Edition #116
It’s been almost two weeks since I wrote the last edition of Eric’s Tips. I’ve been feeling lately that it’s time for something different, so I decided to stop writing altogether until I came up with something inspirational.
Last week I found the inspiration that I was looking for.
I want to tell you about a young woman who has overcome some extreme obstacles on her brief but challenging journey to internet marketing success.
Her name is Ladan Lashkari, and when I say she’s a young woman, that’s an understatement. At just 20 years old, she has a youthful look that defies the maturity she’s developed in such a short time.
Ladan Lashkari
I suppose in the online world, youthful success is not entirely unusual (I met a couple of 21-year-old internet millionaires last month in New York), but this story hasn’t even begun yet.
The fact that she’s a girl making money on the internet becomes much more significant when you realize where she comes from.
She lives in Iran.
When I came across that tidbit of information on one of her sites I was like, “are you serious?”
Make no mistake! like most Americans I’m ignorant in many ways! but I have heard a few things about Iran and its culture.
I know just barely enough to understand that a girl becoming a successful internet marketer in Iran is about the same as the Denver Nuggets winning the Superbowl! and yeah I know those are two different sports.
So I had to find out if it was true.
After several email exchanges, and some online investigation on my part, it became apparent that she is indeed the real deal. As I’ve gotten to know her a little bit over the past week, an incredible story has unraveled that needs to be told.
Maybe you’ll watch her life story in a movie some day, or see her on the front cover of Time magazine! either way just remember that you saw it on Eric’s Tips first 😉
Ladan was born and raised in Tehran, Iran, and lives there to this day.
There are political, economical, and religious obstacles that make it difficult for anyone to be a successful internet marketer in Iran, and in most cases even more difficult for a woman to do so.
With respect for Ladan, I’m not going to get into the details of the specific political and religious barriers that many women face in Iran, but just be aware that this story runs even deeper than I’m able to write about.
If internet marketing was a wrestling match, she’s starting the competition with one hand tied behind her back simply because of the place she was born into the world.
Next obstacle: the language barrier.
Although you wouldn’t know it from her articles and sales letters, Ladan was not born into an English-speaking family. She started learning the language at eight years of age, and devoured every English book she could get her hands on.
Even at such a young age, she began to realize that her fluency in English would open up more doors of opportunity throughout her life. Throughout her teen years, this fervor grew as she tackled the language head-on.
A true entrepreneur, she decided that she wanted to become independent and produce her own income. When her family bought a computer, she quickly began experimenting with ways she could turn it into an income stream. She tried all kinds of business; teaching Windows, graphic designing with PhotoShop, website design, and even learned C++ programming.
Even though she was able to make money through those avenues, she knew that there was a bigger opportunity out there.
At sixteen years of age, she discovered the world of internet marketing through the late Cory Rudl’s website. She bought and studied his internet marketing course, along with other ebooks and resources.
She knew right away that THIS was the business she wanted to be in.
Her friends and family tried to convince her that becoming a successful internet marketer in Iran would be IMPOSSIBLE, and that she shouldn’t continue to waste her money. If you’ve ever faced the negative energy of friends and family, you’ll understand that it’s a powerful force that can quench your enthusiasm and ultimately abort the launch of a new business.
Fortunately, her father believed in her, and the resistance of others made her more determined than ever to find success.
After about a year of learning and studying the business, she launched her first website, and the rest–as they say–is history. But that history has not been without its fair share of bumps and valleys.
Jumping into business forced her to take her English proficiency to a new level. For a long time it was difficult to read and comprehend the many technically-oriented ebooks that she acquired.
And if reading comprehension was a challenge, writing was an even bigger issue.
It would take her six hours to write and proofread an article, but her determination paid off. Today if you search for her name on a search engine, you’ll find a slew of her articles indexed all over the internet.
And as if writing weren’t enough, she wanted to write her own sales copy. Anyone who’s ever successfully written a sales letter will concur that being a good writer doesn’t make someone a good copywriter.
I’m amazed to say that Ladan is a good copywriter. Being a copywriter myself, I wouldn’t say that if it weren’t true. She applied the same vigor to learning the craft, as she applied to learning the language itself.
