In this landmark episode, Mark takes a hard, honest look at the results of an informal survey of people who bought Forever Affiliate through his affiliate link. He asks tough questions about whether the course delivered results and addresses a listener who wants to know if he can support his family with an online business.
What You Will Learn in This Episode
- Whether it is realistic to replace your income with an online business
- What happened when real listeners tried Forever Affiliate
- Why Mark was nervous about publishing this honest assessment
- The difference between possible and likely in online business
Episode Summary
Can You Replace Your Income Online?
A listener called KB writes in. He and his wife are completely debt-free, living in a mobile home he remodeled himself, with paid-off cars and three daughters. He needs $2,500 to $3,000 per month. His question is simple: can this be done with niche websites?
Mark's answer: yes, it is possible. Pat Flynn's Security Guard Training HQ site proves it, generating $2,000 to $3,000 per month transparently. But possible and likely are very different things. Mark's own income survey of podcast listeners showed that the vast majority were not making significant money online.
The Forever Affiliate Reality
Mark surveyed his private Facebook group of 73 people who bought Forever Affiliate through his link. The results were sobering. Everyone agreed the course material was good. But most people either did not finish, got stuck on link building, or saw minimal results. Nobody in the group reported life-changing success. Mark includes himself in the underperformance category.
This episode was a turning point for the show. Mark chose transparency over promotion, risking his affiliate income and reputation to give listeners the unvarnished truth. It is one of the most authentic episodes in the entire LNIM catalog.
What Has Changed Since This Episode
Mark recorded this in November 2013.
This kind of radical transparency has become expected. In 2013, publicly questioning the results of a product you promoted was unusual. By 2026, audiences expect creators to share honest assessments, and the FTC requires clear disclosure of affiliate relationships and realistic income expectations.
The affiliate marketing landscape has shifted toward authority sites. The niche site model that Forever Affiliate taught has evolved significantly. Modern affiliate marketing emphasizes building genuine authority, creating original content with first-hand experience, and diversifying beyond Google search traffic.
Resources Mentioned
Listen and Subscribe
Listen to Late Night Internet Marketing on Apple Podcasts or subscribe at latenightim.com/internet-marketing-podcast/. Have a question for Mark? Call the digital recorder at 214-444-8655 or leave a comment below.
Mark,
I didn’t think this episode was a downer. People need to have realistic expectations. I think you showed one has to be willing to stick with it until you find something that works. It may not be there first or second or third attempt. Assess, learn, and try again. There are few who make it quick.
I also have to say I would expect the failure rate in internet marketing to be much higher than in a traditional business. I have this expectation due to the incredibly low barrier to entry in internet marketing. This makes internet marketing a great business to start, but also an easy one to quit. If you have a few hundred dollars invested, it is much easier to walk than a few thousand or hundreds of thousands.
Keep the good examples and advice coming and keep it real.
I like your thinking here — low barrier to entry is a double-edge sword. There is no filter on the front end (like a bank loan) to screen out people that aren’t really serious. It’s an excellent point. Thanks!
Mark,
Seems to me the only person who made money from this system in your snapshot was the guy selling it?
But isn’t that internet marketing all round, I’ve lost count of how many ‘buy this and I’ll teach you how to make money’ emails/adverts/pop ups etc etc I’ve received through my ‘contextual advertising’ banners and Facebook. It seems the way to make money online is to teach other people how to make money online, by teaching others….you get my drift.
I’m in no way suggesting that is wrong, if there is a market there then why not go for it, i’m just getting a little tired of it personally.
Another major problem is that most shows/podcasts just focus on the winners, the folks who have made a lot of money and are now ‘passing on’ their skills for a price to us mere mortals. It’s also no coincidence in my eyes that a lot of these ‘winners’ usually start their life story with something along the lines of,
‘So I was working for a major corporation earning 6 figures but was bored and decided to go into IM,’ or ‘So I left Harvard/Standord (insert expensive college here) ‘.
Even Pat Flynn (who I listen to all the time) wasn’t exactly destitute when he started his business, coming off the back of an architect’s wage.
The fact is that if you have money, you make money, if you don’t have money you really have to fight to get anywhere.
