I was sent a video of Casey Serin (World’s most hated blogger) talking about his new “Island 2012” project. After painfully sitting through all 32 minutes, I decided I might provide some commentary. I am somewhat familiar with Casey and his “I am Facing Foreclosure” blog. Let me start by saying “Crazy” ideas, even revolutionary ideas, are a dime a dozen. We all have them. It’s the ability to create a plan and execute it that makes it work.
First, some back story on this video, I will save you the time – Casey wants to start blogging about buying a “tropical island paradise” by 2012 and living on it. He wants to sell ad space on his blog, selling 1,000 units, with each ad unit increasing in cost. For example, the first until will be sold for $1, the second for $2, third for $3, and so on recurring each month. With the money he makes, the goal (I think?) is to buy the island.. For himself.
There are so many flaws here, I am not quite sure where to begin, but let’s try.
First – Why would anyone want to fund a dream that does not benefit them? Why would I want to help YOU purchase an island? I guess Casey doesn’t understand the concept of “What’s in it for me?” – He says you’ll get ad space, and he will blog about you – So what? Big deal. I could purchase ad space anywhere, and if it’s for my business, there are thousands of other sites with targeted users who I’d much rather go after.
Second – The idea is so flimsy. He claims that at 1,000 units he can earn $500,000 a month to help fund the island – But then later says if he falls short, he will do other things with the money, other “investments” – What the hell? Talk about a lack of clarity and focus
Third – While rambling on about what he might possibly do with the money, he claims “we” (see fourth item) can fund some sort of “help Africa” program – Why would I want to give money to Casey Serin so he could feed hungry Africans? Maybe if I hadn’t heard of of any of the hundreds of legitimate non-profit organizations dedicated to helping them already
Fourth – Just because you keep saying “we” when talking about this project, doesn’t give me a warm fuzzy that I will be sipping a pina colada on a tropical island with you, or seeing any benefit whatsoever in investing in this dream of yours. We all know by “we”, you mean “I”
Fifth – It’s quite obvious Casey has no clue how to develop an idea. He thinks from the top down, instead of the bottom up – “If we get 1,000 members.. If we get 500 members” – I am sure you’ve heard the guys who say “If we can just get 1% of China’s population to buy our widget, we’ll be billionaires!” – Casey, what is it going to take to get ONE member? ONE visitor? ONE comment on your blog? How many uniques do you need to get per day to get 1 advertiser? You clearly have no idea how to determine the viability of your ideas, which leads me to my final point – If you could learn HOW to determine which of your ideas was actually viable, learn how to develop it, learn how to market it, you might actually find yourself using your time wisely and using it towards a worthwhile, possibly successful venture.
This idea has failed before it’s even been launched. Is it because it’s just a stupid idea? Yeah, probably, but more importantly, lacks any real structure, foundation or rational thought.
Here is the video, if you want to laugh and have 30 minutes to waste.. Island 2012 Live 08/20/09
Josh,
Great summary and feedback on that D-Bag’s new site. I was wondering how long he would keep up the social networking site before he quit. $500, $5,000, 50,000? Not even. our snowflake only made it to $27.33 before taking it down and turning it into a blog. I’m glad he’s at least trying new things.
The Wiz
A slight clarification on your comment, Wizard, if I may: Casey didn’t take down his social networking site, it was taken down for him. The hosting company pulled the plug as soon as they recognized the ponzi scheme. He started another one on the same platform, and met with the predictable result within hours. He then started a Wordpress blog, but on (I believe) Saturday, Aug. 22, Wordpress scented a scam and cut it off. He immediately began another one, but it lasted only minutes. He then used some HTML clumsily copied from Wordpress to make a one-page website on some server space he owns, a grand total of three websites in one day. It was soon converted to a real Wordpress install, but it’s on his server so he’ll meet no interference. He discovered Facebook shortly thereafter, and declared that all official contact would be through his Facebook page. He was nearly banned for flooding the channel with a huge amount of friend requests and mass messaging, but he backed off in time.
The official launch of the island2012 project will be at 12:00 AM on Friday, Sept. 11 in a Sacramento public park, with a party planned to continue thereafter for the next 18 hours or so. So far, the RSVPs can be counted on one hand. It is thought unlikely that selling ad space on a blog consisting of nothing but ad space will be bringing in his anticipated $500,500 per month anytime soon, however, there are 26 months left until the New Year’s Party on Casey’s new island. He has announced that once the funding reaches a sufficient level he will be easily able to multiply it by investing in real estate. His real estate track record, of course, speaks for itself.
Mr. Davis:
Longtime Casey-watcher/"Hater" here.
The Hobbit and I go way, way back.
Although I’d hesitate to predict just how much he could gross from it, I believe that if he promised to throw himself into the caldera of a tropical island’s volcano on New Year’s Eve of 2012, and sold tickets to the event, he might realize a tidy sum.
Sharky:
Anyone who knows Casey knows he’d take the money then fail to provide the promised entertainment. He’d have to get the money after he had thrown himself. Not sure how that would work, though…
wow well posted. thanks for writing that.
Hahahahahah. Casey Serin should be in jail. He is a life-long scammer and will never amount to much more than a wannabe Internet celebrity.
Fools….keep living in slavery…
Casey Serin should be imprisoned and subsequently executed for committing crimes against humanity.
Let’s hope his family is left homeless this winter.