You're starting from zero. No audience, no product, no clue which of the 50 YouTube gurus to listen to. Every one of them says their path is the right one.
We went deep on the 12 biggest creators in the "make money online" space. For each one, we broke down: what they actually teach, what courses they sell (and what they cost), what Reddit and the internet really think of them, verified student results, total cost to follow their path, and an honest probability-of-success rating.
This is the guide we wish we had before spending thousands on courses.
1. 
Alex Hormozi
Who is he? Former gym owner who built Gym Launch to $46M/year, sold it, and now runs Acquisition.com — a portfolio of companies doing $200M+/year combined. Co-founder of 
Skool. 10M+ followers. Gives away almost everything for free.
What he teaches you to do: Create irresistible offers, generate leads, and build any service business. His frameworks apply to 
Freelancers, agencies, coaches, Content Creators, e-commerce — basically anything. He's not teaching one specific business model; he's teaching the principles behind all of them.
His products and what they cost:
$100M Offers by Alex Hormozi — FREE (book, also on Audible). How to create offers so good people feel stupid saying no.
$100M Leads by Alex Hormozi — FREE (book). How to get strangers to want to buy your stuff.- Skool — $99/month (community platform he co-owns). You don't need this to learn from him, but it's his recommended platform if you're building a community.
Total cost to follow his path: $0-$99/month. Seriously. His entire strategy is giving away his best content for free.
What Reddit says:
"He gives more tactical advice people can actually use than almost anyone else" — r/marketing
"His content is sometimes basic, but he delivers it in the most digestible way possible" — r/Entrepreneurs
Some skeptics call him a "fake guru" but struggle to articulate why since his content is free
Common criticism: His advice is hard to apply when you're truly starting from zero with no skills or audience
Verified results:
Skool Games (monthly competition) has produced dozens of 6-figure community businesses
People who apply his Grand Slam Offer framework consistently report 2-3x conversion improvements
His free YouTube content alone has spawned thousands of success stories across industries
Probability of success: ⭐⭐⭐⭐ (4/5). His frameworks genuinely work for anyone willing to apply them, but he teaches principles not step-by-step playbooks. You need to figure out the "what" yourself — he teaches the "how." Start here regardless of which path you choose.
Best for: Everyone. Read both books before following anyone else on this list. They're free. There is zero reason not to.
2. 
Iman Gadzhi
Who is he? High school dropout who built a social media marketing agency at 17. Now runs an education empire. 8M+ YouTube subscribers. The biggest name in the SMMA (Social Media Marketing Agency) space. Recently pivoted to teaching "Shadow Operating" for influencers.
What he teaches you to do:
Path 1:
Social Media Marketing Agency — Sign local businesses as clients, run their Facebook/Instagram ads, charge $1K-$5K/month retainers. The classic SMMA model.Path 2:
AI Shadow Operating — Find micro-creators (20K-100K followers) who have audiences but no products. Use AI to build their digital products, funnels, and launch strategy. Split revenue 20-30% for life. His newest push.
His products and what they cost:
- Agency Navigator by Iman Gadzhi — $1,499. Step-by-step SMMA course. Client acquisition, ad delivery, scaling, hiring.
Monetise by Iman Gadzhi — ~$2,000. The Shadow Operator program. How to partner with influencers using AI tools. Currently his flagship.
Educate by Iman Gadzhi — ~$995-$1,499. How to create and sell online courses (meta, we know).
Total cost to follow his path: $1,499-$2,000 for a course + ~$100-$200/month for tools (ad management software, AI tools). Budget $2,000-$3,000 to get started.
What Reddit says:
"Not a scam, but it's basically a $2,000 course teaching what you could learn from free YouTube videos with effort" — r/branding (Monetise review)
"His model is broken and built upon ease-of-use that's attractive only to folks who are desperate or have no experience" — r/agency
"Once you take a step back you realize how manipulative this guy can seem, especially when you're 16" — r/agency
Some students report landing first $1K-$2K/month clients within 60-90 days
Others found cheaper alternatives doing the same thing (shadowoperator.app for $50 vs his $2K course)
Overall Reddit sentiment: Polarizing. Young fans love him, experienced agency owners think he's overhyped. The SMMA model works; the question is whether you need his $1,500+ course to learn it.
Verified results:
Many Agency Navigator students report first clients within 60-90 days
The SMMA model itself is proven — thousands of agencies exist. His course packages it well.
Shadow Operating (Monetise) is newer — fewer verified success stories. The model is legit but unproven at scale for students.
