Everything Wrong With My Setup (Before I Tear It Down)

[00:02] videos in this setup. That is such a crazy feeling. It's It's like almost forbidden fruit. Like I shouldn't be leaving it, but because I'm breaking this room down and I'm starting to work on the new setup, I'm already starting

[00:15] to see things that I don't want to repeat in the new space that I disliked going to talk about, the things I would undo or the things that I've regretted Hopefully, by me sharing the things that I would have done differently or

[00:31] wouldn't have done at all, it will save you guys a lot of time with whatever you you guys a lot of time with whatever you put together.

[00:52] >> Regret number one, the popular aesthetics. So, one thing you may have noticed I fixed over the years, the the big mistake that I made when I came in is I felt like I had to follow the typical trend of popular setups. That

[01:07] specifically being the gamer RGB looking setup. That [ __ ] just looks dumb to me. Like so much to the point that even when I had all those bright vibrant lights in here and light strips around every single corner, I I genuinely hated it.

[01:22] But what was crazy is it looked good on video, it looked good in photos. people liked it, so I was like, "Okay, I just got to keep going with this." But at a certain point, I just kind of realized I was chasing other people's

[01:35] look, popular looks, popular trends, and uh yeah, just wasn't for me. What's hilarious is over the years I even learned that by not doing the typical thing, [music] uh I got a lot of criticism for it and it allowed for a

[01:48] lot more rage bait interaction, I guess you'd say. Like the amount of times I get criticized for the darkness of my walls and the lack of lighting is actually ironically hilarious because [music] I think it looks [ __ ] sick.

[02:03] And what a boring world of creativity it would be if we just constantly did things based on the appeasement of of others. So, I'm definitely glad that I others. So, I'm definitely glad that I went away from the RGB and 50,000

[02:16] different colors and lights in every deep dark corner of the room. It makes allowing me to light myself a lot better and it just gives an overall clean aesthetic that I personally like. Number two, over customizing. Okay, this is

[02:31] something that I'm catching myself now. This is something that I that I struggle with. I over complicate the idea of trying to stand out above other people or or above other concepts. So, coming into this space and even now coming into

[02:46] while I want to just simplify things and just have a good productive setup, I then start thinking, "Well, what can I do to make sure I make it more unique to

[02:58] me?" So, like one of my biggest regrets when I first moved into this place, is I tried to have this custom floating look to everything. I tried to have super minimal aspect to this. I wanted to hide every cable. I wanted the ultra-wide

[03:11] monitor I had at the time to appear as if it's floating off the wall. And like, don't get me wrong, it looked sick. But a couple negative things happened from that. One, I realized at a certain point, "Hey, idiot. What happens if you

[03:26] upgrade monitors and brands send you something and they're paying you good money to really test things? Like, what are you going to do?" On top of that, locking into this wall, like managing all the cables behind it, having a

[03:39] monitor mount, it just made extra work when I did want to try new things. I was room that was adhered to this wall. It was like I was locked into only a was like I was locked into only a specific style or way that I I could put

[03:54] my layout together. On top of that, like I mentioned, it made testing things extremely hard. Remember one of the first annoyances I had was I bought the monitor mount for the walls for an ultra-wide. And then I got a really good

[04:08] brand deal offer from, I believe it was ASUS. But they wanted me to check out a different monitor, and it was just a regular 16 by 9 monitor. So I couldn't was the whole point of why I had an ultra-wide. So I was forced to have to

[04:21] monitor, and then I had to buy a different wall mounting dual monitor off and then remount that. Then I had to remount new cables through the wall because I needed the additional space. You could see where this is going. So

[04:36] what I learned in this office is don't lock in to permanent setups until you actually know something is in the space [music] it needs to be for a very like me, mounting a TV somewhere, okay, that's fine. Putting artwork or or

[04:52] poster, like locking that in on the wall, totally cool. But as somebody who checks out tech, likes to upgrade things, likes to make different setup videos, it's probably pretty crucial not to lock in some of those things to make

[05:05] it easier to upgrade or or move around later on. But this is what I'm finding myself coming into this, like I'm just going to use a lot of the gear that I up in a way that I like. I'm going to I'm going to have like a good solid

[05:19] minimal but modern look to the space. Pretty pumped about it. And then next shopping online for custom epoxy live edge tables that are like $3,000. WHAT ARE YOU DOING? STOP IT. JUST Just [laughter] slow down. The

[05:32] third regret is over minimalizing. I love the idea of being able to have just one desk with everything in there. And And it just so conveniently be able to

[05:44] have the options to edit on my MacBook, but also game off of at high resolutions, and also be able to stream from the same area and it look background. In a perfect world, that would be awesome. What I learned over

[05:58] [music] And I got to get over the OCD idea that I'm just going to put together one simple setup with one monitor that just

[06:10] literally does everything with ease. There [music] will always be compromise itself that I've just acknowledged I have to have multiple setups coming into the [music] new space. And some of my favorite layouts and setups in this room

