When we started Supernatural the intent was to break away from working for others and/or providing services to others while they reap the long term benefits. In a zero sum game, providing services or collecting a salary always have a limited upside ceiling while investing in yourself does not.
We currently provide search marketing services to a few good clients as a way of bootstrapping our business so we can eventually focus entirely on our domain portfolio, particularly some in-depth development projects that will be sector leading sites when they are launched. It can be frustrating to take this hybrid route, particularly as we know how much faster we would move if we were entirely focused on our own properties. As Aaron notes in the link above, you’re always going to be better off investing in yourself, in the long run.
The other side of the equation is the ‘those who can’t do, teach’ cliche. We are increasingly being inundated with ‘get rich quick on the web’ schemes where ‘all you have to do’ is create an educational product and sell it for the big bucks. The problem with all of these schemes is that if you really knew the secrets of making millions on the web why would you tell anyone? The smart money stays under the radar, in part to avoid competition watering down the opportunity, and in part because the Googles of the world are constantly on the lookout for schemes based on gaming the system online. If you find one that works, why would you muddy the waters by selling it to anyone with a dream and a few hundred bucks?