How to Recognize and Avoid “Newbie Traps”

Here's a quick video I recorded ages ago and updated more recently, about how to avoid Newbie Traps.

What is a Newbie Trap? Watch the video to find out!

Hint: if you're just starting out and you dream of being a digital nomad or making money with your own website, you need to see this.

Why This Matters

My days of calling out online marketing "gurus" for their bullshit are far behind me, but since this post was still getting some traffic, I decided to update the video.

My hope is that this will save someone from wasting their time and money on all the "make money online" crap that is still being peddled in many corners of the Internet.

One reason this is important to me is because I believe that entrepreneurship is a force for good in the world. When someone builds a value based business, they're creating a living for themselves, their family and maybe some employees. That's a good thing. And in addition, it means there's one more useful solution, product or service that people in some niche can use to improve their lives. Double good.

This is true on both large and small scales. In fact, the argument can be made that especially small scale entrepreneurship is good for the world.

These Newbie Traps target people who are completely new to the idea of entrepreneurship. If they fall for a Newbie Trap, they might waste their time and money and end up discouraged. If they don't and go down a true entrepreneurial path instead, they may eventually succeed. That's better for everyone (except the scammers selling the Newbie Traps).

So, if you know someone who's susceptible to the "hopes and dreams" marketing, send them this way. Maybe together, we can change their mind.