She studied articles and courses from the top copywriters, and practiced until she had developed her own style. While there is obviously some innate talent at work here, I’d say that she is also a testament that copywriting CAN be learned.
Starting her business was the beginning of a long uphill battle.
Because of the US embargo on Iran, she faces obstacles that most of us wouldn’t imagine. As I mentioned, her culture has already tied one hand behind her back. The language barrier effectively tied the other one. And the following problems essentially tied her feet!a situation that would cripple most marketers and paralyze them from moving forward in business.
Most people wouldn’t jump into a new business with their hands and feet tied. It’s impossible, right? Just don’t use the word “impossible” around Ladan!
To start with, she couldn’t get a credit card. That makes it pretty tough to buy anything online, wouldn’t you say?
My business relies on my credit cards for many things. Not a day goes by without several business-related charges to my credit card.
As I think about it, many of the products and services that I use come from sites that ONLY accept credit cards.
She can’t open a PayPal account. Again, this limits her ability to make online purchases. It also rules her out of participating in a large number of affiliate programs that only pay commissions via PayPal.
Of course probably the biggest disadvantage of not having a PayPal account is not being able to accept PayPal payments. She estimates that this one issue is costing her many thousands of dollars in lost sales.
She can’t get a merchant account, so it becomes very difficult to sell anything online.
She can’t have a bank account in US dollars. So that rules out another possibility of making or receiving payments.
To make matters worse, she can’t have any bank account that accepts wire transfers. This cripples her ability to receive payments from affiliate programs to her bank account, or from merchant services for her own products. So even if she can find a way to sell a product online, getting that money into her own hands is a huge obstacle.
She can’t cash any USD checks. That rules out most of the other affiliate programs.
She can’t travel. It’s almost impossible for her to get a visa to travel outside of Iran. This means that she has not been able to go abroad to attempt to open up accounts, and she can not attend any internet marketing seminars.
Those are just some of the barriers created by the embargo. There are many more limitations imposed by the Iranian government.
On top of these physical barriers, she also faces another kind of discrimination that continues to this day.
In a business built upon online image and perceived trust, she has been severely disadvantaged by the way much of the world views Iranians.
As she puts it, “the reactions are not very pleasant.”
She thinks it’s mainly due to the way the media has portrayed Iran and Islam. This has made it difficult to be open and build relationships online, as she has found that even her own subscribers, customers, and business associates look at her differently when they discover she is from Iran.
She says, “some people even act like I am a terrorist”.
She has received “hate” emails through her websites and also on forums.
“I know who I am and where I stand,” says Ladan, “but what the media shows the world and what my country’s government does has nothing to do with me. So I just wish people in the west – especially the United States – would understand this difference.”
Let me ask you a few questions!
Do you have a credit card?
Do you have a PayPal account?
Can you open a US bank account?
Can you receive US checks?
Do you have the freedom to travel?
Could you go to an internet marketing seminar?
Maybe you didn’t answer “Yes” to ALL of those questions, but for EACH question you answered “yes” to, you are starting one step ahead of Ladan.
Let me ask you a couple more questions!
Are you fluent in English?
If you said “Yes”, take two more steps ahead.
Do people view you as a terrorist?
No? Take three more steps ahead.
If this girl can do it, so can YOU. It doesn’t matter how old or young you are!it doesn’t matter where you live in the world! it doesn’t matter what other internal and external factors are trying to hold you down.
You CAN succeed.
In spite of all her challenges, Ladan views internet marketing as an easy opportunity to take advantage of, and she encourages others to do as she has done!
“I think there’s nothing hard about it. It’s the perfect kind of business for people who want to be independent and work for themselves in a business that there’s no limit to your success.”
If you’re just getting started, she has more advice,
“When you are just getting started, you should know it might take some time to make the amount of money you expect, and you should keep on and don’t give up – no matter how people around you try to disappoint you. I think this is the most important and difficult part… it’s where most people give up.”
In the three short years that she’s been in business, she’s worked hard and implemented many strategies that she’s learned by studying other successful marketers.
Out of everything she’s tried, she deems list-building as the most important component of her business,
“Nothing is more powerful than building a targeted responsive list and building a relationship with that list.”
While her income may not yet be on par with the internet marketing superstars, she’s earning a living online that would impress even those of us living in a more generous economy (she recently earned $6300 USD in a month).