[06:24] was actually when I had the different areas. I think the most picture-perfect time that I had in this space was when I had my creative setup right here where I would edit and work on my Mac. It was the big [music] island table. Over on

[06:39] that side of the room, I had my stream setup. And then over on the left side of setup. And then over on the left side of the room, I had just a top-down shot a table to where I could record product stuff, do unboxings, and do some like

[06:51] more sit-down shots like this. Essentially creating multiple setups in here to be able to shoot different things. It just I don't know, it was perfect for me. I really liked those moments. It made it a little hard in

[07:04] this current space in this current room with this L-shaped desk setup cuz I just love L-shaped desks. So, I kind of had to break away from that over the last period of time in this space, but maybe we'll be making some changes in the new

[07:16] advise anybody if you're uber techie and you're into a lot of different things. If you bounce back and forth between Mac and and PC, but you are obsessed with this idea of minimalism, I would just encourage you to embrace

[07:30] I would just encourage you to embrace the minimalism inside each environment. put everything in one place. It just It just becomes such a headache. Speaking of setups and gear, let's talk about today's sponsor from Maono. Now, I'm not

[07:43] going to lie, I don't know why a lot of people aren't talking about this microphone. So, this is the Maono PD200W. [music] is it's completely wireless. But, what's

[07:56] dope is it doesn't have to be. Not only can you use it wireless with its adapter, but it also has a typical XLR and USB-C connection. So, basically you can use it like any other microphone, plug it in through the XLR to your

[08:10] through USB-C. And if you want to go wireless with it, you can go into your PC, directly to the camera, or even your phone. And honestly, it sounds way let's be honest, a lot of microphones that advertise a lot of these things, on

[08:25] paper, they look great, but they sound like trash. This one actually sounds good, and for around the $100 price point, I think it's kind of wild. I'll you're interested. My next regret was the gear arms race. I want to make a

[08:39] very clear, I'm blessed to be in a position to [ __ ] about this. Because this is just like, I'm grateful to be doing this. And what I'm about to say is just going to appear that I'm not. But, it's the 4K, it's the best mouse, it's

[08:53] the best keyboard, it's [music] it's the upgrade after upgrade, it's the dual PC setup for unlocking more this, AND THE PERFECT MIXER THAT CAN DO THIS, THAT, AND other things. What's actually funny is

[09:06] I get hired to help people with their creative workflow and their their setups to just make things easier. And one of the number one things I have to do with other creators is turn away from the over obsession about having the best of

[09:21] live streams. For example, I was in a call with a content creator yesterday, and his biggest stress currently right now was converting we actually got to look at things, there's a big opportunity for him to be

[09:35] posting more and be posting better content. So, I asked why he wasn't he was limited on time and he would have to go back and go through this entire to go back and go through this entire vertical recording to get clips to post.

[09:49] settings and it turns out like everything was cranked up. [music] So, he was not able to capture vertical content while he was live. So, he turned down a couple of those things that a lot of creators over obsess about that don't

[10:03] actually matter. And now he's still able to get good quality while also being able to with a click of a button get vertical content while he's live, which is going to make his job of posting content easier. That whole entire

[10:17] concept is something I learned through the the dumb decisions and a lot of creators need to really take from this. A lot of times we, as the creators, will get so obsessed, especially as we unlock more revenue, we get more brand deals.

[10:32] But, I think about these times when I first started as a creator and I first started streaming, I had one PC, a couple monitors that were like 1080p 144 hertz, and I never stressed about any of that [ __ ] And I just created. And those

[10:46] were some of the best, most authentic, raw moments not only in live streaming, itself. It's like when we get more things and we unlock more potential, we things and we unlock more potential, we overly stress about that [ __ ] And

[11:01] [music] our our focus goes away from what's really important, which is just the content in itself. It's the communication we're having with the So, one thing I really wish I wouldn't have done looking back is

[11:14] even though revenue was good, just because there were updates to things and there were conversation pieces of like, "Hey, you could you could start doing dual PC streaming or you could start streaming at 1440p." I really wish I

[11:27] >> [music] >> and continued to use what I had. Number of like almost the same concept as what I just previously [music] said. You know, sometimes having the extra things,

[11:43] stuff, you just feel obligated to hold on to things. I I I think maybe this is because I literally came from nothing. My first setup was uh using [music] our old beer pong table. But, over the years, what I caught myself doing that I

[11:57] I had to stop doing is trying to collect little things and trying to constantly incorporate [music] it into the setup. Like, that area right there is a prime example. There's a period of time where these shelves were

[12:11] that like I would get from like brands. I was like, "Oh, that would be cool in the background. I can I can I can put it there." Or things that viewers gave me these things, but it's not even just those things. Over the years, I would

[12:24] buy little decorations, little hourglass pieces, little globes. I'm a bit of a [ __ ] for places like Hobby Lobby and At Home, for example. So, I'd see these "Yeah, that would really spice up the setup." Or even like a brand will send

