The start of any new business always contains the scariest moments. On the one hand, you're never going to feel more enthusiastic about your idea than during those first few months. You'll get to see your plan take flight and discover whether it really does have wings. On the other hand, you also have to cope with the fear that it's going to fail -- that what you thought was going to bring you a... Continue Reading

It's all changed. It happened so fast, we hardly even noticed. But looking back, it's incredible how different everything is today. When I started out in Internet Marketing, no one had any idea who I was. No one needed to. All they had to do was know where my websites were and enjoy the content I was putting up. It was impersonal and it worked both ways. My users might only have thought of me... Continue Reading

"Focus on what's meaningful, not what's measurable." I wish I'd said that. It wasn't me though. It was Warren Buffet, a man much smarter -- and a great deal wealthier -- than me. And not surprisingly, it's great advice and it's especially important for online marketers. The Web gives us access to all sorts of figures. Our AdSense stats tell us our clickthrough rates, our eCPMs, how our channels are doing and of course, our... Continue Reading

There are two ways to write a blog. The first is to sit at the computer and type up the first thing that comes into your head. If you have interesting ideas, fun experiences and can write well, that can certainly work. There are plenty of bloggers who make a good income writing about themselves, their lives and their families. But it isn't easy. Continue Reading

Online publishing is a business. Like any business it requires work. It requires paying taxes. And it requires investments of cash to keep going. That last hurdle is the one that many people stumble over. They think that because the only equipment they need to set up an online publishing business is a computer, that's the only expense they'll ever need to pay. Wrong. Continue Reading

Every Internet business -- every business of any sort in fact -- starts in the same place. In the future. Most entrepreneurs think first of how they want their business to look when it's all set up. They imagine the products prepared, the marketing streams in place and the revenue flowing in while they relax and cash the checks. Continue Reading

I'm in Las Vegas for Affiliate Summit and am looking forward to the a few days of networking and learning. And while I have nothing to say about the conference yet because it hasn't started yet, I do have an experience to share with you. As you know, I enjoy blogging about my customer service experiences... especially the bad experiences. Why do I do this? I place a very high value on customer service and... Continue Reading

I'm glad I broke it. I wouldn't be here today if I hadn't broken it. No, I'm not talking about a vase I won in a church raffle. And I certainly don't mean the world 100 meter sprint record. I didn't break a nail, though I could probably use a good manicure. And I didn't break a vow of silence. I'd have to be silent for more than ten minutes for that to take place... Continue Reading

Blogging is a huge opportunity... and a lot of people are missing out. They're missing out for one reason. They don't believe they can write. They might have slept through their English classes at school. They don't know what a semi-colon is for. And since entering the workforce, they might never have had to write anything longer than a grocery list. And now I'm telling them that they can make their living -- and more... Continue Reading

I'm at a loss for words. I've started this newsletter half a dozen times trying to find the right way to share some information with you. Sometimes the words don't come. Eloquence doesn't seem to be in the cards for me today. It's not that the topic isn't interesting. It's just that I've got writer's block. Has that ever happened to you? There are days that I am able to create new content for my... Continue Reading

Let's run down the basic flowchart and checklist for creating a money-making website. 1) Do you have a website? If so, go to #2. If not, you need to start right there. The fastest way to get started is with my training, tutorials and templates. Joel's System Continue Reading

Google has been doing a bit of spring cleaning lately. First it redesigned its ad units. Now it's changed the look of the AdSense home page. What effect have all these changes had on your revenues? Almost none, I would think. The new ad units are slight more attractive than the old ones. But I doubt if the new look is worth more than a click or two each month. Continue Reading

I am currently in the Nation's Capitol for an Internet marketing conference and I am the victim of a crime, even a felony. It happened while I slept. I was robbed and left for naked... and didn't even know it until late in the afternoon. Amazingly, there isn't a bruise on my body. Nor have I lost any material possessions. So what happened? Read on... Continue Reading

Important. Urgent. Critical. Essential. Crucial. There are so many words I can use to describe how imperative it is that you read today's email, and listen to what I have to say... REALLY listen, because this comes from the heart. Continue Reading

It's Sunday and I'm getting ready to head to church with my family... so I'll be brief. In fact, I usually don't mail on Sundays, but it is to your benefit that I do so today. I'm going to let you in on a little secret that can put cash in your pocket today. Continue Reading