Probability of success: ⭐⭐⭐ (3/5). The SMMA model works, but it's competitive and requires sales skills. The Shadow Operator model is promising but new. Biggest risk: spending $2K on a course when free resources cover 80% of the same material.
Best for: 18-25 year olds who want a clear, step-by-step path and can afford the course fee. If you're older or have business experience, you probably don't need to pay $1,500+ for this.
3. 
Justin Welsh
Who is he? Former VP of Sales at a SaaS company who burned out, quit, and built a one-person business doing $4.15M/year with zero employees. Just him and one part-time VA. 1.5M+ followers, mostly on 
linkedin. The poster child for the "solopreneur" movement.
What he teaches you to do: Build an audience on linkedin using templated content frameworks → grow a newsletter → sell Sell Digital Products ($150 courses) on autopilot → eventually launch a premium product. Also teaches Newsletter Curator monetization (his Saturday Solopreneur newsletter earns $170K/year in sponsors) and Affiliate Marketer income ($28K/year recommending tools like 
Beehiiv and ConvertKit).
His products and what they cost:
- The Operating System by Justin Welsh — $150. LinkedIn growth system. Templates, frameworks, daily posting strategy.
- The Content Operating System by Justin Welsh — $150. Content creation system. How to create, repurpose, and automate content.
- The Creator MBA by Justin Welsh — $995. The comprehensive playbook: audience building, product creation, sales funnels, email marketing.
Total cost to follow his path: $150 (one course) to $1,295 (all three). Plus ~$50-100/month for tools (Beehiiv for newsletter, scheduling tools). Budget $300-$1,500 to get started.
What Reddit and the internet say:
30,000+ students with a 4.97/5 aggregate rating across 2,000+ reviews
Less than 0.1% refund rate — essentially unheard of in the course industry
His Creator MBA launch generated over $1.6M (dissected on r/onlinecourses)
Widely considered the best tactical LinkedIn growth course available
Common praise: "It's not revolutionary, but it's a complete, actionable system you can follow step by step"
Common criticism: "It's mostly LinkedIn-focused — if LinkedIn isn't your platform, some of it won't apply"
Verified results:
Students consistently report 2-5x follower growth within 90 days on LinkedIn
Multiple students have replicated his model and built $100K-$500K/year solo businesses
He publishes exact revenue breakdowns publicly — $4.15M/year, $12M+ lifetime
Probability of success: ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ (5/5) for growing a LinkedIn audience. ⭐⭐⭐⭐ (4/5) for building a full business. His system is the most copy-paste-ready on this list. The main variable is whether you have expertise worth packaging.
Best for: Professionals aged 30+ with existing expertise who want a proven, low-risk system. If you've been working for 5+ years in any field, this is probably your fastest path.
4. 
Dan Koe
Who is he? Self-taught designer/developer turned writer turned personal brand mogul. $4M+/year revenue with 98% margins and truly zero employees — no team, no VA, no sponsors. 2.6M+ followers across platforms. Part philosopher, part business teacher. Building 
Eden (an AI workspace SaaS).
What he teaches you to do: "You ARE the niche." Start by Freelancer work (web design, writing, consulting) to get cash flow. Learn Freelance Writer skills. Build a personal brand around your authentic interests. Grow a newsletter and 
YouTube channel. Sell Sell Digital Products (courses, books). Eventually Build a SaaS.
His products and what they cost:
- 2 Hour Writer by Dan Koe — $150. Writing frameworks for content and copywriting.
- Digital Economics by Dan Koe — $499-$999. His flagship. Personal branding, audience building, product creation, business philosophy.
- The Art of Focus by Dan Koe — ~$15-$20 (book). Philosophy on focus and attention in the modern world.
Purpose & Profit by Dan Koe — ~$15-$20 (book).
Total cost to follow his path: $150-$999 for courses. Plus ~$0-50/month for tools (he recommends free or cheap tools). Budget $200-$1,200.
What Reddit says:
"2 Hour Writer was actually really f*king good. I've read a lot of books on marketing and copywriting. I can vouch for that." — r/findapath
"Took Digital Economics and found my winner product — doing $7,000 in profit" — r/Careers
"Kortex on its own is worth the money if you're looking to build an audience through persuasive writing" — r/productivity
Common criticism: Digital Economics can feel too abstract/philosophical for people who want step-by-step tactics
His style deeply resonates with some people and frustrates others — very polarizing
Overall Reddit sentiment: Positive for his writing courses, mixed for Digital Economics. People who "get" his philosophy love him. People who want a checklist get frustrated.