The thing that must be kept in mind is that she is making more money than about 95% of the people in her country, and bringing home more income than her countrymen who have 30+ years of experience in their careers.
I’d love to see what she’d be capable of achieving outside the restraints of her county, and so would she, which is one reason she is considering a move to a locale more conducive of her business–such as Canada or Australia.
She says the biggest key to success is, “Believing in yourself, and promising yourself that you WILL reach your goals and won’t let anything or anyone stop you.”
When I asked her what makes her different from those who fail, she said that her success is derived from her persistence in facing and overcoming challenges and obstacles.
She points out one of her favorite quotes from Ross Perot,
“Most people give up just when they’re about to achieve success. They quit on the one yard line. They give up at the last minute of the game, one foot from a winning touchdown.”
When she’s not working on her business, she enjoys reading self-improvement books (who would have guessed?), dancing, watching movies, spending time in nature, and going out with friends.
In other words, she’s just a normal girl with big plans and an indomitable positive attitude.
Today she has more than 20 websites, and she hopes to expand her business by 400% while continuing to help others find their own success.
You can learn more about Ladan and her business at these sites:
Ladan’s blog
Newsletter templates
Product ideas
List profit club
As Ladan says,
“If a young girl who got started when she was only 16 years old, with no previous business experience, with English being her second language, with less than $30 to her name, in a country where you can’t have a credit card or PayPal account and is under a strict embargo from United States, and so much more limitations…
If such a girl can succeed, how is it possible that YOU can’t succeed – while you may not even have one of these limitations?”
Ladan will never give up.
I hope you don’t either.
As always, you can leave your comments here in the blog.
Have a great day!
=====
Update: This article was published 03/10/2007. In the years since then, Ladan moved to Malaysia, and continues to succeed in her business ventures.
We have absolutely no excuses now. Not that we had before anyway. Go, go, go Ladan. When you write your auto-biography, put me down for a copy…. I’ll even learn Arabic to read it! Please accept all our best wishes from the ‘easy’ side of the fence. Much respect, Steve (UK)
Goodjob Ladan Lashkari, all the best
Excellent – Excellent – Excellent article!
It isn’t often you find a life story as compelling as Ladan’s! Everyone, young, old, male, female, everywhere should take example from this young lady’s story.
I congratulate you on publishing this outstanding article, unfortunately I really do not know how you can ever top it?
Ron Coble
Wow! What an inspiring story. It’s amazing what persistance this young woman has shown to move past all those obstacles and stay centered in faith that she would succeed. And I’m absolutely sure that she has much more success ahead of her.
Wow!!! Ladan’s story is quite amazing and at the same time quite humbling. The next time I think about complaining about things not going so well online, I’ll refer back to her story.
Nathan
Thanks for sharing this story, Eric. It encourages me to keep trying. I think I may have quit a couple times just short of the goal, but I get up and keep trying. Storys like Ladan’s help us all to keep trying. On the cover of the DVD “Facing the Giants” there is a line that I have adopted: “Never give up…Never Back Down…Never lose faith…” It lools like Laden has learned this very well.
Wow…what an inspirational story. I’d love to hear how she overcame all of those obstacles.
Thanks for sharing!
Wow this is truly an amazing story, very inspiring. I will check out her websites.
Thank you so much for this story. I was just thinking yesterday 3/9/07 where you had gone 🙂 I enjoy your newsletters, and tips thanks so much.
WOW, Ladan…I thought I had obstacles! I admire your determination and you have given all of us a benchmark that will be very difficult to match, but certainly achievable. I am very new to Internet Marketing and have so much to learn…I only hope that I can be one tenth as successful as you in your first year. Much more success to you and lots of respect…
Richard Meserve
Dearly Beloved Eric:
This is coming right on time for me. You know that sometimes you get to a point where you are wondering if your ladder is leaning on the wrong wall and then you get such a reconfirmation and affirmation from someone like you with such a story like that of Ladan and you are like, this is it and nothing more to make you never ever give up.
What more is there to the limitation and challenges that one who is facing the internet business route can experience that will surpass the ones you mentioned in relation to Ladan? If there is any other, it is going to be minute.
Thank you for always being an encourager. Please, keep it up!
