Interesting Question.. If You Had To Start From Scratch Today Could You Do It?

Collapse
X
 
  • Time
  • Show
Clear All
new posts
  • Shap
    Confirmed User
    • May 2001
    • 8313

    #1

    Interesting Question.. If You Had To Start From Scratch Today Could You Do It?

    I just had lunch with one of our Crew and this question came up. Alot of people here can attribute alot of their success to timing and or having funds available to them. If you had to start everything from scratch today with little money and build from the ground up and without using your reputation or connections. Starting out 100% fresh only with the knowledge you've acquired. Could you do it?

    I know for a fact I could without a problem, I did it once and could do it again Anybody else? I know alot of the people I know could not.
  • ThumbLord

    #2
    simple answer ............. NO

    Comment

    • Bomber8888
      Confirmed User
      • Mar 2004
      • 1444

      #3
      Definitely.. without a doubt!
      Icq - 403858640
      bomber.jason AT gmail dot com

      Comment

      • WiredGuy
        Pounding Googlebot
        • Aug 2002
        • 34515

        #4
        Yup, I got lucky in the beginning because of a relatively uncompetitive market and low cost to entry but I could replicate the success today after the years of experience I've had underneath my belt. It would be much harder but definitely doable.
        WG
        I play with Google.

        Comment

        • ElvisManson
          Looking California
          • Feb 2001
          • 5476

          #5
          Hell Yeah.

          have done it twice already.

          Comment

          • Steve
            Confirmed User
            • Feb 2001
            • 6894

            #6
            yes - without a doubt

            Comment

            • sonofsam
              Too lazy to set a custom title
              • Dec 2004
              • 18647

              #7
              Originally posted by shap
              I just had lunch with one of our Crew and this question came up. Alot of people here can attribute alot of their success to timing and or having funds available to them. If you had to start everything from scratch today with little money and build from the ground up and without using your reputation or connections. Starting out 100% fresh only with the knowledge you've acquired. Could you do it?

              I know for a fact I could without a problem, I did it once and could do it again Anybody else? I know alot of the people I know could not.
              great question... i have done just that... my site launches as soon as it gets ccbill approval and i will let you know
              I like turtles.

              Comment

              • AaronM
                GFY Royality ;)
                • Oct 2001
                • 46917

                #8
                Could I do it? Yes.

                Would I do it? Not sure. Probably not.

                Comment

                • JayRevenue
                  Confirmed User
                  • Oct 2004
                  • 240

                  #9
                  i have done it before. i would do it again if need be.

                  icq: 291096009

                  Comment

                  • Fake Nick
                    So Fucking Banned
                    • Jul 2004
                    • 7708

                    #10
                    I make no money now , and I think I could make no money again when starting from scratch

                    Comment

                    • Napolean
                      Misanthropic Egalitarian
                      • Nov 2002
                      • 4330

                      #11
                      bring it on
                      HAH! FOUND IT FRIS

                      Comment

                      • DomBuyer
                        Confirmed User
                        • Sep 2002
                        • 2595

                        #12
                        Originally posted by Fake Nick
                        I make no money now , and I think I could make no money again when starting from scratch
                        Word.

                        Comment

                        • Bike
                          Confirmed User
                          • Jul 2004
                          • 1363

                          #13
                          Yes, no doubt.

                          Comment

                          • Shap
                            Confirmed User
                            • May 2001
                            • 8313

                            #14
                            Interesting point Aaron. That's a whole other debate LOL.

                            I think the guys that would have the most trouble are some of the old timers. It was real easy money back then and alot of them probably would not have a clue of what to do today if they had to do it all again. I see alot of these guys have sat back on their success and not really kept up to date with the industry.

                            Comment

                            • Manowar
                              jellyfish  
                              • Dec 2003
                              • 71528

                              #15
                              For sure.

