James Schramko, Richard Branson and a mountain bike.

I am going to let you in on a story – it’s one of those background stories of my life that I believe is important to tell for your benefit.  The title of this post will make sense as you read through.

So, there I was – a successful property investor, health professional, academic, editor, entrepreneur – but I was still stuck doing something that was preventing me from doing all the other things I wanted to do.

I had to turn up to give lectures and then turn up to consult patients who were booked in one after the other after the other – and I just didn’t have the flexibility to go and work on my other ideas.  Nor could I just decide to take the afternoon off to pick up the kids from school or go watch a movie.

I had significant professional responsibilities.  Not to mention that at the time I was the sole income earner with a young family.  Like many people in my position, I felt trapped.

I hated that feeling.

As the years went by I became more and more committed to changing things.  I was highly motivated to make that change – to do whatever it took for me to bust out – but I wasn’t quite sure what to do or how to do it.  I certainly didn’t want to embark on another ‘offline business’ and while I had amassed a sizable property portfolio – it was not ready to harvest and I had also reached my borrowing capacity.

And then I attended something I would not normally attend.  It was an internet marketing seminar – one of those with lot’s of speakers.  How I ended up at that seminar is another story – but what I didn’t expect was that each speaker would provide an opportunity to train with them or undertake a course of study in their system of online business and internet marketing.

Looking back now, I will be forever grateful for the opportunity to attend that event. I was gobsmacked at what I learned about what was possible online.  For the first time in a long time I was filled with an indescribable enthusiasm for the future.

The internet provided me with a way to do what I wanted to do.  On my terms.  In my time. And to get paid for it.

No wonder I was enthusiastic.  As corny as this sounds, it was like a dream come true.  It was the answer I needed.

I purchased a number of courses at that event and I did all the lessons, watched the DVD’s, listened to the CD’s. I spent hours watching training videos on the internet.  I have never hesitated at educating myself.  I implemented what I had learned and things began to happen.  I wrote a book and became a self-published author.  I earned some income online one night while I was asleep – the money was in my account in the morning when I woke up.

You might understand why I could not wait to get up in the morning.  And if I ever had insomnia, then “internet marketing” for want of a better term, had cured it because I didn’t want to get to sleep.  There was always something new to learn, try, and do.

What did I learn that got me started?

• I learned how to research a market to see if the market had money in it
• I learned how to create a product (in this case, write a book and self-publish)
• I learned how to set up a website
• I learned how to write copy that would sell things online
• I learned about how to get people to your website
• I learned about collecting people’s emails and building a list
• I learned about the idea of getting other people to sell your product – called affiliates.

In the process of learning all this, I discovered that I could help other people do the same – and that they would pay me for it.  It was very strange to find myself being paid to set up someones website for them – but I was having a blast doing it, so why not?

I had a problem though.  There were certain things that I was struggling with.  I had learned a lot about “what was possible” on the internet, but I hadn’t learned as much about ‘how’ to do it.

And this was a key constraint – until I attended an event on the Gold Coast at which I heard James Schramko speak.  He caused an absolute buzz.  He was new and had a fresh approach and it was obvious that he was highly capable.  If there was one speaker at that event that I had to know it was James.

2.30 AM - A significant event with James Schramko

And despite promising myself (and Rhoda) that I wouldn’t spend a cent at this event – I purchased a ticket to James’ course – the first one he had ever run on internet marketing.  It was two weeks later back up on the Gold Coast – so there were more flights and accommodation to arrange.

That weekend goes down as another major turning point in my internet career. For the first time I found myself in the company of someone who not only knew what was possible online – but also knew ‘how to do it’.  And not only that – he showed me how to do it.  In particular, something I was struggling with and that was taking me at least two weeks to do, he showed me how to do it in 20 minutes.

And when you analyze that – what he really showed me was how to leverage my time by using a straightforward system that he had worked out.  He had taken something complicated and made it easy.

it was an awesome weekend.

The Mountain Bike

Me with the Giant 'Halo' Mountain Bike

It turned out that James lived not far away, and we caught up for a coffee.  He asked me if I did mountain bike riding, and without missing a beat, I answered, “I’m picking my bike up next Tuesday”.

That bike was a wise investment.  Not only for the fitness factor of course, but because I was one of the few people in Australia who had James’ attention for 60 minutes without a computer or phone nearby for distraction.  The mountain bike ride became the internet marketers version of the corporate golf course.

From that first event, and from then hanging out with and becoming good friends with James, my business took off and my opportunities exploded.

I have since gone on to study with and learn from a number of high level internet marketers and business coaches.  I have traveled the globe to find advanced training.  As I said, I have never shied away from paying for education.  When it is the right education, the return on investment is always massive.

The one key thing about James that stands out to me is that he is also constantly learning new concepts, strategies and tactics, and using these to be innovative in his business. Unlike other teachers in my past whom I have outgrown – this is definitely not the case with James.

Apart from being a great mate – I also get ‘business’ value from hanging out with him because he is world class when it comes to this internet stuff – and it is without equivocation that I wholeheartedly recommend any training that James puts on.

Frankly – if you get a chance to learn from James, then you should do everything you can to be there.

James Schramko and Richard Branson

Now – it happens that James is holding one of his rare training events in early September – it’s called Fast Web Formula 2 and it’s on the 10th, 11th, and 12th.  It’s in Sydney and you should be there if you are at all interested in online business or internet marketing.

Not only because you have an opportunity to learn from James, but because he is bringing some of the best minds in internet marketing to this event.  What cost me tens of thousands of dollars in travel to go see these people, you can see at the one time and place in Sydney, Australia.

Frankly, if you’re the least bit serious about doing what you want to do and earning money online, then you should be at this event.  As I said to someone the other day who wasn’t sure about attending, “well, if you don’t attend you’re not serious about your business”.

Now, it so happens that Sir Richard Branson is speaking at another event on that same weekend, along with a range of other speakers.   I haven’t heard Sir Richard speak before and it’s been on my list of imoprtant ‘things to do’.  It turns out that I’ve got a special invite to the Richard Branson event – and I’m not sure what that might turn into – but I’m keen to find out.

So – two great events on the same weekend – and here’s the thing.  I will spend the majority of that weekend at Fast Web Formula 2 with James Schramko.

And the reason is this.

I know that I will learn things at that weekend that will make an immediate difference to my business.  James never ‘just’ teaches what’s possible.  He never ‘just’ teaches you how to have the right ‘mindset’.  He actually shows you how to do stuff – and for me this differentiates his training. Not to mention the other world class speakers who will also be presenting over the 3 days.

I rarely promote events – and this is an extremely worthwhile exception.  At the very least I want you to follow the link below to check it out.  And if you decide to go to Fast Web Formula 2 after reading this blog post – then let me know and we can hook up at the event.  It’d be cool to meet someone else who is serious enough and smart enough to attend.

UPDATE (22/08/10):  There are only a few spaces left.  No spin.  Just the truth of the matter.

Tagged as: Business, ed-dale, Education, fast-web-formula, james-schramko, john-carlton, Marketing, Marketing and Advertising