You are pumping life into some dying fires…
Looking forward to your next tip!
Remain blessed and a blessing.
Regards,
Olakunle Solomon Fatoye.
It’s truly inspirational. No one can have any kind of excuses. She’s simply amazing, excellent and role model for every one. Especially for womans who want to succeed in online marketing. We will wish her to grow more and more.
Over the years, I have joined (and unnsubscribed from) more Internet Marketing mailing lists than I can count. But, your list is one of the few I still read — and I’m certainly glad of that today: Laden’s story is amazing, her success is inspiring and the fact that you brought her to our attention is a real gift. Thank you, Eric!
Wow. But I looked at the websites….. one with a Canadian address, one with an American address, they accept paypal and credit cards…. So was the answer simply to find a partner or accommodation person in another country?
Very impressive and have all respect for Ladan Lashkari and her achievements.
I am sure she could teach many of us how she is generating that kind of income.
As for myself, have been on this game (IM) full time for 8 months and have little to show for besides knowing and understanding things that have not yet materialized (magnetized) to use an IM term.
I am fortunate enough to be able to afford to spend that kind of time learning as my staff takes care of my other business that puts bread on the table. Being in Dubai, and seeing how may opportunities are and how I could say yes to a $6,000 or more job offers that come in every now an then it is not easy to refuse since my IM business is producing close to nothing.
But reading (entirely) Ladan Lashkari’s story it does inspire me. As a Canadian businessman, doing business in Japan, China and now UAE, I believe my understanding of cultures and business is on balance but never in a million year I could understand how she managed to do it.
I guess if there is a will there is a way would explain it.
Way to go Ladan Lashkari, if you ever come to Dubai would be more then happy to meet and pick your brains 🙂
P.S. Steven Lucas, Iranians are not Arabs but I understand what you meant and I know you meant well.
Regards,
Nicholas Mancini
This is one truly inspirational and amazing story. As what i can see, Ladan has determination and alignments to precede her goals, even with all the obstacles and difficulties. I too was on her shoes sometime ago. My culture and her’s are almost similar. With all the difficulties of that and this, i almost give up. Until i read and found people are more unfortunate than me are able to pursue their dream. If they can…… if Ladan can, why can’t i. Thanks for sharing Eric.
Romico
Thank You, Eric!
One of the things I appreciate about your e-zine is that often times when I need a boost, you come through. And how I have needed a boost lately. If I may, I would like to share a little comparison, not to take anything away from what you have written but perhaps add to it.
I will turn 64 in a couple of months. Just before my 54th birthday, I suffered my third heart attack, severe enough that I underwent by-pass surgery, receiving 5 by-passes. Because I also suffer from asthma, from chemical exposure, less than a year after the surgery I discovered I had developed osteoporosis caused by one of my ashtma meds. I was working in a fairly lucative field but because of the osteoporosis, I had to change jobs which cut my salary by more than half. Added to that, I found out that insurance that was suppose to cover 100% of my medical expenses, only covered the hospital so I was left with over 50K to pay myself. What was left of my 401K, after a market downturn and penalties, went to pay a small part of this. A couple of years after the osteoporosis was discovered, I became unable to work and had to take disability retirement. I also had to sell our house and move to a warmer area because of my health. Today, I have maybe one day out of two weeks that I am able to do meaningful work.
I started studying Internet Marketing about 4 years ago and of course the first thing I ran into was information overload, so many conflicting “secrets” and plain old run of the mill BS. I have yet to collect my first dollar from on-line marketing but a couple of days ago I discovered that my efforts at list building are starting to pay off. It still can’t really be called a list, just a couple of subscribers but it is progress and it shows me that it can be done.
To Ladan I would say hang in there. I sincerely hope that she is able to relocate to a friendlier area. I know enough of Islam to know that those who honestly believe are far different from those who use it as an excuse for their violent behavior. Your story has added hope for me. As you have said, if you can overcome your hurdles, there is hope that I too can overcome my own.
Again, thank you Eric and Ladan for the boost.
Ken
Great Thanks Eric you’ve exposed me to Ladan, I got deep inspire. “The Internet Marketing Non-Guru” found young Ladan, as too here in Indonesia young Anne Ahira stated by Tung Desem Waringin in Global Internet Summit in Jakarta followed by Asia Academy Internet Booth Camp. Both you and Tung consistently inspired all as too Stephen Pierce sadi: Never Give Up, Never Give Up. All difficulty nothing but opportunities and the solutions is a must, our Sucess.