                              Comment

                              • Furious_Female
                                Confirmed User
                                • Oct 2002
                                • 8187

                                #16
                                I start completely over every few months actually.
                                Skype: j3nn.com
                                ICQ 160370494

                                My current favorite high-converting sponsor: CrakRevenue

                                Comment

                                • AaronM
                                  GFY Royality ;)
                                  • Oct 2001
                                  • 46917

                                  #17
                                  Originally posted by shap
                                  Interesting point Aaron. That's a whole other debate LOL.

                                  I think the guys that would have the most trouble are some of the old timers. It was real easy money back then and alot of them probably would not have a clue of what to do today if they had to do it all again. I see alot of these guys have sat back on their success and not really kept up to date with the industry.

                                  The way I see it...The amount of morons in this business increases exponentially every year. Thankfully, I've been establishing contacts for long enough that I can directly reach pretty much anybody that I want/need to reach these days without having to rely on others.

                                  Gone are the days of real webmasters. These new people don't know jack shit other than all they have to do is sign up for a program and milk it for all it's worth. Free content, free hosting, design this for me, upload that....Hell, now days there are sponsors who will even submit FHG's with your linking code.

                                  It's become pretty fucking sad.

                                  There's a lot that I still don't know about this business, especially when it comes to programming and technical shit like that....But at least I try to learn which is more than can be said about most of the newbies.

                                  Comment

                                  • Shap
                                    Confirmed User
                                    • May 2001
                                    • 8313

                                    #18
                                    Hey Aaron could you contact me or give me your contact details. I've been meaning to hit you up to do some business together

                                    Comment

                                    • JFPdude
                                      Confirmed User
                                      • Jan 2002
                                      • 4027

                                      #19
                                      Originally posted by AaronM
                                      The way I see it...The amount of morons in this business increases exponentially every year. Thankfully, I've been establishing contacts for long enough that I can directly reach pretty much anybody that I want/need to reach these days without having to rely on others.

                                      Gone are the days of real webmasters. These new people don't know jack shit other than all they have to do is sign up for a program and milk it for all it's worth. Free content, free hosting, design this for me, upload that....Hell, now days there are sponsors who will even submit FHG's with your linking code.

                                      It's become pretty fucking sad.

                                      There's a lot that I still don't know about this business, especially when it comes to programming and technical shit like that....But at least I try to learn which is more than can be said about most of the newbies.

                                      Amen to that. However there are new people entering the industry that are willing to learn and work. They have been through the free stuff and realize there is no money there.

                                      Could I start today from nothing and build again. Yes I am doing just that.

                                      But it requires work. Unlike a few years ago when the competition level wasn't there.

                                      If you are coming in today and just think you can rape the sponsors for all the free stuff and do nothing and succeed? well you might want to think again.

                                      Also if you have no money, no skills, and you just want a free ride.... McDonalds is hiring.

                                      Comment

                                      • sandman!
                                        Icq: 14420613
                                        • Mar 2001
                                        • 15427

                                        #20
                                        Originally posted by shap
                                        I just had lunch with one of our Crew and this question came up. Alot of people here can attribute alot of their success to timing and or having funds available to them. If you had to start everything from scratch today with little money and build from the ground up and without using your reputation or connections. Starting out 100% fresh only with the knowledge you've acquired. Could you do it?

                                        I know for a fact I could without a problem, I did it once and could do it again Anybody else? I know alot of the people I know could not.
                                        i have bounced in and out of adult many times so yea it can be done
                                        Need WebHosting ? Email me for some great deals [email protected]

                                        Comment

                                        • ChrisExtreme
                                          Confirmed User
                                          • Apr 2004
                                          • 993

                                          #21
                                          Yes, but I think it would be harder now then it was a few years back.

                                          Check Out IA Cash's Newest Site Biohazard Bitches

                                          Originally posted by Paul Markham
                                          Thing is if I wanted to shave I have two full time excellent programmers who could build in a shave you would never see.

