Making Money Online – Empower Network Vs Wealthy Affiliate

BUT ------  it’s how you go about it that determines if it will ever happen.

 

Let me tell you about my brush with a scam

 

Several years ago I was searching the internet for work and came across an ad for a business opportunity that looked really intriguing.  The most interesting part of the proposition was that it offered me a free website for blogging and securing business leads.

 

It began very simply.  A $25 investment was all that was needed.   That was just the beginning.

 

When it came to the nitty-gritty of setting up a payment account, an additional $19.95 was required.  My stomach began to churn; then I reasoned it wasn’t so bad.  I had to get paid.  Yet the little voice inside my head  said, “BUT WHAT ABOUT YOUR PAYPAL ACCOUNT”?

 

I ignored that still small voice and signed my name on the dotted line.  The company was called Empower Network and was started by Dave Sharpe and Dave Wood, two multi-level marketers that had made their living working online and even selling door to door.  The phenomenon of Empower Network had enabled them to make millions.

 

Unfortunately, even though I met some great marketing geniuses, I never was able to get my feet off the ground.  I discovered soon that not only would I need to invest the $25 per month plus the banking account setup but I would need to purchase an auto-responder and advertising if I really wanted make any money at all.

 

I started my investment in January and by July I had run out of money and had had only a few sales.  Of course there were the endless meetings, both weekly and monthly that would last for hours and hours.   All the rah – rah stuff was exhausting.  I was spending all my time attending meetings and being convinced to buy more of their products.

 

They said I had to “get all in” if I was to make any money.  So what exactly did “all in” really mean?   Basically, Empower Network has numerous products you can purchase to get the training you need to run your business.  They start at $100 per month and extend up as high as $5,000 for a one time purchase.

 

The interesting part of the marketing plan is that you are not really selling anything but the same products that you have already purchased.  You don’t make any commissions on any product you sell unless you have already purchased the product first.

Thus if you recruit ten people to join Empower Network and they go “all in” by purchasing all the products but you haven’t done so, you get absolutely nothing except a commission off their original $25.  So in order to make any real money, you must be “all in” and you must encourage your recruits to get “all in”.  Without that process, it is futile.  And so the ball rolls on and on.

 

In the meantime, Empower continues to add other up-sells for you to purchase promising this is the one product that will definitely guarantee your success but to no avail.  The system is simply encouraging people to buy what  you’ve bought and in turn them doing likewise.  Nobody is really selling anything at all.  Quite a neat little package.

 

The most disappointing part of Empower Network was that each new course purchased was more hoop-la-la and no substance.  It was a repetitive angle of increased motivation to buy traffic and get others to purchase the same products you have purchased.

 

I was beginning to feel like a cheater just encouraging people to buy something that had no substance at all.  Frankly, when they began to change the commission structure to allow those at the top even more access to commission than previously stated I knew I was involved in quite a scam.  I was disheartened and disappointed I had wasted so much time for so little results.

 

I quickly and quietly slipped out the back door and no one even attempted a phone call to ask me why.  Then I spent the next nine months building my own website and monetizing it.  I learned WordPress from top to bottom and enjoyed blogging every week.

 

Unfortunately, I soon discovered that the time I had invested didn’t seem to be helping me.  I needed additional guidance and was seeking it out from various platforms.  Oh I found what I needed but was paying through the nose for it.

 

A light at the end of the tunnel 

 

Then one day I came across a question and answer forum on Google that piqued my interest.  It was about an organization called Wealthy Affiliate. 

 

What is Wealthy Affiliate?  Well believe me I wasn’t falling for another scam. 

 

After going through what I did with Empower Network I was very skeptical.   Wealthy Affiliate offered a free mechanism for building a website and they would pay the hosting costs.  I could actually have two free websites without even giving them a credit card.  Not one free website but two?? I was impressed but not completely convinced.

 

Wealthy Affiliate didn’t walk on water yet.  I read and kept reading about them and finally stuck my big toe into the water and wiggled it around a bit before taking the plunge.  I signed up for my free website.

 

My first day I received a warm welcome from the owner of Wealthy Affiliate plus one from the person’s blog from which I had pulled the sign up form.  I must say I was extremely impressed at the vast difference in the general attitude of those connecting with me.

 

There was no push to spend money; there was no push to attend a phone rally or Google hangout.  There was just a simple instruction on how I could learn about Wealthy Affiliate and take advantage of all the free materials offered. 

 

By this time I had gone from  impressed to “really impressed”.  After a few days of examining the system and training, I realized they were offering 100 times the amount of training I had received from Empower Network AND it was all for FREE.

I  was flabbergasted to say the least.  I laughed when they told me all I needed was a PAYPAL Account! And that wasn't even mandatory.

 

As I began to go through the free courses I discovered all of the set-up instructions were available to create a successful online business.  The interesting part of the training was that Wealthy Affiliate marketing was not pushed whatsoever. 

 

The opportunity was available to review what Wealthy Affiliate had to offer; however, the training was set up in such a manner that a person could create their own business niche and learn how to use that niche to make money online.  Selling Wealthy Affiliate was strictly a choice offered but not in any way required. 

 

You see, the big difference between Wealthy Affiliate and Empower Network is that no one is making money off your purchases and your business.  Yes, the person who brings you into the company gets a commission but there is no multi-level marketing involved here.  No one has anything to gain from your profitability.  They only receive commissions when you decide to become what is called a “premium” member of Wealthy Affiliate.  This costs you $47 per month but is not a requirement to get the free websites and training.

 

In Wealthy Affiliate there is no one hassling you to work harder, create more websites, take more classes or attend additional training.  It is all done by your own free will.

 

No one from Wealthy Affiliate will ever approach you about dong more.  It is your ballpark and you can choose to sit on the ball or go for a home run.  The choice is entirely yours. 

 

Let me tell you about Wealthy Affiliate

 

What I like most about Wealthy Affiliate is the camaraderie of others in the company.  There is an ongoing open forum available to meet new people, bounce ideas off them, and ask just about any question you choose.

 

Kyle and Carson, the owners of Wealthy Affiliate are available one on one to help you.  I couldn’t even foresee getting an email from Dave Wood when I belonged to Empower Network.  Not unless I was “all in” and making bundles off other people so he would profit.

 

Right now I have the website you are in as well as two others I have started.  I’m able to use affiliate marketing to monetize my business but I am not flailing along in the dark.  I have the light of Wealthy Affiliate to guide me.  Whenever I come across a problem or issue, there is always someone to help.  Whenever I get discouraged, there is always someone there to lift me up out of the pit.

 

Wealthy Affiliate isn’t perfect because nothing is perfect my friends.  So far I have learned more from Wealthy Affiliate in the few months since I joined than I learned in my entire time in the Empower Network.  The most important part is that is hasn’t cost me any additional money except what I choose to spend.  There was absolutely no one pushing me to spend one thin dime.

 

If you scan my website you’ll see a complete review of Wealthy Affiliate and everything they offer.  There’s even a post on how to begin your free website.  If you want to make money online, just know that it’s not an easy road.  It’s tough, hard work, and long hours.  Is it worth it in the end – most definitely.

 

So what really is the secret to making money online?  One very simple word: elbow-grease.  Yes, my friends.

•  Long hours
•  Hard work
•  Lots of persistence

 

Elbow-grease!  That’s the simple key.

 

It’s what made America great and it’s the answer for making your life even greater.

My advice for anyone considering an online business is to think about it carefully, decide what you are interested in learning about or teaching others about and then go for it.  Do it today.  Your have nothing to lose but tomorrow.

 

 

Please contact me if I can help or sign up for my Newsletter.  I’d love to connect with you.