That’s why I was enjoying this episode so much, a proper take of what happens when you spend hard earned money on a system and the results you can get, unfortunately break even seemed to be the best from your poll.
I was also keen to see how you were going to push forward with this to really see about getting results. The answer? You’re throwing money at it! Surely it would be a better experiment to keep plodding on (as a lot of us have to) and really see what this system has to offer.
I certainly don’t resent you your success or ability to use VA’s , it would just be nice to have a ‘Broke guys (girls) route’ to doing things. I buy £2 domains and use free themes because I just don’t have the money for anything else, how about doing a few episodes focusing on the bare bones of IM?
Well — to be perfectly candid — the guy who sold it made money and so did his affiliates (including me). That’s one of my motivations for discussing it.
It’s certainly not true that no one made money — there are reports in the FA coaching forums of success. They are just way more limited than what I would like to see. It is also true that this sort of approach is known to work. But my concern is how few people that I know personally (through my show) that had success. That’s what I care about.
It’s an old argument that you mention — is the only way to make money online (MMO) to teach it? Answer is clearly “no” — but the problem is that the success rate is really low. Most people who buy MMO courses fail. Why?
I agree with your point on focus on winners — thus this episode.
I don’t agree with your point about needing money to be successful in most cases. It is usually just a matter of time. In this business, you can trade time for money (like I do). Having said that, I do understand your point.
But take Pat’s example. He took something that he knew about and wrote everything down (the architecture LEED exam). He sold what he wrote down. To my knowledge, he did almost all that himself (with no real funding). So, I do think it is possible.
But your point is well taken. Can you make money online for “free” — when you don’t have much/any money to spend. Let’s say you only have $100. or maybe just $10? What about zero?
Good question.
Thanks for your awesome comment!
Mark
I agree with James, I don’t think this episode was a “downer” It just wasn’t filled with hype. It was great at managing expectations. i.e. there is no magic pill and guarantee of success.
I bought the Forever Affiliate program and had problems with the commenting part of it too. Unfortunately, my comments weren’t being marked as spam. I then used Rank Crew and saw some good movement up the rankings. So.I’ll be listening closely to see how you get on.
Thanks for another great and helpful episode.
Thanks Paul. Glad you did not see it as a downer. Very interested to hear more about your Rank Crew experience. Did you keep track of the number of links that showed up (like in AHREFS)?
I ran two different SEO orders within 10 days of each other – 1 the comments and the other the Link Building Package. My referring domains went from 18 to 79 over 44 days according to ahrefs. By ranking for the main keyword went from outside of the 100 to position 30 and there it has stayed. But I’ve not done any more link building as I’ve focused on ranking a YouTube video for the keyword.
Hey Mark,
I think it is good to share the honest truth, but I know what you mean about not wanting to be a downer. I feel the same way when I post on my site, I want to be motivational and inspire others to do great things, but the truth is even with the best of intentions and effort it doesn’t always go as planned. I think the program is still absolutely a great blueprint for getting started in affiliate marketing and one I would continue to recommend. Thanks for sharing your thoughts and looking forward to seeing the results of your efforts.
PS Despite not having met, definitely consider you a friend/buddy as well. That is another benefit of the group, having like minded folks to be able to bounce ideas of and help each other along. Hopefully one day soon our paths will cross and we can hang out and enjoy a tasty beverage or two.
Thanks Chris — appreciate that. Agree with you 100%.
Hey, Mark.
Fantastic show! Many shows about making money on the Internet are popular because they are aspirational and appeal to people with a lottery mentality. Who doesn’t like to fantasize about getting rich online? The hard truth is that most people won’t – for a variety of reasons.
I don’t have the numbers, but I’m pretty confident that most people who listen to shows about making money online never take any action toward that goal. Once you take action toward that goal, it is no longer a fantasy – it is work. And, dang it, you might fail. Who wants that?
Many of the successful Internet entrepreneurs on these shows are outliers. Results not typical. Not everyone who really tries is going to make it. Sorry about that.
I’m not saying you shouldn’t try to make money online and a little self-delusion can actually motivate you to work harder.
Keep up the good work. Not everyone wants to hear what you’re saying, but we really need ti.