                                          Comment

                                          • Rorschach
                                            So Fucking Banned
                                            • Aug 2002
                                            • 5579

                                            #22
                                            Definitely, give me an internet connection, my scripts and DBs and some free hosting accounts and I'll be rocking from zero to hero in 3 days.

                                            Comment

                                            • jayeff
                                              Confirmed User
                                              • May 2001
                                              • 2944

                                              #23
                                              Modest success is usually achievable by effort with a modicum of skill and knowledge, so it is repeatable. Serious success is something else altogether because however much we would like to tell ourselves otherwise, luck and timing play major roles.

                                              To illustrate: my first business success came about at the time of the oil crisis in the early 70's when I had a respectable but unremarkable operation. I didn't realize it at the time, but I went on looking to expand my business while almost all my competitors had decided to dig in until the market eased. When business took off again a couple of years later, I had a solid customer base and the means to service it, and emerged with one of the biggest companies of its kind in London.

                                              Could I have repeated that success? I seriously doubt it. Not only was my success a product of the times as much as my decision, but that decision could have been disastrous if the recession had been deeper or lasted longer. So while I have always been grateful I got that one right, I never under-estimated the part that luck played.

                                              Obviously there are exceptions. But it is far easier to find entrepreneurs who subsequently fail (often spectacularly), than it is to find ones who bring a Midas touch to a string of ventures.

                                              Comment

                                              • bigdog
                                                Confirmed User
                                                • Jul 2001
                                                • 6964

                                                #24
                                                shap saying if you started now with nothing you think you could make 1M+ year in a short time?

                                                Comment

                                                • SomeCreep
                                                  :glugglug
                                                  • Mar 2003
                                                  • 26118

                                                  #25
                                                  Originally posted by shap
                                                  If you had to start everything from scratch today with little money and build from the ground up and without using your reputation or connections. Starting out 100% fresh only with the knowledge you've acquired. Could you do it?
                                                  Absolutely positively.

                                                  Webair Hosting

                                                  I use and recommend Webair for hosting.

                                                  Comment

                                                  • pxxx
                                                    First African GFY Member
                                                    • Mar 2004
                                                    • 12114

                                                    #26
                                                    I am still trying to get constant bank, because i am fairly new comparing to others here, but i has been very hard, especially with not much to fund it, it is doable though.

                                                    Comment

                                                    • EddiePulp
                                                      Confirmed User
                                                      • Mar 2004
                                                      • 1332

                                                      #27
                                                      hell yes, with my knowledge across the board coding, graphics and marketing.. I'm unstopable
                                                      I dont need a sig.

                                                      Comment

                                                      • Babagirls
                                                        Text Writer
                                                        • Feb 2001
                                                        • 18812

                                                        #28
                                                        i already did that.
                                                        i started in 2001 and then got out of the biz from 2002-(early)2004.

                                                        it was was fuckin hard as hell to do. Took me a good 6 months to re-build 'my empire', make new contacts, get my name out there, do some trades, re-learn a TON of shit, and basically, just start from scratch. It was a nightmare. And my answer is NO, i wouldnt do it for the 3rd time.




                                                        Need a Text Writer?
                                                        Blogs|Reviews|Descriptions|Paysites|TGP's|Stories

                                                        ICQ: 397892500

                                                        Comment

                                                        • Shap
                                                          Confirmed User
                                                          • May 2001
                                                          • 8313

                                                          #29
                                                          Hmm Bigdog good question. I hadn't thought of it that way. I had thought of it more if I was stripped of everything now would i do well in this biz? To that the answer is yes. I built it from the ground up and was in charge of every aspect of our success from the beginning. The flip question: could i match our existing success? Without funding and with the current industry situation I would have to say no. When you really sit down and think about it it would be extremely difficult to do. You stumped me at my own question


                                                          Btw next show we have to meet up. I remember seeing you at the mgp party snapping off pics left and right

                                                          Comment

                                                          • Maureenoz
                                                            I'm older than you are.
                                                            • Jul 2003
                                                            • 165

                                                            #30
                                                            My answer would be no.

