2025 Wealthy Affiliate Review: Oilfield to Online

How I Went From Oilfield Roads to Online Brands With Nothing But Grit, Google, and WA

Hi, I’m Shawn welcome to my little space of heaven.

Seventeen months ago, I knew absolutely nothing about building websites, affiliate marketing, or digital branding. I was a full-time oilfield trucker who’d never even touched a blog. Today? I’ve published over a dozen books, built multiple websites, and created a growing brand that’s helping others do the same all while still driving truck full-time and supporting my family. This is my honest review of Wealthy Affiliate not from some “guru,” but from a guy who started with zero tech skills and found something real.

Let me show you how it all started.

I’m just an average guy. Outgoing. Hard-working. And above all else a family man. Everything I do is for my wife and kids. Without them, I’d be an empty shell. That’s just the truth.

I’ve been in the trucking industry for as long as I can remember. I’m a third-generation trucker. I didn’t just land behind the wheel I followed the same path laid down by my father and grandfather. These days, I run loads in the oil and gas fields. It’s been 15 solid years of that life. Before that? I was loading trailers in a warehouse, working all day just to keep up.

But this blog… this isn’t just about trucking.
This is about why I needed a change.

See, trucking’s been good to me. It’s provided. But it’s also taken a toll mentally, physically, emotionally. My body’s not what it used to be. And I know a day is coming when I won’t be able to do this anymore. That thought used to haunt me.

What happens when the wheels stop turning?
Who am I if I can’t drive?

That question drove me to search for something more. I didn’t want to spend the rest of my life missing out on my family, running roads, hoping my body holds up. I wanted to build something that could carry us forward. Something I could do even when the trucking days are done. A safety net that didn’t rely on pain and hours behind the wheel.

So I started learning.

Just a guy with a dusty old laptop and a head full of grit and dreams.

Seventeen months ago, I had no clue what I was doing. I didn’t even know where to begin. For years, I’d tried every so-called shortcut online. Paid the gurus. Burned my money. Got nothing but disappointment in return. But I didn’t give up.

Because deep down, I believed something real had to be out there.

Eventually, I figured out how to self-publish my books through Amazon KDP. I watched YouTube videos, clicked through tutorials, and got it done. That gave me hope. But once I tried to promote them? I hit a wall.

Book coaches wanted $1,000 just to “get me started.”
After that? Thousands more. No guarantees. Just hype.

That wasn’t going to happen.

So I kept searching. I needed something different. Something honest. Something that worked for a guy like me no fluff, no lies.

That’s when I found Wealthy Affiliate.

And that’s when everything started to change.

Table of Contents

Here’s what Wealthy Affiliate actually teaches you:
Affiliate Disclosure
Breaking Ground: How Wealthy Affiliate Paved My Way
The Power of Community: You’re Never Building Alone
The Points System: Real Motivation That Pays
1. So what exactly is it?
Here’s What I’ve Personally Earned So Far
What About the Free Account?
Brands That Started From the Cab of My Truck
Amazon Sales Are Coming In Too
My Final Thoughts:
People Also Ask, My Straight-Up Answers
So… Does Wealthy Affiliate Actually Work?
“Don’t just scroll. Start something that actually builds your future.”

Here’s what Wealthy Affiliate actually teaches you:

How to build a real website (step by step)
How to drive traffic without needing ads but they will teach you that too.
How to earn affiliate income from legit platforms (Amazon, WA, and more)
How to build a brand that stands on its own

So you will see in this blog that Wealthy Affiliate will show you how to do it how to build a website, drive traffic, and earn income.

This blog shows the full meal deal. And this blog shows you that it works.

Affiliate Disclosure

Some of the links on this website are affiliate links. This means that if you click on a link and make a purchase, I may earn a small commission at no additional cost to you.

As a member of affiliate programs like Amazon Associates, Wealthy Affiliate, and others, I only recommend products and services that I personally use, trust, or believe can genuinely help you on your journey.

As an Amazon Associate, I earn from qualifying purchases.

These small commissions help support the content I create and allow me to keep building helpful resources, guides, and tools all designed to help you move forward.

I’m committed to full transparency, and I want you to know that I’ll never promote something I don’t believe in. The goal here isn’t to “sell” you anything it’s to share the tools and platforms that have made a difference in my own journey.

Always do your own research before making any purchase decisions. You’re in full control, and I respect that.

Thanks for supporting this work.

