About David

My name is David Risley and I am a professional blogger and Internet entrepreneur. I make a comfortable living doing this, bringing in a healthy six figures yearly. My most popular web project is PCMECH.COM, a large technology blog visited by around 250,000 people monthly. I, along with a team of independent writers, cover the world of technology including hardware, software, internet business, mobile, the Internet and social media.

Who is the REAL David Risley?

Well, you’re looking at it. I live, eat and breathe the Internet, technology and how to put both to use to create the lifestyle I want.

I am  married to Malika Risley. Malika is currently a stay-at-home mother, but she has a degree in chemical engineering. Malika is originally from Russia and moved to the United States when she was 15. Together, we had our first child in December 2007. Her name is Elyana. We are the proud parents, now, of the most beautiful little girl I’ve ever laid eyes on. I do all this Internet stuff to provide my family a good lifestyle and now that’s even more important to me than ever. My little girl depends on me.

What’s This Blog About?

DavidRisley.com is properly entitled “Confessions of a Six Figure Blogger”. I have been making my living entirely on the Internet for many years now. In fact, I got started straight out of college. For much of my time in this line of work, I didn’t talk about what I did. I just talked about computers and tech on PCMech. I started this blog so that I can really start to talk about my passions - lifestyle design through the use of the Internet. And by lifestyle design, I mean do the things that I want to do, empowered by my internet business.

This blog is a plain-English, pull-no-punches tale of my life as an Internet entrepreneur and problogger. Topics include blogging, blog marketing, affiliate marketing, blog setup, social media, social media marketing - etc. I also throw in the occasional personal post. Hey, the site has my name on it for a reason!

This blog enters into the “make money online” arena. There are a lot of people out there talking about it. I’m not a guru. But, I am a dude who has successfully made my living online for many years. I believe I have a good balance of knowledge in marketing, blogging and using social media.

OK, So How Much Money Do You Make?

In 2006, my online business brought in $167,397.48. In 2007, I brought in $140,011.55. Hey, s**t happened in 2007, but I’m still not complaining. 2008 is shaping up to be about the same (as of this writing).

For the year 2007, this works out to $11,667.62 per month, or $389.59/day.

Where’d You Come From, Dude?

I’m a guy from Florida, that’s all. I grew up in the Tampa Bay area. I was a loner in grade school. Once I graduated, I guess I came out of my shell, came to be comfortable with people. I went to college and got a degree in Information Systems Management from the University of South Florida. During this time, I worked a college job as a supervisor at Sam’s Club. Simultaneously, I was working on my online business.

So, college, for me, was basically being a mediocre student, working at Sam’s, and shooting a lot of pool with my buddies and drinking beer by the pitcher.

By 2001, it was coming time to graduate and get started with a real life. I was making enough money online to make Sam’s Club seem like a collosal waste of time. I had stayed with it for the social life, but eventually grew a brain, put in my two weeks notice, and quit. I have not had a “real job” since.

In August 2001, I graduated from USF. While my friends were looking for IT jobs, I wasn’t even looking. I had decided to stay in business for myself, making my money on the Internet. Within a couple years, I had purchased my own home and had two cars in the garage - one for everyday and one for fun (a little Mazda Miata). In true internet fashion, my wife and I met on Eharmony.com in 2004. In 2005, we moved in together into her house. In 2007, I sold my house, we got married and we had baby Elyana.

Today, I’m a family man who still pursues my ultimate lifestyle via the Internet. My family now depends on what I do online. This adds a new level of necessity and a new drive to what I do. I do what I do because it is loads of fun. But, the fact that I can give my little girl a good lifestyle is what it all comes down to now.

To contact David, please visit EmailToDave.com.