Verified results:
Built his own brand to $4M/year as proof of concept
Multiple students have built 6-figure writing and content businesses
Harder to find specific student success metrics compared to Justin Welsh
Probability of success: ⭐⭐⭐ (3/5). High ceiling but longer timeline. His approach requires 1-2 years of consistent work before meaningful income. Not a "quick win" path. Success depends heavily on whether his philosophical approach clicks with your brain.
Best for: Creative 20-30 somethings who want to build something meaningful over 2-5 years. People who hate rigid systems and want to explore. If you read his tweets and think "this guy gets me," he's your person.
5. 
Ali Abdaal
Who is he? Doctor turned YouTube creator. 4.8M subscribers on YouTube, $3.7-5M/year revenue, team of 18. The gold standard for "build a YouTube channel" education. Wrote Feel-Good Productivity by Ali Abdaal, a bestselling book.
What he teaches you to do: Start a YouTube channel as a Content Creator while keeping your day job. Build an audience through educational/personality content. Monetize through AdSense, sponsorships, Sell a course, and Sell Digital Products.
His products and what they cost:
- Part-Time YouTuber Academy by Ali Abdaal — $997. Cohort-based course. 10 live classes, guest workshops, Q&As, lifetime community access.
- Feel-Good Productivity by Ali Abdaal — ~$20 (book).
Skillshare courses — Free with Skillshare trial
Total cost to follow his path: $20-$997 for education. Plus $500-$2,000 for YouTube equipment (camera, mic, lighting — though a phone works to start). Plus significant time investment: 5-10 hours/week minimum for 6-12 months before meaningful income. Budget $1,000-$3,000.
What Reddit and the internet say:
PTYA consistently praised for production quality and teaching methodology
Students praise the community and accountability
Some say it's expensive for what amounts to "make good videos consistently, improve thumbnails and titles"
"You can learn 80% of this from his free YouTube videos" — common take
Overall sentiment: Positive. The course is good but expensive. Most of the value is in community and accountability, not secret knowledge.
Verified results:
Many PTYA alumni have built channels with 10K-100K subscribers
Some have gone on to build 6-figure businesses from their YouTube audience
YouTube monetization timeline: typically 6-12 months to $1K/month from AdSense, 12-24 months to meaningful income from products/sponsors
Probability of success: ⭐⭐⭐ (3/5). YouTube is the highest-reward but also highest-effort platform. Most channels never take off. If yours does, income potential is massive. But the odds are against you — only ~3% of YouTube channels ever hit monetization thresholds.
The catch: Ali has a team of 18. His results are not replicable as a solopreneur. He's honest about this, but it's worth noting.
Best for: People who genuinely enjoy being on camera and are willing to invest 6-12 months before seeing a dime.
6. 
Nicolas Cole & Dickie Bush
Who are they? Cole is a former Inc. and Forbes columnist who became one of the most-read writers on the internet. Dickie Bush left Wall Street to write online full-time. Together they created Ship 30 for 30 and built Typeshare (a writing SaaS). $5M+ combined revenue.
What they teach you to do: Start by writing online — daily "Atomic Essays" (short-form posts). Build a Freelance Writer habit. Grow an audience as a Content Creator through writing on Twitter/X. Eventually Newsletter Curator → Sell Digital Products → Build a SaaS.
Their products and what they cost:
- Ship 30 for 30 - Online Writing Course — ~$500-$800 (cohort-based, 4-week intensive bootcamp). Includes frameworks, daily accountability, community.
- Typeshare — Free-$29/month (writing platform SaaS)
Nicolas Cole's books: The Art & Business of Online Writing, Snow Leopard, etc. — $15-$20 each
Total cost to follow their path: $15-$800. Writing is the lowest-cost entry point on this entire list. You literally need a laptop and an internet connection. Budget $50-$1,000.
What Reddit and the internet say:
"One of the best cohort-based writing courses" — consistent Reddit sentiment
"It's an intensive 4-week bootcamp packed with frameworks to become a digital writing powerhouse" — r/NyxLearning
The community accountability is praised as the real value — not the content itself
10,000+ graduates
Overall sentiment: Very positive for Ship 30. People question whether
Typeshare is necessary vs. free alternatives (Twitter, Substack).
