Let’s be real.
In today’s world, it’s pretty easy to feel “down” on yourself. You see all the “lifestyle gurus” on Instagram, Twitter, Facebook, etc. All of them making millions of dollars every minute, telling you how you can do it, too.
Let me be real with you, right here, right now.
This year has been really rough for me on the business front.
1. For starters, Martin and I with Selo Oils decided to go our separate ways.
I’m still staying on as an investor, but I’m no longer involved in the day to day operations. And while I am getting paid for it, I still put in an entire year into the company, and trust me when I say my hourly pay overall was not good.
Of course, dedicating so much time to Selo for the last year+ resulted in…
Me neglecting some of my niche sites, and my main business.
Hence, those all took downturns this year, too, though are showing signs of picking back up.
2. And, in March, I had an opportunity to work with Big Baller Brand – you know, the brand of the Ball basketball brothers.
My friend Sam and I met their manager in a café here in Kiev in February. We had an agreement, including the contract drawn up, to do live events and webinars for BBB. Then, the guy we were working with got caught embezzling a few million dollars and the whole company disbanded.
I could show you the PowerPoints, texts, and contracts if you don’t believe me…
(Even funnier thing – that same guy reached out to me a few weeks ago asking if I’d do webinars for him, he said Lebron James wanted to do something…yeah, right…)
And to top it off, I’m pretty sure some affiliate programs for both “Trouble” and my niche sites are actually stealing money from me. I’ve gone from making $5,000+/m with one program (on one site) to barely making $2,000, and nothing has really changed.
Am I telling you all this so you feel sorry for me?
Not at all, because I’m incredibly fortunate on many levels.
I am telling you all of this though to show you that I am indeed human…
And that I have had many of my own business struggles, especially this year.
I feel like nothing is breaking my way, and keep getting kicked down over and over again.
And with each kick it gets a little bit harder to get back up.
However, I also realize I’m due for a turn of good fortune, too…
I just want you to know:
It’s not easy, this online business thing. Even those of us who have it all figured out still have days, months, weeks, hell, an entire year where things are not all peachy.
Keep causing trouble,
Kyle Trouble
PS: Despite this, I still know a thing or two — grab the free guide here.
What happens to Selo Oils? You said you parted ways but why? Seems like that’s a story with lessons to be learned.
One day I might write the full story, but there’s really not much to it. Just different ideas and directions. As I said, I’m staying on as an advisor and investor.
I appreciate the transparency. Too many guys only take about success. I agree that it would be good to read about the lessons learned from the Oil business.
Thanks man, appreciate the kind words. Maybe I’ll write up more details soon.
Appreciate the honesty bud. Really sets you apart. Like you said, it’ll get better. Any ideas for how to counter the leeching of your affiliates?
Thanks man, appreciate the thoughts!
No idea short of just switching to new programs, but that’s obviously no real guarantee.
If you were driving enough traffic to earn $5,000 in affiliate commissions, you must’ve been making them much more in profits. Couldn’t you just turn off the spigot? They’d have to be real idiots to throw away that kind of traffic….Surely there are other affiliate programs or sites where you can get a more bespoke affiliate deal considering the kind of traffic you could provide…Good luck!
It’s never that easy.
Hang in there Kyle. Yes, you are going through a rough patch now; but, it’ll get better.
FWIW, it’s never as bad as it seems when things are sucking…..just like it’s never as good as it seems when things are clicking.
You got this dude.
Thanks man, ‘preciate it!