A well-written and inspiring article. I think it will make me get off my backside and stop procrastinating. I want to take a leaf from her book and get things moving.
Thanks to people like Joel Comm and Mike Filsaime, my online earnings have gone from pocket money to a nice income. I always believed that you needed a lucky break, but now I realise that you just need to follow somebody else’s success story and then put your own ‘twist’ on it. Although many just want to earn money for doing nothing, Ladan’s story show’s that this just isn’t true. Truly inspirational!
Eric, She’s amazing, awesome, interesting, extraordinary and a great role model for those who want to succeed in internet marking. Now, no one can have any excuses “Not to be an Internet Marketer”. Let’s wish her to grow more and more.
Very inspiring indeed!
Because of the internet we realize that we are living in a Global Village. There is almost no limit where we can’t communicate on this planet.
Now, if people could do the same thing in the way they think and remove the road blocks of their own mind and realize that boundaries on this planet are man made and don’t really exist.
Ladan you are a pionneer in your own field. People don’t like changes. History has shown great women ,which in their own time were regarded as marginal, but now we admire them.
Go for it and whatever you do or don’t do, there will always be complaining people. Believe in yourself. Walt Disney was regarded as a person with no imagination and Einstein as a deficient slow mind young boy. Pfftt!
Go for it Ladan and don’t look back!
Paul
I am ashamed myself, I have been living all these years in a greatest country and infinite opportunies but I kept my mind in the view of closed barriers of the world. Ladan is amazing, she has a guts to smash all the obstacles and lead others to discover the opportunies.
Thanks Eric for bringing this kind of examples for our lives. I am with you from now on, this is the first time I went through your Email which inspired me as I read your story about Ladan.
Thank you again,
Kabir
DEAR ERIC.
GREAT DAY.
I AM AFRAID THAT IT IS LOVE STORY (LOL).
THIS GIRL IS EXAMPLE FOR THE WORK HARD AND CHALLENGE THE DIFFICULTS AT THE MARKETING PROGRAMES.
I HOPE SO THAT I CAN DO THAT MORE THAN 2 YEARS I DO NOTHING COST MY SELF MUCH MONEY WITHOUT EARN PENNY.
THANKS MY FRIEND.
Perseverence! I like that! She must be very clever. I wonder if she is able to get and spend any of the money she is making. The world is connecting. She is one example. We have all the tools we need and 10 million competitors. I’m ready to take my marketing efforts into other languages than English. English speakers have more money right now to spend and we are the target of everyone’s marketing but if you look carefully at (for example) Joel comm’s blogsite, you’ll notice that the visitor has the option of translating the pages and ads into the language of their choice. Does anyone know where I can get that program and capability on my websites and blogs?
Now, back to work.
The human spirit is the human spirit. Once we make up our minds that we are going to do something, there’s no stopping us. Therein lies the reason that most of us are not experiencing the success we would like to.
We just haven’t made up our minds yet. We may say we have, but, do we really believe ourselves?
Thanks for sharing Eric.
What an inspiration! I have had some similar experiences because I have challenges but not like Ladan. Like Ladan, I WILL NOT QUIT! Some of my inspiration: “Our deepest fear is not that we are inadequate. Our deepest fear is that we are powerful beyond imagnination. It is our light more than our darkness which scares us. We ask ourselves-who are we to be brilliant, beautiful, talented and fabulous. But honestly, who are you not to be so?” Marianne Williamson
“What the mind of man can conceive and believe, it can achieve” – Napoleon Hill – (Famous Author of “Think and Grow Richâ€).
“In matters of science, the authority of thousands is not worth the humble reasoning of one single person.”
– Galileo Galilei
eric wow that is a very amazing story.i do want to have my own internet business.but right now i cant get a checking account.or a credit card because of my credit.but iam very interrested in your writing program.and the offer you sent me.i want to purcase i am trying to find a way.tammy thanks so much for sending me ladans story.please respond soon. thanks so very much.
Thank You Eric! What a wonderful and inspiring story. We need more of these real life stories published across the mainstream media.
