Seth Williams
Seth Williams runs REtipster, a popular website that teaches people about buying and selling land. He makes between $20,000 and $30,000 a month doing this. At his best, he once made $60,000 in just one month. Let's look at how Seth got here, the problems he faced, and what he learned along the way.
Starting out in college
Back in 2006, Seth Williams was just like any other college student, unsure about his future. That is, until he picked up a copy of "Rich Dad, Poor Dad." This book, which has inspired countless entrepreneurs, lit a fire in Seth. It opened his eyes to the potential of real estate investing. However, while the book painted an exciting picture, it didn't provide a clear roadmap to success.
After graduating, Seth threw himself into the world of real estate. He spent hundreds of hours searching for good deals on houses to flip or rent out. But success didn't come easy. In fact, at first, it didn't come at all. Seth couldn't find a single property that made financial sense. The numbers just didn't add up.
Many would have given up at this point. But Seth had a hunch that there was still opportunity in real estate if he could just find the right angle. He realized that his approach needed to change. Instead of looking where everyone else was looking, he needed to find a less competitive niche.
Finding success with empty lands
In 2008, Seth found what he was looking for: empty lands. At first, it might not seem like a good way to make money. After all, there's nothing on the land to rent out or fix up. But Seth saw an opportunity.
Here's what he did:
- He looked for people who really wanted to sell their land quickly.
- He offered them very low prices, sometimes only 20% of what the land was worth.
- Then he would sell the land for a higher price, closer to what it was actually worth.
This worked well for a few reasons. Unlike houses, empty lands don't need repairs or have tenants to deal with. It was a simple business: buy low and sell higher.
Starting a website to share what he learned
By 2012, Seth had been buying and selling land for a few years. He had learned a lot. Around this time, he found a website called Smart Passive Income, run by Pat Flynn. Pat was helping people and making money without constantly trying to sell things. Seth thought he could do something similar, but for real estate.
So he started REtipster.com. At first, it was just a test. Seth wrote blog posts explaining how to buy and sell land. He also made YouTube videos teaching people what he knew. He wasn't trying to sell anything at first. He just wanted to help people.
Creating products to sell
About six to eight months after starting his website, Seth noticed more people were visiting it. They kept coming back and asking questions. So Seth decided to create something to sell.
His first product was simple. He sold the postcard templates he used to contact landowners. He priced them at just $7. To his surprise, someone bought them on the first day.
This small success encouraged Seth. He started creating more products based on the tools he used in his own land-buying business. As more people bought his products, he slowly increased his prices.
Making a complete course
In 2015, Seth took a big step. He created a complete course on how to buy and sell land. This course included all his tools, plus videos explaining everything about the business.
At first, Seth tried selling the course as a monthly subscription for $45. But he found that people would sign up for a few months, learn everything, and then cancel. So about a year later, he changed it to a one-time fee. The first price was around $1,200. Today, the course costs $2,497.
This change in how he sold the course was a big turning point for Seth's business.
Making money in different ways
While the course became a big part of Seth's income, he didn't rely on it alone. Over time, he found other ways to make money through REtipster:
- Course sales: This is about half of the money the business makes.
- Recommending other products: Seth earns money when his audience buys products he suggests.
- Ads on his podcast: Companies pay to advertise to Seth's listeners.
- Special deals: Sometimes Seth offers limited-time deals on his products.
Having different ways to make money has been important, especially as things have gotten more competitive.
Facing new challenges
In recent years, Seth has run into some problems:
- More competition: When Seth started, there were only a couple of other courses about buying land. Now there are many.
- Changes in how people find his website: YouTube and Google have changed how they show content, which has affected how many people see Seth's website.
- Changes in the real estate market: The way people buy and sell land has changed, especially since COVID-19.
These changes have made it harder for Seth to keep making as much money as he used to. Some months are good, and some are bad.
But Seth sees these challenges as a chance to try new things and grow his business in new ways.
Growing the REtipster brand
To deal with these changes, Seth has expanded what REtipster offers:
- Podcast: In 2019, Seth started a podcast. This lets him talk more deeply about land investing and interview other experts.
- More focus on YouTube: Seth is putting more effort into making YouTube videos to reach more people.
- Social media: REtipster is active on different social media sites to connect with more people.
- Email list: Seth has built a big list of email subscribers so he can stay in touch with people interested in his content.
These additions have helped REtipster stay relevant and keep reaching new people.
What Seth has learned
Through building and growing REtipster, Seth has learned several important things:
- It's okay to sell: For a long time, Seth worried about seeming too pushy when promoting his products. But he realized that if you have something that can really help people, it's good to let them know about it.
- Have different ways to make money: This has helped Seth's business survive changes in the market.
- Keep learning: Both real estate and online marketing are always changing. Seth has learned it's important to keep up with new trends and ideas.
- Help people first: Seth's success came from genuinely helping people before trying to sell anything.
- Use good tools: Seth recommends using specialized websites for hosting courses instead of trying to build everything from scratch.
- Be patient: It took years of hard work for Seth to build REtipster into a successful business.
Looking to the future
As Seth faces new challenges in 2024 and beyond, he's exploring various strategies to keep REtipster growing:
- Experimenting with pricing and payment plans: Seth is testing different price points and payment options to find what works best in the current market.
- Exploring coaching options: Recognizing that some people prefer more personalized guidance, Seth is considering offering one-on-one or group coaching services.
- Partnering with software companies: Seth is looking into partnerships with software companies that serve real estate investors, potentially becoming part owner in tools he believes in.
- Collaborating with other coaches: By partnering with other experts in the industry, Seth can offer more value to his audience while also creating new revenue streams.
- Hosting live streams and webinars: These formats allow Seth to engage with his audience in real time, providing value while also promoting his products and services.
The REtipster story is far from over. As Seth continues to innovate and adapt, he's excited about the possibilities that lie ahead.
Conclusion
Seth's story shows what's possible when you find a specific area to focus on and work hard at it. Even though he's faced challenges, he's built a successful business by consistently helping people and being willing to try new things.
His experience offers good advice for anyone who wants to turn what they know into an online business. By focusing on helping others, finding different ways to make money, and being open to new ideas, it's possible to build a rewarding and profitable online business, even in a specific area like land investing.
As things continue to change online, Seth's ability to adapt and his commitment to helping his audience suggest that REtipster will keep doing well. For people who want to start their own online businesses or get into real estate investing, Seth's story is both inspiring and full of practical advice.
