This week we’ve finally cracked the 500 subscriber mark!

Taking about twice as long as I hoped but that’s ok.
That number actually has very little impact on the success on the channel but it still feels good to see it go up.

It’s also been a full month of consistently uploading which is part of that growth. In this ongoing debate on quality and quantity I definitely see benefits in creating a video every week. At the same time I wish I had more time to refine each one …

💛 Valentin

Defining Success as a Creator

Recently I had the chance to sit down with Ben Kaluza, a creator who has tried a lot of different formats before finding a niche where he can thrive. In this very unfiltered conversation we get into what it takes to build a successful online presence across Instagram, TikTok, and YouTube. The big 3 as he calls it. He gave me a lot of perspective on what it takes to be successful across the board.

So many people want overnight success (myself included), but the reality is, it often takes years of consistent effort to reach your goals.

This chat really made me comfortable thinking about a 5 to 10 year horizon. Even if it is possible to find success in just 6 months or a year, giving yourself that time let’s you build something that can support your life long term.

We also chatted about:

• What makes a good video

• How to deal with the ups and downs of views and engagement

• When to take a brand deal

• The importance of focusing on opportunities, not just money

But perhaps my favorite part of our conversation was when Ben shared his definition of success:

Being a Content Creator doesn’t have to be about chasing fame or fortune, but about doing what fulfills you and brings you joy. Even if it means working at a slower pace than others might expect.

If this resonates with you I’d highly recommend you watch the full video.

And if you want to explore Ben’s Orbit you can find him on TikTok, Instagram, and YouTube.

PS: If you got something out of the video it would be awesome if you could share it in a comment.

…

Let’s Do Something Cool

One thing that always delights me is when two creators that are seemingly unrelated meet and just do something fun.

Beau Miles, an adventure filmmaker who recently went full time, was asked by Patreon CEO Jack Conte for an interview.

I think most of us would take this offer but Beau only said yes under one condition; “We do something cool before we have a sit down chat.”

So they went on a little adventure together where he learned to Paraglide in a day.

Not only is this a fun watch but now I’m also super excited for the Interview on Digital Spaghetti.

…

Do Thumbnails Even Matter?

Now that Thumbnail testing is available to all YouTube creators Linus Tech Tips shared their findings of using it for the past months.

Contrary to popular belief, they found that thumbnails don't significantly affect their core audience. Loyal viewers tend to watch the video regardless of the thumbnail. However, for those unfamiliar with the channel, clear and non-misleading thumbnails are crucial.

With that tool he also tried to settle the debate if the “YouTube Face” is obsolete or not and even that got an inconclusive answer.

Have you tried testing thumbnails yet?

Personally I did use it on the last two uploads and got a few insights out of it. However, with a small audience, it's hard to know definitively what works best. But as our community grows, the data should become more reliable and actionable.

Fun stuff to click on

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Sam Reich tells how killing College Humor and made it profitable

Listen

Jay Clouse and Nathan Barry talk about Kit’s risky rebrand

VVLV (Wolf) makes super chill beats from samples

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Nick Himo explains 5 levels of audience

Try

Wordsmith turns your videos into newsletters

Riverside makes recording chats with Creators easy*

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Who’s behind  this?

Change Log:

Added a little about me section

P.S. If you enjoyed this email, I'd be over the moon if you shared it with a friend or two.