I've heard of Than Merrill, but I've never watched or listened to him or read anything much written by him or about him. He could be terrible, or he could be wonderful. I simply don't know. One thing's for sure. He's been successful. Is that simply because he's an ex-pro football player with movie star good looks who's on TV? While I'm convinced that those things don't hurt his popularity, I'm equally convinced that there's way more to the story.
He's probably worked very hard to get where he is. Do Than and his companies truly help people, or are they absolute crooks? I'm not 100% sure, but my guess is that he helps at least some people, or he'd have been out of business a long time ago. Instead, his business has grown. I'm also guessing that you can find plenty of people who feel they didn't get what they were hoping for by attending his classes and purchasing his materials. Interestingly enough, I'll venture to say that those are the same Than Merrill seminars and materials that others credit with giving them exactly what they needed to be very successful as Real Estate Investors. What's the difference? In my opinion, the difference is in the hearts of those who are determined to overcome any and all obstacles in order to succeed in Real Estate. Real Estate Investing is not rocket science. I believe that virtually any one who's willing to learn and who will not give up can succeed.
Now, I'd like to address Brian's 3rd point above more directly. It seems very difficult if not impossible for someone selling courses, etc. to evaluate the potential for success of everyone who wants to buy. That seems pretty unrealistic to me. As long as the seller tells the truth and nothing but the truth and doesn't exaggerate the benefits while minimizing the requisite effort, I have no problem with it. In fact, I appreciate what they're doing. I got my start by buying guru courses, and I thank God for it. I am indeed my brother's keeper, and I despise deception, but, as far as I know, there isn't a single national speaker offering Real Estate educational courses who would feel what you're suggesting is plausible. I don't want any one to buy anything from anybody only to give up and set it on a shelf, and I really don't think any national speakers want that either. The best speakers will go the extra mile to protect potential students from themselves, but, in the end, each person has to self-evaluate before buying.
Addendum 1 to the above: No cologne, sports car or sunglasses will make you truly cool unless you already are, no diet pill, workout program, or educational materials will help you lose weight, get in shape, get smart or get rich unless they are appropriately and thoroughly applied.
Addendum 2 to the above: If you're looking to get rich over night without doing much work, try the lottery. However, if you're looking for a time-tested investing vehicle that has helped produce more millionaires than any other asset class, Real Estate is a great choice.
