Interview: Ralph Ruckman (Convert2Media)

Ralph Ruckman is the CEO & Founder of Convert2Media. Ralph is one of the people that I highly respect and look up to in this industry. I can tell you first hand that Ralph and his team are highly interested in seeing their affiliates succeed and because of it his network has grown to tremendous levels in a few years time. Without further ado, check it out…

Tell us a little background info about yourself. Where are you from? How old are you? How long have you been working in this industry?
I’m Ralph Ruckman, 29 years old from Kansas. I’ve been in the industry for over 5 yrs now.

What accomplishments so far are you the most proud of?
I’ve been in and out of a lot of different aspects of being a Marketer and Entrepreneur so my biggest accomplishment really isn’t something I’ve accomplished, it’s the people I’ve met. For me it’s my partners Steve and Michael. Together we have created, maintained and will continue to build Convert2Media, our Performance Marketing Affiliate Network.

How did you come to learn about this industry? Why did you choose this career? When did you first realize the full potential in affiliate marketing? When did you first “hit the big time?”
I started learning about this industry back when I was working 3 jobs. A simple search for “make money online” started the journey. I chose to quit my jobs because I had doubled my income I was already making from those jobs in the short few hours each night that I could work on my business. I felt that if I could devote the time I gave to my jobs to this, I could exponentially increase my business. Well, I realized I could make money online when I began my article writing service, I realized the full potential I think at the end of 2007. That’s when I was at an all time high in revenue as an affiliate and advertiser but began looking at the possibility of owning a network. I do not remember “big moments” honestly. I remember a few good days here and there but I remember every time I took a hit or failure throughout the businesses I’ve been involved in. I keep my good days close, but my bad days closer. That way, I don’t make the same mistake twice.

What do you think more affiliates need to understand about the network side of things?
That a network is so much more than a place to go get offers to run. I briefly spoke on this in the Scott Rewick interview – http://www.convert2media.com/blog/2010/06/11/ruck-interviewed-by-scott-rewick/.
It would take too long to explain it in text but basically affiliates are very keen on using ppc, social media, media buys and email to get their traffic. I’ve been showing a lot of our more experienced publishers on how to build their own offers as an advertiser and monetize them as affiliates of C2M. This allows them to let us handle their quality and also allows them to build a side of their business that is performance driven and doesn’t have them setting up ppc or media buy campaigns. More on that later…

What have been your biggest failures and frustrations as a network owner?
Failure – Establishing a REAL coaching program. Everytime I’ve gotten started, 10 other things hit me at once. Frustrations – I can handle everything except non-paying advertisers. Just took a nasty hit recently that still has me wanting to pull some teeth.

What is the single toughest problem you’ve had to face in creating a successful company, and how did you get through it?
A single tough problem doesn’t really stand out, my partners and I are passionate about our company and our other businesses as well. I think the toughest problem has got to be that Steve, Michael and myself have to make calculated decisions together. Make the wrong one, we all suffer but make the right one, we all get to share the rewards together. I just feel fortunate enough to work with guys as passionate as I am and know that whatever decision will be made is one that we will all face together.

What do you think it takes to be successful as an affiliate?
The cliché is determination and dedication but honestly from working with thousands now and watching affiliates go from nothing to something over the last couple of years, I can say that affiliates who SERIOUSLY see this as a business versus wanting to make a few bucks are the ones who will see the most success. However, everyone has their goals, so if you are achieving them, that makes you successful in my eyes. No matter how small or big those goals may be.

Is there anything that you don’t like to do, that you just hate working on?
Well, I hate working period right? I mean seriously, when I came into this business I thought I was gonna be sippin my martini’s from the pool on my laptop. 5 years later, that still isn’t happening. You have to have an absolute passion to stay ahead in this business. If you “hate” ANY aspect of your work, you will always suck at it. Sorry if that sounds harsh but “hate” is a thought stemmed from NOT WANTING TO DO SOMETHING, and if you don’t have what it takes or the determination to see every aspect and task of your business thru till the end, well you are going to develop a thought process that will spill over into other areas of your business or quite possibly, other businesses you create. EVERYTHING you do with your business, is an experience. Treat it as so. Don’t hate it, Respect it.

What is the future of marketing?
I’m not a psychic but some of the things coming down the pipe are iphone formatted offers. Cellular advertising will start ramping as well as instant messenger ads and mp3 players/ipods. I have so much faith in Marketing and Advertising that if I had my way, my ads would be in your face 24/7. If you are on your phone, I’m advertising to you. If you are chatting away on AIM, I’m advertising you. You want to go for a walk and listen to your ipod? Well, if it were up to me, I would advertise to you thru it. Some other things are the Mobile Dating marketing, especially localized. With more mobile type dating offers, and the communications industry at the top of it’s game, this is a vertical definitely worth looking into. Pay Per Call has been ramping up as well. Matter of fact, I believe Steve has a Pay Per Call deal coming to C2M soon.

What have you been up to recently? What projects are you working on?
My life the last 6 months has been a rollercoaster. I went thru a really bad negative period of my life and was able to pick myself up. I’ve gotten myself back into a healthy frame of mind and that started with weight loss. I have lost exactly 90 lbs since February 1st. I am trying to get those abs, like Volk. C2M has also developed themselves into being advertisers as well. We now own some of our own offers and will continue to build more.

What problems have you had with those new projects?
Running an affiliate network and owning your own offers has become a bit chaotic. I wouldn’t say it’s a problem but it definitely has become a test of patience and tolerance. Juggling the two is a challenge and I’m loving every minute of it.

