Modern Wealthy Review 2026: Stuart Ross' Affiliate Authority Marketing + A Business Alternative

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Modern Wealthy is an inferior affiliate marketing course that teaches you authority marketing, SEO, and content creation to get traffic and earn commissions. This strategy is very competitive. You have to outrank established global websites promoting the same products. Your income depends on the commission rates set by each program. Affiliate offers also have low conversion rates. You need a lot of traffic just to make a small income. Local SEO lead generation is a better way to earn from ranking on Google. You build and rank your own websites that target local service providers. It’s easier to rank because you’re only competing with local businesses. Once ranked, leads that need the specific service go to your website. You then sell those leads to local businesses. You control the leads, so you can set your own pricing. Local businesses need these leads to survive, so they’re willing to pay well and rarely reject your offer. Also, conversion is high since around 88% of local searchers take action within a day.

In this Modern Wealthy review:

  • I show you what's included, such as its 7 Day Fast Start Program and Modern Wealthy Ebook.
  • You'll learn more about Stuart Ross background as an affiliate marketer.
  • I checked and verified reviews from Reddit, YouTube, and Trustpilot, so you don't have to.
  • I compare affiliate marketing to local SEO lead generation.

In my experience, running an affiliate marketing business using authority marketing, as Modern Wealthy focuses on, is like selling your own ice cream while competing with well-known brands like Jeni's Splendid Ice Creams and Dairy Queen. Affiliate marketing is saturated. Every niche, even the so-called “untapped” ones, is flooded with people trying to sell the same products. You're competing against not just individuals but big brands with massive marketing budgets, SEO teams, and tons of content.

Making money with this biz model is like renting a kiosk in the Mall of America, where you don’t own the space, and your income depends on the mall’s traffic, policies, and rental cost. You’re at the mercy of affiliate programs. Your income is entirely dependent on the commission structure, and if they change the rates, terms, or even shut down the program, your entire revenue stream can vanish overnight

Public Review Sentiment

Sentiment is based on public reviews, discussions, and independent analysis available at the time of publication. Percentages reflect identified positive, negative, and neutral sentiment by platform.

Reddit (12 reviews)

Negative

Negative: “He headed another company and it was a scam and I lost plenty.”

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Negative: “Most people who buy a course and try to get into the space will fail.”

Negative: “It's just a funnel to push you into higher-ticket programs.”

Negative: “These courses are not designed to help you, they're designed to sell you a product.”

Negative: “Watch out for the $37 courses that just lead to a $2,000 upsell.”

100%

YouTube (18 reviews)

Mixed

Positive: “I think Stuart Ross's modern wealthy program has got a great reputation.”

Negative: “Modern Wealthy is legit but it is expensive like crazy expensive.”

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Negative: “I was squeezed for another $997.00, which set off my bait-and-switch alarm.”

Neutral: “It has good foundational info but the upsells are aggressive.”

Positive: “Secrets of the Modern Wealthy is legit.”

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Independent Review Sites (15 reviews)

Mostly Negative

Negative: “The core business model is recruiting others to buy the same course.”

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Negative: “The Upsells can be considered expensive for some people.”

Negative: “It's Not A Scam (But I Still Don't Recommend It).”

Neutral: “The starter package is light, and most of the value comes later in the funnel.”

Negative: “Six Figure Mentors Complaints show a pattern of pushing people into massive debt for 'mentorship'.”

100%

Trustpilot (106 reviews)

Mixed Credibility, Potentially Manipulated

Positive: “The step-by-step training is phenomenal and the community is so supportive.”

Negative: “Classic bait and switch.”

Read more reviews

Positive: “This is a legit company with a large team of experts to help along the way.”

Negative: “The information is incredibly basic.”

Neutral: “The mindset training is good, and Stuart is motivating.”

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What Are the Pros and Cons of Modern Wealthy?

Pros:

  • Taught by an established online entrepreneur. Stuart Ross has 10 years of experience in digital marketing and business mentorship.
  • Modern Wealthy has an active Facebook group with 7.8K members.
  • Access to Stuart Ross' ebook "Authority Marketing Secrets of the Modern Wealthy."

