It?s been awhile since I?ve continued my “Because You Work Online” series. For those that haven?t been keeping up, this series is where I post myths that people have about my occupation and dispel them with a response. If you missed my first two blogs on this topic, you can read them here and here. Below are my latest myths:

You refuse to grow up. A lot of people generalize Internet entrepreneurs as spoon fed momma?s boys that refuse to move out. They do not take us serious and think we?re addicted to Xbox and use the term “Internet entrepreneur” rather than admitting we are unemployed. Our jobs, as affiliate marketers, are very real. I feel like I?m preaching to the choir but people that think we are spoon fed are sadly mistaken. Anyone that?s ever ran a campaign knows how stressful it can be. We are crunching numbers and always trying to improve our Earnings Per Click. As an Internet veteran, I cannot count how many sleepless nights I have had tweaking campaigns. Last night was one of those nights. I was up very lately working on a particular campaign, trying to explain to my girlfriend the seriousness of my occupation.

You don’t know the meaning of hard work. As I?ve mentioned before, just because I do not do hardcore blue-collar work does not mean that I do not work hard. Becoming a Super Affiliate is not easy. Many have wrote about how difficult it is to become a high-earning affiliate. Ryan, John and I have become Super Affiliates because we spend countless hours online and work very hard to accomplish our goals. We put work first even when it shouldn?t be first. To become a Super Affiliate you must make sacrifices and those that do not realize that do not realize what being a Super Affiliate is all about.

You’re running a scam. This is one of my favorite myths. As soon as someone finds out we?re putting up the numbers that we are, they think it?s all one big scam. OK junior, I am an affiliate marketer that delivers a direct response to Fortune 500 and Fortune 1000 companies. Companies pay us a commission for sending them clients. We are FTC compliant and trademark compliant. How is that a scam? It?s not. Someone that says affiliate marketing is a scam is most-likely jealous and is clueless of what is going on. Anyone that categorizes my job as a scam is incompetent.

You were just at the right place at the right time. There is a little bit of luck involved in any kind of success story. I could tell you several instances in my career where luck played a part; however, luck did not make me a Super Affiliate. Ryan, John and I did not become Super Affiliates by being “at the right place at the right time”. We became Super Affiliates through hard work and dedication. We did our research, adapted to change and still lost money. We paid our dues and ended up figuring it all out. It?s not like we owned a piece of property and got rich just because the right buyer came at the right time. We didn?t have those luxuries.

What are some of the things people have said to you when have told them you work online? Share here and let?s have some fun!