As an AdSense publisher, one day can be much like another. Each day, you update your content, check your stats and make sure that your traffic is flowing freely. With users coming, clicking and giving you income all day every day, it can be very easy to forget which day, week or even season it is. That’s a waste of an opportunity. It’s also not true that Internet time is separate from real time. You... Continue Reading

The information age really does move at the speed of light. Technology is advancing faster than we ever conceived possible. I've been online for 26 years now. In 1980, I bought my first computer, a TRS-80. This machine had 4K of RAM (not 4MB... 4K) and a cassette player that was used as a storage device. There wasn't even a floppy disc drive! I owned a 300 baud modem that I used to dial into... Continue Reading

In every industry, there's a powerbroker in the background - an advisor who is known to just a handful of people, but who helps build empires for the top "stars" who are household names. I recently discovered Janet Switzer. For the last 16 years, Janet has been quietly creating empire-building campaigns, products, promotions, deals and distribution for many of the biggest celebrity experts you've heard of. Jay Abraham... Mark Victor Hansen... Chicken Soup for the... Continue Reading

I just got back from one of the the most educational and inspiring seminars of my entire life. My friend, Jeff Walker, suggested that I go to Armand Morin's Big Seminar in Los Angeles. On his advice, I registered just a couple weeks ago. It cost $2000, but I trust Jeff and took his advice. Words cannot describe the weekend I just experienced. Continue Reading

Tupperware. The word just flows from the mouth like margarine, conjuring images of neighborhood wives gathered around the living room discussing the latest method of food storage and preparation. While the Tupperware Party is still around, the Internet has paved the way for virtual Tupperware parties! And the Tupperware business opportunity to riper than ever. So where do Tupperware consultants go to discuss the ins and outs of the Tupperware business? BurpIt.com, or course! The... Continue Reading

Google Adsense text ads have become ubiquitous on the web. You can even find them on this web page. Just look for "Ads by Google". Many web site owners are generating extra cash by placing Google ads on their web pages. But very few know the secrets that are generating enormous cash flow for some sites. I have written an ebook that reveals Google Adsense Secrets. It shows how sites are multiplying their Google Adsense... Continue Reading

And I thought it was going to be as simple as getting on an airplane... Our flight home was initially scheduled for 6:30 pm, putting us into OKC around 8:30 pm. However, our schedule for the day was clear, so we decided to head to the airport early in hopes of catching an earlier flight on standby. We arrived shortly after 12:15 pm and attempted to book on the 1:11 pm flight. It had been... Continue Reading

There's something about building new web sites that stokes me. It's that feeling of making something from nothing that gets my creative juices flowing. Certainly, it is important to run a profitable business. But sometimes it is more satisfying to build a site that people enjoy. It seems I am always in the center of two or three new projects, and I rarely run out of ideas to build more. My biggest weakness is not... Continue Reading

Off the top of my head, here is what I would love to see take place during Bush's second term... Finish the war in Iraq within the first year. Level Fallujah if absolutely necessary. We MUST show strength and send a message that we are serious about taking out terrorists before they take us out. Mr. President, it is time to CLOSE our borders to illegals! There are over 20 million illegal aliens living off... Continue Reading

About fifteen years ago, I started using bulletin board services online. These were pre-world wide web servers that ran out of people's homes. You would dial up the BBS on your 1200 baud modem and connect to a text-only based site. These sites would provide forums for discussion, information for reading and programs for downloading. Some of the more progressive boards had games you could play online, text only of course. Way back then, I... Continue Reading

It's fun to be right. It really is. Last month, I predicted the early demise of Air America, the liberal radio network featuring the very unfunny Al Franken. This story appeared on Drudge Report today. After just two weeks on the air, Air America Radio, the fledgling liberal talk-radio network featuring Al Franken and Janeane Garofalo, appears to have encountered serious cash-flow problems. The CHICAGO TRIBUNE is developing a story, insiders tell DRUDGE, on how... Continue Reading

