I notice from the traffic logs that you keep checking in on this post. It is making me wonder if, in fact, you work for Mr Masterson and are hoping to incite folks to write glowing recommendations of his products and character to defend him against your ‘attacks?’

Or, you just might be hoping to start a flame war on my blog.

Either way, I just want to let folks know that I am closing the comments on this post. I’ve spoken my peace and am leaving Tim’s negative comments intact, so there is enough info here for visitors to form their own opinions.

I’m getting the feeling that this site is being manipulated by this exchange.

The Go-To Guy!

I have not done enough research into Mr. Masterson to answer your specific claims, but I do know that he markets the AWAI copywriting course very heavily along with several different ‘bootcamp’ style seminars. I have not purchased or participated in either, so I cannot comment on what you’ve said.

I was able to find another blog post about Mr. Masterson in which you offered similar negative comments: http://nhartsock.typepad.com/nettie_hartsock/2007/02/michael_masters.html  but I had a really hard time finding any other negative comments like your own. (BTW, I do not know Michael Masterson, am not married to anyone in his family, do not work for or profit from any of his companies, and stand to make $1 or less if you click the link above and buy his book from Amazon.)

What I can speak to directly is the content of this book and his Automatic Wealth book - I’ve purchased and read both.

In these books, Masterson’s teaching on wealth building is the most logical, complete, and hype-free path to wealth that I have seen. His ‘chicken entrepreneur’ approach encourages people to hang onto their day jobs while they learn the ropes of self-employment. For those not suited to run their own businesses, he encourages you to look for opportunities within the workplace to work on projects where there is a direct connection between your efforts and company profits. People who’s work is tied to profits (like sales people) are often better compensated than others in an organization.

When it comes to investing, he advocates investing in real estate and new businesses because that is where the highest returns are available. He’s not pushing ‘no money down’ stuff, or Forex trading, just identifying the two markets with the highest return rates measured against risk. But, it must be said, investing isn’t the foundation of his approach to building wealth. Primarily he advocates starting new businesses and making yourself more valuable in the places you already work.

This is sound advice from my perspective.

Unlike other ‘wealth gurus’, I feel I actually got an enormous amount of sound information from these two books. Information that I could put into practice whether I ever buy another thing from this man. I have read other books like this that never give you anything of immediate use - you must buy the next thing to get what you really need (and of course the next thing leads to another thing. The strategy there is to never give you what you need only enough to make you buy more.)

As a member of Masterson’s Early To Rise newsletter, I get plenty of pitches for other products he sells. The sales copy is very intense. I even bought one - The content of the materials was very good, just not the sort of business I planned to start at the time. I did not feel cheated, and I am hanging on to the materials because I thought they were very well done in quality and content - they will serve as examples for training materials I create in the future.

When you read enough of Masterson’s material you will see how well he weaves his various businesses together. He provides enough quality content that I don’t feel tricked or cheated, but he gets a good cross-promotion in there too! I happen to think that is excellent copywriting, but I know you disagree.

If, as you claim, Masterson is a complete conman with no redeeming qualities, I still think there is something to learn from him. A Google search of his name returns more than 80,000 results. The majority are positive and include sites like CNN Money. Even the ‘Scam Buster’ sites speak well of him. If he has engineered all of that as part of one huge scam, the man has skills.

For readers who don’t know what to think, get a copy of Automatic Wealth from the library and read it for yourself. Just be aware that Masterson wants you to buy more things from him and he’s going to sell you something else - if you give him the chance.

The Go-To Guy!