car. I did parties like most did, then I realized I was in one of the biggest areas of vacationers from the northern states and Canada. I proposed to the largest RV resorts in the area of having a glamour night for the ladies. At those I recruited a massage therapist, and a hair stylists to assist me, along with a caterer. I would charge $10 per person, the massage therapist gave chair massages to everyone for free (ended up with many as clients), the hair stylist also ended up with clients. And I pulled in members of my team and we sold to the 20 to 40 ladies that attended.

During that time I was member of the local Regions Chamber of Commerce. My peers nominated me for the Entrepreneur of the Year and Volunteer of the Year... I was surprised and shocked when I won. I've been world champion powerlifter and did feel the same shock and joy as I did when I won those awards.

In 2016 when we moved to the White Mountains in northern Arizona, I decided to 'retire.' Then I realized, the weather was too cold for my emotional support dog. So I started another business - sewing and selling designer dog clothing. Within three years it was paying for itself. But I had hurt myself physically, and couldn't continue doing it.

Six months later I was going nuts... have you ever been so restless in your spirit that you can't settle?

I'd always wanted to write fiction. Up to then I'd only written statistical reports and religious tracts/treaties. I hadn't been to an English class in over 50 years. Was I nuts to think I could write fiction? No I wasn't.

I looked at my hubby, and said, "I think I'm gonna write a book."

He gazed back at me, one side of his mouth kicked up into a grin. "Why don't you go ahead a write book."

In 45 day I wrote 108,000 word novel. It was terrible, but I was told it had good bones.
Since that day in 2020.... when I was told that, I have written five novels, two are published and I'm self publishing my 3rd this month. The other two are first drafts and will be ready next year for publication.

I also found out just prior to that, that my father had adult ADD. He loved to read but couldn't. So I asked some budding writers if they would like to join me writing anthologies (this is a book of short stories normally written by several individuals). There ended up being 10 of us. And I started to learn how to self publish. We call ourselves the Transcendent Authors. We have published six books and our seventh is coming out on Black Friday, Nov 29, 2024, These writers are now authors. All because they joined me and are now published.

Which is why I am here, now, at Wealthy Affiliates. I can see a winning scenario. Kyle and Carson, along with the ambassadors have broken through the ice to open a new door for me and you. Here I will have an avenue to not only learn but earn. How can you go wrong with that?

Being here is also opening a new door for me in that I am a trained podcaster, but I love chatting with people, getting to know them. So instead of 'podcasting', I interview those who are 'ascending.' People like you... working to grab the gold ring, and when you get it, you reach for the next.

I can have my cake and eat it too. I get to sell my books and introduce to the world those who are achieving.

Now you know most of what got me where I am today. If you have any question... I'm open.

Hello all!
Thank-you Kyle for this heartwarming and very interesting challenge. It is quite amazing to read all the stories and learn more about the community at WA.

I am approx 8 months new to the WA program, I have been searching for something to boost my income online for quite some time. While in my search I have come across quite a few programs that all seem to start at thousands of dollars and then as the course continues the price will increase, no payment options just payment upfront. Most of the reviews of successful people I noticed came from people with masters degrees and really high level achieving scholastic type persons. Now while this type of information seems great I had to look at myself and were I am currently standing. I don't have a record of high level scholastic talent, I currently already work 2 jobs to survive and can't really take on a third just to help fund an online business I knew nothing about. I just about gave on this dream of being able to work online just because I simply couldn't afford it.
Thankfully I found WA and started my journey because I was able to bring the price point within my scarice budget.

I am still new to the online world and I am still struggling with trying to find enough time to be consistent with my learning and posting. I am confidant with this group that I will get there it may just take me a little bit longer. I have not yet made a sale but that is not stopping me, knowing that some people have taken a little while to get there gives me alot of encouragement to keep pushing through.

My goal is to one day be able to work from home and to create more time with my family and be able to enjoy the wonderful world we live in and perhaps do some travelling!

I was a Strange Kid. Very different from most I guess.

Most would call kids like me nerds I guess but I was too tall and too athletic to ever be more than a smart jock. I was all of 6 or 7 when I started reading books on trading Penny Stocks and playing math games on paper as I followed my favorites in the exchange listings of every newspaper I could get my hands on.

My dad was an Entrepreneur, he had a business painting on Over The Road Trucks, those big 18-wheeled monsters that get your food and goods to the local stores. I knew early on I wanted the freedom to choose my own path and not be just another one in the crowd.

At Age 8 I earned my first bicycle raking leaves and moving lawns. That taught me the value of money and hard work and showed me YES YOU CAN.

