The ugly reality about making money online in 2026

Summary

Tomstoic argues that making money online in 2026 is less an information advantage and more a “war of attrition.” Free tutorials and playbooks have made basic know-how widely available, so he believes the differentiator is whether someone can keep executing longer and more consistently than competitors.

He describes his own path as starting in copywriting at $250 per month, reaching $25,000 per month after a year of learning, and later growing his teaching business to more than $50,000–$60,000 per month. He says this progress came from sustained effort rather than exclusive access to information.

Business Frameworks and Tactics

Shift in Competitive Advantage

• Earlier period (roughly 2018–2024, in his account): Specialized knowledge was a major barrier to entry. Courses and mentorships sold access to expertise and practical playbooks.
• 2026: Much of that information can be found free online. Tomstoic says the more important advantages are consistent execution, resilience, and staying in the market.

Attrition Model

Tomstoic describes building an online business as a long-term competition in which many entrants drop out over time. His illustrative funnel starts with 40,000 aspiring competitors and shows progressively fewer continuing at each stage, until only a small number remain. These figures are an example, not measured industry data.

Execution and Accountability

Tomstoic recommends showing up consistently rather than repeatedly starting and stopping. He also emphasizes feedback and accountability as ways to maintain momentum.

In his coaching, he says he reviews copy, discusses sales goals and communication, checks in with clients, and sometimes provides client leads. He frames coaching as more than access to information: it offers ongoing support that helps clients act on what they learn.

Practical Recommendation

Learn from available resources, then focus on sustained, disciplined implementation and improvement through feedback. Tomstoic advises committing for the long term rather than expecting quick results.

Metrics, Examples, and Claims

• Personal income claims: He says he started at $250 per month as a copywriter, reached $25,000 per month after one year of learning copywriting, and later grew his business to more than $50,000–$60,000 per month.
• Course example: Tomstoic gives a hypothetical example in which a seller charges 1,000 people $1,000 each, generating $1 million. He estimates that 10–50 buyers might succeed and argues that persistence—not access to the same course information—could explain the difference. These are illustrative figures, not verified results.
• Coaching example: He says some people watched his YouTube content for two years without securing a client, then got a client within one week of working with him. He attributes the difference to factors such as accountability, consistency, self-belief, and investment—not simply new information.
• Timeline: He presents himself as having made money online for about 2½ years. He also predicts that he could learn a new service business, such as growth operations, and sign clients within 2–3 months, or continue pursuing it for 6–9 months or longer. This is his prediction, not a reported case study.

Commercial Implications

Tomstoic suggests that selling information alone is becoming harder as free content becomes abundant. In his view, services that add implementation support—such as coaching, feedback, accountability, and help finding clients—can remain valuable even when the underlying knowledge is publicly available.

He promotes his own one-to-one coaching and invites viewers to contact him through Instagram or the link below the video.

Presenter/source: Tomstoic.