I've been meaning to make a list of people in the industry, trusted and not, bad and good, and the real movers and shakers (thanks Alexa for that term) that people should pay attention to. Instead of writing out some huge list that changes often, we'll break them up into parts so people can have more fun reading them.
Part 1:
Top 10 Underrated & Overrated People of the Industry
1- Dan
Domain: Biz MP - Home of the online business marketplace
Score: UNDERRATED
Review: This guy is a real innovator and behind the scenes kinda guy. He's the reason and idea man behind so many things that are part of our industry and yet, no one seems to know who he is. His monthly revenue is astronomical, but he's never posted a picture of him holding a check or a screen shot of his stats. Recently Shoemoney launched a site mimic'ing Dan's, and took credit for the idea, while Bizmp.com has been around for a much longer period of time. Not cool! Dan also hatched up the idea of Earners Forum AND Elite Retreat, and yet, no one gives him an ounce of street credit for it. Dan is underrated by all means and is a force to be reconed with.
2- Jeremy "Shoemoney" Shoemaker
Domain: ShoeMoney™ - Skills To Pay The Bills
Score: OVERRATED
Review: Although he's a friend of mine, and I have nothing against him, I for one am just sick and tired of hearing people go on and on about how great he is for doing this and that and how he's the 2nd coming for Ringtones. Yes, Jeremy does know a lot about many things, and can run me over with his Hummer any day, but let's be serious now, if ringtones died tomorrow, where would he be and what we he do? His radio show brought him a lot of great media attention and respect from many newbies and experts alike. He's a good public speaker, and he knows his shit. He's also a fun guy to hang out with and I like him. He reports on all sorts of security related things on his blog and ways to help other webmasters and affiliates, so don't think that this is review is a bash-a-thon because it's not. I just think that he needs to tone down the hype a bit more (yeah, like I'm one to talk, I know!) and let everyone know what his real agenda in the industry is. Affiliate or soon to be ad network tycoon? Overall, he does a good job at self promotion and marketing, but a lot of it, with anyone in his position is 90% hype and 10% real.
3- Mike Krongel
Domain: COPEAC
Score: UNDERRATED
Review: Here's a guy that has no blog and does no speaking engagements but is so active on forums it's hard to believe he owns Intermark Media DBA Copeac. He's helped scores of newbie and novice affiliates promote offers better, and many times, not even in his own network! A real standup kinda guy too. He's gone and taken huge hits with advertisers just to pay out affiliates, and not make a dime and even lose money sometimes. His business models are amazing and I hope that someday I can be as good at business as he is. This guy deserves a fuckin award for his work in helping people and never asking for anything back in return. Sure, they sponsor everything here on WickedFire, but they were also the first network to find us and take us seriously. Time and time again Mike volunteers his time to better the affiliate marketing industry, and because of it, he's gained the trust and respect from hundreds and even thousands of affiliates in the industry. This is probably why Copeac went from a top 50 network up to a top 10 network in about 6 months time. No other network has a single bad thing to say about him and his practices because he is a stand up guy to everyone, good, bad and even the evil ones. Good job Mike, you are setting a real example for all of the networks to follow.
4- Mitch (Affiliate Director at AzoogleAds)
Domain: AzoogleAds - Home - The leading performance based marketplace
Score: UNDERRATED
Review: Mitch is one of those guys that will do just about anything to better the way affiliates do business with Azoogle. Whether it's setting up a late night support call or bending over backwards to accomodate an affiliate in need. He's one of the best AM's and Directors of the affiliate managers over at Azoogle, and needs to be known and rewarded for his efforts. He's the guy behind the scenes that keeps all of the AzoogleAds AM's in line and working their asses off. Without him, the whole team would just fall apart. Definitely a serious asset to AzoogleAds and they know it too. He's a good friend and a good business contact, and I've never seen or heard him do a single bad thing, ever. He's in the office from the early morning until late at night keeping everything in check. I just wish that I could have guys on his level working for me someday. We are going to see a lot of great things from this guy someday, and don't be surprised if he becomes a lot more known later too.
5- Matt Cutts
Domain: Matt Cutts: Gadgets, Google, and SEO
Score: OVERRATED
Review: This guy is overrated because everyone takes his word as if it were spoken by God and relayed through him. If you can come up with a list of real accomplisments this guy has done, I'd be impressed. So far, he just works for Google and acts as their unofficial spokesperson at conferences and forums. Other than that, nothing really going on for him. Sure, he drops pieces of information here and there for everyone, but really it just gets all of these newbie and big boy SEO people to fight for scraps from him, and most of the information is suggestive, not even REAL stuff. What? Google doesn't like BH spam? No shit?! Thanks for the hot tip Cutts! I'm sure he means well in his posts and at shows, but without Google he would just be another regular nerdy looking guy in the sea of other regular nerdy guys. Let's hope he stays with Google for life, because without them and access to their database of information, how else would he be able to tell you if you were dropped from Google or what your secret middle name is listed on in a private WHOIS file.