[12:38] me something like this and I'm like, "Oh, yeah, I could I could utilize that hub in the setup." My biggest regret from all those things is trying to >> [music] >> include it into the setup as

[12:52] visual pieces. Half of it doesn't matter. And then it gets in the way. It just clutters [ __ ] Especially when you have things like a hub, where you're going to need another outlet. Then you're going to need to upgrade your

[13:04] surge protector for that. I realized that the trinkets and decor never really thought they would. They never really made much of an impact. They just essentially became another workaround behind the camera. So, I started

[13:17] eliminating all the [ __ ] Number six, the coziness. So, where I really went is I tried to make it cozy enough to be a guest room. And I will say, it's a little different with our current

[13:32] house layout. That's why we are moving, too. Ever since we had the kid, we have >> getting turned into his room. We have a master bedroom, this office, one guest room, and a loft. And throughout the last few years, as more people would

[13:45] visit, I essentially tried to convert this into a cozy space to essentially be another bedroom. I picked a couch that could be converted into a bed, so people could stay here. Like, for example, every time Jayhawk came here, this ended

[13:58] would always claim the other room. But, I just don't like that I tried to convert half of this room into essentially like a chill living [music] area. It just allowed me to half-ass sometimes. Like, I can't tell you over

[14:13] the last year or so how many days there were that I was just like, "All right, down on the couch and watch something. And I know I work from home anyway, so that, so it's not like it would solve the problem getting [music] it out of

[14:25] the room. But, you would be surprised of how different you feel in your workspace or what's supposed to be your workspace if you make it way too cozy. It's like you're enticed to take those breaks more, and I just really don't want to.

[14:40] So, it's not like coming into the new space I won't have some kind of couch for extra seating and decor. But, my regret is taking out other portions of workstations, [music] to make sure the room is more cozy for

[14:55] that [music] aspect. Like, following a design specifically to where it makes design specifically to where it makes the room feel more like a bedroom or a environment. So, because of these regrets, I've essentially unlocked some

[15:10] new space. And maybe this will be helpful for [music] any other content creators out there. Just some of these rules and non-negotiables that I I created for what I'm putting together moving forward. First off, I'm embracing

[15:24] the [music] zones. I'm going to have my Mac creative setup. It is only going to Mac creative setup. It is only going to be built around the idea of creating. I have a specific desk pad, mouse, and [music] keyboard, monitor, but I like I

[15:37] love the ultra-wide monitor. That's just going to be my creative monitor. When >> [music] >> that's the monitor that will be dedicated to that because I enjoy using it for that kind of [music] workflow.

[15:50] So, putting all that together with my MacBook and maybe sometime in the future if I upgrade to a Mac Studio, that's the overall goal with that. It's It's the Mac station. It's the Mac Daddy space. So, embracing the creative setup,

[16:03] I'm going to embrace the the gaming setup. I don't game a lot, but I do, and it's nice when I get to do it. Like I actually have a lot of fun, especially just hopping in a Discord with a few homies and shooting the [ __ ] Since I

[16:17] stream, there we go. That's going to be the gaming and streaming space. With that, I want a shooting station. Think of this as like literally what we're doing right now. So, while I'm breaking everything down, I I have my monitor,

[16:29] up over here. Right now, this portion of the L-shape desk setup, it's it's completely empty. It's just [music] an open area. But, I like this to be able to have this kind of talking head shot,

[16:42] to be able to be more relaxed, lean forward, leaned in, and actually talk to you as if I am talking to you across the table. I just I think it's a good look. On top of that, too, it opens up to having space to take product shots or do

[16:58] B-roll of things or just talk about something with me not being on the subject. Like when I move into the new space, one of the first videos I'm going space, one of the first videos I'm going to be creating is my EDC setup for 2026.

[17:11] The thumbnail, B-roll, and a lot of that conversation will be recorded on that desk. So, it's not minimalism across the entire setup, but each environment is that I'm not going to compromise on moving into the new setup and what I

[17:25] learned mainly from everything we talked about today is I'm not going to turn away from that office space being my creative workshop. As long as I'm a >> [music] >> and we are in this house, that is going

[17:39] to be a place where I work, where I create, where I am inspired [music] to do different forms of content daily. It's not a guest room, it's not a hangout for other people, although you could hang out and relax there,

[17:52] compromise on the idea that the second I enter that room, there's something that the biggest lesson from this is over the last 6 years of being in here, we've

[18:05] made so many videos. But, anytime I was really unhappy with this the space is when I over stressed about things and I was constantly rebuilding this setup and and not creating. But, what an insane journey. What a crazy amount of of

[18:21] videos over the years. I I hope they were enjoyable for some of you guys. But, and as usual, I highly encourage all of you guys to take the time and >> screw around with your setups. It's helpful to come up with a design and

[18:34] workflow that works best for you to where you actually enjoy being in your just fun as hell, man. All right, that's all I got for you guys today. I'm out. all I got for you guys today. I'm out. Peace. Deuces.