Internet Marketer Signals

Internet marketers often pioneer business models that later become mainstream successful businesses, just with better execution and presentation.

Key Pattern: Internet Marketers as Early Adopters

• Internet marketers often pioneer business models years before they become mainstream
• These models are often dismissed initially due to "sleazy" presentation
• Successful companies later take these models and improve the presentation/execution

Examples of Models That Went Mainstream

• Email Marketing/Newsletters

  • Started with internet marketers like David DeAngelo in the 1990s
  • Now considered a legitimate mainstream marketing channel

• Paid Memberships

  • Has been a staple of internet marketing for decades
  • Now popular with mainstream businesses and creators

• Online Business Marketplaces

  • Started with sites like Flippa and Empire Flippers
  • Now being reimagined by venture-backed startups with better UX

The "OpenDoor for X" Pattern

• Core concept: Providing instant liquidity for illiquid assets
• Examples:
  • Houses (OpenDoor)
  • Used electronics (Backflip)
  • Gift cards (Raise.com)
  • Cars (Carvana - $45B market cap)
  • Trading cards (untapped opportunity)
  • Used furniture (challenging due to shipping)

Success Formula

• Take existing internet marketer business model
• Improve the presentation ("put some lipstick on it")
• Make it more user-friendly ("flat beautiful color")
• Scale it using modern internet marketing techniques
• Add professional branding and user experience

Key Insight

The opportunity lies not in inventing new business models, but in identifying proven models from internet marketers and executing them better with modern technology and presentation.