Cons:

  • Course has expensive upsells that you’ll need to buy if you want access to more advanced training.
  • Sketchy marketing tactics. They said the course is originally $697, but has been sold for $37 since 2022.
  • Lessons in the video modules are repetitive and full of filler information.

Price: Modern Wealthy costs $37. It has optional upsells for LaunchPad and Accelerate worth $997 to $4,000.

Refund Policy: Modern Wealthy offers a 30-day money-back guarantee. They let you keep your access to the program.

Origin: Modern Wealthy was created in 2022.

Can You Build a 7 Figure Business with Authority Marketing?

You can build a 7-figure business with authority marketing if you plan to do it in the long-term. According to a survey by SDL, it can take up to 2 years for customers to trust your brand. Then, you can create multiple income streams. Most successful affiliate marketers like Neil Patel, Jon Chow and Pat Flynn also offer courses. Jon Chow also offers consulting services, Pat Flynn writes books, and Neil Patel owns software tools. These notable affiliate marketers established authority in their niche. They reached 7 figures through diversifying their income.

What is Modern Wealthy?

Modern Wealthy is an online course teaching how to use authority marketing for affiliate marketing and ecommerce business. Authority marketing follows 6 steps:

  1. Identify your market.
  2. Find your target audience.
  3. Know your customer wants and needs.
  4. Build a brand and a message.
  5. Set-up autopilot.
  6. Leverage online ad traffic.

Who is Modern Wealthy For?

  • Beginner affiliate marketers
  • Aspiring entrepreneurs
  • Network marketers
  • Employees with zero business experience

What Do You Get With Modern Wealthy?

  • Modern Wealthy Ebook. The “Authority Marketing Secrets of the Modern Wealthy” is a blueprint for sales automation. It contains chapters on relationship building, monetizing your website, branding, and copywriting basics.
  • 7 Day Fast Start Program. It's a step-by-step process of applying authority marketing to affiliate marketing and e-commerce. It includes lessons on email marketing, seven-figure niches, and autopilot traffic.
  • Affiliate Marketing 101. This is an affiliate marketing training boot camp. It teaches you how to find high-ticket products to promote through authority marketing. The training claims you can earn at least $1,000 in commissions per sale using this method.
  • E-commerce 101. This is a training on how to buy and sell physical products online. It teaches you to partner with Amazon so you can reach a global customer base 24/7. The training has a perceived value of $499.
  • Free Vision Call. It is a personalized consultation with Stuart Ross. It includes a strategy planning session. Stuart also introduces more advanced training like LaunchPad and Accelerate.

screenshot of modern wealthy account dashboard

Are Students of Modern Wealthy Successful?

Yes, students of Modern Wealthy are successful, though they're all from the course site. Testimonials show positive results like building a successful online business and leaving their 9 to 5 jobs.

Dan Holloway from London, England is the CEO of Scrap the 9 to 5 Ltd. He helps corporate professionals build affiliate marketing and e-commerce businesses. Dan quit his full-time job as Senior Sales Executive at Lead Forensics after joining the Modern Wealthy mentorship. He is now a mentor in Stuart Ross’ Launch You training program.

Nicole Nagelgast from South Holland, Netherlands sold 10,000 copies of her book, “The Adventure Book." She started online marketing in 2016, but did not have a business of her own. Nicole joined Modern Wealthy and developed her own physical product within 2 years.

Vicki Renz from Landau, Germany is a Modern Wealthy affiliate member. She built Oh My Mama Body, an online women’s fertility platform. She said it was possible because of Ross’ step-by-step approach. Vicki quit her 9-to-5 job and created a successful online presence through her YouTube channel and website.  She also offers online courses and has been featured in Brainz Magazine.

Modern Wealthy Trustpilot Reviews

Modern Wealthy has a 4.3 rating on Trustpilot from 42 reviews. Most of the comments are positive, with 78% of reviewers giving it 5 stars.

