Transcription
If you've ever wondered what it actually takes to go full-time on YouTube and start earning a full-time income, well, it's a bit of a mystery, isn't it? I mean, it's either stories from the gurus who've been doing YouTube for 10 years or people just starting out pretending to know what they're talking about. And yeah, maybe that's me. But you don't really hear from people in the thick of it, the people just barely making it. And honestly, I wish there were more videos on YouTube about this, especially when I was just getting started because you're not really prepared for the messy middle. And so, to help you avoid months of banging your head against the wall, here's my complete four-stage business journey from the last 21 months. It'll be every tool, every system, every mistake, every milestone, and everything that I would do differently if I was starting over today.
Stage one. This was my get-going stage. This was my first four months on YouTube and I was still working full-time. I was posting twice a week and really just fumbling my way through everything. I had absolutely no experience with content, with YouTube as a platform, or really online business more broadly. In fact, I didn't have any expertise in my niche whatsoever. I didn't know anything about growing a YouTube channel. But I was 44 years old at the time and I didn't want to wake up at 54 regretting not having taken a risk. So, I just went for it.
My setup was really simple and modest. I had an iPhone 15 Pro Max for my camera. I was using this Shure MV7 Plus for my microphone. And I had my trusty MacBook Pro. I was editing in CapCut using Canva for thumbnails and relying on good old ChatGPT for brainstorming and friendship. I'd also built a scripting/content calendar Google Doc thing that I still use today. I've made of improvements on it and it's in the description below if you want to grab it, go ahead.
Now, my plan early was simple. It was just to learn a few things each week about YouTube and to try and teach those in videos. And my strategy was to do one high-effort video and one low-effort video every single week just as a way of getting more reps in. Now, by month three, about 25 videos in, I had a bit of a happy accident, a mini viral moment, if you will, that pulled in and of new subscribers. I was averaging around 200 views per video, and then I had this one video that got about 6,000 views in just a few days, and it was my first real taste of momentum. And I tell you this because I just want to plant a flag and say that if you're in that early stage and you're getting about 50 views per video, just be patient because something will click. It just takes some time and experimentation.
Now, right around this time, I knew I wanted to grow more quickly, so I hired a YouTube coach, Alexa, for $2,800. My Alexa didn't go off. That was the first real investment I made on YouTube, and it did two things for me. It committed me financially for 6 months, but more importantly, it gave me access to somebody who was doing the thing that I wanted to do, who was further along than me. Now, she also challenged me to get out of my own way, and she told me to start my own coaching program. Initially, I resisted because I still felt so new and like I didn't know what I was talking about, but she encouraged me to take on the mantle of student-teacher, and this is something I still carry with myself even today.
By month four, I had worked up the courage to include a Calendly link in the description of my YouTube videos offering a 1-hour YouTube coaching session for $97, and I didn't have a landing page or a funnel, just a simple booking link. That was it. So, if you're new and you're wanting to do a coaching program yourself, my recommendation is Calendly, link that to PayPal for payment. We'll talk more about that in a moment.
Now, in stage one, the only things that really matter are volume and learning how to be helpful to other people. It's working towards that breakout video that puts you into second gear and raises the floor on your channel while simultaneously learning deeply about what people need help with. Now, the biggest mistake that I made here in stage one was spending far too much time editing videos. And what I would come to learn slowly is that there's no amount of editing that's going to fix a bad video idea, and all that time would have been better spent elsewhere on other things. So, if you're in stage one, yes, absolutely get as many reps in as you can, but just make sure you're not drowning in video editing. Instead, repurpose that time into research and talking to your audience and learning how you can help them better. And I don't just mean from the comments.
Now, if you have an established offer, like you've sold one before, include that as the top line in your description and also on your YouTube channel page. Both of those locations are prime real estate for your viewers to click. But if you don't have a defined offer yet or you're not quite sure how you can help people, simply put a free 20-minute clarity call as the top line in your descriptions. And then use those conversations as market research. This is going to be your chance to truly learn what your audience needs so that you can build a product towards that. And the sooner you start this, the better.
