Michael’s Story

I grew up in a small beach town in the Florida panhandle in a middle-class family. But it wasn’t always easy for my parents to raise five kids.

My mom attended night school to get her college degree after having us. And she worked as a K-3 elementary teacher for over 30 years.

My dad worked for many years as a cook and chef for several restaurants in town.

But he got tired of being on his feet for 10-12 hours per day, toiling in hot kitchens.

So, he decided to pursue his entrepreneurial dreams. I remember that he owned a little dive bar and then a lite construction company.

A few in my family have the same independent entrepreneurial streak as my dad. Even as a young child, I was always thinking up money-making ideas. And like Mr. Wonderful on the television show Shark Tank, I was all about the monneeeyy!!

I suppose that’s what led me to attend the University of Florida where I earned a Bachelor’s Degree in Finance. Later on, I added a Master’s Degree from Central Michigan University.

Life After College

My first job out of university was as a financial & operational auditor at a large Fortune 100 company.

I really hit the jackpot because the gig required 70% travel worldwide. So, there I was, 21 years old with an expense account. And by the time I was 23, I had literally made a trip around the world.

I recall the journey vividly. My employer was headquartered in St. Louis, Missouri.

So, for one particular two-month project, I traveled from there to Los Angeles, to Hawaii, to Australia, to Singapore, to India, to Kenya, to England, to New York, and finally back to St. Louis. I still think it was the coolest thing ever.

I went on to work for a few other Fortune 500 companies (including The Federal Reserve Bank) and then transitioned to operational consulting.

Specifically, I worked at Deloitte Touche where we re-engineered business processes and implemented enterprise software for multi-billion dollar companies like Reliant Energy and Florida Power & Light.

9/11/2001 Changed Everything

On that date, I was at home between projects. When the twin towers came down, so did the economy. Consulting projects dried up over the ensuing months and I was unemployed.

So, I worked as an independent consultant over the next year or so. One day, while talking to my brother, he mentioned Internet Marketing. I became curious and started doing my own research.

It didn’t take long for the entrepreneurial bug to bite. I tried to make money online with a few ideas, but they all failed.

Then, in 2003, while performing keyword research, I noticed that there were a bunch of niches with lots of search volume but little competition. At that time, the Internet really was the wild, wild, west.

Seizing on an opportunity, I wrote an eBook called “Strike It Niche!” that revealed 70 wide open niches. The $47 eBook was a hit.

That success led me to create a $397 physical course called “The Niche Mastery System”. I presented the course material in two printed workbooks and 16 CDs. (What are CDs, right?)

Image shows Strike it Niche ebook cover and Niche Mastery System course thumbnails

Suffice it say, by 2004, I was hooked. I’ve been a full-time digital marketer ever since. I’ve tried just about every angle to make money online.

Without a doubt, being an entrepreneur has its ups and downs. Financially, I’ve had some awesome years and some lean years. But I’ve loved them all because of the flexibility and freedom.

Emext marketing is the culmination of everything I’ve learned and experienced online and offline.

When I started, the physical and digital commerce worlds had little to do with each other. Now, they are converging.

So, if you could use an extra pair of experienced ears and eyes to help guide you through your business challenges and struggles, I’m here for you.

Wishing you much success,


Michael Holland