Why I left YouTube with 20,000 Subscribers (the truth about making $$$ online...) 

I'm glad you're back :)

I feel like you made this video for me. I’m feeling this. You are insightful and inspiring. Keep on.

My only critique about this is you’ve only been creating videos for 2 years. After seeing people post their milestones on RU-vid , I can say that it takes about 5-10 years on average for people to hit their milestones. Keep going man, your gonna get there.

I needed an idea for b-roll and you gave it to me. Thanks!

Thanks for creating and sharing yo!

So proud of you for launching this, Kevin... and for your growth. I've always loved your heart behind everything you're doing. I can't wait to see how you move forward.

Great video. Real talk! Subscribed

Yesss Kevin!!! SO glad you're back. I've taken the Dream Studio course myself and it's made a HUGE impact on the quality of my content. It's the real deal. Thanks Kev!

It’s so good to see you back here! You are such an inspiration! Keep reaching for the sky brother! PS: I am in love with your background!

Honestly, you are one of the few amazing creators with such a small pool of subs despite amazing content. This video is very timely and amazing work as always. I am kind of in a rut right now.... working in consulting and now venture capital... I think I'm burnt out lol. Always wanted to create content myself... never had much time and energy (given the work) - but this video really hits home.

You’re a good man, you can’t fail.

Such an insightful video and really well put together!

I've watched your studio video multiple times in preparation for setting my own studio up. Thanks!

Kev! Great to have you back on RU-vid. Just wanted to say how much I resonated with this esp. that graph at the beginning (I've never seen it explained that way!). As entrepreneurs, we see all this success esp. this online space, and we think we have to keep hustling and grinding = eventual success. But you're so right. Hope without a plan usually doesn't' work out. Amazed at how much humility it must have taken to step back and say "hey..I need to try something different." Keep inspiring, my friend!

I love how genuine you sound and it is so easy to connect with you and listen to your voice when I know i can relate, thanks Kevin.

Great video! I do youtube because I love it. Then it turned into a business. The biggest part of financial success is multiple streams of income and being super persistent!

Welcome back. This is one of the best videos I've seen on this topic. I've become more focused this year but need to think more about what videos my viewers need rather than the videos I want to make. Your use of music is very powerful in this video.

Just discovering your channel. Thank you so much for having put so much love and care into your art. You've definitely make the world a bit better through sharing your gifts & sweat! :) Sending gratitude from a Daoist monastery near Seattle!

Man it’s a great video thank you for that. Just found your channel couple of weeks ago and got notified about new video. I hope the city will feel better, love SF

Such a great video and explanation, Kevin!! Your authenticity, transparency and amazing storytelling always impress me! I’m sure second time around RU-vid will be on your side!

Glad to see you again! And terrific insight 👍

Just came across your channel and I'm really pleasantly surprised! I love how you tell personal stories and relate to things to bring your point across, as well as really thinking about the value you're providing. This is very inspiring for me, so thank you!

Great video with wonderful advice! I do hope you come back to RU-vid, you have so much to offer. Thank you!

Nice work Kevin! Such a great video. Really appreciated your perspective and info here. Hope you’re doing well!

What you said was so straight to the point and its gave me a new perspective to think about growing on RU-vid. Although I think your skillset will grow as you consistently make videos, that in and of itself is a great learning even if it yields to not making money at all.

This message was made for me. Thank you so much. I needed this ❤️

This video was absolutely amazing! I really needed to hear this.

So glad that you’re back ... Wish you all the best and congratulations 👏🏼🍾🎉

OMG! You are back!

First, great to see you back! :D Second, and rather ironically, I once had a very long rant session with a friend that centered around "Hope is dumb" and basically falls in line with what you were saying here - haha, glad I wasn't too far off or completely crazy!

Your content is so great and their video is really important : when j started two years ago I was focused on myself a lot but I also wanted to help others. Eventually I learned to work with my agi and break it many times. Now I have more and more people coming because they just feel I'm here to serve and that feels so good ! Have a nice day, bisous from france !

This video had a strong message of hope and purpose. I really wish you all the best in what you pour your heart into.

I haven't even been here that long but I already love what you're doing man. I can't afford the course yet, but just know that even the videos you made a while back on designing a set are part of the reason why I decided to give the content creation dream everything I've got. This one has been sobering. Thank you Kevin. So glad to see you back :)

Thank you for this video. I appreciate the point about listening to people and seeing what they want from you.

Very well thought out message. Intelligent and non pandering. Gave me a lot of food for thought as I plan launch my channel and make this a viable business. Cheers for that!

Hell yeah dude! Youre so right!

You are an inspiration

I like you. And definitely connect your vibe. Will keep supporting always 💖 much love. Keep creating and inspiring.

