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.
Dear Ladan,
Salam.. Ladan you are such a pretty girl mashaAllah.. I am also a firm believer in “you can, if you believe you can”.
Do you chat on yahoo? Can you add me please? Thank you
My website is not up yet, but will be soon. As Ladan so marvelously reminded me with her Ross Perot quote, I am close to the one yard line near the winning touchdown. As an African American living in the United States, we face many obstacles. But I continually learn from people living in other countries that we also have many opportunities that we not only take for granted, but can’t even see. This story was just what I needed to get me over my last remaining hurdles. It was also a wonderful reminder of all of the beautiful people all over the world. I hope we can join hands and hearts to create a beautiful peace.
Very Inspiring article Eric….
May Ladan has more success in the coming days.
Love,
Anish
So glad to see Ladan’s story posted here. Ironically, she was the very first person to respond to the first online marketing forum post I ever made. She’s a breath of fresh air and such a geniunely kind person. She’s the best!
I’ve been watching her and learning from her and can’t thank her enough for being so kind to me when I was a newbie.
Go Ladan!
Michael
Eric,
Thanks for sharing this. Ladan’s story is quite inspirational. This remarkable young woman’s story exemplifies the Universal law that states that success is inevitable for those who combine a crystal clear plan / vision with total commitment and take action backed by unwavering faith.
I live in a country where I have all of the advantages that Ladan does not and was recently feeling very concerned about the real possibility that I may lose access to my credit cards.
After reading about her story, I have been able to let go of this concern.
I wish for her and many others like her every imaginable success.
Regards,
Martin
Wow….
To think I was arrogant enough to believe that I was the first Iranian Internet Marketer. Ladan looks like you beat me to it 😉
Thanks Eric for such a wonderful and Inspiring article. With your permission I would like to share it with my list.
And to Ladan I just want to say that what you have achieved is remarkable. Pat yourself on the back because you deserve it.
I had the same problem with getting a credit card. It sounds like a non -issue but it can stop you from taking action.
In any case,
Salam to all of you. (it means Peace in Farsi and Arabic)
Your friend,
Koorosh
Well i am a NIGERIAN and down here we are faced with the same problems, but since i read about ledan,i believed that there is much space for me in the IM world.
cheers
Good story…but the comment section turned into a political battlefield for some, including ladan. A good policy…….ignore the ignorant.
I guess the point of this story was to inspire people, not start a fight b/w the”east and the “west” or start blaming religion. Let’s keep it business people, and let’s learn from each other…OK? OK :-))
Thats very impresive…Time is not slave of any body.They who worked hard and continiously struggled for their goals,they achieved their success.there are no limits to achievment.i appericiate the ladan lashkari.
GOOD FOR YOU LADAN, I LOVE YOUR PART OF THE WORLD & WANT TO LEARN ARABIC & MOVE THEIR ONE DAY…I WAS BORN IN CANADA & HAVE LIVED IN AMERICA FOR WAY TOO MANY YEARS………..I RESPECT ALL YOU HAVE DONE & HOPE ONE DAY OF HAVING THE HONOR OF MEETING YOU TO SHAKE YOUR HAND……….MAY ALLAH BLESS ALL YOU DO TO MAKE YOUR LIFE BETTER…….
MICHAEL NORRIS LAS VEGAS, NEVADA USA
Thanks for sharing this story, Eric. It encourages me to keep trying.
Ladan,
All I can say is “OUTSTANDING”!
I’m just starting my Internet sojourn and have gained yet another measure of inspiration from someone with a strong will to succeed. I love to learn about people who find a way to solve what seems like insurmountable problems. I don’t think we comprehend how well our situation is here in the U.S. I wish you all the best.
