I recently watched a video featuring Ben Bader that completely shifted my perspective on what’s possible in the online education space. Ben’s story is nothing short of remarkable – going from making his first $10,000 month in January to earning $250,000 from a single client just a few months later. As someone who’s built multiple businesses, I’ve seen many success stories, but the speed of Ben’s growth is exceptional.
What struck me most wasn’t just the numbers, but Ben’s mindset throughout his journey. When asked how it felt to make a quarter million dollars from one client, his response was surprisingly calm: “Honestly, like you think it feels crazy, but kinda normal. Like I expected it.”
The Real Path to Success Isn’t What You Think
Ben’s story confirms what I’ve seen repeatedly in business: there is no secret formula. The “secret” is simply not quitting. For about seven months, Ben was grinding in his college dorm, sending countless outreach messages, creating personalized Loom videos, and facing rejection after rejection.
What I found fascinating was his approach to skill development. Ben would literally pretend he had clients, building out complete funnels and running fake launches for influencers who weren’t actually his clients. He called it “playing career mode” – a brilliant way to practice his craft before the real opportunities came.
“I would pretend I had clients. Like I would build out stuff and I would do like fake launches.”
This resonates deeply with my own experience. The best entrepreneurs I know all went through similar phases of preparation before their breakthrough moments.
Positioning Yourself for Massive Opportunity
The turning point for Ben wasn’t some magical strategy – it was getting the right client. After months of building skills and working with smaller clients, he positioned himself to be referred to a trading expert with a large audience.
Here’s what made the difference in his $250K launch:
- Building a strong sales team with proper training and culture
- Creating a strategic waitlist (3,500 people in just two weeks)
- Focusing heavily on the nurturing process between waitlist and launch
- Leveraging existing assets (email list, phone numbers) to re-engage past customers
- Structuring a compelling offer with strategic price points ($15K, $7K, and $3K options)
What’s clear from Ben’s approach is that success came from combining fundamental marketing principles with relationship building. The technical aspects matter, but being someone others want to work with is equally important.
The Networking Reality We Can’t Ignore
Ben acknowledged something many online gurus try to downplay: “This is a networking game.” While that might sound cliché, it’s absolutely true. His breakthrough came through a referral, which came because he had proven himself with smaller clients and built genuine relationships.
In my years building businesses, I’ve found that your network often determines your net worth. This doesn’t mean shallow connections – it means being genuinely helpful, competent, and someone others want to champion.
“Just be a good person, and trust God and it’ll work out eventually.”
The most interesting part? Ben says he hasn’t fundamentally changed from when he was making $10K to now making $250K. His mindset remained consistent – he just gained more experience and connections.
My Advice for Anyone Starting Out
If you’re in the early stages of building an online business, here’s what I believe you should focus on:
- Develop real skills through practice – even if you have to “play career mode” like Ben
- Focus on being someone others want to work with and refer business to
- Don’t quit during the inevitable months of struggle
- Seek mentorship to avoid wasting months on decisions that could be made quickly
- When opportunity comes, be prepared to execute at a high level
Ben’s story shows that extraordinary success doesn’t require extraordinary secrets. It requires extraordinary persistence, preparation, and the ability to capitalize when the right opportunity presents itself.
The online education space continues to offer incredible opportunities for those willing to put in the work. Whether you’re selling your own expertise or helping others sell theirs, the principles remain the same. Stay consistent, build real skills, and position yourself to be ready when your big opportunity arrives.