Mark Tilbury from Australia shares that he built a 24/7 online business that runs on autopilot after 9 months of taking the course. He highlights Modern Wealthy’s step-by-step training and like-minded community. Mark mentions that many people aged 60 and above are in the program. This shows that Modern Wealthy can be a beginner-friendly course for anyone who wants to start an online business.

However, some students gave Modern Wealthy a negative review. The user pmaggie from the UK says that the course promises a lot but delivers nothing. They claim that the £90 ($113) subscription is not worth it. Other 1-star Trustpilot reviews say that Modern Wealthy repeats the same ideas taught by other affiliate marketing gurus on YouTube. Some share that it’s a get rich quick scheme.

Modern Wealthy is not a scam because you’re getting what they promised. Modern Wealthy offers a training course for affiliate marketing and ecommerce. Students are getting an ebook, video lessons and a personalized consultation. But, there are reports that the lessons are too basic. Thus, Modern Wealthy is a good fit for you if you’re a complete beginner who doesn’t want to sift through free YouTube content.

Who is Stuart Ross?

Stuart Ross is an online entrepreneur and business coach from Farnham, UK. He created online education platforms, including Launch You, Mentors, and Digital Experts Academy. His courses have over 120K students worldwide and generated $100 million in sales. Before becoming a coach, Stuart worked as a real estate agent. Then, he dived into sales in 2007. He invested in a franchise where he did door-to-door sales and cold calling. This experience led him to affiliate marketing where he doesn't have to do hard sell.

Then, Stuart created Six Figure Mentors affiliate marketing program with Jay Kubassek. In 2017, he invested in the startup DNA Coach. It is a development consultancy for organizations. Stuart also has a paid community, Mentors. Stuart got his Bachelor’s degree in Sports Science in 2001 from The Henley College in Oxfordshire, England. He currently lives in Portugal.

join the modern wealthy and cash in on the gold rush... Discover how the modern wealthy use 'Authority Marketing' to make their income online  pull in cash flow every single day on complete autopilot...

What is Stuart Ross' LaunchPad?

Stuart Ross’ Launchpad is a coaching program offered in his Launch You platform. Launchpad provides tools, training, and community support for building a profitable online business. Modern Wealthy students can access LaunchPad for an additional $997 or a monthly subscription of $99. The LaunchPad Curriculum covers lessons in attraction marketing, lead generation and website branding.

What is Stuart Ross' Accelerate?

Stuart Ross’ Accelerate is another upsell to the Modern Wealthy course. Accelerate is a 12-month marketing and e-commerce mentorship program. Accelerate costs a minimum of $3,995. It includes more hands-on workshops compared to the self-paced modules in LaunchPad. Accelerate also gives access to done-for-you (DFY) website funnels and marketing templates.

What is Stuart Ross’ Six Figure Mentors?

Stuart Ross’ Six Figure Mentors (SFM) is a high-ticket affiliate marketing course. SFM was co-founded by Jay Kubassek in 2010. It claims to teach affiliate marketing that can earn 24/7 revenue without traditional business systems. Six Figure Mentors is Stuart Ross' well-known course before launching Modern Wealthy.

What is Stuart Ross' Claim?

Stuart Ross claims that you can automate selling to any target audience through Authority Marketing. He describes Authority Marketing as a versatile system compared to other business models. He claims you can increase your net worth by positioning yourself as an online authority. Then you can promote affiliate products or your own business.

Stuart also claims that you can start a 6 to 7 figure online business that runs on autopilot in less than 90 days. He promotes affiliate marketing and e-commerce as in ideal low-cost, low-maintenance business models.

Stuart Ross’ Claim Debunked

Building a 7-figure online business in less than 90 days using authority marketing is not realistic. It takes time to build a positive online reputation that can attract audiences. According to Authority Hacker, the average affiliate marketer has 3 years of experience. Smarter Digital Marketing reported affiliates earning $55k per month have 10 years of experience. These data show affiliate marketing needs a long time and effort to be profitable. So, if you’re a beginner, you’ll need over 90 days to position yourself as an authority to be trusted and bought from.

