Meet Jerry: Broke, Tired and Fed Up With “Online Scams”
Jerry was 66 years old, “retired” in theory, but in reality?
- His Social Security check barely covered groceries.
- He worked 5 days a week as a Walmart greeter just to pay for his grandkids’ birthday gifts.
- He’d wasted $3,000+ on “make money online” courses – each one left him more confused.
Worst of all?
He almost gave up.
Then, one day, he emailed me:
“I keep seeing you promote these “affiliate marketing” things. Are they legit… or just another scam?”
That email changed everything.
Why Jerry Succeeded (When 99% of Beginners Fail)
Most gurus won’t tell you this, but affiliate marketing isn’t about “hacks” – it’s about sticking to a simple, boring system.
Here’s how we helped Jerry go from 0 to 10K/month in 18 months (without tech skills or a big budget).
Step 1: Picking a Niche He Actually Cared About (No More “Make Money Online”)
Jerry’s mistake?
He kept promoting “get rich quick” schemes – a niche he knew NOTHING about.
So we asked him:
“What do you love talking about, even if no one paid you?”
Turns out, Jerry was obsessed with fishing (his grandkids called him “Papa the Bass Master”).
The Fix:
✅ We found a high-converting ClickBank offer for a “beginner’s fishing guide” (with 75% commissions).
✅ No complex funnels – just a simple review page explaining why the guide helped him.
“Wait… I can make money talking about FISHING?” – Jerry
Step 2: The “Broke Man’s Funnel” (How Jerry Built His First Site for $0)
Jerry had $47 in his bank account. No money for hosting, no patience for WordPress.
Solution: LeadsLeap (The “Training Wheels” of Affiliate Marketing)
- Free Plan: Jerry could post links + see other marketers’ ads.
- $20/Month Plan: Unlocked game-changing tools:
- A drag-and-drop page builder (no coding).
- A built-in autoresponder (no need for AWeber yet).
- Free traffic from other LeadsLeap members (people already interested in “making money online”).
Note: LeadsLeap isn’t perfect, but for $20, it gave Jerry a WAY to start without overwhelm.
Step 3: Free Traffic That Actually Worked (No SEO or Facebook Ads)
Jerry didn’t wait for Google to rank him. He:
- Shared his fishing guide link in LeadsLeap’s ad network (other members saw it).
- Posted in fishing forums (helping newbies with tips + linking to his review).
- Answered fishing questions on Quora (with a subtle link to his page).
First month: 12 clicks, 1 sale ($37 commission.
Jerry was HOOKED (pun intended).
Step 4: Mindset Shifts That Saved Jerry’s Business
Here’s the raw truth: Jerry almost quit: dozens of times.
Problem 1: “Shiny Object Syndrome”
- He’d see a Facebook ad for “Earn $500/Day with Dropshipping!” and panic.
- My wife’s fix: “Jerry, would you quit fishing halfway because someone else is hunting?”
Problem 2: Imposter Syndrome
- “Who am I to teach fishing? I’m just a Walmart greeter!”
- Our fix: “You’re not ‘teaching’ – you’re sharing what worked for YOU.”
Problem 3: Fear of Selling
- Jerry hated “pushy” marketers (after being scammed).
- Our fix: “You’re not ‘selling’ – you’re helping people avoid bad guides.”
The Turning Point: When Jerry Hit “F* You Money”
After 6 months, Jerry:
- Upgraded to Thrive Themes (for a real blog).
- Switched to AWeber (for email marketing).
- Replaced his Walmart income – then quadrupled it.
18 months later?
- $10K/month from affiliate marketing.
- Bought his grandkids a fishing boat (his proudest moment).
- Finally retired for real.
Want to Follow Jerry’s EXACT Blueprint?
If a 66 year old Walmart greeter can do this, so can you.
Here’s how to start:
- Find Your “Fishing” (A niche you actually enjoy).
- Start for Free with LeadsLeap → [Get Free Access Here]
- Upgrade Later (Thrive Themes, AWeber, etc.).
“I wasted years chasing ‘easy money.’ Turns out, the real secret is just helping people and not quitting.” – Jerry
Final Thoughts
This isn’t a “rah-rah” motivational story. Jerry’s journey was messy, frustrating and slow – but it worked because he didn’t give up.
You don’t need to be tech-savvy, young, or rich. You just need:
- A niche you care about.
- A stupid-simple system (like LeadsLeap → Thrive).
- Someone to slap you when you want to quit (metaphorically).
