There have been a whooping 175,000 posts since STM started 3.5 years ago.

STM is now the largest and most tight knit premium affiliate marketing community hands down.

The membership base is made up of some insanely talented people.

However, there have been a few that have been a few STMers who have shone above the rest and really contributed in a big way to STM. So we have decide to put together the

STM Global Thought Leaders Council

where we acknowledge these STMers and their tremendous contributions.

I'd like to announce STM's first Thought Leader, a family favorite. He always has a big smile plastered across his face.

Please welcome Mr Kokofai AKA Benjamin Yong!

Benjamin joined STM back in June 2011. Initially, he was too shy to post anything at all. In fact, instead of posting, he claims to have printed out, and read every single guide that was posted.

It wasn’t until his second month that he started posting. From what I read he seemed like an average, entrepreneurial-minded guy looking to make a little bit of money online.

However, his personal circumstances were far from average…

I had absolutely no idea about all the struggles and handicaps he had to overcome to even get to that first month’s membership fee in the first place.

Benjamin had a rough start to life.

His dad abandoned him and his family when Benjamin was just 5 years old.

Ever since then, he was raised by just his mum. To make ends meet, his mum had to work 2 jobs, from 9 am until 1am. Every single day. 16 hours a day, 7 days a week.

While his mum was at work, there was no one was around at home to bring up Ben, no one was around to prepare food for him, no one was around to help him with his math homework. He was left to fend for himself.

At the age of 10, Ben decided that he too would work to support his family.

And so he did--like his mother, in two jobs--as car washer and a waiter.

A short time later...

But then, when it looked like things could not get more difficult--another tragedy struck. Shortly after Ben turned 12, his mum got diagnosed with an incurable eye disease, which meant she could no longer work.

And that meant that his family no longer had any source of income except for Ben.

Ben promised himself that once he finished school, he would work his heart out so that his family would never again have to taste such bitter hardship and suffering in their lives.

He made a personal vow that he would one day provide his mother with a comfortable retirement for all of her sacrifices. And he decided that that if he ever married and had children of his own, he would become the most amazing husband to his wife and most loving father to his kids.

Ben didn't want to go for a 9-5 job because he knew he would struggle generating enough money to support his mum, sister and himself. He wanted a faster path, so he initially joined some direct selling companies.

But during this time, he started toying with the idea of making money online after reading some online blogs and attending some guru seminars.

Initially, he even made some quick money, basically by spamming emails. But soon, all of his accounts got banned, and he lost everything.

It was then that he realized he needed something more sustainable, and that is when he first stumbled upon the mrgreen.am blog... and shortly afterwards, to STM.

That day, he once told me,

"It changed my life - forever."

Ben’s first success came from flipping a debt of -$2000 into $16,000/month after his first 6 months at STM

Ben's Humble STM Beginnings

I actually first talked to Ben when STM hosted its first STM Hunger Games.

At that time, Ben had just recently joined STM, and he was really just starting out in the industry.

As captain for team Asia, I initially wanted to only pick members who already had several successful campaigns under their belts. At that time, Ben had none.

But after speaking to him and being blown away by his insane work ethic and drive -- and indeed, his genuine hunger for success -- I decided that I had to offer him the final spot for Team Asia.

Ben ended up leading Team Asia to a massive victory... rightfully putting Team Americas and Team Europe in their place ;) And after just over a year at STM, Ben posted how he started generating $XXX,XXX (6 figures)/month.

Ben has literally been grinding at work since he was 10 years old.

In his young life, he has never received any handout from anyone.

It has been purely his drive, mindset and hunger that has put him in a position where he is now… an extremely successful super affiliate. And even more importantly, one who is achieving his dream to provide his mum with a happy and comfortable retirement, and starting a family of his own.

Benjamin, on behalf of the STM team, we are honoured and extremely proud to have you on as an STM Thought Leader.