Question: Do you know anyone who is making a real living using POD?

Answer: Yes! I can give you plenty of examples of writers who are making a fine living self-publishing. I'm making a very good living using POD. I have one Kindle book in print.
 
Here are some other authors that are "making it" with POD or self-publishing on the Kindle:

1. Joe Konrath
2. Zoe Winters
3. Aaron Shepard
4. Dan Poynter
5. Morris Rosenthal
6. Nick Russell (Founder of the Gypsy Journal and my co-Author on the Step By Step Guide to Self-Publishing for Profit)

I have never been published by any traditional press, although I have had articles published in mainstream magazines.

My bestselling books are technical in nature and my potential buyer market is very small (about 10,000 people take a specialized tax exam every year, and I write a study guide for it). I started with nothing, and it took four years to get where I am now.

My point is that anyone can do this, as long as they are stubborn enough and have fairly good writing skills. I say "fairly good writing skills," because what most people don't realize is that this business is 90% stubbornness and 10% talent. You have to work hard, long, and have a thick skin.

You have to accept rejection, criticism, and still get up and write every day with no guarantee of sales or success. That takes a special type of crazy. If you can manage to ignore all the voices that tell you that you are "never going to make it," then you can make a living as a writer.