Almost two years ago, I wrote a post on Substack about Dan Koe. I pointed out that 90% of his followers never make money.
Not because they “gave up.”
But because they didn’t understand how Dan himself actually makes his money.
They copied what he said—not what he does.
That post alone brought in over a hundred subscribers. I still get new ones from it, even though this publication has been dormant for over a year.
But that post tapped into something real.
There are thousands of people online claiming to have the secret to making money.
They promise 4-hour workdays and 5-figure months.
Freedom, family, quitting that dumbass boss.
Then you fall into the funnel.
One day it’s copywriting.
Next it’s PDF Farming.
Then maybe it’s day trading.
Just pay [insert $200 here]—and apparently you’re on your way.
Except… that’s rarely how it plays out.
You get the “course.”
It’s a high-level overview written by AI, wrapped in slick design.
And you still have no clue how to actually make money.
Or worse: you spend months in the cycle.
Buying. Trying. Hoping.
Still stuck. Still broke. Still confused.
The problem isn’t you.
This cycle traps hundreds of thousands of people every day.
If it didn’t work so well—for them—these creators wouldn’t be pulling in five figures a month.
The real problem?
No one is teaching the basic business models that power the internet.
Because if they did—you’d see right through the bullshit.
And they couldn’t sell you the dream.
And that’s why I’m bringing Signal or Noise back.
I’m tired of watching good people spend hundreds of dollars on recycled business advice—dressed up like a secret.
Here’s the trick they all pull:
Dan Koe sells information products, calls it “the Creator Economy.”
Justin Welsh does the same, wraps it in “Solopreneurship.”
PDF Farming ads repackage affiliate marketing like it’s a brand-new system.
It’s all the same underneath—they just rename it and resell it.
So here’s what I’m doing instead:
I’ll help you understand the core mechanics of online business—
The stuff they don’t teach because it would destroy their funnel.
I’ll help you figure out:
What actually works
What you’re missing right now
And how to invest in real knowledge—not someone else’s dream
If you’re in, follow along.
Next week: we go back to basics.
What is a business, really?
And why do so many online ones feel like they fall apart the second you stop believing?
Let’s find the signal in the noise.
I didn't see this in 2023, but when I needed it. Your article is "a sledgehammer to fantasy revealing reality".
Thanks for this Josh!!
Your Dan Koe article was great. The only caveat I have with Justin Welsh is he’s very upfront that he got into the info product space.
It could be marketing and a founder story that’s true, he openly talks about using social media to grow his own consulting for SaaS as a way to leave his job.
He talks about proving a service to make money, not just write about what you like or what you’re doing