10 Tough Learnings by Creators

(3 min read) Scams, revenue drops, being too mean, and the power of consistency. 10 Creators answer the question "What do you wish you knew when you started?"

Happy Thanksgiving, for my American readers. I hope you all were able to spend quality time with family and friends. It was my daughter’s first Thanksgiving and she enjoyed her apple gruel 🤣 

December is a great time to take stock of the past year and plan for the next one, applying the lessons one has learned along the way.

In the spirit of learning, this week’s issue features 7 Creators answering the question: What do you wish you knew when you started?

Let’s get into it!

What do you wish you knew when you started?

I wish I was a little bit less explosive when I first started.

I developed a following on Twitter at a time - it was in 2018 - at a time where being edgier and meaner on the internet gave you a lot more content engagement, was a lot more likely to get you followers, and I just regret a lot of the things that I said and did back then.

That's something that I would change if I could go back in time and do it, because I'm not the same person that I was when I first went viral.

Thumbnails and titles work on the algorithm. Most people make a mistake in that they just work on creating a really great video - but without optimizing the titles and thumbnail, it won't reach the right audience.

The level of scams on the Internet will blow your mind.

We've had fans who've lost whole life savings off of a fake account with our images. We've had thousands of fans who lost five figures. Five figures, $50,000, and some who've lost over 100,000, and then a few who've lost entire life savings. And…that's how they find us. Once they're drained permanently, the scammer lets them go, and he goes on a search, and he finds the real person, and it's like, “I thought were getting married.”

Double whammy - not only are you not getting married, so it's heartbreaking, but all your money's gone.

I swear the heartbreak is harder for them to hear than, “All my money is gone.” It sucks.

Consistency…You have to lose a lot before you win. So that means being consistent for a long time before you see any results.

I wish I knew that January was a dead zone for revenue.

It would have solved a lot of stress.

January, February, March are low numbers. Revenue is low because companies have paid out a lot of their ad revenue through Christmas.

Also, the algorithm is ever changing. It's not your fault. Just learn and adapt and continue and it'll be okay.

Don't be afraid to take risks at an earlier time - like, just take take more risks and keep taking risks. They'll all pay off as long as you work at it, as Disney Channel as that sounds.

I wish I knew that it takes ages to create a reputation and it doesn't take long to destroy it. Too many people aren't thoughtful in how they communicate publicly. Back when I was a blogger, I was particularly aggressive in calling out bad behavior from my fellow creators, and I don't think that won me many fans among my peers.

Right now, I see it a lot in the livestreaming space. Before we were recording, I told you that it's important to be aware of what you're saying and thoughtful in what you say because a lot of people say things that they regret later on and they can't take it back, especially if they say it live.

The meaning and long-term effect of "perpetuity" deals within business negotiations.

Nothing.

I figured out everything I needed to figure out at the right time. And I love that process of learning. I'm still learning now, so I don't have that “Oh, I wish I would have did this,” because shit has been good since then to now.

Things have always felt like it couldn't be better. Then it always gets better each year. So I have a very fascinating life. I love my life. I love all the things in it.

That there are other people who want to help me be successful.

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