Affiliate Marketing, What I Do, What It Isn’t, and Why I Believe in It
Hey Wa Fam ,
So I was talking with a guy the other day, just a casual chat. He noticed my yellow Bigfoot shirt, the one with BELIEVE across the belly.
He smirked and asked, “You really believe in that stuff?”
“Yup,” I said. “I believe in it so much I built a whole brand around it.”
That caught him off guard.
“Wait, what? You mean… you make money off Bigfoot?”
I told him the truth. “Yeah. From book sales, products, affiliate commissions, all of it.”
(For the record, I’ve written 9 Bigfoot books soon to be 10.)
That’s when his tone shifted. He leaned in.
“This sounds kinda like an MLM…”
Nope. Not Even Close.
I cut in, friendly but firm.
“Hold on. MLMs and affiliate marketing are two completely different things. They can both be lucrative, but the way you earn is totally different.”
I broke it down:
- MLM: You build a downline. You spend your day selling and recruiting. That’s not me.
- Affiliate marketing: I look for what people are already searching for online. I build content that answers their questions or helps them decide. If they click my link and buy, I earn a commission. That’s it.
No chasing my cousin. No bugging my neighbor’s dog. No pressure tactics. Just useful content where people are already looking.
“You’re Already an Affiliate Marketer…”
To help it click, I asked him, “What’s something you’re passionate about? Something you could talk about all day?”
He thought for a second. “Fishing. But you’ve gotta be a pro to make money doing that.”
I laughed. “Being a pro is one way, sure. But let me ask you this: have you ever told a buddy about a great rod or a solid reel you loved?”
“Of course,” he said. “All the time.”
“Then guess what?” I hit him with it. “You’re already an affiliate marketer. You’re just not getting paid yet.”
A lightbulb went off. I said, “Did you know Bass Pro has an affiliate program? You can link people to rods, reels, boats, gear and when they buy, you get paid.”
“What?! For real?”
“Yup. Now let me ask you this do you think Bass Pro is a pyramid scheme?”
He laughed. “No, of course not.”
“Exactly. So now you see it. I’m not running an MLM. I’m helping people find the gear, stories, and products they already want.”
“But I’m Not a Tech Guy…”
That was his next hesitation.
“I’m not good with websites. I wouldn’t even know where to start.”
I nodded. “Me either, man. I didn’t know a thing. But I found a platform that teaches you step by step. You don’t need to be a tech expert. You just need to start.”
That platform is Wealthy Affiliate. I talk about it because it gave me the training to write blogs that actually rank, a roadmap to turn ideas into income, and a community that’s real, not hype.
It’s not overnight money, and it’s not easy. But it’s real.
Full Honesty: How I Make Money
Yes, when someone signs up through my Wealthy Affiliate link, I earn a commission.
I might earn monthly or yearly depending on their plan.
But I don’t get paid from their “downline.”
I don’t make money when they bring in others.
WA simply credits me for the referral, and that’s it. No multi‑level tree. No recruiting treadmill.
I don’t chase. I build.
The End of the Talk (But the Start of the Journey)
That guy might not jump in.
And honestly? That’s okay.
He walked away knowing something most never do that affiliate marketing and MLMs aren’t the same game.
One is pressure. The other is permission.
Permission to build something honest. Something that lasts.
And I walked away reminded why I’m still here.
Because I believe in this.
I’ve seen what it can do not just in dollars or traffic charts, but in purpose.
I’ve built books, blogs, brands... from the cab of a truck, from a laptop in the woods, from a place in my soul that just wouldn’t quit.
So where do you start?
That’s the question I get the most.
And the answer? It’s simple:
👉 Start with the Core Training.
You don’t need to know code.
You don’t need a list of 10,000 followers.
You don’t need to have it all figured out.
You just need a reason.
A heartbeat.
And the willingness to take the first step.
Affiliate marketing isn’t a gimmick.
It’s not hype.
It’s not a trick to get rich overnight.
It’s helping people and getting paid for it.
That’s what changed everything for me.
And it can change everything for you too.
So if you’re sitting there wondering if you’re too late, too small, too uncertain…
Let me say this from the deepest part of me:
You’re not.
Start where you are.
Build what matters.
And don’t stop believing in what you can do even if no one else sees it yet.
That’s where the shift begins.
Shawn
🦶 Still building. Still believing.
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Recent Comments
25
Wonderful and inspiring post, Shawn!
I love that you were wearing your shirt with the Bigfoot design :)
But, hey - I believe! I'm a sci-fi nut, so I've always been there.
You have some great answers to him. Did you remember all of that when you were talking to him, or just the basics and you filled in later, as I tend to do, lol?
I'm gonna share this, too.
Teri
Thanks so much, Teri! 🙏 That shirt’s pretty much my go-to now can’t talk Bigfoot without wearing Bigfoot! 👣😂
And I love that you believe too once you’re into sci-fi, this kind of stuff just feels natural, doesn’t it?