Great to see you back. Awesome 😎

Your videos are awesome dude! So well made. So we’ll written. Really philosophical

This right here is my reality! Thank you very much for saying things as they are. I just subscribed to your channel and I hope to learn more from you. 💖

Needed to hear this.. btw you are ridiculously under subbed

This is really cool video! Every details really counts. :)

Thank you so much for this video😇

I definitely agree with this video. I've been on a similar journey this year. I think 2020 helped me to really think about what my business strategy actually is beyond just "hope" since it's a more difficult time to get "lucky" with business. I've had a few meetings with business owners to simply discuss what their needs are and how my production company can come up with plans that help businesses within their budgets while also maintaining my core values. In that, I have definitely stepped away from RU-vid for the time being while I focus on my clients and what they need from me. I hope to apply this logic going forward to my RU-vid channel as well! Great video Kevin!

Thanks so much for sharing this. It is important that more people talk about this. Thank you thank you thank you 🙏🏻

I swear your videos are always so relatable. Go Kevin! Welcome back :)

Congratulation on creating and releasing your Dream Studio Course. I bought the course and completed it in a day. It covered a wide range of topics, and I especially enjoyed seeing the Studio Breakdowns. There are four examples and show BTS, enforcing what we learned from the main portion of the course and see what studio rooms can look like in real life. Great job!

please keep making vids love your content

I know this is random but I see in you're B-Roll, you were at BaySt. Tthis made me love your channel even more knowing you're from the Bay like me! This video was much needed at this time for an aspiring content creator like myself! Thank you for being honest and open!!!

Wow ! We literally have similar stories! I quit with the same amount...and now I have started again, but it's been a lot harder the second time around. I love the new niche though!

Spot on with regards to your insight on the takeaways from Silicon Valley / Soft Bank debacles.

Makes me emotional watching this video, as a creator and an entrepreneur. Glad you just move Forward. Sooner your channel will blow up,

2 years with 26k subs, dude you made it! I'm hustling for like 3 years and I have 1.7k. I completely relate to everything you are saying. Thank you for sharing.

Wonderful video. 🙏

The legend is back .... happy to see you...sending mad love....

So much to say about this video. It's amazing and endearing watching you grow from a far. It's noticeable the effort you are putting on to keep yourself on path you believe is the right one for you. I wish I had half of your wisdom at your age. Congrats, my friend.

such insightful and helpful content thank u!!!

This video is EXACTLY what I've been needing to hear and take to heart! Thanks so much for your transparency and insight!!

Thank you so much Kevin this is very motivational video ... I think this video you made for me ... Keep shining..👍

This is amazing. I have always thought about doing things to serve others. Thanks for reassuring me that purpose and the heart to serve others can be key to success.

I watched the video all the way through and I have to be honest. There is something that you lack but I can't quite put my finger on it. It's frustrating. I mean you know how to talk. Your text is on point and coherent. The quality is beyond amazing (I would certainly put it up there with Matt D'avella or Nathaniel Drew). But for whatever reason I wouln't come back. Maybe I'm not in the target audience. But I really feel like I would love your videos but there is something in there that turns me away. Maybe it's the fact that you are professional. It feels like you are delevering a nicely packaged product and that takes away from the creator-viewer relationship. My take-away is that you should't take yourself so seriously. Make mistakes. Experiment. Do things without having the business side of things and the algorithm in mind. I wish you well. /end rant

Welcome back bro! The struggle is real!

Sounds like a similar experience I made. Chasing your dreams and draining your savings can be an exciting experience, but being constantly broke until you eventually feeling broken, isn't worth it. It's a fine line to walk on, when you want to pursue your passion and make a living out of it, full of compromises and setbacks. Ultimately I feel, you have to be okay, with not being okay, but still willing to push trough, even though "success" might never come - "it's when you fall apart, that you make real art"

It's been so long but the excitement to watch your videos remains the same. Haha! Glad that you seem to finally found the right transition. Born for that, bro! 😀👍

Thanks man!

Great video! Your production quality, editing, and story telling is very good and I am sure you will find your way! It is tough to monetize RU-vid and online and creating courses is certainly a great way. However, you have a great 'on camera' personality as well (which a lot of creators don't have). You have the potential to be someone who creates a 'personality brand' if you were to really jump in! I am sure of it! Keep up the great work!

You should also make a simplified version of ur course in “skill share” or “monthly”.

Discover your channel today while a video suggestion came up in my homepage and subscibed to your channel after watching 2 of your videos.

Welcome back!!! On the topic of “build and they’ll come” advice, just some personal experience to share. We are living in a time that information is accessible (and my company gives free access to some of the subscription learning platforms) which makes it so easy for me to spend time on these courses. I like to learn new concept, read books, new ways to be productive, new language, etc. some of which doesn’t really feeds into my job/career (or very minuscule). This give me a false sense of “achievement” and then feel discouraged because “I learn all this thing but get no result”. So I was able to recognize this recently and remind myself that this is just a hobby, and not necessarily “let me just learn this, and I’ll use it some day” like an information hoarder that I am. Not sure if this relates much to the video main topic, but though I would share.

