One Year In – From Road Life to Real Growth
Hey WA fam,
It All Started With a Cup of Coffee...
Yesterday I was sitting back, coffee in hand, watching my kids tear into their Easter goodies—and something hit me.
One year ago, I was doing the exact same thing.
Same morning. Same moment. But back then? My head wasn’t in it.
At the time, I was stuck between two worlds, my job on the road and my life at home.
For 15 years, I’ve been a trucker. I love it. The freedom. The pay. The open road.
But the trade off? Time.
Weeks sometimes months, away from home. And even when I’m home, I’m not fully present.
That was the moment I realized...
I didn’t want to keep choosing between freedom and family.
May 2024 – The Shift Begins
So last May, I signed up here on Wealthy Affiliate.
I dove in. Followed the training. Built my first site.
Made mistakes. Lost accounts. Got frustrated. Restarted.
But I kept going.
What I’ve Built (So Far)
- 5 total brands
(3 main sites and 2 niche spin-offs) - 10 books published
8 are live on Amazon right now, 2 are finished and waiting for launch
💥 Plus, 2 of those books already have 5-star reviews from readers! - A passion site with monthly sales for 6 months straight
(One sale a month, but it’s consistent and built 100% from scratch) - Thriving Facebook & Instagram communities
Engaged and growing for two of my brands - A growing affiliate business
Built here through WA, tested and improved each month
On top of all that, I’ve built out real traffic systems for each site:
- My business website now has 6 traffic streams feeding it consistently
- My passion website has 7 traffic streams, including 2 active sub-niche brands running off the main domain
- My third site is still in building mode, with 3 traffic streams set up so far
(I usually only post to this one once a day, since I’m focusing on growing the others first)
This structure didn’t happen overnight. It took testing, breaking, rebuilding, and a ton of learning. But now it’s all connected and growing, just like I hoped it would.
The Hard Part that almost broke me
Let’s be real, this hasn’t all been smooth.
I had to rebuild two of my main sites in January because:
- The original domains were bad
- The brand names didn’t hit right
- The site layout was confusing
- My message wasn’t clear
So I stepped back, did the research, and rebuilt them from the ground up with:
- New domains
- New brands
- Clear site structure
- Targeted content my audience was already searching for
Yes, I took a massive hit on Google, and Bing is still a mess.
But honestly? It was worth it.
Because I finally focused on what I care about. What I’d look for if I were a visitor.
I’m my best resource because I’m a customer too.
If I’ve had those questions… chances are, others do too.
What I’m Working On Right Now
Right now, I’ve had 11 WA sign-ups so far.
In January, I launched a half-built brand just to test engagement.
The goal was brand awareness, and the views came in strong.
Then on April 1st, I started Phase 2:
Focusing on sales and organic sign-ups.
So I looked back:
- When were people signing up?
- Where did they find me?
- What got them to click?
I even reached out to a new referral who commented on a post.
Turns out, he’s a blogger.
That’s huge. Because it means I’m attracting the right kind of people for this niche.
And in the last 20 days?
I’ve had 4 new sign-ups.
The strategy is working.
My Biggest Takeaway?
Hard work + time = real results.
You can’t skip those two. But if you stay consistent, it does pay off.
Why Wealthy Affiliate Was the Right Fit
The thing about WA that stood out to me is this:
- You pay for a service, and everything you need is right in front of you
- No upsells, no pressure, No Promoting on the site
- Just you, your website, and real tools that work
- A community full of insight and people who actually care
You get to build what you want, at your own pace.
And for someone like me who wanted to create something real—WA made that possible.
To Anyone New or Struggling...
Let me be straight with you:
- You’ll hit walls
- You’ll want to quit
- You’ll make mistakes
- Some days, it’ll suck
But if you push through it?
You’ll come out the other side with something that’s truly yours.
Thanks to WA and this community, I’m heading into year two with momentum.