Moreover, Awin reported the average affiliate marketing conversion rate is only 0.5% to 1%. This means that out of 100 people who find your website or social media post, only 1 person will buy. And, the average order value of orders from affiliate links is $140. That means, if you’re earning a commission rate of 1% to 4%, you’ll only get $1.4 to $5 per sale. You’ll need to convince thousands of people to buy via your affiliate link to even scratch 6 figures.

According to Forbes, ecommerce stores have a 90% failure rate. Oyolloo also stated it takes 2 years to be profitable. You'll need to build a strong, trustworthy brand so people buy from you instead of competitors. As per Growth Devil, there are 600,000 new ecommerce stores in 2024 compared to 2023. Profitable niches like fashion, health care and pet products already have established stores. You can get people to look at your store than theirs if you offer lower prices for the same quality product. However, that will cut on your profit margins and is not sustainable in the long run.

Is Affiliate Marketing Easy or Hard?

Affiliate marketing is hard because you’re competing with hundreds of affiliate marketers for traffic and sales. This business model has a 90% to 95% failure rate. There is no customer loyalty since you’re promoting products that aren’t your own. You also have no control over the terms of the affiliate program and the platform you use for content. According to a Reddit user, affiliate marketing sites took a hit from Google’s last update. Sites with developed brands and user-generated content are ranking higher.

Is Affiliate Marketing Worth It in 2025?

Yes,  affiliate marketing is worth it in 2025 if you have great skills in generating traffic or enjoy keeping up with marketing trends. Traffic generating skills include creating viral videos and quality blogs or being a social media influencer. Meanwhile, trends in marketing are influenced by algorithm changes of platforms. According to Impression Digital, Google makes 1000 updates annually. Facebook, Instagram and TikTok algorithms are constantly updated. You’ll have to be ready and adapt to these changes or you lose visibility and traffic.

What is a Better Way to Build a 7 Figure Online Business?

In my opinion, local SEO lead generation is a better way to build a 7-figure online business than affiliate marketing because you cut out middleman fees, much like running a local bakery in Paris where you keep all the profits from direct sales rather than selling pastries through Grubhub. You sell leads directly to businesses, ensuring you capture a larger share of the profit without having to give a cut to an affiliate network. Unlike the unreliable tracking systems, low conversion rates, or poor customer service of affiliate programs, local SEO lead gen has its own tracking system and can directly monitor and optimize lead flow to businesses. You account for every possible lead you forward to your clients. Building an online presence with local SEO lead generation is like running Teller's Taproom in Boulder, Colorado. As you consistently serve craft beer with great customer service, your regulars keep returning and telling their friends. As you continue to deliver leads that businesses can rely on, you build a reputation and loyalty in the local market. Plus, you own the process. You create high-converting niche websites and build your lead flow with consistent SEO practices, targeting the local audience that actively needs your service. You can optimize for conversions directly without relying on third-party platforms or products.

I’ve been making lead gen sites for over 10 years. My site, Chicago Commercial Epoxy Flooring Kings 1640 West Howard Street Chicago, Illinois 60626 773-365-9922 https://www.chicagocommercialepoxy.com/, generated 16 new leads worth $31,685 in under 20 days. I forwarded these leads to my long-term client and got a 10% commission, which paid me $3,168.50 in passive income.

Local SEO lead generation is also less saturated than affiliate marketing. You can rank on search results with only 15 to 30 pages in 3 to 6 months. And you'll only be competing with a maximum of 30 local service providers. Local SEO lead generation also costs less to maintain. You can keep it running for $30 a month with little maintenance needed. The local SEO lead gen site I created in 2015 is still up with little maintenance required.

On top of that, local SEO lead generation is also highly scalable. The process is repeatable with over 50 niches. It has an 80%-95% profit margin which increases the more websites you create.  All the local SEO lead generation sites I own today generate me $52k per month. Local SEO lead generation is an easier and more sustainable business model to reach 7-figures.

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Ippei Kanehara

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$52K per month providing lead generation services to small businesses

Ippei.com is for digital hustlers, industry leaders and online business owners.

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