Kevin , I love your work . Please don't left youtube ever again. Remember you make me happy every time ou post a video

Such great words Kevin! I can only agree to everything that you said! I had to learn as well how this feedback loop is truly core to a good strategy. Fyi, the book Customers Included by Mark Hurst was an absolute game changer for me and my tool. Cheers, Nico

Hi mate, been a while! I've followed you from the beginning, and while the outcome is hard to swallow, it sounds like you've learned some valuable lessons along the way.

Kevin.... You okay? Where are you bro?

Kevin, you look like a decent runner (beach). It's a great outlet! Great video as always!

I've learned that for every step I take in life, I take a quick step back to gain perspective in life, so I can take in the path ahead and know that I'm not gonna stumble along the way. Welcome back, thank you for the advice.

Good always begets good.... helping others succeed yields much more than viewing everyone as competition.

I just bought this course! Love that you took the next step in your career and this is a great fit. My next step is a Dream Studio!

Great video and great advice... but that was 8 months ago. Where are you and what have you been doing? I’m hoping you are okay and soaking up more creativity and direction in life.

It's great 🔥

I went through a few of your videos. Very high quality. You did very well. If you continue, I'm certain you could succeed. Your problem isn't quality, at the very least. Quantity or marketing, perhaps. You did great.

This one is spot on!

I Have missed your videos, and hope to see you here regularly in the future, even if it is «just» videos that promote your money making business. (as I realize very few people can live by just the RU-vid-videos)

First like 👀

great mindset bro

RU-vid is a good side thing and it is a benefit in that it is something I enjoy. It is fun getting a little bit of money for stuff I'm going to do anyhow and I enjoy sharing with others. Getting paid for a hobby is huge!

The confluence of art and business is one of the most difficult overlapping domains that either party will have to reconcile and navigate. That's the space that ends most ventures. Survivor bias confuses the issue, too. We don't see the failing artists or hear from the unsuccessful business people, and the successful ones offer only glimpses into what brought them to that place. Success leaves clues and all that, sure, but it rarely leaves a step by step guide. Regardless, welcome back, Kevin. I always appreciate your content and seeing your comments in the #nosmallcreator group when you pop in.

Thank you Kevin for this video! Though I do need a bit of clarification, just so I know I’m getting the message that you’re trying to say. So are you saying it’s bad to pursue ones dreams (building a brand, passive income, etc.) if your only hoping that it’ll happen? Like it’s bad to not have a solid reason? I had an “ahaha” moment a couple of weeks ago and realized I needed to start treating my music brand as a business and not just hope that ears will hear my work, but actually invest in ads and such. Also what did you mean by “you can’t just build, expecting to succeed?” I plan to succeed though 🥺 Thanks!

Wow, you've had some big mental break-throughs! Heavy stuff. It's really sad to see people put all their hopes and dreams into this thing and for it to drain everything.

tnx 💪

QUESTION IF I MAKE $50 IN OCT AND $50 IN NOV ( MEANING I DID NOT REACH THE THRESHOLD) HOWEVER, I EARN $100 IN DEC.\ DOES RU-vid SEND ONLY THE $100 MADE IN DEC OR WILL THEY SEND THE CHECK FOR THE ALL THE UNPAID EARNINGS COMBINED. IF NOT WHAT HAPPENS TO ACCUMULATED EARNINGS FROM THE 2 PRIOR MONTHS? THIS HAS BEEN CONFUSING FOR ME IF YOU COULD ANSWER THIS IT WOULD BE A great

Kevin, would you consider moving to where the cost of living was low if it meant you could afford more months or years without a 9 to 5 and work towards your dream?

Well, yes, hope is not a business model, and thank you very much for this quote, but on the other hand, when someone tries to pursue something new for him, that person perceives it as taking a risk, not a blind hope. Of course, these two go together, but I believe risks are about new ventures which later get replaced with models, while hopes are blind.

In my honest opinion, RU-vid should be a second or third job... And a primary job other than RU-vid is a must, because there are only few get the lucky spot.

Oh my God you don't understand how on time this video is for me.

Thank you for being realistic. People nowadays put so much trust in the people who advertise these hopeful business ventures. Whatever happened to taking things one at a time and figuring out when to step back or even take a break? I compare it to college. Although I'm guilty of taking out loans, I find it concerning when I hear about people who have up to 100,000 dollars in debt. So much faith in the system without careful thought. Granted, I understand medical school and areas where the roi can be worth it. Anyway, ranting now. I enjoyed the video

Hi what lens are you using for this video?

So, I didn't want to use it cause I wanted to watch the whole video, but I thought I should let you know that there is no time code in the description for the ending. :o

Hey Kevin, are you alright those days? What are you up to? :) I hope you doing good. I would watch a video with just your thoughts on how things are, even without fancy editing. If you decide to make one :)

I miss your videos