At Age 10 I was shining shoes and boots at Truck Stops and Swap Meets and taking my earnings from that to buy toys and snacks to sell on the weekends at the swap meet.

At age 14 I started my first real business doing aluminum polishing on Over The Road trucks. I was rated one of the top 3 polishers in Road King Magazine by age 15 and sadly had to sell my equipment when we broke down in Quartzsite AZ at age 17. I went to work for McDonalds and at 18 became a shift manager and kept working management jobs and starting small seasonal businesses over the next 14 years.

In 2004, I got my second computer, and the Internet was starting to get faster and offer a lot more options. I was working for the Lawn and Garden Dept. in Walmart in Eastland, Texas, and started a Gardening Group on Yahoo Groups. A friend introduced me to a forum that not only exploded the group's membership but also taught me affiliate marketing.

My first affiliate program was eBay Partner Network and my first commission was under $2 a few months later having helped sell a pair of gloves and a Garden Trowel. I was hooked.

In 2005, I merged my social network, which I had started with an Aussie Friend's search engine script, and Kooiii Social Media Search was born. At our peak, we generated over 3.4 million page views and could aim that traffic at anything making money.

9 years later our network included an advertising service, and a half dozen content sites and promotional services. But I had been fighting with my business partner over some outside influences and a difference in direction and one night I wasn't feeling well.

I blew a fuse and read Dave the riot act, thumbed my nose at moving forward, and walked away from nine years and all that success that was building. Worse yet something inside me broke and I withdrew from my family shut out all my friends, and became a very angry and depressed guy who just wanted the world to go by without me.

I had a nervous breakdown that left me with bipolar and social anxiety disorder as well as crashing my physical health.

Now at Age 50, I am trying desperately to rebuild. I came to Wealthy Affiliate 10 years ago and was seeking to relearn everything I thought I knew and learned so much more. With my disorders, I have been my own worst enemy with a lack of consistent steady action so my earnings don't show my self-education, and my wife and my retirement is in serious jeopardy.

But I have a new social network that is just over 16 months old and has just passed the 1500-member milestone. I have 3 blogs and a new content calendar I am using, and after spending most of the year before last homeless I had the switch turned back on and have been improving steadily.

My mission has changed considerably. Now I don't just seek freedom and to provide for my wife and family, and I am not just in it for my personal why statement reasons. I know that Mental Illness and a Nervous Breakdown will not be the final answers in my story and that I still have a ton and 3/4 to give this world and I hope to bring a lot of people like me along for the ride.

My penultimate I have arrived moment will be when I fund a charity I have wanted to build to take people like my family who were simply priced out of the housing market and numbered among the least talked about working-class homeless and build homes to sell at slightly above cost on terms that are affordable to them.

I am strong in faith. I believe in 4 secrets of success that include a Strong Mind, a Strong Body, a True Heart, and Faith. I know also the power of leveraging other people's content and growth through TEAMS. I constantly look to network with authors in my niches to co-brand and build authority with. I help out here at WA where possible and just made it back to Ambassador status yesterday.

Together we can all find success.

Andy Anderson

I've been a member of Wealthy Affiliate for many years. Honestly, my websites haven't generated a steady income - just sporadic affiliate commissions a few times annually.

To be fair, there were hurdles along the way:
1. Job opportunities that took away from the time I could dedicate to my websites.

2. When part time work became a routine, when I finally had time for my websites, I was diagnosed with cancer.

Nevertheless, I never lost hope.

Post-recovery from cancer, I resumed working on my websites with renewed vigor. However, traffic has dwindled (understandably, as I was battling cancer for years) and commissions have ceased.

Yet, giving up was not an option for me. Questions swirled in my mind:

- How can I regain traffic? My web pages, once prominent on Google's first page, have vanished from those ranks.

- What steps should I take?
I considered revisiting the Hubs' training, treating my website as a new venture. But since it wasn't actually new, I thought of it more as a refresher - to ensure my websites were still poised for success and to discover any new strategies that could bridge existing gaps.

- plus, there were many more thoughts and questions.

Feeling lost and confused, I sought advice from Kyle. He recommended a fresh start, explaining that "Online business and SEO practices are constantly evolving, and refreshing your knowledge can uncover new strategies or gaps that need addressing."

His insights were compelling. So, I returned to square one, pondered my current passions, and with Kyle's guidance, selected a niche.

Subsequently, I chose a domain name and initiated a new Hub for this latest website. Adhering to the training, my new website materialized.

Embarking on this new Hub and absorbing the training, I've encountered new insights. The gaps Kyle referred to have become apparent, and I am now more equipped to tackle them.