I applaud this young woman’s efforts and her drive. May she be an inspiration to us all who strive to be successful in all of our pursuits in life. Ladan’s example has come at a time when prejudices and hate seem to permeate the world causing many of us to put up our own walls or barriers and formulating opinions about people who are not “neighborly”. When we stop to take stock of what’s really going on around in the world we find that crossing geo-political and cultural barriers reveals people who are non-threatening that live in “restricted” societies and that these people have the same dreams and desires that we do and nothing, not even friends, family or even governments can prevent pursuing fulfillment of these dreams.
I went and checked out her blog and this young woman has much knowledge and information about marketing on the internet that she freely shares.
Bravo Ladan! Bravo Eric!
I have printed Ladan Lashkari’s name and posted it above my computer to remind myself that overcoming obstacles strengthens my own resolve and the road to success is lined with precious gems like this story. Success to us all!
Fred
Thank you Eric for publishing this story and thank you everyone for your kind words.
I’m very happy to hear my life story has inspired you to believe you can really succeed in this business.
I wish I could reply to each of the comments one by one, but it would just take a lot of time and space here.
I wish you all the best in your Internet marketing adventure and hope that you reach all your goals in your life!
All the best,
Ladan
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God bless you, Ladan! You are an inspiration to all of us who are trying to find success with ecommerce.
I will be viewing your website next so that I can learn from you.
I have been running e-stores for two years now, and I still have not met with much success. Ebay was somewhat encouraging to me, but the costs were mostly prohibitive.
I invite you to visit Collectible Suite Deals, and I welcome your comments and suggestions.
By the way, I almost married an Iranian in the early 1980’s, and I understand more than most Americans what obstacles you have been encountering.
Best of luck,
Susan Polich
Thank you Eric for bringing us this incredible story. Thank you Ladan for being an inspiration by showing how important it is to have determination and belief in ourselves to accomplish our goals. That is the only obstacle a lot of people have to overcome.
All the best to you,
Ted
Lynda- she was able to get a Canadian mailing address. She uses a third party payment service called Plimus. They are basically a middle man for vendors such as Ladan who are unable to accept credit cards or Paypal. Plimus accepts all the payments, takes a fee, and pays Ladan her profits.
You really nailed it with this one Eric, what a wonderful, inspiring story! It truly goes to show that we can do anything we put our minds to and have our heart in.
All the best,
John Michael
Wow! This is one gutsy lady! Thanks very much for this very inspirational article Eric. We really have nothing to complain about after reading this. I’m in awe.
Great story! All my excuses just flew out the window. Information overload has had me running in circles throwing money at all the little ‘schemes’ that come along. I finally quit opening most of them, except Eric’s Tips, of course. Thanks for the much needed motiviation!
Mark B.
Thanks Eric and Ladan. As someone earlier said – just when I need some inspiration – you come through. Good timing, I just launched a new website a week ago and have made $1.55 so far. I’m off and running … But seriously, there is so much to learn in this industry and so much to filter through to get to the nuts and bolts of what really works and what is ethical at the same time. I’m taking a serious look at Ladan’s website and blog – seem informative.
Congratulations Ladan. You are an inspiration because of your incredible determination, persistence and perseverance, not to mention a large dose of talent.
Here in the “West” we have it easy by comparison to conditions in Iran, and this leads us to become lazy, and come up will all sorts of excuses as to why we can’t succeed, to the point that it often takes a major crisis in our lives to make us get up an get on with it. You have exposed this folly by succeeding against unbelievably difficult conditions. There is no doubt at all that your online future is going to be a financial dream, but I suspect even greater things are destined for you. I will be watching and waiting for that to happen.
Thanks Eric for introducing us to Ladan. In the years to come we will have reason to say,”I first heard about her from Eric’s Tips!”
Kindest thought to all,
Veronica
What wonderful testamony to the indomitable human spirit, truly inspirational. Thank you both for being who you are.
As ever,
Palmer
Truly amazing, Eric!
My best wishes to Ladan. And keep up your excellent tips.
