Ann Wason Moore says she wouldn’t take business advice from Gold Coast influencers

From influencers to life coaches, the city has seen a surge in workshops, conferences and masterclasses led by so-called experts. Read why Ann Wasom Moore wouldn’t take their advice

Influencers, money gurus, life coaches … is there anyone left who can think for themselves?

The popularity of this unholy trio of ‘experts’ begs the question as to why we are so ready to hand over responsibility for our own life decisions.

Not to go all ‘sheeple’ here, but independent thought is an attribute that should be treasured.

The ability to critically analyse is a talent we are already in grave danger of losing – witness the rise of ‘fake news’ and ‘doing your own research’ … both demon children of social media.

And now we’re handing over money to take advice from experts who are anything but.

A recent post on Reddit mentioned just this phenomenon, stating they had seen a “huge surge in workshops, conferences and masterclasses led by so-called ‘gurus’ on the Gold Coast”.

“It seems like every other day, there’s a new course promising easy money and millions of followers if you just follow their programs,” they said.

“Is it just me, or does it feel like anyone can claim to be an expert nowadays? I’ve attended a few of these events, and felt like a total waste of time and money.”

Ann Wason Moore says MLM’s are dangerous.

Sounds like this person is now qualified to host their own anti-scam seminar.

The truth is that the regulations and qualifications for these quasi-jobs are non-existent. Which is why I can think of more than one local ‘life coach’ who married a client after breaking up a marriage. Unethical? Yes. But breaking any industry code of conduct? No.

Then there are the ‘financial gurus’, whose advice invariably is to join a multi-level marketing group, or MLM – which is less a money-making strategy and more a hostage situation.

How many real friendships have been lost over the flurry of faux business opportunities, which tend to take the shape of invitations to virtual seminars or IRL selling parties.

And then there are the influencers, whose job is to encourage you to … live like them? Buy products like them?

Look, just because I don’t understand it doesn’t mean I’m necessarily opposed to it.

Take Anna Paul.

Pacific Fair Beauty Weekend with Anna Paul. Picture, Portia Large.

While it seems the city truly had its knickers in a knot over Pacific Fair’s pop-up meet-and-greet event with the Gold Coast-based social media sensation, also a top-ranked OnlyFans content creator, it really was a storm in a D-cup.

Ms Paul has previously described her official job title as a sex worker but her TikTok and Instagram presence documents the more mundane aspects of her life geared towards “body positivity”, and she’s also launched her own successful skincare brand.

As far as I can tell, she’s not encouraging her young followers to do anything other than love themselves – and buy her make-up. Which they willingly do.

There’s no denying that she’s hugely successful, but would I take business advice from Ms Paul?

Absolutely not.

That’s no disrespect to what she’s achieved, and it’s not even considering that my own OnlyFans channel would most likely be a case of Only Fan (I’d have to follow myself, right?).

Anna Paul at Pacific Fair Beauty Weekend with Anna Paul. Picture, Portia Large.

The reason is that it just never seems that useful to take advice from outliers when you’re living a normal life.

If there was a guaranteed, legal way to get rich, we’d know it by now. Every billionaire has had some form of outstanding luck – whether gifted a family fortune, high intelligence or a big break by being at the right place at the right time.

Even those gurus whose advice centres on lifestyle rather than luxury, like cleaning queen Marie Kondo or corporate queen Sheryl Sanders, have reneged on their personal mottos.

Both Kondo’s “spark joy cleaning” and Sheryl Sanders’s “Lean In” lifestyles were dumped the moment their life circumstances changed.

After becoming a mum of three, Kondo learned to live with mess (relatable), while the death of Sanders’s husband inspired her to lean back from her business obligations.

When it comes to making life decisions – whether regarding money, job or love – go ahead and listen to advice, but don’t necessarily follow it but think for yourself.

You do you. Which, coincidentally, is also the perfect OnlyFans business plan.