Do you think anything particular in your past prepared you for this industry? Your education? Jobs you’ve held before?
I dropped out of college, went back, dropped out again. I held shit jobs all my life. I am never going back. Has it helped me? I cant really answer that for sure, but I can tell you it has motivated me enough to do whatever it takes day in and day out to continue to do WHAT I LOVE and not work for someone else’s benefit.

What are your greatest strengths?
I’m truth. I won’t bullshit you. I won’t sit back and be the guy who tells you everything will be ok when it won’t. You want brutal honesty, you get with me. Most people like to “think before they speak”. With me, what you see is what you get. I’m not going to tell you that I went to school, got a marketing degree, had investors help me start my company. You want truth? Nobody ever gave me shit. Everything I have is because I put my own ass on the line and took a chance. I keep my friends close and my enemies closer. My greatest strength is probably that when it REALLY comes down to it, I know and realize that when it comes down to it, I only have myself and the guys I am in business to rely on.

What are your greatest weaknesses?
Letting Steve and Michael talk me into shit. Seriously, I’ve never met or known two guys who can reason with me like these two. For the longest time, I had this defense wall in my business that it was “me against the world” and these two have shown me there really is good people in this industry that you can trust and rely on. That’s my weakness. You know you have it good when your greatest weakness is having two partners who knows what it takes to perfect the trifecta.

What motivates you?
I would be lying if I didn’t say money right? Yes, of course money motivates me. It motivates everyone. But do you know what really tickles me? Going to tradeshows and traveling around and meeting people face to face and to be told that you’ve somehow helped. Not to sound conceited, but here’s a taste of what I have awoken to the last few days from my blog, twitter and facebook.

PunchMyFace
June 9th, 2010 @10:30 am
EPIC Post. Listen to this man, I am living proof. I listened to Ruck and it changed my life.

Mike
June 9th, 2010 @12:12 pm
This is damn good stuff, exactly what a newb like me needs to know, because this is exactly what I am doing…jumping around all over the place. I am not signed up with you all yet, but this post combined with those two millionaire posts show me that I need to be. I will be filling out your app ASAP. Thanks again for the wake up call.

OHH SNAP, WHO’S THIS?

Jonathan Volk
June 10th, 2010 @7:45 am
“Whatever level of success you want to achieve, I assure you that there will be some form of sacrifice you will have to make. The difference between those still dreaming and the ones living it, is that some will make those sacrifices without hesitation. Are you willing to do whatever it takes to achieve yours?”
Great truth right there.

@ruck listened to the interview with Scott – loved it

@ruckCool story bro

@ruck great interview man, just listened and really enjoyed it!

Darryl Thomas Jr.
“people have dreams about what they want their business to be, but they dont realize the nightmares of what it’ll take to get there”…best. business quote. Ever.

If this isn’t motivating, I dont know what is!

What is the best advice you’ve been given and try to apply to your life?
Believe it or not, the best advice I’ve been given was in the last two weeks. Never look at a situation in a negative state of mind. Everything happens for a reason but if you dwell on the bad, that’s what you will get. Look at everything from a positive state of mind and that’s how things will come to you. I’ve never been into that “hokie pokie” shit but over the last two weeks, things have changed so dramatically for me that I cannot stress how important staying positive no matter what will do for you.

Who has impacted you most in your career, and how?
My partners Steve and Michael. People reading this might start to get sick of seeing it but I cannot stress how much more you can achieve having people work with you who support, reason and will pay the same dues as you if things don’t go according to plan. They’ll be there picking themselves up too.

What kinds of people do you have difficulties working with? Any good stories?
Non-Paying Advertisers and Fraudulent affiliates. Of course now that everything is all legal and political I really got to watch what I say here. I can tell you for sure though, don’t ever do business with a Patrick Terry or Chris Hopson. These two guys owe millions of dollars across many networks and merchant processors. That’s really all the name dropping I will do there because everyone else has their ass either in collections or a legal swing with us.

What are some of your long-term goals? How much is enough? If money was no object, what would you be doing?
I would like to put a decade in this business and re-evaluate what I am doing. There’s probably a set number of money to make and be comfortable with but fortunately for me, you can read those comments above. How do you stop working on something you love? How do you stop taking compliments from people like that? Seriously, how can you stop? If money was no object, and I had to pick a hobby, you would catch me fishing. That’s not going to happen though, so you are stuck with me for a long time.

Where do you want to be ten years from now?
In a country not paying these bullshit taxes. Seriously, I want to be moving forward. I’m not a past dweller and I don’t really even live in the “moment” anymore. The most important days are in front of me and hopefully in ten years I can say again “The most important days are in front of me”.

How do you like to spend your free time? What does work-life balance mean to you? 
I spend my free time with my kids, my girl and her kids. Work-Life balance? It didn’t mean much to me until recently. I’ve taken a step back and started to enjoy life a bit more. It’s hard NOT to work when you love it so much but really you have to take breaks and see life from all angles.

If you could go back to being 18, what different career choices would you make?
I would have ran the living crap out of email submits on myspace a helleva lot longer than I did . Honestly for me being a believer in everything happens for a reason, had I chosen a different career path, I probably wouldn’t be where I am now, and I wouldn’t get to have what I have now.

What is your greatest achievement outside of work?  What are some of your unfulfilled dreams?
My greatest achievement is my kids. My second greatest achievement is meeting someone who actually gets me and has shown me a different side than what I was normally used to. Out with the old, in with the new! Unfulfilled dreams – Catching a Mekong catfish in Thailand, going to Venice, Italy. I’m a pretty simple guy and will be achieving these dreams just as soon as I take a break.