In the internet world you better run with a strong pack. This doesn’t mean you follow 20,000 people on twitter, or are friends with 2000 people on facebook. It doesn’t even mean that 100 people comment whenever you write a blog. What it means is you need a core group of people, whether it is 3 or 30 that are there for you when you need it.

The smarter, more energetic and more aggressive this group is, the better.

My progress in the internet business and marketing world has come about almost exclusively because of my friends.

Sure I better know my stuff, so that when the moment comes I know what to do to tip the ball in the basket, like I did last week. But to be really successful these days on the internet you almost assuredly can not pull it off alone.

Recently I needed a favor, that  I knew would take a few hours, and needed to be done that night, by two of the biggest names in our industry. I e-mailed these two internet rock stars, who both then sat up half the night to get it done.

What did I give them back? Nothing. Why did they do it? Love.

You guys who are reading this, my friends, the ones who would feel comfortable calling me right now and asking me a favor, are my pack, and I am yours.

It’s a funny world, because some of them like Marcus I have spent no more than an hour total with him, but yet would be happy to help him in any way I could. Nic N Cher, have been helping me out before I ever met them, and I help them in any way I can, we live half way around the globe from each other, and have spent no more than an hour together total. Guys like Al and Slaven I have stayed up all night with laughing about the stupidest things in the world. People like Michael Sprouse, the botw boys,  and Alex the tweeter and others have also been huge financial support to the events we have all enjoyed together. I have heard Aaron talk once, spoke to him in person for 60 seconds, but can e-mail him at 3 a.m. and get advice not available anywhere else on the planet. Sometimes it’s things like Tony, who is always there to be a friend, or Sir Hermanns who hits it high on every level! Other times it is when someone like John, who at 2 a.m. the day before a talk I did gave me such undeniable insight into my audience that it turned another boring talk into something life changing for me. The list contains many more not listed above.

The ways you can help each other are infinite, but without getting help online let’s see you do anything. The help comes in links, diggs, advice, insider info and connections.

Without this amazing path of Pam introducing me to Neil, and Neil giving Shoe the thumbs up about me., and Shoe introducing me to literally dozens of the most affluent, successful (alex) and powerful people on the internet, it would have taken me another decade to pull of what I have done.

A link is an acknowledgment that the person digs you. A digg is a  nod of approval for what you’ve done. Getting your name dropped on the right blog gets you clients, recognition, and the money that follows. An introduction with a statement that you are smart, powerful, know certain important stuff or are connected, can move you to the front of the line, and literally past the velvet rope.

None of this works without friendship, none of this works without love.

Am I smart? I’ll let you decide. Am I well connected? You better believe it. My connections are infinitely more valuable than my knowledge.  There is almost nothing known about internet business that I can not find out in 20 minutes via twitter, a phone call or an e-mail.

On the flip side if you are my friend there is nothing I won’t do. I will stay up late working on something for you. I will drop everything to read your stuff, sphinn it, digg it, or link to it, or even write it for you and let you put your name on it ☺ If need be I will pick up the tab, and stand there for 12 hours with you standing on my shoulders so you can win today, the day it really counts.

The pack I run with vary from the ridiculous to the tough and edgy. Some of them walk right up to the edge, laugh and jump to the other side. But every one of them realize that nothing we do can get done without each others help.

Feel left out? Want to get inside? Feel you deserve it? Then prove it. None of these guys are elitist. Anyone is welcome, but at a price. If your not yet in, you better bust your ass to help the others until they accept you. To stay in, you better be willing to help at a moments notice those around you.

Watch someone like Michael Gray on twitter when he’s chatting with Rae. Any unknown can give him a tweet and ask him a question, and he answers. It’s like butting into a conversation between Robert Deniro and Angelina Jolie, and having Robert stop in the middle of the conversation to answer some junior college acting students question about character development.

So I toast all of you! And am here for you when you need my help, as I know you are when I do. For those of you who are running around without a pack, wondering why it is so hard to make it? You better find the right pack and figure out what you need to do to be part of it.

When you need help, ask.

Love you guys. Honestly do. Thanks for each and everything that each of you have done for each of us.

I wouldn’t trade this life for anything.