Breaking Ground: How Wealthy Affiliate Paved My Way

When I first landed on WA, I didn’t know a thing about SEO, affiliate marketing, or website hosting. It all sounded like tech gibberish to me. But I stuck with it one small step at a time. That’s how change happens.

WA walks you through it all the training is structured, simple to follow, and made for folks like us. You’re not just thrown into the deep end. Every module is laid out with real-world tasks that teach you how to build and why it matters.

Plus, you get hosting for up to 10 websites right inside the platform. That’s huge. No more hopping around trying to figure out domains, plugins, uptime, or security. Everything sits under one roof.

And their tools? Man, they work hard even when I’m on the road. The built-in keyword research tool alone helped me write content that actually gets found. No more guessing games.

The Power of Community: You’re Never Building Alone

This caught me off guard the most. I didn’t expect to find community inside an affiliate platform. But WA has that and then some.

People want to see you win here. Doesn’t matter if you’re brand new or been around for years. Someone’s always willing to help, give advice, answer questions, or just cheer you on when your motivation dips.

That support made the difference. When I was tired from a 12-hour shift and doubting myself, a single comment or message from a fellow member kept me going. That’s rare these days. But it’s real here.

You’re not just learning… you’re belonging.

The Points System: Real Motivation That Pays

One thing most people don’t realize about Wealthy Affiliate until they join is how the points system works and honestly, it’s one of the best motivators I’ve ever come across.

WA actually rewards you just for showing up and helping others.

Get this you can start earning these rewards even on the free plan.

So what exactly is it?

You earn points for engaging in the community:

💬 Leaving thoughtful comments = 5 pts
💬 Replying to others = 8 pts
❓ Answering questions = 10 pts
📝 Posting blogs = 10 pts
🎥 Creating video blogs = 30 pts
👍 Getting likes from others = up to 10 pts per like
⏱ Responding fast = +2 to +5 bonus points

WA wants to encourage support, connection, and momentum and they do it better than anywhere I’ve seen.

Here’s What I’ve Personally Earned So Far

Let me show you what this looks like from the driver’s seat.

Here’s my actual WA points payout dashboard:

That’s CA$65.00 earned just from points (not affiliate referrals) literally by helping others, sharing tips, and writing blogs. This is what WA calls Credit Earnings, and if you have a Premium Membership, you can cash this out or use it to pay for your membership.

What About the Free Account?

On the free Starter account, you still earn points but they only convert to platform credits (not cash). These credits can help offset your future membership, but you can’t withdraw actual money unless you upgrade.

That’s why going Premium opens the door wider. You still get rewarded for helping, but now you can turn that effort into real income like I’ve started doing.

It’s not a gimmick. It’s a real reward system designed to keep you engaged, keep you building, and make sure you never feel like you’re doing this alone.

No other online platform I’ve ever tried pays you to help others while you’re still learning.

That’s why I say this:

If you’ve got a good heart and a little hustle in you, this place will reward it. Every step of the way.

Brands That Started From the Cab of My Truck

With the tools and support from WA, I was able to take my rough ideas and turn them into something real brands built between loads, during coffee breaks, and on the backroads of Alberta:

Wildfoot Explores – Bigfoot books, real research, and a growing library of cryptid encounters.
Paranormal Curiosities Realm – A place for ghost stories, unexplained truths, and deep dives into the strange.
TrailForge Gears – Where gritty outdoor survival gear and forgotten campfire tales.
Affiliate Sights – My full-on affiliate marketing hub built with WA’s training from day one.
Just Me – Built With Dreams – The one you’re on right now. The core of my story and digital rebuild.

These sites weren’t built overnight. They were built with love, learning, and late nights and they wouldn’t exist without Wealthy Affiliate giving me the roadmap.

And here’s some proof in numbers:
In 2025 alone, I’ve already made over CA$220 in book royalties through Kindle Direct Publishing.

That’s from 12 books live online something I never would’ve known how to do without the tools, training, and community WA handed me.

Amazon Sales Are Coming In Too

Now, I’m not saying I’m pulling in thousands yet but the sales are happening. Traffic is growing, and I’m learning to fine-tune every page.

Check out my Amazon Associates dashboard:

I’ve started to see consistent clicks, orders, and commissions from my WA-built pages. It’s slow and steady but it’s real. That’s the kind of growth you can build on.