6- Lee Dodd (you knew this was going to be here)
Domain: Leedodd.com
Score: OVERRATED
Review: Where can we start here? Well first off, I emailed him and we made up, so I won't be as harsh as I may have been in the past, because he doesn't deserve it that much. Why is he overrated? Well, aside for failing with EarnersForum (thanks Dan) after being known as the forum master of the world, he took on a number of other projects to really kill his image. Now he is a self proclaimed blogging expert. Where that one came from is beyond me, but sure, that's the beauty of the internet I guess, self proclaiming yourself as a guru or expert so you can sell people shit they don't need. He had a radio show that was supposed to be paid but was quickly shot down here and at other forums so he nixed that idea. Now he does Elite Retreat, which in it's own right is a great idea (thanks Dan), and seems to be his way of reaching out and trying to help people, which I'm sure he can do a very good job at, but chose a weird name for it (see: elite-retreat.com). He's been in the spotlight for a little less time than me but started at the same forum which is SitePoint. We started off as pals, had a bad business partnership, and we went downhill from there. I do look forward to finally meeting him at Affiliate Summit East, and hearing what he has to say in person and how he acts, as I'm sure he feels the same about me or others. Overall, he's a nice guy, and doesn't deliberately try to dick people over, and definitely means well, but if you have an idea that sounds great, you'd probably not want to pitch it in his direction.
7- Andrew Johnson
Domain: - Web Publishing Blog
Score: UNDERRATED
Review: I know what you're thinking, he's a friend of mine and an Admin here at WickedFire, but I had to mention him because he seriously does not get the proper nod of the head in the respect zone that he should. Here's a quiet and polite guy who has a thick Wisconsin accent, and while he may not be the best public speaker in the world, you need to give him credit for trying and keeping up with the stuff he posts. This guy knows his stuff inside and out, and does very little self promotion for it too. He never charges people for anything, and constantly churns out one great idea after the next without ever asking for anything in return. He's not some huge earner either, but with what he knows, he sure as hell will be sometime very soon. His blog is very popular and does pretty well. Has a great active list of readers/subscribers, and without some of the stories or interviews he's dropped, other big boy bloggers in the space would not have good material to leech off of him for. I'd love to see this guy come out with some type of service or something in that area because he really has great concepts and we can talk for hours about how to make changes and how to make things better at that. I've never seen or heard of him ever getting into a heated debate or a fight either, and he's VERY respectful of everyone's opinions and views. I'm thankful as hell to have him as a person and talent on my staff here and hope he continues doing the shit he does for many years to come.
Part 1:
Top 10 Underrated & Overrated People of the Industry
1- Dan
Domain: Biz MP - Home of the online business marketplace
Score: UNDERRATED
Review: This guy is a real innovator and behind the scenes kinda guy. He's the reason and idea man behind so many things that are part of our industry and yet, no one seems to know who he is. His monthly revenue is astronomical, but he's never posted a picture of him holding a check or a screen shot of his stats. Recently Shoemoney launched a site mimic'ing Dan's, and took credit for the idea, while Bizmp.com has been around for a much longer period of time. Not cool! Dan also hatched up the idea of Earners Forum AND Elite Retreat, and yet, no one gives him an ounce of street credit for it. Dan is underrated by all means and is a force to be reconed with.
2- Jeremy "Shoemoney" Shoemaker
Domain: ShoeMoney™ - Skills To Pay The Bills
Score: OVERRATED
Review: Although he's a friend of mine, and I have nothing against him, I for one am just sick and tired of hearing people go on and on about how great he is for doing this and that and how he's the 2nd coming for Ringtones. Yes, Jeremy does know a lot about many things, and can run me over with his Hummer any day, but let's be serious now, if ringtones died tomorrow, where would he be and what we he do? His radio show brought him a lot of great media attention and respect from many newbies and experts alike. He's a good public speaker, and he knows his shit. He's also a fun guy to hang out with and I like him. He reports on all sorts of security related things on his blog and ways to help other webmasters and affiliates, so don't think that this is review is a bash-a-thon because it's not. I just think that he needs to tone down the hype a bit more (yeah, like I'm one to talk, I know!) and let everyone know what his real agenda in the industry is. Affiliate or soon to be ad network tycoon? Overall, he does a good job at self promotion and marketing, but a lot of it, with anyone in his position is 90% hype and 10% real.
3- Mike Krongel
Domain: COPEAC
Score: UNDERRATED
Review: Here's a guy that has no blog and does no speaking engagements but is so active on forums it's hard to believe he owns Intermark Media DBA Copeac. He's helped scores of newbie and novice affiliates promote offers better, and many times, not even in his own network! A real standup kinda guy too. He's gone and taken huge hits with advertisers just to pay out affiliates, and not make a dime and even lose money sometimes. His business models are amazing and I hope that someday I can be as good at business as he is. This guy deserves a fuckin award for his work in helping people and never asking for anything back in return. Sure, they sponsor everything here on WickedFire, but they were also the first network to find us and take us seriously. Time and time again Mike volunteers his time to better the affiliate marketing industry, and because of it, he's gained the trust and respect from hundreds and even thousands of affiliates in the industry. This is probably why Copeac went from a top 50 network up to a top 10 network in about 6 months time. No other network has a single bad thing to say about him and his practices because he is a stand up guy to everyone, good, bad and even the evil ones. Good job Mike, you are setting a real example for all of the networks to follow.
