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A Question for the Successful: Are You Self Taught, Schooled or Have a Mentor?

by MsSpider
12 replies
Ok...

Sometimes in the Internet Marketing world I feel like an alien, and outsider. Like I am trying to adapt to the culture and just can't get it. Like there is some secret club or secret technique that some people know and I don't.

For example...for those of you who would call yourself "successful Internet marketers" or "web developers" or whatever, were you self-taught, university taught or did you work with a mentor?

I'm just trying to find a good educational resource for myself in this business, I want to learn but I feel like instead of learning I end up wasting time and going in the wrong direction...

Resources, recommendations appreciated!
#mentor #question #schooled #successful #taught
  • Profile picture of the author Tina M. Rideout
    Fortunately I have had some great mentors and teachers along the way.

    Without the opportunity to create a product, ie "Big Mike, and our coach "Ken Leatherman, Dave and I might have never hooked up.

    This wonderful opportunity afforded us the opportunity to become a great team.

    I think that if you keep your eyes and ears open for an opportunity to work with someone the opportunity will arise.

    It can sometimes be hard to break into a group and become "trusted" but true intentions will be noticed. Plus the alien feeling will start to subside.

    I still have moments when I think, geez, I took a bath this morning, why is no one coming near me.

    Try putting yourself out there, there in no harm in rejection, just keep trying

    :p

    Talk to you soon

    Tina
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  • Profile picture of the author Frank Bruno
    One thing to remember is that marketing is continuing education for all levels of marketers.

    Regardless of what a marketers status or level is, there will always be more to learn, its just the nature because things are constantly changing.

    However there are some core concepts to marketing that will never change, and that is the psycology of marketing and how it relates to human behavior of influence and persuaion.

    Frank Bruno

    P.S - I was self taught starting in 1997
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    • Profile picture of the author Allen Graves
      Frank is right.

      In my niche, I use the phrase "Times Change - Rules Change" because things are changing all the time.

      Mentors and classes are great for theory and learning basics, but as things change, it's important to stay up with your industry and continue learning on your own or with someone's help...every day.

      If you do have a mentor in a certain niche, I would make sure that they too are staying on top of things in the niche...not just teaching the same things they've taught for years (unless it's a never-changing niche, of course).

      Respectfully,
      Allen Graves
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      • Profile picture of the author Jamie Iaconis
        Hi,

        I am self-taught, but let me say...

        "It was a long uphill battle up until a few years ago"

        I have been at it for over 10 years and
        things are going much smoother now!

        Jamie
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        • Profile picture of the author Romell Weekly
          Obviously, there are levels of success, but I've done pretty well online. I was self-taught, but I can relate to that "alien" feeling. I've felt it at times.

          Romell
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          • Profile picture of the author Vince Runza Online
            I've taught myself, up to a point. The rest I learned from other folks here. Bev Clement gave me help in planning my business, before I knew where I would end up. That's the thing -- you have to make a map to an unknown destination that at least gets you from where you are to the limits of what you know about.

            There are too many other people here to thank for all the help I've gotten. That's code for "my memory ain't what it used to be, so I won't mention any other names." I will say that networking with other people has made a difference that cannot be overstated. You cannot do this alone, In My Not So Humble Opinion.
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            "The will to prepare to win is more important than the will to win." -- misquoting Coach Vince Lombardi
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            • Profile picture of the author valerieSONORA
              I'm self taught. When I started out, I certainly couldn't afford the high costs of a mentor.

              Of course I made a lot of mistakes and lost a ton of money. It would have been a lot easier having someone tell me the right things to do and not do.

              But you learn from your losses and get up, dust yourself off and keep at it.
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              • Profile picture of the author naruq
                I am self-taught. However, I am constantly learning from Seminars, books, CD's, mentors, forums, and workshops. Remember self-education never ends for the entrepreneur.
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                • Profile picture of the author Corwinnx
                  D.: All of the above.

                  Marcus
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                  • Profile picture of the author Steven Wagenheim
                    Well, I'm self taught as far as not ever having a mentor. However, I have
                    learned things from ebooks and from people here, so I can't say that I dug
                    up everything on my own. Some of it I either purchased or absorbed through
                    posts at this and other forums.

                    The only advice I ever got from a personal "mentor" if you can call it that,
                    was a 5 minute phone call with Juan Walker where he said to me, "Create
                    your own products."

                    That's about all the mentoring I ever got.

                    I guess I did it the hard way, which is probably why it took me so long to
                    make it to where I am today.
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                    • Profile picture of the author matthewd
                      I am self taught if you are talking about having a mentor. As much as I would have liked to have one starting out, I never did. I did learn through courses, ebooks, and things of the sort though.

                      The closest thing I have had to mentors are my friends and partners in IM.
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                      • Profile picture of the author Andyhenry
                        All of the above.

                        I taught myself, then (to make sure I wasn't kidding myself about what I knew) I went and learned with the CIM (Chartered Institute Of Marketing), and then found some other successful IMers and business owners to learn from and bounce ideas off.

                        So - a bit of everything.

                        I am a quick learner, but I know enough not to ever think I know everything, even almost 10 years down the line.

                        Andy
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                        nothing to see here.

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