Sounds challenging indeed, but no more challenging than the millions of Americans who have endured extreme hardships and challenges, including the ultimate challenge to make this country great and what it is today. If you want examples of heroic efforts to achieve success, you need go no further than your own American history book! I’m really sick and tired of people using Americans as examples of quitters and losers who will give up when the going gets tough…Im sorry Eric, but you missed the mark this time. Her efforts are noble indeed, but nothing like the heroic accomplishments being achieved every day right here in our own country. BTW, there are legitimate reasons why Iran is under embargo which you failed to include in your tear-jerking rhetorical….Iran has declared itself the enemy of the west… They’re tyrannical dictator is at this moment making threats to destroy the west with nuclear weapons. Before you go jumping on the “Blame America First” bandwagon, I suggest you stop blaming America and lay the blame of her challenges at the doorstep of the person who deserves the blame…President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad. Sorry for getting political on your blog Eric, but you went there, and it really ticks me off….
Thank You Eric,
And thank you Ladan Lashkari for being you and sharing with all of us, that have an Easy button, but still spend much of our time complaining.
I pray that these communications and many others can superceed the tensions between our governments. It does emphasize the fact that the tensions are bueracratic and not between the peoples!
May God bless us all!
Brian- I’m *almost* glad someone finally disagreed with the article… it wouldn’t have felt like my blog if there were no controversy, lol ;). In response, I don’t think I missed the mark; I think you missed the point of the article. It’s not about politics, and I did my best to even keep any political undertones to a minimum. Apparently I succeeded in doing so. Had I not laid my political standpoint aside, you would have been able to discern that I am a patriotic Republican who fully supports our president in the war on terror, and has deep concern about the regime in Iran. In fact I did try to make it clear that Ladan is a victim of her own nation, as well as of discrimination from other nations. Had I gotten into “why” she’s a victim, it would have turned not only political, but also certainly religious. I could have delved into those topics, but honestly it would have necessitated that I turn the article into a full book. As Ladan said, she is not defined by her nation’s president. I could give you more information that might convince you that she’s OK, but it’s a sensitive issue and there are certain matters that are probably best not discussed publicly on the internet. She’s certainly not anti-American in any way… hey her favorite quote is from Ross Perot 😉
There are millions of stories of heroic accomplishments by millions of people throughout the world in economically-challenged nations, suppressed people groups, as well as in developed countries such as our own. Her story is just one of the million, but it’s a good one. If you have an equally inspiring internet-marketing related story from an American I’d love to hear it.
Hi Eric,
thanks a lot for posting a real motivational IM success case. From these type of posts, it really shows that besides being an IM guy, you are a wonderful human caring for your subscribers.
I keep learning a lot from your posts.
Sincere thanks
Rajesh
interesting…she is making more than many of us in the states, namely me!
Thanks Eric for sharing Ladan’s story, how she’s dealing with the barriers in her life and has risen to become a successful internet entreprenuer. I’m a new subscriber and I’m glad that I’ve found your newsletter… you’re a breath of fresh air and Ladan’s story is a conformation to keep pluggin away.
Very inspiring story Eric. Wishing Ladan the best. Her story has certainly touched me. I hope this story will also inspire others in her country and signal a new day for so many women out there.
Best,
Ana
Thank you for that inspirational article -Her inspiration and determination and the way you made the presentation is fantastic.
MHEN
Hi Eric,
What a pil booster to all of us even if you are not in this IM world. This real life story is for what ever we do in our life.
As usual to me you are one of my best honest IM marketer beside some great IM marketer around i have known since i get into this very interestim IM world.
I do agreed with you, this a pil bootser or i call it as a real great motivational true story that you have published. I think Ladan has shown all of us as an example how she could do it besides all the hassles and blockers she has to face and overcome. If she can do it why not all of us if you are willing to take the chanllenge in life. This a amazing real life story that can make us proud of her and do push us further. She is smart in making things happen.
Thanks for sharing the case to all of us. Keep it up even there are some people do have a different opinion about your articles, this is life. We can’t please everybody.
Thanks.
cheers,
flwong
At a university in the mid-70’s, one of my best friends was a Ph.D. student from Iran. Over the next 10 years he brought his entire family to live in the U.S. I’ve also travelled in that part of the world (not Iran) and it saddens me to see such a wonderful young woman judged by perceptions that have nothing to do with her. I hope Ladan does have the chance to work online “wide open” – she’ll be great.
In fact, she already is.
kay