Anthony
P.S. — I’ve added your site to my Daily Blog Check list. 😉
I stumbled on this post… what a story…. inspiring beyond words…
Ladan have great success…
Thanx to Eric to posting Ladan’s story
Pankaj
I wanted to thank you for the tips that you have given on your site. I found that they have been very useful and they have answered a lot of the questions that I have been having. They have made it a lot easier for me to use a lot of different tools and programs that you have covered. I have found that my computer and internet experience has greatly increased in the time that I started using the tips that you have given on lot of topics. With all the information that you have given on this site, I would like to know if you have any other sites that I could go to and get more tips that would help me. If you could give me some links to more of your work I would appreciate it. If you do not have any of your own, I would love if you could recommend me to some sites that you think could help me out.
Very inspiring story indeed.
Thanks for sharing this great story Eric. And all the best to you Ladan.
This is a very inspiring story. People like Ladan are worthy of emulation. I admit that at my current age I’m still struggling to become the most sought-after outsourced personnel. I’m not that techie but my marketing and advertising strategies will surely knock others off. I wish I’m Ladan who at a young age already realized her passion. During her age I was still trying to figure out what is it that I really want to happen in my life.
What an awe inspiring story!. Regardless of age, young or old, youth or senior, we can achieve success online. Just remove all the excuses and start. I am learning to do so as well. All the best to all out there for 2008 and beyond!
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Absolutely amazing! I felt deeply touched and inspired… What an admirably courageous journey to success…
Thank you Ladan, for the inspiration, and Eric, for sharing the story.
Hi Eric,
Thanks for sharing this inspirational story. I understand what she has gone through. As for me, even I don’t have much obstacles like her, there were also some limitations because of where I live and what religion I am.
Ladan is surely the best role model for this business. She surely states that we can always get what we want… if we only REALLY want it!
Thanks again Eric (you are also one of the best role model too)… Keep up your good work! 😀
i will liketo congrutulate you ladan keep it up and good luck.
I have been writing a few inspirational notes myself mainly to get away from frustration and motivate myself. But Ladan’s story is truly inspiring. Whenever I want to give up the tough tough IM sweepstakes, I’ll just remember her.
Thanks,
Sri
hey Eric thanx..for the story truly inspirational…and while trying to do things online..usually get stuck at the point “CREDIT CARD” how she managed to overcome this ..i’d like to know…i really would like to know how she completed her basics into this online marketing… am struggling with information overload and can’t move..hope to learn from Ladan and become a success story as well..
thanks,
ric
‘superb!’
thanks for the inspiration
Paul (UK)
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Hey Eric,
Great blog post. I know Ladan, she’s been through my copywriting course, and I’ve been impressed with her “can do” attitude.
Most “wanna be” marketers can learn valuable lessons from her.
One thing that’s a biggie… she actually consumes “how to” products like a hungry wolf. Then… she actually puts the info into action fearlessly.
Heck, if most people just did that, they would wildly succeed.
Thanks for brining her story to life.
Cheers,
Mike Morgan
Million-Dollar Copywriter
There are political, economical, and religious obstacles that make it difficult for anyone to be a successful internet marketer in Iran—>>> I am sure that you know nothing about Iran. Because I’ve been there and I know that girls could be successful as well as boys.
well thats incredable to hear a young lady from such dificult situation succeed,but do we have to spend such years before start earning as she does?as they said all good things come to those who wait.
Like Eric said “Like most Americans I’m ignorant in many ways!” You are not objective at all, i don’t want to go to politics but just to give you different point of view. Iran never threated USA to destroy it with Nuclar weapons, it’s just USA propaganda. USA wants to have control on every nation, how is that , that USA can have Nuclear Bombs and Some other country can’t? Only reason why Iran wants to make Nuclear bomb is to defend them selfs from USA potentional Attack. when you see what happened with neighbour Iraq. I am comming from one country that was unjustfully bombed by USA, and i now what i am talking about. I don’t hate Americans, but when i see USA with their powerful army and Nuclear weapons attacking all those week countries including mine, i can’t think better reason than making Nuclear bomb in order to deffend myself from it’s aggresion.North Korea Never attacked USA or any country, but USA call it axis of evil, little contradicting speach from one country that goes around the world and attack other nations.