4- Mitch (Affiliate Director at AzoogleAds)
Domain: AzoogleAds - Home - The leading performance based marketplace
Score: UNDERRATED
Review: Mitch is one of those guys that will do just about anything to better the way affiliates do business with Azoogle. Whether it's setting up a late night support call or bending over backwards to accomodate an affiliate in need. He's one of the best AM's and Directors of the affiliate managers over at Azoogle, and needs to be known and rewarded for his efforts. He's the guy behind the scenes that keeps all of the AzoogleAds AM's in line and working their asses off. Without him, the whole team would just fall apart. Definitely a serious asset to AzoogleAds and they know it too. He's a good friend and a good business contact, and I've never seen or heard him do a single bad thing, ever. He's in the office from the early morning until late at night keeping everything in check. I just wish that I could have guys on his level working for me someday. We are going to see a lot of great things from this guy someday, and don't be surprised if he becomes a lot more known later too.
5- Matt Cutts
Domain: Matt Cutts: Gadgets, Google, and SEO
Score: OVERRATED
Review: This guy is overrated because everyone takes his word as if it were spoken by God and relayed through him. If you can come up with a list of real accomplisments this guy has done, I'd be impressed. So far, he just works for Google and acts as their unofficial spokesperson at conferences and forums. Other than that, nothing really going on for him. Sure, he drops pieces of information here and there for everyone, but really it just gets all of these newbie and big boy SEO people to fight for scraps from him, and most of the information is suggestive, not even REAL stuff. What? Google doesn't like BH spam? No shit?! Thanks for the hot tip Cutts! I'm sure he means well in his posts and at shows, but without Google he would just be another regular nerdy looking guy in the sea of other regular nerdy guys. Let's hope he stays with Google for life, because without them and access to their database of information, how else would he be able to tell you if you were dropped from Google or what your secret middle name is listed on in a private WHOIS file.
6- Lee Dodd (you knew this was going to be here)
Domain: Leedodd.com
Score: OVERRATED
Review: Where can we start here? Well first off, I emailed him and we made up, so I won't be as harsh as I may have been in the past, because he doesn't deserve it that much. Why is he overrated? Well, aside for failing with EarnersForum (thanks Dan) after being known as the forum master of the world, he took on a number of other projects to really kill his image. Now he is a self proclaimed blogging expert. Where that one came from is beyond me, but sure, that's the beauty of the internet I guess, self proclaiming yourself as a guru or expert so you can sell people shit they don't need. He had a radio show that was supposed to be paid but was quickly shot down here and at other forums so he nixed that idea. Now he does Elite Retreat, which in it's own right is a great idea (thanks Dan), and seems to be his way of reaching out and trying to help people, which I'm sure he can do a very good job at, but chose a weird name for it (see: elite-retreat.com). He's been in the spotlight for a little less time than me but started at the same forum which is SitePoint. We started off as pals, had a bad business partnership, and we went downhill from there. I do look forward to finally meeting him at Affiliate Summit East, and hearing what he has to say in person and how he acts, as I'm sure he feels the same about me or others. Overall, he's a nice guy, and doesn't deliberately try to dick people over, and definitely means well, but if you have an idea that sounds great, you'd probably not want to pitch it in his direction.
7- Andrew Johnson
Domain: - Web Publishing Blog
Score: UNDERRATED
Review: I know what you're thinking, he's a friend of mine and an Admin here at WickedFire, but I had to mention him because he seriously does not get the proper nod of the head in the respect zone that he should. Here's a quiet and polite guy who has a thick Wisconsin accent, and while he may not be the best public speaker in the world, you need to give him credit for trying and keeping up with the stuff he posts. This guy knows his stuff inside and out, and does very little self promotion for it too. He never charges people for anything, and constantly churns out one great idea after the next without ever asking for anything in return. He's not some huge earner either, but with what he knows, he sure as hell will be sometime very soon. His blog is very popular and does pretty well. Has a great active list of readers/subscribers, and without some of the stories or interviews he's dropped, other big boy bloggers in the space would not have good material to leech off of him for. I'd love to see this guy come out with some type of service or something in that area because he really has great concepts and we can talk for hours about how to make changes and how to make things better at that. I've never seen or heard of him ever getting into a heated debate or a fight either, and he's VERY respectful of everyone's opinions and views. I'm thankful as hell to have him as a person and talent on my staff here and hope he continues doing the shit he does for many years to come.
Shoemoney his is a great marketer up there with Joel Comms. Very interesting list!!
