What Running a Six-Figure Creator Business Actually Looks Like

[00:01] six-figure content creator business, they picture this. they picture this. >> [music]

[00:39] which truth be told is a lot of the days. So, today is a logistical day, I guess you'd call it. It's meetings, talks, [music] work, on. It's one of those days that's not glorified as a content creator, but is

[00:56] just as important, I'd argue. The reality of days like today is, no matter what you think, you're going to have to do [ __ ] like this. Everybody

[01:08] likes to create this idea that once you have a breakthrough or you become more established, all the other dots will connect. Like, you won't have to manage your cash flow and pay attention to budgeting because every month is just

[01:21] going to be great. The reality is, the difference between just winging [ __ ] and and being content and happy versus running a six-figure business, even if this is a business, it [snorts] it's from the legwork of

[01:36] days like today. Like, these days are just as important. They're not as sexy, they're not as cool, they're not as fun to document. But, if you ever want to take this [ __ ] serious, you're going to have to have days like this. Especially

[01:50] considering the fact that I just walked away from a five-figure deal this last week. >> [music] getting into the details, I've been doing this full-time for 11 years now,

[02:07] and every year a big objective of mine was [music] turning it into a six-figure that a lot of people shoot for. As somebody who took a passion, something they're into, turned it into another thing, which

[02:20] branched into another thing. Obviously, that's a huge stepping stone. I, as a creator, have been producing over six figures a year for obviously, once you get into that threshold, it's it's a goal to keep it.

[02:36] But when you're pivoting and changing things up, doing a building in public series, and and taking what has astronomically worked for a a period of time, you're switching things around, you're

[02:48] going through these seasonal changes, it becomes harder, especially in a certain forms of revenue. [music] Like I can't just say, "Okay, just give me more

[03:00] ad monetization because I decided to cut this thing." So it's important during these times to have days like today to where you can focus your shift on things where you can focus your shift on things on on where you have more control. For

[03:13] example, I might not be able to control the views that are in a result from today's video to generate more ad revenue, but what I can do is, just like sleeping on that everybody has been asking, I can make notes today on some

[03:29] of the things that I need to be making over the course of the next 2 months because it provides value to people. So it's not only helpful to have days like it's not only helpful to have days like today, it's it's crucial. It's so

[03:42] important to take stock or or inventory. Like if you were to start a business, I know J Hawk might watch this video, some of you guys support Lab Culture, but he doesn't just buy a big batch of product

[03:57] then says, "Hey, these shirts are available." Like, you got to track sizes, you got to track what did sell well, what didn't sell well. Hey, why did these hats do better over these? Okay, so now I got to restock these hats

[04:12] in [music] in another area. And for some reason, even though everybody wants to of business, [music] like they want to do it as a career, that it's just it's just randomness. Like, they're just winging it. They're

[04:27] just doing it. The reality is is like it's it's crucial stock building inventory days, so you have a better grasp of your situation, especially as a content creator or

[04:41] especially as a content creator or starting anything. Like, on day one, cuz long-term you're like, "I want to be this thing." And I know starting today, it it's going to put me on the progress to do that. But like, over time, you do

[04:56] have to slow down and analyze the small moments and and going to be glorified. It's not always just going to be progressive hit after build some kind of organization structure.

[05:09] structure. >> [music] period of time is that it doesn't only just become the the goal of six figures. Over the years of doing

[05:22] this, there's these periods where you start to slow down >> and you're like, "Okay, well, this seems to be something that like doesn't have just good year, it's got to last, too." Like, there's a whole

[05:34] 'nother equation, a whole 'nother level to this. Like, sure, in content creation, losing weight, uh starting a business, you could do the one thing that gets you the results for the the current goals you have. You could lose

[05:47] the first 100 lbs. You could earn that six figures in a year, but are you doing enough long-term building and paying attention to [ __ ] to where this will

[05:59] reward you in 5 years. This is literally why I'm doing the building in public >> [music] >> I was getting great results for the last few years in something, but I kept asking myself and I kept putting myself

[06:14] in this position to where I was like, do I really have full control over this [ __ ] Do I completely own this? Is this just the result of right place, right timing, taking a benefit of something? Or if like

[06:27] I wanted to pivot from this, am I with within my control and ability to pivot from this? This is where so many content creators go wrong. You go all in on the really well. YouTube's doing really well. And I know a lot of people relate.

[06:43] even if something's doing well, you're like, I don't trust this. Like, how long will this last? Realistically, can it last? That's why it's important to sit back every now and then and analyze. Are you going down the paths you want to go

[06:56] to own your brand and control everything you do? Are you actually going after the creative content that you want because it's going to create the image or or idea that you have. That's why I've changed things

[07:11] drastically over the last year. I want to make sure I align myself with everything with anything that that gives me the energy that I want to put out there. Like a great example of this throughout the years is back when I had

[07:23] a G Fuel deal. Now, that G Fuel deal was a pretty good sponsorship. The monthly payment that I got for for working with [music] them was [ __ ] awesome for a creator of my size. But, here's the reality. Halfway through that deal, I

[07:38] really didn't [ __ ] with energy drinks. Just naturally, as I've been going through my health journey, I really just don't like the caffeinated drinks. And it's not just G Fuel's the defense, it's really any of them.