Now, by the end of stage one, roughly 4 months in, I had about 1,000 subscribers. I posted 30 videos. And as you may have guessed, I earned a big fat zero in terms of revenue, but I had about $8,600 in total business expenses. That was across coaching, equipment, subscriptions, all of the crap. I was clearly in the red, and you might think that is completely crazy to go in debt like that. But I was making a bet that I could figure this thing out and recoup those costs in time. And that bet was about to start paying off because that Calendly link that I put, well, I finally got a hit and I got my first paid client. And that kicked off what I'm calling stage two, the leap of faith.
Now, I hosted that first session over Google Meet, which I actually prefer over Zoom. It was 1 hour, very loose agenda, mostly just troubleshooting and problem-solving for her. And it was the expectation that I set. 1-hour session, bring your questions and I'll do my best to help. And she ended up rebooking, which sort of validated this notion that a coaching call didn't have to be a big formal ordeal. Between nearing a thousand subscribers, getting that first client, and then working with a YouTube coach, I was starting to build up enough conviction that I actually put in my two weeks at work. And by the end of month five, I had quit my nearly 20-year corporate job to go all in on YouTube. Now, full transparency, I had about 18 months of savings, which gave me a financial cushion, so this wasn't as reckless as it sounds. Although, if we're being honest, it is a bit batshit crazy.
Now, with all this new found time and energy, I went into business-building mode. I registered an LLC through LegalZoom. I got a domain, timayersmedia.com. I set up a business email, a website on Wix. I made my very first lead magnet. And by month six, I had pivoted that 1-hour session into a 90-day coaching program, and I was charging $500 for it. I got two early clients at that rate, which again, validated the offer somewhat. Now, around this time, I also joined the YouTube Partner Program. I had my first $1,000 month all from coaching. And it was right around this time that I opened up my school community. But by month eight, I hit a wall, the dip, and I thought I was going to quit. Nothing seemed to be working. I was exhausted from all of the business building, and I honestly felt really disconnected from my content. But finally, after 2 months of like reading, introspection, and just trying to get my head together, I posted a video about my first 90 days being monetized, and that thing took off like Artemis 2 to the moon.
The biggest mistake that I made in stage two was the overbuilding and the overspending. I'd built a full website on Wix when all I needed was a simple landing page. I formed an LLC through LegalZoom, which was stupidly expensive when I could have just filed directly with the Secretary of State for a fraction of the cost. And I was spending way too much time on random software tools that just over-promised or were completely overkill for the stage that I was at. Subscriptions that I would end up paying for for months that I ended up canceling. I just I didn't know any better. I didn't know what I needed. And if I could do it over again, I would just focus entirely on content and coaching, and just let all the shiny objects fade into obscurity.
Now, if you're in stage two, couple of things. Number one, the dip is normal, and it doesn't mean you're failing. It simply means that you've hit a skill ceiling, and it's time to level up. So, acknowledge the dip for what it is. My friend Jay says, "Any one moment in time is just a small blip on the larger timeline." And we'd all do well to remember that. Number two is don't over-architect the business like I I especially early on when you don't need it. Simple is better. And number three, if you're starting to earn, but it feels like pennies compared to the income you want, just trust the process. This whole thing is like climbing a staircase. It's one step at a time.
Now, by the end of stage two, around 10 months in, I had about 70 videos posted to the channel, 3,500 subscribers, I had brought in $3,458 in revenue against $12,094 in expenses. So, I was still in the hole about 8,700 bucks. But, the trajectory was shifting and the channel was growing, which meant more leads were coming in. And by month 11, I was transitioning to stage three, the early growth phase. Demand was picking up and my rates increased again from 500 to 800 and I picked up a few new clients at that rate. In month 12, I joined Tin Tin Smith's 100K YouTuber program. On our very first onboarding call, he challenged me to open up my coaching roster and get more assertive about my offer. Up until that point, I had a bit of a confidence issue and I had been far too quiet about letting people know I could help. So, I did everything he suggested and within 1 week, six people had signed up and I had recouped my entire investment into his program. In that same month, my 1-year anniversary video went live and it became the second video to go viral on my channel.
