The opinion of one world class expert is better than a dozen amateurs.
The expert has been there. Done that. Proven she knows what it takes to succeed.
The internet has democratized knowledge. You can find an answer to anything. But most come from amateurs.
Amateur opinions are abundant and free. Not to be confused with a bargain. You’ll pay with your time and lackluster results.
You can read every article on the first page of Google’s search results for free. Or you can buy the bestselling book. Similarly, you can watch a hundred different Youtube tutorials. Or you can pay to join the MasterClass.
Which option has the higher ROI?
To be the best, pay to learn from the best.
Become their apprentice. Learn their habits. Emulate their greatness.
Doing otherwise is a waste of time.
I can attest to this – I devoured YouTube and blog content on real estate investing. It was great to learn the general overview of the industry. But when you dive in, the small intricacies of updating contracts, performing rent raises periodically, how to respond to a complaint or threat, etc are what you dont learn from general media. That is where an experienced expert, a networked relationship, has made all the difference for me.
Thanks for the comment, Drew! From my own experience, it all depends on what it is you’re trying to learn. Some topics can be learned efficiently with free online resources. Others are more nuanced and require specialized knowledge to execute well. I pulled the trigger on a few online courses recently which taught me leaps and bounds more than I was able to dig up on blogs and Youtube channels. Had I done that from the start, I would have saved myself months of trial and error. That experience was the inspiration for this post and a reminder that some knowledge is worth paying for.