Back in 2011, I received a spam email that still makes me laugh when I think about it. Someone emailed me asking if I had any niches for sale. Not niche websites. Not niche products. Just… niches. Like they were something you could buy in bulk.

I had so many questions. What does it mean to “own a niche”? If I did own one, what kind of resale rights would I offer? Would there be a bonus? Buy this niche and get three niche products absolutely free?

Spam Has Evolved, But the Hustle Has Not

In 2011, most internet marketing spam came through email. It was clumsy, often hilarious, and usually easy to spot. The “niches for sale” email was a perfect example — someone who had heard enough internet marketing jargon to be dangerous but clearly had no idea what any of it actually meant.

In 2026, the spam has gotten more sophisticated but the underlying hustle is the same. Instead of emails asking to buy niches, you now get DMs from accounts with AI-generated profile photos offering to sell you “done-for-you AI businesses” or “automated income systems.” The packaging has improved. The emptiness inside has not.

The Lesson Behind the Laugh

There is actually a useful takeaway buried in this silly email. The person who sent it was looking for a shortcut to skip the actual work of building a business. They wanted to buy the answer rather than figure it out themselves. That impulse is the same one that drives people to buy every shiny new course, tool, and system instead of sitting down and doing the work.

You cannot buy a niche. You cannot buy success. You can invest in tools, education, and coaching that help you get there faster, but the work is still yours to do.

But seriously, if you do have any niches for sale, let me know. I could use a couple.