How did a 24-year-old security guard change his financial situation by learning the secrets of making money on the internet? When I first heard Ricardo German give his testimony at an internet marketing seminar earlier in 2012, I was inspired by this young man who eagerly embraced the income opportunities available on the World Wide Web.

For years I have been encouraging persons to search online for solutions to earn extra money. You don’t need a lot of capital to get started, nor do you require specialized training to succeed. The world of online marketing is open to persons who are willing to learn new methods of earning, and are determined to keep trying until they achieve their objectives.

After his impromptu talk at the seminar, I followed up with Ricardo to discover more about his motivating story. He shared with me a classic account of how someone can have his or her dreams fulfilled, with the right attitude and actions.

Hopefully his words will encourage you to believe that, in spite your current challenges, you do have the power to change your destiny.

Down-and-out but not defeated

“I used to work as a security guard for several years; and at one time I was only earning J$8,000 a fortnight which could not take care of my basic bills. My work was often frustrating, with many long hours that left me exhausted by the end of a week. I didn’t have any time for myself and I really wanted to have an opportunity to become my own boss and have a better standard of living.

“Towards the end of 2011, I was asked to volunteer at an internet marketing summit which was organised to teach people how to create an internet business. The participants would learn to create their own websites and promote products online. My task was to help persons to turn on their computers and assist them with the set-up process.

Although I was volunteering at this event, I actually knew nothing about the internet. In fact, I often felt ashamed that my 8 year-old neighbour could use the computer and go online with ease, while I was totally clueless. While waiting around to provide assistance, I listened keenly to the trainer as she presented step-by-step guidelines to set up a simple website.

A new world is revealed

“When I reached home that night, I read the instructions handout and decided to follow the procedures to create my own website. My first attempt was very basic, but I was excited that I could have actually made a real website. This motivated me to keep reading online for more details on web construction, and today I’m reasonably skilled at building websites.

“The internet seminar also taught us about money-making websites such as fiverr.com, elance.com, and guru.com, where persons can register to search for online freelance jobs. Whatever your talent – whether you can sing, write, draw or edit books – these sites can help you to use your skills and get paid for your work.

“However, at that time I didn’t have any talents that could be sold online. The only things I was good at were track and field and cricket, and I couldn’t play sports and earn money on a freelance site. I wasn’t sure how to use the opportunity, but I was determined to find a way to earn some extra income like all those people I saw online.

Ready for the video lights

“One of the sites, fiverr.com, is an outlet where people can sell different services, all for US$5 per ‘gig.’ I noticed that there were some persons selling video birthday cards with some amount of success on the site. Since I had a small video camera at home, I decided to figure out how to copy the video business they were doing.

“In the internet world, it pays to learn from and duplicate the best people out there. My first gig was to make a three-minute video with persons wishing someone Happy Birthday. I videotaped the well-wishers, edited it and sent off the final product. The purchaser responded with a wonderful feedback, saying how much he loved my video.

“Receiving my first US$5 payment and a positive comment from my customer really motivated me to keep going and improve my offerings. I used Google and YouTube as my educational resource sites; there I learned more technical skills for graphic work, video shooting, post-production and editing among others.

“In less than one year, I have moved from being a security guard, to a birthday video maker, to a graphic designer, and now I have my own video production company. I shoot videos for weddings, funerals and parties, but I specialize in music video shoots. I feel so fulfilled in my work and my business is growing steadily.

“Everything I know today I learned on the internet right in my own home. You can do the same, if you put your mind to it and work smart towards your goal. Just keep motivated, stay around positive-minded persons and persist until you succeed.”

Ricardo, I don’t think I could have given any better advice!

Copyright © 2012 Cherryl Hanson Simpson. No reproduction without written consent.
Originally published in The Daily Observer.

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Cherryl is a money coach and business mentor, and founder of Financially S.M.A.R.T. Services. See more of her work at www.entrepreneursinjamaica.com and www.financiallysmart.org. Contact Cherryl