He has talked about hardship, dedication and passion for living his dream. You too can do it:

Mr. Poneman works nearly without pause — skipping sleep two nights a week, he said, and living in a spartan bachelor pad in Lincoln Park. Yet none of it, so far, has made him much money. His Web site takes in some advertising from Google but is barely profitable. Even a showcase tournament he plans to host late this month will net only about $8,000. “My only expense is living,” Mr. Poneman said. “I don’t buy any luxuries, and I sacrifice everything else.”

Still, Mr. Poneman is building something he hopes will be more valuable over time: A network of people that, in Mr. Poneman’s view, have economic value over time.

“My goal is not to make as much money as possible now but to build as much capital as possible,” he said. “Eventually, I will be able to transfer that capital.”

More than one-half of Facebook fans said they are more likely to make a purchase for at least a few brands, and 67% of Twitter followers reported the same.

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