Yay, the man I know and love is back.

This should be in the Hall of Fame for how to get a message across in as few words as possible.

Brain-imprinting.

By Vince Williams on Mar 22, 2007

OK, well… that’s it. We’re done with the discussion of the “A-List.”

Loren has broken it down, and it’s time to go back to work.

Discussion over, well done.

By Jason on Mar 22, 2007

There is A because there is B and C. But I do not subscribe to it. Good post Loren.

By Minic Rivera on Mar 22, 2007

First you said it didn’t exist Loren, then at the end you validated it by saying “they” work harder than you.

Which is it? Or did I misinterpret the snark?

I hate Oprah too by the way. Good post, but no, you don’t get to end this discussion. Jason doesn’t either. Sorry boys.

By Jim Kukral on Mar 22, 2007

It’s not that there’s no A-List, it’s that they don’t matter. Calacanis and MacLeod have never linked to me… so what? I’m still doing ok.

That’s why the A-List doesn’t matter, and social media is so cool. You can succeed without them as long as you work at it.

By Brian Clark on Mar 22, 2007

Ahh, yes, but you’re discussing it right now Loren, and by the pure act of video blogging it you’re also discussing it. Just because you said you “ended it” doesn’t mean that A. it’s ended, or B. you have the snark to do it.

I’m just saying… By the way, I think the a-list is b.s. too, a manifestation of those who aren’t in it. The problem is, those are the majority, and the perception is the real reality. To them it exists, and no amount of arguing is going to change what someone believes to be true.

By Jim Kukral on Mar 22, 2007

“It’s not that there’s no A-List, it’s that they don’t matter. Calacanis and MacLeod have never linked to me… so what? I’m still doing ok.

That’s why the A-List doesn’t matter, and social media is so cool. You can succeed without them as long as you work at it.”

Yeppers. This discussion keeps popping up by the non A-Listers that don’t get this, then the flames get fanned by the A-Listers that say that this is a non-issue

By Mack Collier on Mar 22, 2007

Loren: You’ve just given voice to what I’ve been coming to realize. In the blogosphere, it’s damn hard work, a little bit of intelligence, and about 0.001% luck that gets you noticed, nothing else. Good post.

By Mike Schinkel on Mar 22, 2007

This is true everywhere. I get bonehead customers that are jealous that I own a nice house and all that, like somebody came along and gave it to me. They take vacations every summer, I basically work 365 days a year. Could there be a connection, do you think?

People ask me how I deal with all the stress. The answer is, every once in awhile I kill one of them and bury them out back. Ho ho, just kidding. I’d never kill a customer. Not a paying one, anyway.

By jvon on Mar 22, 2007

Thanks. I was kind of depressed, every time I tried to post it would ignore me. I have it figured out now though.

By jvon on Mar 22, 2007

“They work harder that you do.”

By Fred Schebesta on Mar 23, 2007

Jvon,

Glad to see you back. Gotta have the yin and the yang.

I think this calls for a slow dance (that should scare him).

By Vince Williams on Mar 23, 2007

There really isn’t a “secret” to success at anything…it just requires working your ass off! Great video.

By Todd on Mar 23, 2007

This is hilarious — the delivery, not the content. Well, the content, too. Godamn hilarious. I laughed the whole way through it.

I totally agree with Brian: “It’s not that there’s no A-List, it’s that they don’t matter.”

Hallelujah. It’s a free world; work your ass off or not, what you get is reflective of what you put out.

Great message, Loren. Thanks.

By Adam Kayce : Monk At on Mar 23, 2007

i’m with jim kukral… your video starts with one message and ends with another.

By nick botulism on Mar 26, 2007

c’mon loren, make your message clear.

By nick botulism on Mar 26, 2007

Hi, I think it’s cool that you blog so much, but I have to violently disagree with your analysis of why certain bloggers are more successful online and how you interpret the link between hard work and success . I believe your over simplification is insulting to the audience and distracts from the reality of how complicated the world we live in truly is and how success in general can’t be boiled down into a tag line of work harder.

Here is my blog response at 3net Search Engine Marketing Blog.

By Solomon Rothman on Mar 27, 2007

How do you know how hard I, or anyone else, works? There are countless other factors to weigh, like first mover advantage, life experience, work situation, etc.

There is an A-list. Our species seems to have an intrinsic need to self-organize along these wolfpack lines.

By David Burn on Mar 27, 2007

Loren, I love how your flaming tongue violates your own advice. I’m actually one of the guys who works 12+ hours a day 6-7 days a week or in your terms - harder then you do. Not a great candidate for the “you are going to fail” speech. I just recognize success is not fully dependent or even primarily dependent on hard work and am not afraid to write about it and call a naive video blogger when I see one.

Joashua, I’m skeptical of quotes or generalized advice. Showing up is one part of it, but things like seizing opportunity in new markets may be more a direct cause for success then a general work harder. Some of the HARDEST working people I know, have less money then other individuals who used connections, and deal making abilities to reap large profits in market gaps.

Also, the A-list has to do with herd mentality. People like to read / watch what other people are doing. That creates lists of popular this and that so other people can feel they are getting the same “good stuff” everyone is. There is some truth to the “rich get richer” case for blogging because it takes into pack psychology. I don’t care if you acknowledge it or not. Of course there are always opportunities for new comers, but that doesn’t mean an A-list doesn’t exist. I need to get back to work.

By Solomon Rothman on Mar 27, 2007

Lol, Give me 6 months (maybe sooner).

By Solomon Rothman on Mar 27, 2007

Solomon,

The one salient fact you are forgetting is that this is show biz.

God bless Josh for quoting a very wise man to a guy called Solomon.

Once again, Loren tells it like it is.

By Vince Williams on Mar 27, 2007

Hi Joshua, who was the wise man you referred to above?

By Solomon Rothman on Mar 27, 2007

Loren, hat off for your words. I enjoyed your video a lot.

PS: I work harder than you do

By Cristian Mezei on Apr 1, 2007

The A-list, which doesn’ exist, works harder than you do.

Those guys do bust their asses. Me too, though I keep intending to be lazy.

It definitely helps to be on the scene early and have/make connections… some combo of brains and luck. But yeah, “show up” and work hard is good advice.

By Chuck Olsen on Apr 6, 2007

What’s really funny is I saw your video one day after making a blog post, about “A-lister” Calacanis.

I’m quite positive I’ll never make a dime off my blog, and I have no A-list designs, but I guess if I did I’d be screwed!

By RO on Nov 6, 2007

Howdy Loren, first time I’ve ran across you or your blog. Found it via yc news but it was worth stopping by. I work harder than all of my immediate peers and only find like minded individuals online. I’ll be sure to return in the future.

By Barrett Sonntag on Feb 1, 2008

Most likely they also work smarter, and in case of Opera deliver more value to their customers.

There is a limit to how long you can work - say 20 hr/day. Bill did not get rich by working a zillion hours on minimum pay and neither did Sam. They got rich by providing a lot of value to their customers — as did Scobble.

By Tommy on Feb 2, 2008

I could care less. Oprah got rich because she knows how to communicate with her audience, pathetic as it is.

You can work like hell but if your voice isn’t relevant to your audience, it wont matter.

By Eric on Feb 4, 2008