                                                            We started out in 1996 with $500. In today's climate we couldn't do it again.

                                                            But we know we could earn enough money to live comfortably.
                                                            Love Ain't FREE!
                                                            SexyAds.Com

                                                            Comment

                                                            • Major (Tom)
                                                              So Fucking Banned
                                                              • Nov 2003
                                                              • 32492

                                                              #31
                                                              I'm sure I could. I have solidified enough solid relationships to get me back on my feet if need be, but quite honestly Shap, it would be a huge mental obstacle overcomming it.
                                                              Duke

                                                              Comment

                                                              • BVF
                                                                Black Vagina Finder
                                                                • Jan 2002
                                                                • 13975

                                                                #32
                                                                I don't think I could do it....It took YEARS to build up this shit.

                                                                I got my start from a 10,000+ yahoo club that I built up from providing FREE weekly sets of girls to my club members...I was able to get a signup within an hour of setting up my paysite.

                                                                Now, Yahoo clubs/groups are dead. You don't get the 100+ members signing up per day and you don't have the adult club directory on Yahoo....If I didn't have that, I'd just be another newb with no traffic trying to peddle some crack hoes. I've seen plenty of people try to follow me and MISERABLY fail and they did it because they didn't have a fan base before they started their paysite.

                                                                Plus I was just to IGNORANT to know that starting a paysite as a newb would almost guarantee failure. I never joined a paysite before I started mine and I rarely surfed them so I had virtually NO experience in internet porn when I started. I just knew that I had an audience and that I could work it for my own benefit.

                                                                My success is built on time, luck, early entry, good marketing, excellent salespitch writing, and branding and less on actual webmastering skill...I've built my name on the SURFERS telling others about me and not on networking with others in the biz.

                                                                So if I had to start today, I highly doubt that I would have made it...Yahoo Groups are dead now....I also wouldn't have been able to pay the 750 visa registration fee as a newb instead of visa coming along AFTER I was making enough to just pay them with deductions from my current income.

                                                                I wouldn't have made it...Seriously.

                                                                Black Pussy
                                                                Click On Mr Cosby..CCbill, 60/40, 136 FHG's....The Cos Loves Black Ghetto Pussy!!

                                                                Comment

                                                                • BVF
                                                                  Black Vagina Finder
                                                                  • Jan 2002
                                                                  • 13975

                                                                  #33
                                                                  Originally posted by DukeSkywalker
                                                                  I'm sure I could. I have solidified enough solid relationships to get me back on my feet if need be, but quite honestly Shap, it would be a huge mental obstacle overcomming it.
                                                                  Duke
                                                                  Yeah but he said FORGET about your connections...He only said based on your CURRENT KNOWLEDGE.

                                                                  Black Pussy
                                                                  Click On Mr Cosby..CCbill, 60/40, 136 FHG's....The Cos Loves Black Ghetto Pussy!!

                                                                  Comment

                                                                  • tony299
                                                                    lurker
                                                                    • Aug 2002
                                                                    • 57021

                                                                    #34
                                                                    Originally posted by BVF
                                                                    Yeah but he said FORGET about your connections...He only said based on your CURRENT KNOWLEDGE.
                                                                    Thats right and Thank you for being one of the few on this thread who is being real

                                                                    Comment

                                                                    • quiet
                                                                      we'll miss you our friend. RIP
                                                                      • Sep 2001
                                                                      • 25115

                                                                      #35
                                                                      i would have absolutely no interest in, or motivation for starting over.
                                                                      we'll miss you our friend. RIP

                                                                      Comment

                                                                      • Shoplifter
                                                                        Richest man in Babylon
                                                                        • Jan 2002
                                                                        • 5862

                                                                        #36
                                                                        Knowing what I know now it would be no problem at all.