Your podcasting pal,
Mitch
Thanks Mitch. Really appreciate your comments. I do agree that many people are looking for “easy money” or “something for nothing” — but I have also run across lots of good, hardworking people that struggle to get started. That’s the part that makes me crazy.
I do have some numbers that suggest the number of people that fail to take action is very high — but it is not 100% (as you know).
Thanks for the support.
Regards,
Mark
Mark,
This is KB. Thanks for taking the time to answer my question on the podcast! I was extremely excited to hear you address this. I will admit that I was a little disappointed, at first, by the answer that folks are “not likely” to make a living online. Then I really thought about what you said and it actually gave me inspiration. If most people are “not likely” to make money online then that just gives me an edge. How? I am an idea guy. I have had many, many business ideas and have actually implemented quite a few. No, I haven’t hit on the right one yet, but my friends and family are always telling me, “one day you’re going to hit upon the right idea and then…success.” So, the way I look at it, I am nothing if I am not obsessive about being an entrepreneur and creating a business. Now that I am focused on internet business, I figure this just opens up a larger customer base for me to present ideas to. I think my obsessive approach is just what will separate me from the many others that half try and give-up at this.
So, thanks for your time and honest advice. I’m moving forward!
Kevin
Realistic views are refreshing and good ~ you’re definitely not a downer.
I’m glad you mentioned the RankCrew program, I was also looking at that wondering if I could use it to boost one of my Forever Affiliate sites that started slipping in ranking.
I have been following Mark since 2008 and this episode proves why he is the real deal – thanks Mark! I did not buy FA because I knew myself well enough to know I would not follow through with building more niche sites. Period. So, why go there?
The primary reason we keep asking, or hearing the question asked – “can you really make money online”? Is out of fear – fear of failure is very real, and very crippling.
Without sounding flippant or abrasive – could someone be a much, much smaller scale of a Dave Ramsey, Martha Stewart, Jillian MIchaels, etc., and make a handsome living online? Of course! Pick a niche you’re somewhat passionate about and go do it. My wife follows a “clean eating” lady on facebook. In 11 months, this woman has developed 1,500 followers. She’s 23 and has no internet experience other than how to log onto facebook.
Most of what I hear on this thread, and coming from my mouth is – can I pick 30 niches, do the least amount of work possible on those 30 sites, and make money on a bunch of them? To that I would say – most likely not. I’m example 1A through 1Z that you will probably fail if that is your plan.
Mark – first and foremost – Thank You
Three points just screamed out to me after listening
1. I appreciate your honesty – that’s why I keep coming back.
2. If you want your business to succeed you need to take up a warrior mentality. It has always been this way. Don’t kid yourself if your not willing to go “All In”. If you can’t make that leap of faith take a step back and set realistic goals that meet your lifestyle. This is another reason I come back to LNIM, balancing a day job, family and an enterprunerial spirit is my life.
3. You must take the first step to see if the entrepreneurial journey is for you. Action is the key! If a program like FA gets a person to act great! The hard part is the first step is up the side of a mountain. You must be strong, flexible and able to change direction in order to reach the summit. As a business owner if a tool like FA provides one more tidbit of knowledge. Perfect
My journey has taken almost 10 years, but from the beginning I understood what my goals were. Don’t get me wrong I have dreams of something bigger, but my dreams have always been balanced with reality. Am I making money? Yes, can pay my mortgage, feed a family of 5 and save with my online business no. Do I consider it a success – Yes!
Thanks for a great “real” podcast Mark. I always look forward to your voice and opinions you share. I think we all have to be real with ourselves and what it is we plan to achieve online. I look to mentors like you who balance a day job with that entrepreneurial spirit to create online too. I’m not fooling myself into thinking I can create a niche site and the cash will start rolling in. I’m happy to make $50 in my AdSense account – at least it will keep me going. We’re not all going to be Pat Flynn – his story is exceptionally inspiring and it appears all he touches turns to gold, and I do know that he works his tail off for it! But you don’t have to be Pat Flynn to see that you can create a place online to share content, people can see it, and you can earn money. I’ve proven that to myself- now how far it goes is about how much time I’m willing to invest, but I do know it can be scaled up. As always – looking forward to the next podcast.