The Ladan story is inspirational; we don’t have any excuse for failure.
Eric thanks for writing about her, you are a good American, and I am totally agreed with your position.
In any circumstances, the courage, the perseverance, the hard work, the moral values must guide us to our success!
Again, Thanks from the bottom of my heart.
Michaela
I am so inspired. I will not quit. I am 69 years old with a large family. I am learning to create a website and market my ideas. I know I have a lot to give. You inspire me to go forward. I will meet you one day. Don’t ever quit.
Renae Pelo
Wow, she is really an inspiration. I am trying to make a small space for myself in this massive online jungle myself. Ladan has obstacles galore, and she’s still carved out a place for herself. I know that I can do it now.
What shallow-minded reasoning! Brian, you’re a shame to the thousands of Americans who, against all odds, achieve their dreams. You’re a shame to the millions of people worldwide, who in spite of challenges and constraints, succeed. All these people succeed because they are not shallow minded like you.
Brian, are you a success? I doubt it. But even if you are, you probably had everything laid on a golden platter. ‘Nuf said!
Well, I’m too late just know Ladan,
She is rocks, I’ll read more about her
wow!!!
that was an inspirational story!!!!
Ladan you are wonderfull!!!
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Hey Eric!
I just read this story again… was referred here by Chris Rempel’s blog.
I’m SO glad you’ve posted it. Any time I’m feeling like I don’t know enough about something to take action on it, I just need to re-read this post.
It’s really powerful stuff, and Ladan, you ROCK!
So Eric, when are we going to get together again for a meeting of the DIMWITS (Like the one at Len Thurmond’s house)? I miss those masterminds. Would you have an interest in coming again if I organized it?
🙂
Warmest,
Jonathan
Hey Eric!
Great story, more power to Ladan!
After 4 years of study and application I’m making about 5,000.00 a month, but I fortunately never had those type of obstacles. This story should inspire anybody!!
Nice to see you here 🙂 I’d probably be interested in another get together.
E
It is a great inspirational stories. I have long understood the difficulty of building an internet business in a country like Iran. Her story tells one of determination, perseverance and possibility. It never occur to me that someone from Iran can make it given the adverse conditions. Perhaps only someone like Ladan could succeed and I am full of praise for her. Well done Ladan!
What an inspirational story! Just when my father and I were beginning to get frustrated over our 3 affiliate sites this story came along and lifted our spirits. We’ve taken a deep breath and have plunged back into our sites with the vow that we are going to begin building an opt-in list ASAP!
Eric, Thank you so much. How inspiring. We have been struggling to get it right for 2 years and if she can, so can we. Thanks again!!
Ok, so that’s again the same story. The good USA save the world… But, who goes everywhere, everytime in the world and make war for no reason. What’s the only country that used nuclear bomb?
That’s it. I’m all out of excuses. This post was right on point,Eric.
Nice story. I am so inspired. Thank’s for sharing.
Thank you for immpressive biography!
but as a person who lives in iran, i think you have exaggerated the limitations of religion. the second picture is not usuall in Tehran!
thank you
And when a lot of people think they have it so bad, “STOP ,Think” , and look around.
GO GIRL 🙂
T.Max
Hi everybody,
I’m living in Haiti. MY country is absent on almost serious service websites like paypal. Like Ladan, I’m a very bad english speaker/writer.Yet, I really wnat to succeed in onlin business.And I will.
I visited the website of Plimus but I didn’t understand what they are offering and can be helpfull to me. So I would like so much someone help me see better in it
Thank you in advance
I am in the same shoes as Ladan – I am Nigerian but seriously, I know for sure that I can write in English and I don’t have as much political issues as Ladan and I CAN SUCCEED.
I was sent here from the warrior forum by someone who cares and now …not giving up again.
Going to try even harder.