Fake Gurus: Where is the Line?

ABOUT JOHN COOGAN:

I've been an entrepreneur for the last decade across multiple companies. I've done a lot of work in Silicon Valley, so that's mostly what I talk about. I've raised over 10 rounds of venture capital totaling over $100m in funding.

I work mostly in tech-enabled consumer packaged goods, meaning I use software to make the best products possible and then deliver them to the widest possible audience. I'm a big fan of machine learning, python programming, and motion graphics.

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Disclaimer: This video is purely my opinion and should not be regarded as a primary source. I am not a financial advisor and this is not a recommendation to buy or sell securities. Always do your own due diligence.

[jolank]

Well, let's be honest. Graham Stephan became famous by claiming to teach people his story on how he became a millionaire by doing real estate business (and by using shameless clickbait thumbnails). Only a lot later (couple years in fact) he revealed that most of his income was in fact from youtube and if it wasn't for youtube he'd never even become a millionaire in the first place. It's definitely not as shady as selling people overpriced courses directly but you could easily call that being a fake guru approach.
That said I did like many of his videos later on (when they stopped being about him humbly bragging about how surprisingly easy it was for him to become a real estate millionaire) and I sometimes watch a video or two from his channel these days as well.

[AnymMusic]

10:56 I mean, Graham HAS been pushing shit like FTX hard, and omg the clickbait. I know clickbait is not illegal, but holy hell there's only so many times I can see a shocked face thumbnail with a quote like "IS THIS THE END???" only for him to go "basically just keep buying and holding in index funds, it'll pass" 14 minutes later

[AnymMusic]

whenever I see Robert Kiyosaki pop again I always think to myself "what is he known for OTHER than a book about how his friend's dad was rich, and his own poor"? And is there anything?

[andreid.]

This has not aged well for Graham Stephan

[larrys-story-time]

They sure do blast ads. Thanks for exposing fake gurus! I'll get more into reading and doing !

[cloudedjourney]

Scammers are always riding on the coat tails of real experts. They tweek the truth just enough to take advantage of others for profit. You see it in business, online, in churches and other workplaces. Always good to be open minded but somewhat skeptical.

[Nexil_]

To be fair using Ads to promote your product is how people usually get sales I'd say its a pretty normal thing. You just need to make sure the product is good first.

[jayantsinharoy]

I worked for an MNC as a language and communications trainer for over a decade and here is my experience. Give an audience something for free. 98% will ignore suggestions/ training skills. The 2% who pick it up are either naturally hungry about gaining new skills or are in a crisis and attaining these skills is critical to getting out of the crisis. Now add a currency value to an external training with lower skills, lower experience and people see it as ‘valuable’. The interest or conversion rate increases and more people pay attention though those dropping out or losing interest after sometime hovers around the 80% mark. The ones again that really pick it up are the ones in some crisis. Many gurus can sustain a business because they seek some currency for the advice they share. This makes their advice ‘valuable’. Second they prey on crisis, real and imagined. Like if I said walk in the morning it’s good for health vs if you don’t walk starting tomorrow you will die in 2 years. Chances are the second statement translates into more action.

[bijantahmaseb]

Finally, someone who said it the way it is. The "gurus" couldn't say it because they're "biased, " even the "good ones." It's appreciated that you point all aspects out, thank you.

[albeit]

“The importance of reading can’t be understated.”

I would argue the opposite. It’s so important that it’s impossible to overstate how important it is.

[SeverSFSs]

The irony in getting an ad thats literally a "guru" with a whiteboard behind him halfway through this video 🤣

[AviPars]

Jikh and stephan are downgraded for me due to ftx and blockfi

[CertifiedYoutubeBanger]

We need more people like coffezilla and this channel, keep it up!

[woowaptibam]

Graham Stephan is the only person I've ever seen that's looks like a man and a toddler at the same time.

[mikesanders]

There is no line. It's all one big shapeless, quivering mass of flesh and narcissism.

[MrMountain]

I used to construction. Once all the workers started talking stocks everyday I knew it was time to take some profits.

[sethc]

one line i've always drawn is at criticism. If a guru only talks about all the opportunity and talks as if things could never go wrong they are a fake guru. Also if they cant criticize and be skeptical, unless being skeptical of that thing is something they can use to their benefit. major red flag.

[hirwaenock]

Waiting for Graham Stephan to react to this video. Great video 👍

[karlbooklover]

My simple rule to detect fake gurus is this. Verify their track record, did they become successful and make money outside of what they are selling? Their course/book whatever should be a tiny % of their income, otherwise people who buy it are likely the suckers

[huytranvan]

When he said: "Online courses is one of the most powerful ways to learn new skills...", I was thinking: "Damn, looks like Skillshare sponsored this vid". Nope, LMAO...