                                                                        But if I was a totally green newb faced with all of the difficulties today (Visa regs, fees, competition etc.) I would probably pass.
                                                                        I Like Blondes

                                                                        Comment

                                                                        • Snake Doctor
                                                                          I'm Lenny2 Bitch
                                                                          • Mar 2001
                                                                          • 13449

                                                                          #37
                                                                          That's a tough one.

                                                                          When I first started there was lots of free traffic available. Not many people were posting to TGP's, bandwidth was expensive. You could actually get galleries listed every day on free hosts that had headers and footers, or on terra.es and shit like that.

                                                                          Today there is very little free traffic. So even though you can get free hosting, free content, free whatever from sponsors, you still need traffic to make $$.

                                                                          Without the capital to buy the traffic I don't know if I could get to this level again.

                                                                          Its possible but it would take a long time.....fight for every scrap of free traffic out there and reinvest every dime made back into the biz.

                                                                          Hopefully this will all remain a hypothetical *knocks on wood*
                                                                          sig too big

                                                                          Comment

                                                                          • xclusive
                                                                            Too lazy to set a custom title
                                                                            • Apr 2004
                                                                            • 35218

                                                                            #38
                                                                            Yes but it would be a lot harder as there is just more competition each and every day but with the knowledge that I have aquired over the years I think I could get pretty close to what I have today

                                                                            I support MediumPimpin.com / Shemp's Outlawtgp.com /


                                                                            Comment

                                                                            • jact
                                                                              Confirmed User
                                                                              • Sep 2002
                                                                              • 9134

                                                                              #39
                                                                              I did it once before, and I'm in the process of doing it again, business seems to go in cycles for me. I have a lot more knowledge to deal with it and make things work the way I need them to this time around so I think I'll be just fine.
                                                                              Free agent

                                                                              Comment

                                                                              • Mr.Fiction
                                                                                Confirmed User
                                                                                • Feb 2002
                                                                                • 9484

                                                                                #40
                                                                                Originally posted by jayeff
                                                                                Modest success is usually achievable by effort with a modicum of skill and knowledge, so it is repeatable. Serious success is something else altogether because however much we would like to tell ourselves otherwise, luck and timing play major roles.

                                                                                To illustrate: my first business success came about at the time of the oil crisis in the early 70's when I had a respectable but unremarkable operation. I didn't realize it at the time, but I went on looking to expand my business while almost all my competitors had decided to dig in until the market eased. When business took off again a couple of years later, I had a solid customer base and the means to service it, and emerged with one of the biggest companies of its kind in London.

                                                                                Could I have repeated that success? I seriously doubt it. Not only was my success a product of the times as much as my decision, but that decision could have been disastrous if the recession had been deeper or lasted longer. So while I have always been grateful I got that one right, I never under-estimated the part that luck played.

                                                                                Obviously there are exceptions. But it is far easier to find entrepreneurs who subsequently fail (often spectacularly), than it is to find ones who bring a Midas touch to a string of ventures.
                                                                                Good points. No matter how much knowledge anyone has now, there will be no second chance at getting on the internet early. That opportunity will never come again.
                                                                                Don't be lazy, protect free speech: ACLU | Free Speech Coalition | EFF | IMPA

                                                                                Comment

                                                                                • NaughtyRob
                                                                                  Two fresh affiliate progs
                                                                                  • Nov 2004
                                                                                  • 29602

                                                                                  #41
                                                                                  I have started from scratch many times and succeed every time.
                                                                                  [email protected]
                                                                                  Skype: 17026955414
                                                                                  Vacares Web Hosting - Protect Your Ass with Included Daily Backups

                                                                                  Comment

                                                                                  • chowda
                                                                                    Confirmed User
                                                                                    • Jun 2003
                                                                                    • 9527

                                                                                    #42
                                                                                    im starting an affiliate prog, nothing adult.

                                                                                    but the potential is huge. and ive only seen 1-2 at most sites offering it.

                                                                                    its gonna be big
                                                                                    Someone finds you...
                                                                                    2007

                                                                                    PS: Nationalnet is the best host I've ever had. And i tried alot of them.