As for what I said to him… yeah, most of it I remembered. When you're passionate about something, the words just show up.
And honestly, he was a guy like me drove truck, loved the outdoors.
If you ask my wife… get me inside a Bass Pro Shop and good luck getting me out, haha. I even have them set up as an affiliate program too. 😄
You could say I’m kind of like Inspector Gadget with his wardrobe that’s me with Bigfoot gear and wolf stuff.
Appreciate you sharing it too that means a lot. You always show up with support, and I see that. 💯👊
Shawn
Hey Shawn,
I hope you have had a great weekend and week so far! What a great and persuasive story. Do you really believe in Bigfoot, or do you just promote a myth for those who also believe?
You break down what affiliate marketing is so small and easy to understand. I had another question, but I have forgotten what it is now. Maybe I'll remember later. 🤣
Hey Hein, thanks for the kind words!
Yes, 100% I believe in Bigfoot. For 3 reasons.
The biggest one? My cousin had an encounter, and I’ve trusted him with my life. If he says he saw what he saw, I believe him. and he is why i'm here sharing his truth and keeping his memory alive.
And then there’s my own experience something I could never explain.
One night between 1:30 and 3 AM I was hauling a load of oil out from a well about 90 km into the bush. Pitch dark. My truck lights felt like they were being swallowed by the night. Something about it felt off. My load was almost full, only a few cubes to go.
I was standing inside the berm a big dry pit with one or two black tanks about to close my tank in. That’s when I heard branches breaking behind the tank in the bush. I shut the tank in, started rolling up my hose, and to my right a timber wolf stepped into the edge of my lights.
Normally, I’d just watch a wolf and keep calm. But that night it started moving in. When I turned toward my cab another one came in from the front of the truck. My pump was off, so I scrambled up the ladder to the top of my tank. By then it was two of them circling, then a third started moving in.
I was in real trouble no way to get into the cab. All I could do was sit there and wait them out. They weren’t leaving, even when I yelled. Honestly, I thought that was it.
Around 3 AM I heard this god-awful scream. It cut right through me, like my heart was about to jump out of my chest. The wolves bolted like bats out of hell, tails tucked. It wasn’t a wolf call. I didn’t see anything, but I felt it.
By 3:30 I climbed down, still shaking. Hauled to that same well for three more years never saw a wolf there again.
On top of that, I’ve got 38 years of searching for Bigfoot behind me. I’ve talked to hundreds of people who’ve had encounters. There’s a guy I know who lives off the grid an Indigenous elder. He had a footprint he’d kept safe, and I got to hold it when I visited him. That year I told him my encounter. He listened and told me it was the spirit of Bigfoot that saved me that night. I believe him with my whole heart.
And the third reason? I’ve traveled the path into the unknown. I’ve listened to ancient legends, and I believe in the other side. I’ve had four encounters with shadow people and even wrote a book about it.
So yeah… I’m not just “promoting a myth.” I truly believe there’s a presence out there. 👣
I’ve always said:
“Reality and the paranormal aren’t two different worlds they’re two different ways of looking at the same one.”
When that other question comes back to you, hit me up I’ll be here. 😄
Shawn
Oh wow, Shawn. What an interesting mini-novel you wrote here, and now I am also convinced. This is really fascinating, and like you, I believe in the paranormal and aliens too. I also believe there is a parallel Earth and maybe even a galaxy.
If you think about the universe, and all its galaxies, there is no way we are the only planet with lifeforms on it. Thank you for sharing, I would like to have a PDF version of at least one of your most interesting books.
Great conversation and simple explanation ! I am sure he is probably thinking about all that you told him! 👏👍
Thanks, AC really appreciate that! 🙏
It was a solid conversation, and I think it planted the right kind of seed.
Only downside? I never dropped any actual names… 😅
But hey, like I always say if it’s meant to be, it’ll circle back around.
Sometimes people just need to hear something real without all the pressure.
Glad you caught that in the vibe. 👊👣
Shawn
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This is a really intriguing post!
For one, I like the images of 'you' there that you made/placed onto the blog.
Secondly, I also had thought about the MLM concept because of my past (many failed) attempts at that business model (and never wanting to do it again) due to the signing people on kind of thing, but then I realized that wasn't it at all once I got looking at WA closer.
Lastly, this is some really good insights into how people think and behave and how you can turn that around.
Thanks for the inspiration Shawn!
Thanks so much, Meadow that really means a lot.
I totally get what you’re saying about MLM. I’ve been through that same mess, chasing systems that felt off and left me drained. WA flipped that for me too real tools, real training, and no chasing people. Just building.
Glad the blog spoke to you. That’s why I share the gritty parts someone out there always needs to hear it. Let’s keep building something real.
Shawn
Totally agree there Shawn. I'm glad we met, and am glad you brought me here to WA. 😀