Now, by month 14, a lot was going on at once. I raised my rates again from 997 to 2497, extended the program from 3 months to 6 months. I also hit 10,000 subscribers and I finally hired a video editor. And I had been resisting that for so long because I didn't think I could afford it. But, the hours I was spending editing were hours that I wasn't coaching or growing the business. And that one decision would change how I create content basically forever and that was another Tin Tin lesson.
Now, around that same time, I overhauled my entire infrastructure, moving my landing page from Wix to Notion to Card. By the way, if you're doing high ticket on YouTube, you don't need a website. You'll eventually just need a landing page and Card is perfect for that. It's pretty cheap. I moved my email marketing from Wix to Kit, and then I moved my domain from Wix to Namecheap. Basically, don't use Wix. I added Senja for collecting testimonials, and at that point VidIQ was becoming a more trusted staple in my workflow. Finally, after 14 months of posting and filming nearly 100 videos on my iPhone 15, I upgraded my camera to a Sony ZVE10 Mark II with the Sigma lens. That's what you're seeing me now through. Uh learning curve? Yes. Instant upgrade? Absolutely. But, my editor was nice enough to help me out with some of the settings, and it honestly felt like a huge leap in production quality combining the new camera with his editing and then my renewed focus on better writing. I felt like I had finally graduated the eighth grade.
Now, right around this time I had been experimenting with live streaming for a couple of months over the summer, and while it was fun, I found that it wasn't really a good use of my time for growing a coaching business. So, I don't recommend that. Then, in month 15, I converted my free school community into a paid membership. At that time, I had about 250 free members, but the launch didn't go as expected, and I learned that I don't really like launches or hyping things up just to try and make sales. Now, the community would remain a source of connection for me, but not a primary revenue driver, despite the fact that it was bringing in around $600 a month. We'll come back to this.
Now, the biggest unlock at this entire stage was the realization that I didn't have a demand problem, I had a belief problem. And when my mentor pushed me to get more aggressive with my offer, my rates and my client load both increased. So, if you're in stage three, the best advice I can give you is to surround yourself with people who can challenge you. People who are doing the hard thing. Whether that's a mentor, a group program, a coach, just get in the room with people who are showing up every single day. People who can help build that conviction from within you, because when we're small, we have a tendency to play small, and it's going to help you out to project your future worth. Your environment has an outsized impact on your outcome, so you need to curate one that moves you forward. And by the way, if you're looking for that kind of support, somebody to push you, to ideate with you, to help you create momentum for your YouTube channel or your creator business, that's what my coaching program is all about. So, check the link in the description if that's interesting to you.
Now, by the end of stage three, 16 months in, I had about 14,600 subscribers. I posted about 120 videos, and I brought in 19,800 in total business income. My expenses were near $26,000. I was still in the red, but the gap was closing fast. I had about 10 active coaching clients and a business that was starting to feel like one. Now, my approach to content was also shifting dramatically right around here. I was posting just once per week, but researching more, studying outliers, and spending a lot more time with titles and thumbnails, and getting better about topic selection. This was another unlock because each video was a higher-quality swing at bat, which more than made up for the two to three lower-effort swings I was doing previously. Now, if you've been on YouTube for some time, and you're not spending 80% of your time on topic, title, and thumbnails, then I have bad news for you. You are playing the YouTube lottery, and that is not a winning strategy.