- More books
- More learning
- More testing
- More growth
I don’t know where it’ll all lead—but I do know this:
The only thing more powerful than freedom on the road... is freedom you own.
Stay curious.
Shawn
Recent Comments
28
This is so inspirational, Shawn. Thanks for sharing. I had a similar experience at the start of this year because my two domains that I'd built up, had lapsed and I couldn't get them back, so I had to start with new domains. Luckily I could transfer the posts but the traffic is something I'm still working on. Your story has convinced me that there is light at the end of the tunnel. Thank you.
Hey Gail,
Thank you for the kind words. I’ve been right there with you, working to rebuild lost traffic. One thing that’s really helped me pick up momentum again is going back through older posts, especially the ones that used to rank well. Here’s the three-step process I’ve been using:
1. I jump into Google Search Console to find posts that need a bit of extra work, and I manually add new blogs and pages to get them indexed faster
2. I take the blog title and plug it into Google to see what kind of content shows up around that topic
3. I look for what’s missing, whether it’s long-tail keywords, trending “people also ask” questions, or just updates and fine tuning to give it a stronger edge
I’ve been pushing on four platforms since January and spending hours refining content. It’s been a grind, but I know the traffic is coming back stronger and I believe yours will too
And remember, your light’s always there. The more you believe in yourself, the more it shines through. Keep going
Stay curious
Shawn
Ah - thanks, Shawn. I really appreciate that and I know you're right in your approach. And I'm so pleased it is working for you. I will follow your advice. Thank you. Have a great day, my friend.
Gail
Hey Gail,
I really appreciate your kind words. I’m glad it resonated with you. As for the approach, honestly, it’s a bit of a shot in the dark most days. I’m just out here taking chances and figuring it out as I go. But that’s the fun part, right? Always here if you ever want to chat more or swap ideas.
Take care,
Shawn
Fantastic story and success, Shawn, I think having 10 books out there is HUGH, I have been here a while, just trying to learn from this Platform, its amazing training, You’ll make mistakes, Some days, it’ll suck and make you want Quite, But WA makes it possible. Thanks Shawn
Hey MrWillan
Thanks man, that means a lot. You’re right , WA really does lay the groundwork if you’re willing to stick it out through the ups and downs. I’ve made a ton of mistakes along the way, still do, but every one of them has taught me something that helped me grow.
Keep going, even on the days that suck, especially on those days. That’s when the shift really starts. Appreciate your words and glad we’re both on this crazy ride.
Stay curious
Shawn
Awesome Shawn, you have made some really good progress in your year here. Outside of your accomplishments and advancements in your business, you have attained some really high value skill sets that can take you anywhere that you want to go.
Hit the ground running in year 2 and don't look back. I look forward to seeing what you accomplish in the year ahead. :)
Thanks Kyle. That really means a lot coming from you. This first year was full of trial and error but also some big wins and lessons that I’ll carry forward. I’m definitely hitting the ground running for year two. If it wasn’t for this platform and the community here, I wouldn’t be where I am today.
Now heading into year two, my only concern is what idea do I scale first? "LOL" I’ve got so many in motion already, and I’ve got a feeling this next year is going to fly by faster than we can blink. Really looking forward to the new rollouts coming here too. Appreciate all the support and guidance along the way.
Stay curious,
Shawn
See more comments
Great read Shawn! Nothing is simple in life, but... as long as we put our all into what we do, keep on persevering, be consistent and have the ability to pivot when needed and never give up no matter how many road blocks we encounter along the way.....
Success will eventually come!!
Take care buddy and enjoy the rest of your week! :-)
HeyJessiefido you nailed it — that’s the real formula right there. Life throws curveballs, but consistency, passion, and being willing to shift when needed… that’s where the growth happens. Appreciate your words more than you know. Hope your week’s been full of good things too. Stay strong out there my friend!
Shawn
Much appreciated my friend and enjoy a wonderful start to the weekend! :-)