I am continuing with the training and website development. The standard pages such as 'About Tim', 'Privacy Policy', and 'Affiliate Disclosure' are complete. Branding and logo are also finished. The first blog post has been added, and I am currently working on the first review.

I've persisted and am progressing. The past years have been challenging, but I refuse to dwell on them. I am now cancer-free and in good health. Once again, I'm securing teaching opportunities like those I had previously. Currently, I'm expanding my new website and am optimistic about its success.

I have always held the belief that I would find success and earn money online. This belief persists and continues to motivate me.

To anyone reading this, I wish you great success and good health!

Timotheus

Before I start, I'd like for you to all take the time to read everyone's post. We have all struggled and we still do from time to time, but we keep moving forward and you may learn a thing or two from every story. We are all here to help each other grow. With that...

From very young, I'd see my brothers and mother hustle on the side. Brothers were fisherman and my Mother worked in the fields. Brothers would catch the fish and my mother would sell it and make a cut. She'd work the fields and resell the crop that couldn't get sold in the market. My aunts and uncles all had side businesses. Catering deserts, slaughter house, building homes etc. It was the hustle and they were all use to it. There was no question on why am I doing this, they just did it to provide for their families.

And I wanted that for myself too.

When I got out of college, I found a job doing computer stuff but I wanted to be a consultant and I did it for a few months but for whatever reason I stopped and my priorities changed... years and years and a few jobs later in 2013, I asked my boss how long it would take me to get to x salary and he could never give me an answer. Fast forward 8 years, still wasn't close to x salary. The company I was working with for nearly 15+ years was getting ready to lay us off because we lost the contract. Well, I was scared to do interviews, always been scared. But one day, I just told myself to stop being #&*($ scared. I owned up to myself and skills and what I needed to do. I put a smile on and gave it my best and not even a month had gone by and a few interviews and I got myself 2 offers and basically a 30% raise. I got my x salary and then some...

This catapulted my confidence and provided me with disposable income. Income that led me to purchasing a $10K program. Roughly 3 years went by and 1 sale. On top of the cost of the program, I spent tons of money on tools and traffic. I felt cheated but this lead me down the path to working on my mindset...

Started listening to a lot of audiobooks...

Purchased different programs and platforms, WA being one of them. Learned strategies here that reiterated what I learned and also new things that I could implement into my business. Continued the shiny object track for a bit and then stopped.

I reflected on all the different tools I had and wasn't using and then did a reset.

Joined a mastermind... currently 2 at that... and now everything is falling into place.
The "networking" and environment ... I read somewhere... environment beats willpower. Surround yourself with people that inspire you and help you and that you can contribute too as well.

Bottom line... invest in yourself... You win either way... with a lesson or success.

Always look on the bright side of things... you cup will be full in no time.

Would love to hear if you got any take aways from this. Today is my birthday and just to be here, able to type to you about my journey... couldn't ask for anything more. I got my socks, audiobook subscription and my wife and kids sang happy birthday to me and there was some cookies and ice cream. Love y'all!

My journey started when I got hurt at work. After 35 years in the field repairing and maintaining gasoline pumps and fuel distribution systems, all of a sudden my back gives out and I can no longer do what I e been doing 1/2 my life. I had two choices, 1) wallow in self pity, or 2) Press in, press on, and press thru! I spent a lot of time looking for something that I would enjoy, then it came to me in a dream. Besides woodworking, which can be tedious and unprofitable, I enjoy creative writing of poems and short stories. But I needed to find my passion. Fast forward, I found Wealthy Affiliate in a web search for home business. Today, after a little over 6 months of basic training, listening to the community input, and learning about building a website, I have two hubs active, all my posts are indexed, and I have been approved for 3 affiliate marketing programs in my niche. If I can do it anyone can!
‘IF IT IS TO BE, IT’S UP TO ME!!!’

Before I started working as Entrepreneur, my first job was as english teacher in a course here in Rio de janeiro I used to teach for children teens and adults. Then I Started teaching at school , and then in companies . It was good and I liked a lot . But I also liked to work with sells . I must tell that I am always afraid , well now not so much. During the pandemic I started to study arts , and drawing . And I used to stay alone at home drawing painting and reading arts books. It s good to be alone, well not always......But the good part is that you get more self knoledge , and this was very good to me because took me to build my business. In the beggining I was not making money. But I was enjoying a lot drawing, painting , arts , and then fashion. I was not thinking about money , but for sure , when you work with what you love , money comes as a consequence .
And that s what happened to me ! Took a long time , and i used to think , that I couldn t make money this way. Well I was wrong , and I must tell by my experience, Change your strategies but never change your aim . This is what I have learned along these years . And I believe it can work for all .