Now, with that, we are on to stage four. This was the transition into full-time income. This was month 17, where everything was starting to click. The infrastructure was built, the tools were simplified, the editor was in place, and I was posting less often, but far more intentional. And I was actually growing more. And yes, I was still getting distracted by all of the shiny objects that happens to be the case today, but clients were now booking at 24.97. The increase in demand also prompted another price increase to 3,500, and clients continued to buy. That same month, I cleared 25,000 subscribers, I crossed 1 million long-form views, and my monthly revenue from this point forward looked like this: 4,100 in October, 6,800 in November, 11,400 in December, and then 5,800, 5,100, and 5,000 in January, February, March, respectively.
Now, the numbers I'm actually most proud of are the $5,000 floor. That's five consecutive months of $5,000 or more. To me, that is full-time income, and that was the goal that I've been chasing since the moment I left my 9-to-5. On the tool side, since I was writing a lot more, I ended up getting an Elgato teleprompter, and I started using the app teleprompter.com from the App Store, which has an amazing voice sync feature that actually scrolls with you as you speak. And that completely changed my scripted delivery, and I highly recommend it. If you're out there and you like writing scripts and you prefer a teleprompter, it works really well. I'm actually using it right now. Let me know in the comments if you can tell.
Around this time, I started using Screen Studio for screen recordings and tutorials. Rocket Money was in place now for tracking business expenses, and I finally broke up with ChatGPT and started using Claude for everything AI-related. And that ended up being one of the most impactful tool changes that I've made. Claude is now embedded in almost every part of my business, from scripting to newsletter ideas to becoming a better coach and building custom tools like a CRM to manage my pipeline.
Now, the biggest mistake I made in stage four was dividing my attention between my high-ticket coaching and low-ticket membership. My coaching program accounts for 80% of my business revenue, while my school memberships account for just a fraction. And it was still at least a 5-hour per week time commitment. And as much as I've enjoyed the school community, I do have to admit that the biggest lesson I've learned from this entire YouTube adventure is the expression less, but better. Meaning, just do fewer things, but do them better. One of the biggest problems I see with early-stage creators is that we just try to do too much, which often muddies the field. You ever notice that when you try to blend multiple colors on a canvas, it just ends up making everything look brown? Well, that's what happens inside of business as well. The more specialized and skilled you become at one thing, the more you can charge, so long as demand for your product or service outpaces capacity. And this is what's been happening to me. It's called being over subscribed, and it's a great place to be as an entrepreneur because you get to dictate your rates rather than the market. But to put yourself in this position, you need to earn it, and it requires building real skills, being useful, solving real problems, and earning real trust with people so that they see you as the only choice for the kind of help that they need.
Now, if you're approaching stage four, my advice is simple. Stop dividing your time and figure out what's actually making you money, and then double down on that. Cut out everything else or delegate it, and be mindful that more often than not, we are the thing getting in our own way.
Now, as of today, 21 months in, I'm at 32,000 subscribers across 150 videos. I brought in $54,000 in revenue against 31,810 in total expenses. That's about $22,200 in net profit from a YouTube channel that didn't exist less than 2 years ago. Now, I know in the grand scheme of things that this number is not the most impressive thing in the world, but if you're out there and all of this still feels like just so far away, I want you to know that everyone feels that way, and I certainly did and do, but it's actually closer than you think.
And so, here's the full snapshot based on my own experience going from zero experience with any of this stuff to earning a full-time income 5 months in a row. And the whole point in showing you all of this stage by stage is so that you can see that none of this happens all at once. It was one decision at a time, one month at a time, and it was all very messy. The stages for you will be vastly different from mine, and I'm just one data point, so take all of this with a grain of salt. Everyone's journey is going to be different, but you don't need to have it all figured out. In fact, nobody does, and it's only looking back that any of this even makes sense. And the best way I think I've heard this described is that starting a business or doing YouTube is like driving a windy two-lane road at 2:00 a.m. The best you can see is just 300 ft ahead, but the road is paved, so you should trust that it will get you there eventually even if that that means getting some flat tires every couple of miles. And if it helps to navigate I put together a map also known as my resource vault which is basically everything I used to run my creator business. There's a link for it in the description if you want to check it out and with that thanks for watching and I'll see you in the next one.