Name: Nicholas John Martin aka Nick Martin
Age: 24
Residence: Copenhagen, Denmark (Europe)
Business name: LifeStyleNetworker
Business address: http://www.LifeStyleNetworker.com
Business description: Free lead generation and list building system with inbuilt email capabilities.
Q) First of all, can you tell us how you got started in internet marketing and what sparked off Life Style Networker?
A) I first got started with Internet Marketing in May 2000 when I was using the internet to search for a job in the US. I've always wanted to visit America and try it out for size. One day I fell over an ad with the headline "Earn $50.000 in 90 days" and thought hell yeah!
I knew absolutely nothing about the internet at that time. I had just got my first email address lol. So I pursued the idea of earning $50.000 in 90 days and all I had to do was buy 4 reports and resell them ... The first report told me I had to bulk mail loads of email addresses, so I started searching for a way to do that.
I got enrolled into the Internet Marketing Warriors looking for a bulk emailer software. It was there I met my first sponsor Quentin Brown and that's when I learned that harvesting emails and bulk mailing was a no no in Internet Marketing.
From there I started my learning curve. I read everything I could get my hands on and started building my first website. I can't quite remember how I learned about Surf4Hits programs, but it was at that moment I knew they were the key to my traffic problems!
At that time there were only a handful of them out there so I joined them all and started surfing like mad.
After some time I thought to myself that there had to be a clever way of advertising these Surf4Hits, so one could build a decent downline in them. And that's how I started thinking about LifeStyleNetworker.
Q) And how long did it take to take it from the idea stage to reality?
A) Well the first version was actually called TTAN (TheElite-TeamUp Advertising Network) and it took me a few days to get the first script I had working like I wanted it to.
From there it has been a steady development and lot's of changes have been made to get the LSN we see today. I like to think of LSN as my little baby lol. Always tinkering with the site and coming up with new ideas for it.
Q) Give us an example of a specific challenge you encountered in the beginning stages of Life Style Networker. How did you overcome it?
A) My members have definitely helped me a lot! When I was running TTAN, I soon after learned of a site called MoneyLegs and started working that program. I could see that Doug (the owner) had a much more advanced software and I couldn't keep up with such a competitor.
That was the time when I decided to let TTAN go and asked all my members at that time to join me in MoneyLegs.
The response to that really took me by surprise! So many people emailed me and wanted me to continue what I was doing. There were also some who wanted to take over the site. That's when I realized how much people liked my idea.
So thanks to my founding members support, I decided to drop TTAN and go even bigger and started work on LifeStyleNetworker :)
Q) What are your day to day responsibilities?
A) Emails! I answer support emails and post in my support forum. I wish more members would use the forum, but I guess it's much easier to email Nick :)
Q) What aspects of running your own business do you enjoy the most?
A) When I receive PayPal payment Notifications . We must admit that's a good feeling, but to be perfectly honest what I really enjoy is when I get 'thank you' emails from my members.
That's when I really feel like I'm making a difference and helping others. Of course the money is great, but there is nothing like 'thank you' emails :)
Q) And which do you enjoy the least?
A) Hmm, that's a good question. I really love running my own business, but there are always some emails that I just don't get answered immediately. The days when I open my inbox and see a lot of unanswered emails, that's probably what I enjoy the least.
Q) Why do you favour using traffic exchanges as one of the main Life Style Networker promotional techniques?
A) Because they work! Simple as that :) There is no one in the whole world that can show me a better way to generate free traffic to a webpage - period!
Surf4Hits programs really work if you know how to work them and what's even better you get results immediately. Surf 100 sites and you will see your hit counter going up almost immediately.
Q) Where do you see Life Style Networker 5 years from now?
A) The whole idea of LifeStyleNetworker is showing ordinary people how to get started with building their lists of contacts for free. In 5 years time that's exactly what LSN will be doing.
I will keep my eyes and ears open for any new free traffic generators that come along and will incorporate them into LSN. I will never put a price tag on LSN and it will always be free to use for members.
Q) How do you handle stress? What do you do to unwind?
Hehe ... stress what's that? I love to play golf and have been playing for 8 years now. That's really my passion and my goal in life is to be able to play anywhere in the world I like.
When I feel like unwinding I go to the golf course or driving range and hit a load of balls :)
Q) What advice would you give to someone reading this who'd like to start their own online business program?
A) I would say that if they feel strongly enough about it then just do it and see it as a vehicle for developing their skills. Don't expect to be a pro or even act as one. Be professional but be personal.
I see too many program owners being all administrative and hiding behind admin emails. Don't be afraid to show that you are a real person - after all that's who we like working with the best.
Oh and a shameless plug here at the end, they might want to take a look at http://www.LimitedEditionPro.com for a cool software to help them ;)
Q) What personal qualities do you feel an internet marketer needs in order to succeed?
A) Three words: Persistence - Patience - Dedication!
That's what it takes to conquer the world. Any of us who have these three qualities will see success no matter how we pursue it.
About The Author
Ofa Morgan is the owner of Blue Moon Offers, a site where you can win a prize for your complaints. Find out how by visiting: http://www.bluemoonoffers.com. Paul Penafiel is a "die hard" Life Style Networker. To learn winning surf4hits strategies while building your list of contacts at the same time. please go to: http://tinyurl.com/hmky.
bluemoonoffers@yahoo.co.uk