                                                                                    Comment

                                                                                    • jonpotz
                                                                                      Confirmed User
                                                                                      • Aug 2004
                                                                                      • 960

                                                                                      #43
                                                                                      probably the best question on gfy ever....

                                                                                      i have to say yes, i could do it...

                                                                                      you know why?

                                                                                      because if you have determination then you can do anything.

                                                                                      its all about getting traffic that converts.

                                                                                      anyone can read on how to get traffic that converts.

                                                                                      so, GET THAT TRAFFIC NEWBIES!

                                                                                      Comment

                                                                                      • Matt_WildCash
                                                                                        Confirmed User
                                                                                        • Jan 2003
                                                                                        • 1699

                                                                                        #44
                                                                                        Time & Luck do play a certain part. If I had to start again with nothing in the bank I'm not sure if I could redo it from scratch but if I had $50k to play with I could certainly do it again. Certainly risks though its nice to have backing and a fallback business thats still making money

                                                                                        Try the New XMovies.com and make more $$$ with your Traffic

                                                                                        Comment

                                                                                        • onlymovies
                                                                                          Confirmed User
                                                                                          • Sep 2003
                                                                                          • 906

                                                                                          #45
                                                                                          Originally posted by shap
                                                                                          If you had to start everything from scratch today with little money and build from the ground up and without using your reputation or connections. Starting out 100% fresh only with the knowledge you've acquired. Could you do it?

                                                                                          Absolutely...
                                                                                          HomemadeVideoPass.com - High converting Homemade mega site!
                                                                                          StolenPornVideos.com - The hottest site on the web converting like crazy!
                                                                                          ReelPass.com - Offer your surfers 15+ exclusive movie sites for one low price

                                                                                          Comment

                                                                                          • Lee
                                                                                            Confirmed User
                                                                                            • Aug 2002
                                                                                            • 2977

                                                                                            #46
                                                                                            I think Pimpdog was the perfect model for showing it could be done in a time that was after the initial goldrush. An unusual tactic perhaps, but he proved it could be done by combining lots of the aforementioned elements with an off the wall marketing strategy.

                                                                                            As for myself, I am certain I would struggle.

                                                                                            Comment

                                                                                            • mhende6600
                                                                                              Confirmed User
                                                                                              • Nov 2002
                                                                                              • 740

                                                                                              #47
                                                                                              I have had to start over 2 times and each time I did it better so ,yes if I had to. I work better with mt back against the wall.
                                                                                              Top Tier Traffic Every Niche
                                                                                              Phone Sex Still Makes Money $$$

                                                                                              Comment

                                                                                              • Martin
                                                                                                "Assassins"
                                                                                                • Dec 2001
                                                                                                • 17274

                                                                                                #48
                                                                                                Originally posted by quiet
                                                                                                i would have absolutely no interest in, or motivation for starting over.
                                                                                                Same here man.. I would rather get into a trade of some sort. Might do that still.

                                                                                                Comment

                                                                                                • Napolean
                                                                                                  Misanthropic Egalitarian
                                                                                                  • Nov 2002
                                                                                                  • 4330

                                                                                                  #49
                                                                                                  doin it now

                                                                                                  gotta love when a host eats your files ;)
                                                                                                  HAH! FOUND IT FRIS

                                                                                                  Comment

                                                                                                  • SleazyDream
                                                                                                    I'm here for SPORT
                                                                                                    • Jul 2001
                                                                                                    • 41470

                                                                                                    #50
                                                                                                    i kinda feel like i start EVERY day from scratch.

                                                                                                    i really don't want to see the day where I don't feel like that.
                                                                                                    This dog, is dog, a dog, good dog, way dog, to dog, keep dog, an dog, idiot dog, busy dog, for dog, 20 dog, seconds dog!

                                                                                                    Now read without the word dog.

                                                                                                    Comment

                                                                                                    Working...