[07:52] Uh more so lately, I've just been drinking that Kinetic drink, but a diet coke, a coffee, water, like those are the main things. And a good old cup of milk. But I had that G Fuel sponsorship, it paid really well. At the end of the

[08:05] day, it really didn't align with who I was and where I am in life and the that I have. And I remember being in that moment and and this is a big reason as why I've changed stuff lately is

[08:18] great, but I asked myself a couple things. One, if this went away, would it stress me? Would it it drastically dictate the content that I create and if the partnership is not giving me the fulfillment to be a creator, which is

[08:33] the value that you get from a partnership, then really doing well for me. And hey, you're going to learn along your journey that there are some things that are just meant to be there at that specific time.

[08:45] Friendships, partnerships, sponsorships, uh monetization opportunities, you will uh monetization opportunities, you will eventually end up outgrowing some sense at a a certain point in your career and it drastically helped you

[09:01] out. Again, example G Fuel, like they did come around at the right time. It was a great partnership earlier on in the streaming days. I outgrew it. I outgrew it in lifestyle, I outgrew it in the energy of content, it just didn't

[09:15] align long-term. The notes that I took last year, I didn't have a good game plan. I didn't like that if Kick, for whatever reason, just wanted to shut off the lights for me tomorrow, boom, that's a big that's a big portion of my income.

[09:31] Fast forward now, holy [ __ ] dude. I didn't expect it to do this well so quick. It is the having systems [music] and sticking to your routines and ethic and sticking with the [ __ ] that you say you're going to do. That's

[09:44] actually what gets you the the real results. People are not buying my 90-day creator and streamer blueprints just out of [ __ ] randomness. They're buying it because I'm showing up every [ __ ] day and I'm doing the same [ __ ] that I'm

[09:58] telling you guys will help you. If I during these periods where I'm like, "Oh man, maybe a maybe this maybe that. Oh, this today just is not as fun. It's it's not as entertaining. I'm not as passionate." Holy [ __ ] what a [ __ ]

[10:13] lying fraud I would be if I didn't stick to the very things that I'm saying this is this will help you. I know these things will will help other creators and creatives. Getting in a call today with a customer that

[10:27] can I give them the best advice on things that they should be focusing on if I'm not doing that, too, and I don't have the reps and the results for doing the said [ __ ] The amount of times that I or many creators or individuals just

[10:41] only chase emotions, it's insane. I see so many creators fail from this. Some of my some of my friends do this all the time. Try something five times, it didn't give them the immediate results, it's a failure. Bro, you have no [ __ ]

[10:56] idea if it's a failure. You haven't stuck with it. You haven't created a stuck with it. You haven't created a healthy habit of having the dopamine response things, the emotional response things, getting views from a video,

[11:08] comments and likes from something. And then also slowing down to say, "Okay, well, but it got more comments than everything else. Got me more subscribers per views." Okay, well clearly that was a more impactful video. When you just

[11:23] wing [ __ ] and you dictate everything off of how does it make me feel as a result for seeing the vanity metrics, you never see the value in the small [ __ ] You might get so blinded that you don't take time to look into your analytics and you

[11:38] don't see that yeah, sure that video that flopped had a higher retention. interested in it. The story is well. Your packaging just [ __ ] sucks. Of course you get stressed out if you don't sit back every now and then and analyze

[11:53] this [ __ ] So you have no idea what you're actually building as a result for you showing up. So that's why I quit a partnership that was just consistent align with my vision for 6 months from now. And maybe it's not a partnership

[12:06] that needs to replace that. Maybe I need to replace that partnership income with my own income. Me having more control. When the G Fuel deal ended I told myself I'd I'd just find somebody else. You know, even if it's half like I'll just

[12:20] work with somebody else. That's fine. And I was pretty stressed about that at amount of money that was just gone like that once they got bought out. And I came to the realization after a few months that I didn't need to replace it.

[12:34] Jesus man, the amount of [ __ ] confidence I had when at first I'm like oh my god I couldn't lose this thing. Imagine if I did. And then the company period [music] of time and I'm like okay, well I just got to replicate this

[12:47] thing. I got to replace it. And then [music] I don't need to because what I'm doing is working. Holy [ __ ] it was just it was such a a pivoting time. Those moments don't happen without days like this man.

[13:02] >> get inside and grab a few things from the the grocery grab a few things from the the grocery store.

[13:15] years is ironically running a six-figure business isn't about the objective of making the six figures. It's about managing your responsibilities. The earlier years that I could break through that threshold, I was leaning more on

[13:29] the the actions, the output on on the creative work. And I was less attracted creative work. And I was less attracted to the managing side, the taking myself serious [ __ ] The last episode of building in public, I talked about how I

[13:42] that taught me, the confidence it gave me, how things branch off with each other, and you just become so fluent. It's like a cheat code almost. So, after uploading for 50 days, I know I can execute. Now, days like today, making

[13:59] sure I take time to do this, it's helping me build [ __ ] that's going to last 5 to 10 years. The managing, the responsibility side of [ __ ] is arguably the most important step for longevity. Not taking yourself serious enough to

[14:14] take the time to do this [ __ ] is what kills a lot of creators. That's all I got for you guys today. I'm out. Peace. Doses.