We interupt this blog for a shameless advertising plug... If you are planning on ordering flowers for your sweetie for Valentine's Day, I HIGHLY recommend GrowerFlowers.com. I have ordered from them many times and the flowers are very fresh, lasting much longer than flowers from other growers. These flowers are shipped direct from the grower and they guarantee you will be thrilled with the quality! Now is the time to order for Valentine's Day. Get... Continue Reading

I have love. I just don't know where to put it. What can we forgive? It's been a couple weeks since my last review in the series titled, The 15 Best Movies Ever, but I now know why it has taken me so long. Initially not on my top 15 list, but a runner-up, I have been wanting to watch Magnolia for several weeks. Tonight I finally got the opportunity to do so. It is... Continue Reading

When we were on our month-long road trip, one of our key stops was in Plymouth, Massachusetts, the place where the pilgrims first set foot on the continent after disembarking the Mayflower. Click here to read about our journey to this historic location. And click here to learn more about the first Thanksgiving. One of the stops on our trip was in Niagra Falls, Canada. While we were there, we visited a church. As it... Continue Reading

The room at the Red Roof is great, but we have the world's worst Internet connection. It doesn't matter if I use AOL or MSN, and it doesn't matter which number I dial. The phone lines here STINK! The absolute worst I can ever imagine. Ok, done ranting. Today we went to Plymouth, the site where the pilgrims landed at Plymouth Rock in 1620. It was a one hour drive through Boston and into Cape... Continue Reading

Woke up this morning and decided that Bennington, Vermont would be a very nice place to live. The colors of the leaves are absolutely beautiful. I know it won't last long, and before you know it, the cold weather will come and the snow will fall. I don't care. The town has so much charm, history and beauty. After a quick breakfast in the room, we followed the usual ritual of packing the car and... Continue Reading

Started the day in Dayton, Ohio. It really is getting hard to keep track of where we are at any given moment. The cities and hotels are becoming one big blur. After breakfast and the daily schlep to the van, we went to the United States Air Force Museum at Wright-Patterson Air Force Base. There were two massive hangars of airplanes, including the original Wright "B" Flyer flown by Wilbur and Orville Wright. We saw... Continue Reading

Woke up around 8 am and went to breakfast at The Hole Thing, once again. Back to the room to load up the van and say goodbye to Red River. We stopped in Cimarron for one last look at the scenery before making the long trip back to Oklahoma. We did manage to make one more scenic stop along the way. Just outside Amarillo, TX is the Cadillac Ranch. We stopped many times along the... Continue Reading

Another beautiful morning in Red River! We've been eating breakfast in the room all week, so we decided to go out for eggs and pancakes this morning. We went to The Hole Thing Donut Shop and were very pleased with the meal. It was pricy, but that's the way it goes. Afterwards, we found a nice park where the kids could play, the dog could sniff, and Mary and I could sit and enjoy the... Continue Reading

I slept in this morning and Mary didn't feel great, so we planned on taking it easy today and not doing anything too physical. We jumped in the van and set out for Taos, about 45 minutes away. On the way, I was reading about things to do in the area and asked Mary to take a detour. About 20 minutes later, we found the Rio Grande Wild and Scenic River Recreation Area. It was... Continue Reading

Pre-order Indiana Jones DVD trilogy. No DVD collection is complete without these. Pondor feedback left by you regarding our plans to take a one-month family road trip. Stop. Smell roses. Or something similarly fragrant. Work less. Work smarter. Life is short. Be a friend to someone today. Do the hokey pokey. Because let's face it. That's what its really all about. Continue Reading

Finally, a movie that depicts the last day of Christ's life in a realistic manner. Mel Gibson has gone against the flow of Hollyweird, stepping out to produce and direct The Passion, a project that has been close to his heart for many years. This movie depicts the last 12 hours of the life of Jesus Christ. And it isn't going to be easy to watch. Just about every Jesus flick I have seen shows... Continue Reading

It's been a week since the last entry. To catch up on the story so far, Click here. Next came the logo, created by Josh Williams. I printed out a large version of the image and ironed it on a tshirt. Josh also created the next generation image map for our front page. Check it out. We never did use this one on the main page, but it gave us a good idea of what... Continue Reading

Hope all you moms have a great day today. My mom is here from out of town, but she is leaving in just a bit. Then we are heading out to MrsMayor's parent's house for the afternoon. I need to grab some flowers for my mother-in-law and score some points. :-) Continue Reading