Verified results:
Many alumni went on to build 5-6 figure newsletter businesses
The "Atomic Essay" framework has become an industry standard
Cole himself built a writing empire; Bush transitioned from Wall Street to full-time creator
Probability of success: ⭐⭐⭐⭐ (4/5) for building a writing habit and growing an audience. ⭐⭐⭐ (3/5) for monetizing. Writing is the lowest barrier to entry but also the slowest to monetize. Plan for 6-12 months of consistent writing before meaningful income.
Best for: Anyone who doesn't know where to start. Writing is the universal foundation skill for all online business. Start here if you're paralyzed by options.
7. Chris Do
Who is he? Emmy-winning designer who ran Blind (a branding agency) for 20+ years. 3M+ YouTube subscribers. Founded The Futur — education for creative professionals. His roleplay negotiation videos are some of the most practical sales content on YouTube.
What he teaches you to do: Stop undercharging. Go from $500 logos to $50,000 brand strategies. Build a Freelancer business or Creative Agency as a designer, videographer, or creative pro. Learn pricing, sales, and business development for creatives.
His products and what they cost:
- The Futur Pro by Chris Do — ~$1,200-$2,000/year (membership). Includes courses on pricing, sales, branding, business strategy.
Individual courses: Business Bootcamp, Painless Pricing, etc. — $500-$1,500 each
YouTube content — FREE (and genuinely excellent)
Total cost to follow his path: $0 (YouTube only) to $2,000+/year (Pro membership). Plus whatever tools you need for your creative work. Budget $0-$2,500.
What Reddit says:
"Each one providing some sort of value at least even with the price" — r/graphic_design
"It's well worth the money. I did Design Bootcamp and liked it" — r/MotionDesign
"Chris Do has a mission to help a billion creatives achieve a comfortable living" — r/graphic_design
Some say his free YouTube content is so good you don't need the paid courses
Overall Reddit sentiment: Very positive among creative professionals. Less relevant for non-creatives.
Probability of success: ⭐⭐⭐⭐ (4/5) if you're already a creative professional. ⭐⭐ (2/5) if you're not — this is niche-specific advice that doesn't transfer well to other fields.
Best for: Designers, videographers, photographers, and creative freelancers who are talented but undercharging. If you're not in a creative field, skip this one.
8. Noah Kagan
Who is he? Employee #30 at Facebook (got fired). Early employee at Mint.com. Founded AppSumo — a software deals marketplace doing $80M+/year. 2M+ YouTube subscribers. He runs a real business; content is a side project.
What he teaches you to do: Validate business ideas before you build them. His core method: ask 3 people for money before writing a single line of code or creating a product. Start any kind of business — it's about the process of starting, not a specific model. Most relevant for Build a SaaS or Sell Digital Products.
His products and what they cost:
- Million Dollar Weekend by Noah Kagan — ~$20 (book). His "start a business in 48 hours" challenge.
- AppSumo — Free to browse. Marketplace for software deals.
YouTube content — FREE
Total cost to follow his path: $20 for the book. That's it. One of the cheapest starting points on this list.
Probability of success: ⭐⭐⭐⭐ (4/5). His validation method genuinely works and prevents the #1 mistake beginners make: building something nobody wants. The book is arguably the best $20 you can spend.
The trust factor: He runs an $80M+ company. His content is a side project, not the business. That makes him one of the most credible people on this list — he's not selling you a dream, he already lives it.
Best for: Overthinkers and perfectionists who need someone to say "stop planning, start doing." Most action-oriented creator on the list.
9. Codie Sanchez
Who is she? Former Wall Street investor (Goldman Sachs, First Trust). Runs Contrarian Thinking — a holding company of small businesses. 2M+ followers. The anti-online-business voice.
What she teaches you to do: Buy "boring businesses" — laundromats, car washes, vending routes, HVAC companies, landscaping businesses. The opposite of everything else on this list. She says don't build online, buy offline.
Her products and what they cost:
Contrarian Thinking community + course — ~$8,800 (yes, really)
Newsletter and YouTube content — FREE
Total cost to follow her path: Here's the thing — the course is $8,800, but buying a business costs $50K-$500K+. This is not a "start from zero" play. You need capital.
What Reddit says:
"One of the best courses I've ever spent my money on" — r/buyingabusiness
"The course was absolute trash. One can get better info in $20 books" — r/agency
"Codie's assessment that many baby-boomers have businesses they would like to sell is true" — r/business
"Avoid. Most of the information is easily available elsewhere" — r/SellMyBusiness (mod)
Overall Reddit sentiment: Extremely polarized. Business acquisition is a legit strategy, but her course is expensive for information available in books like "Buy Then Build" by Walker Deibel.
