I, like many other people out there, want to run my own business. The only problem, where to start? There is so much information out there, how do you decipher what is real and what is crap? Most of the affiliate marketing information I researched was related to getting rich quickly. "Follow these simple rules and you'll realize your dream".

Back in 2008, I bought several books, e-books and memberships to websites that supposedly held the key. What I found is while the authors of said material generally did realize their dreams. However, their books, e-books and websites contained very vague ideas, broad expressions, and offered no help to me.

If you've never ventured into the realm of affiliate marketing before, just google it. That search today will result in over 38 million results. That's a big haystack, of mostly crap. We all want to make more money, and it is possible, but if you're not willing to work hard, sometimes very hard at it, it's more likely that you'll just waste a little bit of money and be disappointed soon after beginning and abandon the business.

Fast forward three years. I found myself looking for a way to earn more money, because there is just a ton of things I want to do in my life that require more income than I currently bring in every month. So I began looking through some of my research and information, and went out to see if any of those sources were still in the business today.

Through that research, I found a community of affiliate marketers that provided the information I believe would give me what I needed to succeed. Tthe first thing lost amongst most who wish to run an internet business, there is no get-rich-quick. You need a plan to succeed in this business.. There is an unprecendented number of tools for research and writing articles out there, you just have to use them. The most important tool though is, the community forum.

Where else learn the ins and outs of affiliate marketing than those who are in the midst of creating their own business? The best way to learn affiliate marketing, from my perspective, is through lessons learned by those who have been both highly successful, as well as those who have had to overcome their own struggles. This user community are the only places I have found both types of people so far.