Mark Rober gained 10M subscribers with a full-time job.
Plus, Out West's brand-new look! ~5 min read
Howdy folks! Been a bit, but we’re back.
We shook it up with a new look and format! It’s that time of year, and we felt like it. In this new format, you’ll find three pillars - Mindset, Storytelling, and Business. Since the start of OW, we’ve deemed those as the overarching categories of being a creator. In each newsletter, expect bite-sized insights from Sean, Danny, and Tejas on those topics respectively!
Remember - we’re not experts. BUT we have spent a considerable amount of time refining our pillars, and we couldn’t be more excited to share them with you!
So sit back, relax, and read. Giddy-up!
You are living through the most unique and brilliant period in human history. Unlimited connection and constant companionship sounds great, right?
Think about it - name another moment in time when you, right now, in this exact moment, could say something and have it be immediately heard by one hundred, one thousand, ten thousand, a hundred thousand, or even a million people… instantly? Sure, it doesn’t happen like that all the time, but the potential is there.
Chances are, you’re reading this on that little metal box you keep in your pocket. It’s the same one that you scroll through first thing in the morning, last thing in the evening, in the bathroom, on a plane, on your way to work, etc. The same little metal box can potentially change your life - literally instantly. Name another device that can do that.
Some of you may have taken that chance. Us three did - and it changed our lives. It brought us community, togetherness, financial stability, and countless opportunities. The same tools we’ve grown up using have changed who we are fundamentally. And it’s awesome…
…Kinda. Nothing in this world is free - especially not content creation. Aside from the cool gadgets and gear, being a content creator comes at the expense of one critical part of your being: your mental state. What once seemed like a golden pasture of wonder can quickly turn to a world of self-criticism, vapid comparison, and burnout. So what can you do about this?
That’s what we’re here for. The three of us all understand what it’s like to pursue a target that’s constantly in motion, and have experience with pretty much every stage of burnout. The highs, the lows, and everything in between - we live it every day. From what I’ve found, leading with an open mind and an earnest heart is the best approach to cultivating a community through content creation.
Keep your psyche intact by locking in on your “why” and never deterring from it. Remember - we’re living through a wild era. Relative to “traditional” media consumption, content creation is an endeavor that’s meant to test you. Savor the peaks, persevere through the valleys, and keep following your why.
Follow these guidelines, and that unlimited connection and companionship can be as great as it seems!
Unfinished Chronicles
Previous week’s goal: n/a
Next week’s goal: have two longform videos recorded!
Been feeling SUPER inspired by my boys here - Tejas with a heartfelt story of a Wall Street banker turned candy shop owner, and Dodford with his ever-inspiring ability to interweave emotion with impact in his newest documentary. I wanna get on YouTube darn it! And I’m gonna do it my way. By next log, I want to have two videos shot, and planned to release next month 😈
Here’s the one liner: you can’t tell a story without making difficult choices.
Katniss volunteering as tribute. McConuaghey leaving Earth behind. Luke Skywalker resisting the dark side.
They’re all decisions that while difficult to make, were fundamental to the story’s progression. Something I’ve been doing recently is thinking about that very thing - what is my story’s progression? All we are is a cacophony of choices, sewn and assembled to make the person you are today. I think that’s amazing. That even if you lived this life a thousand times over, chances are you’d never get exactly where you are right now.
Last year, I made the choice to leave the quick-hit validation of short-form, in order to finally begin creating larger productions. It was a gradual progression over many months, mostly due to my reluctance of starting “fresh”. As a creator, it can seem all we are is the number next to our name. Resetting that back to 0? Like becoming a baby again. And so, I was afraid. Afraid of failure, of humiliation, of regret. A part of me would have happily existed in that limbo – a comfort zone that was actually poison. But to quote Tony Soprano; “the wrong decision is better than indecision.”
Six months later, my channel has exceeded anything I ever expected. It wasn’t without a lot of work – and more than a dozen times I felt like quitting. But like the characters in your stories, the only way to progress upwards is by taking those risks. Difficult decisions make up the fabric of “you”. So weave them into your creations. It’s something we all empathize with.
Unfinished Chronicles
Previous week’s goal: n/a
Next week’s goal: complete research & structure for next doc
Always a great feeling when I can put a project behind me. The latest Spielberg video was a month of my life - but the reception has been so heartwarming. My machine is better oiled now, with the contribution of some excellent teammates. Setting myself a goal: next upload on April 1st. See you there.
Mark Rober was able to get a YouTube channel to 10M subscribers while working a full-time job at Apple.
I, on the other hand, was a full-time short form creator. This means the platform doesn’t pay me and I’m not building a catalog that stays evergreen. The game I’ve played for two years is hoping a video goes viral, sees the eyes of a brand marketer, and praying that I get a ‘COLLAB REQUEST’ email. Money is a medium to buy you freedom, but for some reason, I’ve felt more tied up than ever.
Some months I would receive 20 of these emails, some months I would receive 0. That means some months, I’d make dummy money and others, goose eggs.
Playing this game of hoping an algorithm grants you enough views each month to buy into the lottery that is brand deals… it’s tough.
But this year, things are different. As of today, it’s been one month and 4 days since I’ve made a TikTok. It’s the longest break I’ve had on the platform in my entire career thus far and surprisingly, it’s financially the free-est I’ve ever felt.
What’s changed? Well, I’ve got a new gig now. I’m a talent for Nickelodeon’s Nick News! Something that films around once a month and pays out more consistently. I’m probably going to make less money this year compared to the past two, but I finally get to stop treading water and instead swim forward.
The lesson here is if you depend on your creative to be this lottery that pays out, consider getting another gig. It’s not a failure to do that. Especially us in our 20’s, we romanticize this entrepreneurial lifestyle but the true winners are the ones who set themselves up for ten years going forward.
Unfinished Chronicles:
Previous week’s goal: n/a
Next week’s goal: Have a YouTube video out.
I just had one of the greatest weeks of my life. I was just in Austin with Isaiah Photo, Ryan Trahan, BENOFTHEWEEK and the amount I learned was absolutely nuts. They are incredibly inspirational and I reflected on the whole experience here. I wasn’t going to originally share this as it's a bit vulnerable but it’s valuable and explains my current headspace.
Thanks for reading! Leave a comment with your thoughts, we’ll respond to them all!
Love this weekly dose of inspiration. Keep up the great work lads.
Welcome back! Really appreciate Tejas' perspective. Great work, gentlemen!