Probability of success: ⭐⭐⭐ (3/5) if you have $50K+ capital. ⭐ (1/5) if you're starting from zero. This path requires significant upfront capital and real business management skills.
Best for: People with savings ($50K+) who want cash-flowing physical assets. NOT for someone starting from zero. If you have no money, come back to this after you've built income from another path.
10. 
Sahil Bloom
Who is he? Former private equity investor turned creator. 2M+ followers. 700K+ newsletter subscribers (The Curiosity Chronicle). Makes money through newsletter sponsors and angel investing — NOT courses.
What he teaches you to do: Build a Newsletter Curator audience through X/Twitter threads on mental models, frameworks, and personal finance. Monetize through sponsors and investing deals. His path is more Content Creator focused.
His products: No courses. Free newsletter. Free content. He makes money through sponsors (~$50K+ per newsletter ad) and angel investing. You can't really "buy" his path.
Probability of success: ⭐⭐ (2/5) for replicating his model. Newsletter sponsorship requires 50K+ subscribers before it's meaningful income. His investment returns are not replicable without capital and deal flow. Great content, but hard to copy.
Best for: Inspiration and learning, not direct replication. Study his content strategy if you want to build a newsletter, but pair it with someone else's monetization playbook.
11. Sam Parr & 
Greg Isenberg
Sam Parr — Built The Hustle newsletter, sold it to HubSpot for ~$27M. Now co-hosts My First Million podcast. Teaches Newsletter Curator businesses and media entrepreneurship. No courses — he shares ideas for free on his podcast. Trust factor: He already exited. He's not selling you anything. He just likes talking about business ideas.
Greg Isenberg — Former VP Product at WeWork. Runs Late Checkout (community product studio). Teaches Build a SaaS and niche community businesses. No courses either. His Startup Ideas podcast is excellent for inspiration. Trust factor: Successful exits and real product experience.
Both are best for: Idea generation and business thinking. Neither sells courses. Follow them for free ideas and frameworks, then execute using the playbooks from other creators on this list.
12. The OGs: 
Pat Flynn & Kat Norton
Pat Flynn — Been doing this since 2008. Invented revenue transparency (published monthly income reports for years). Teaches Affiliate Marketer, podcasting, Sell Digital Products. His Smart Passive Income brand is the original "make money online" playbook. Cost: Books ($15-20), courses ($200-$500), tons of free content. Best for: People who want timeless principles over trendy tactics.
Kat Norton — Makes $1M+/year teaching Microsoft Excel on 
TikTok. Yes, spreadsheets. She proves you don't need to teach "how to make money" to make money. Sell a course on any skill you already have. Cost: Study her for free — she's the model, not the teacher. Best for: Anyone with a niche skill who thinks it's "too boring" to monetize.
💰 The Total Cost Comparison
$0:
Alex Hormozi (free books + free content) — Start here, always$20:
Noah Kagan (book) — Best $20 investment on this list$150-$300:
Dan Koe (2 Hour Writer) or Justin Welsh (one operating system)$500-$1,000:
Nicolas Cole + Dickie Bush (Ship 30) or Justin Welsh (Creator MBA) or Ali Abdaal (PTYA)$1,500-$2,000:
Iman Gadzhi (Agency Navigator or Monetise) or Chris Do (Futur Pro)$8,800+:
Codie Sanchez (+ $50K-$500K to actually buy a business)
🎯 If You're Starting From Absolute Zero
Step 1 (Free):
Read
$100M Offers by Alex Hormozi and $100M Leads by Alex Hormozi — free, foundationalRead
Million Dollar Weekend by Noah Kagan — $20, action-oriented
Step 2 (Pick a path):
Fastest to first $1K:
Freelancer work (Dan Koe approach) — 30-60 daysMost systematic:
linkedin + digital products (Justin Welsh approach) — 90-180 daysMost clear-cut:
Social Media Marketing Agency (Iman Gadzhi approach) — 60-90 days to first clientLowest barrier: Writing online (
Nicolas Cole + Dickie Bush approach) — 6-12 months to monetizeHighest ceiling:
YouTube (Ali Abdaal approach) — 12-24 months to meaningful income
The biggest mistake: Buying courses from 5 different creators, consuming 100 hours of content, and never executing. Pick ONE path. Follow ONE creator. Execute for 90 days. Then reassess.
Have you followed any of these creators? Did their courses actually help you make money? Drop your honest experience below 👇