I uploaded my first YouTube video in November 2020. Seven months after that, I handed in my notice to leave my full-time job. Eight months after that, I actually managed to turn over six figures in revenue for my business as a full-time content creator. Like, I know how crazy that sounds. It sounds crazy to me too. And recently, I've been reflecting a lot on my journey, and I've actually managed to pinpoint a few things that I did which were really, really pivotal when it came to my ability to become a full-time content creator as quickly as I did. So I want to share those things with you today in the hopes that it's going to help any of you who are trying to also become a full-time content creator or a full-time entrepreneur. Let's just get straight to it, shall we? Sorry, I always get ahead of myself there.
The second thing that I did which allowed me to quit my job as quickly as I did and become a full-time content creator was, I started to treat my content creation like a business from the jump. Like, I, from day one, I was like, 'Cool, so this is going to be a business.' I had absolutely no idea how I was going to make it work, but I was like, 'No, I'm going to treat it like a business.' And I'll explain to you what that means.
The next thing that I did was I really worked on my mindset. And I don't think I went into this with the thought process of, 'Oh my God, I need a good mindset to be a successful content creator.' That wasn't it. I actually got into a lot of kind of non-fiction. I hate calling it self-help, I guess they're kind of self-help type of books about a year before I even started my channel. And that was because I've had other businesses in the past, and I realized the importance of reading those types of books when you're trying to grow any business, right? So that links into my previous point about treating your content creation like a business. I decided, 'Okay, for this journey, I should probably be continuing to read these types of books because realistically, having a good mindset can't be a bad thing.' And I can't express how right I was with that way of thinking.
The next thing is something that I still struggle with to this day. But I always see more results when I remind myself to look at content creation from this point of view. And what this basically is, is to focus on substance over aesthetics. And what this means is, instead of focusing too much on the backdrop of your YouTube videos or on having the right filter on your Instagram videos and all that kind of stuff, you should actually focus on the substance of the content that you're creating. So all of your content should have a purpose. So whether the purpose of your content is to inspire someone, whether it's to educate someone or entertain someone, there should be some kind of purpose behind all of the content that you're creating.
Last but certainly not least, something that I've consistently done since the birth of this channel sounds weird saying 'the birth of this channel.' Since the creation of this channel, I died... Well, something that I've consistently done is I have never stopped learning. I've consistently had a beginner's mindset, and this could be tricky to maintain sometimes, believe it or not, because what happens, right, is we spend a lot of time in the beginning really learning and honing in on our craft. So whatever it is that we talk about, whatever our niche is, in the beginning stages, we like immerse ourselves in it, right? And we constantly try to learn more about it so that our content is better, more entertaining, more inspirational, more educational, whatever it is. And then once we start to see a few results, we take our foot off the gas a bit because we're like, 'Oh, we're growing now.' And then we stop learning, we stop trying to improve our content, we stop trying to learn more about our niche because we're growing.
Q: What led to the success of becoming a full-time content creator?
A: Focusing on the audience, treating content creation as a business, mastering the mindset for success, focusing on substance over aesthetics, and never stop learning were pivotal in the success.
Q: How did the individual start treating content creation as a business?
A: The individual started treating content creation as a business from the beginning, even though they had no clear plan initially. They believed in approaching it as a business venture, which eventually paid off.
Q: What role did mindset play in the success journey?
A: Working on mindset was crucial for success. By engaging with self-help and non-fiction books prior to starting the channel, the individual developed a positive mindset which contributed significantly to their success.
Q: Why is substance over aesthetics important in content creation?
A: Focusing on substance over aesthetics in content creation entails prioritizing the purpose and value of the content rather than just its appearance. Having a clear purpose behind each piece of content leads to more meaningful engagement.
Q: How crucial is continuous learning in the realm of content creation?
A: Continuous learning and maintaining a beginner's mindset have been key factors in the individual's success. Consistently honing skills, seeking improvement, and staying open to new knowledge have facilitated growth and innovation.