My Final Thoughts:

So There You Have It The Full Meal Deal

If you’ve made it this far, then maybe this hit home. Maybe you’re standing in the same boots I was in not long ago tired, stuck, or just ready to build something that’s yours.

And I’ll say this straight:

Wealthy Affiliate gave me that shot.

It’s the real deal. Not flashy. Not overnight. But solid. Real. And it works if you work it.

So if you’re looking for something that can give you a shot at more,
a way to grow, learn, and earn on your terms
then I highly recommend giving Wealthy Affiliate a try.

I wouldn’t be where I am today without it. I’m building my future one website, one blog, one real thought at a time and I’m sharing this now because I’ve been in your spot.

I know what it feels like to be searching for something that finally makes sense.

So go ahead take the 7-day free trial.
Get inside. Look around.
See if it’s the right fit for you.

So… Does Wealthy Affiliate Actually Work?

“This traffic is being driven to my Wildfoot Explores content, showing that WA’s niche strategies work for real-world brands.”

So I’ll let the results speak for themselves.

👉 The screenshot above is from my Facebook Insights dashboard. Over 2 million views this year with nearly all of it organic. No ads. No gimmicks.

That’s not luck. That’s the exact method Wealthy Affiliate taught me.

I used their step-by-step training to grow my brand, drive real traffic, and build a system that works even while I’m out trucking full-time.

If you’re looking for something real, with actual support behind you, and you’re tired of wasting time on things that don’t work…

This blog is my full journey and you can start yours too.

I dropped a banner below where you can get your first month at half price and see it for yourself. Or, if you’re not ready yet, go back up and grab a free Starter account.

Either way don’t miss the shot to build something real.

And if you’ve got more questions?
I’m right here. Reach out any time Leave a comment below I’m always happy to help.

“Don’t just scroll. Start something that actually builds your future.”

Stay curious. Stay building.
Shawn Thomas
Alberta Trucker | Book Creator | Online Brand Builder

2 thoughts on “2025 Wealthy Affiliate Review: Oilfield to Online”

Angela M. says:

October 4, 2025 at 1:28 pm

Hello Shawn!

I really enjoyed reading your “Oilfield to Online” take on the 2025 Wealthy Affiliate journey—it feels honest and inspiring. Hearing your story as someone who started with zero experience really gives hope to people like me who are still figuring it out. Your point about the community being a real game-changer resonated with me. The idea that someone’s always ready to help—no matter where you are in your journey—makes the struggle feel less lonely. I also love that you treat this as a slow, steady build, not a get-rich-fast scheme.

I’m curious: during those early months, what was the moment you felt like this might actually work—when you saw a spark of real progress? And when things didn’t go as expected, how did you stay grounded and keep pushing forward?

Thanks for sharing your path so transparently. It gives me courage to stick with mine.

Angela M 🙂

1. shawn thomas says:
  
  October 4, 2025 at 1:55 pm
  
  Hey Angela,
  
  Thank you for such a heartfelt comment I can feel the honesty in your words, and that means a lot to me.
  
  To answer your question… the moment I felt this might actually work was when I stopped chasing every shiny trick and just leaned into who I really was. I’m a full-time oilfield truck driver, and for a long time, I thought that meant I had no place in this digital space. But the truth is, that very background became the soul of everything I’ve built.
  
  I didn’t come into this with tech skills. I wasn’t a writer. I’d never built a website. I was just a guy scribbling thoughts from the cab of a truck during 10-hour resets, watching videos between dispatches, and writing blogs in the middle of nowhere hoping to find a way to create something real for my family.
  
  That first spark of progress came when I published my very first blog and someone actually read it. Then came another one. And before I knew it, I had built multiple brands, published over a dozen books, and started seeing real traffic come in not from ads, but from people who genuinely connected with what I was saying.
  
  But truthfully? It wasn’t always smooth. There were weeks I questioned everything. When posts didn’t land. When nothing sold. When I was buried in work and too tired to write.
  
  What kept me grounded was this: I’m building legacy, not hype. I want my kids to look back and know I didn’t just grind gears on the highway I built something with heart, with purpose.
  
  Wealthy Affiliate gave me the tools, sure. But it was the community, and people like you, who kept reminding me I wasn’t crazy for dreaming big.
  
  So when it’s hard, just remember slow and steady is the real way. This isn’t just about making money. It’s about becoming the kind of person who doesn’t quit when it’s quiet.
  
  You’re not alone in this. Keep going. You’re further ahead than you think.
  
  Shawn