In June 2023, I uploaded my 100th video on YouTube.
Naturally, I had to take a screenshot to commemorate this milestone:
Reaching 100 videos has been a journey of learning and growth.
I’ve overcome many challenges, and I’m excited to share my story to inspire you in reaching your next YouTube milestone, whether it’s your first video or your 100th.
Breaking Barriers
I’m an introvert by nature.
Putting myself “out there” has always been hard. Showing up in front of the camera was also never my cup of tea. Even though I was a videographer by profession, I was always just more comfortable behind the scenes.
Then one day, someone asked me, “How do you start your YouTube channel?”
The question made me chuckle.
“Starting my YouTube channel was just like starting my business,” I said.
I “jump first, swim later”.
I have a habit of diving in without thinking things through. Luckily, the universe has been kind, giving me plenty of experiences to share.
I remember my first video and how awkward I felt, staring at the camera lens without blinking.
My niece bluntly asked, “Why aren’t you blinking? You look like a robot!”
The truth is, your first video will likely be bad and cringey, and that’s okay.
Here’s how I overcame it—watch the video below
Now, 100 (plus more!) videos later, I’m comfortable going off script as long as I get my points across to my audience.
The Journey
At the start of my YouTube journey, I was creating videos just for the sake of it.
I didn’t have much of a strategy or a plan for growing my channel. I simply wanted to put out content to help others. I just created videos based on my gut feel.
For example, one week I’d share video tips, and the next, I’d focus on tutorials.
It was all about experimenting and figuring out which type of video resonated with my audience.
Six months later, things started to change.
I began receiving invitations to speak about video marketing and content creation. An organisation even hired me to teach their community about creating YouTube videos.
This felt like a success because my videos were reaching the right audience.
I was thrilled—clients were finding me because of my YouTube videos!
But despite this, I still lacked a solid strategy for my channel.
Then, burnout hit. I stopped creating videos and started doubting if I was cut out for YouTube.
Fortunately, those negative feelings didn’t last long. I knew something had to change.
I stepped back, analysed my previous videos, and looked for ways to improve. I attended meetups and networking sessions with other YouTube creators to learn from them.
After a year-long hiatus filled with learning and reflection, I returned to creating YouTube videos with a renewed strategy and focus.
Watch my video about my hiatus here: https://youtu.be/0eOwal9-6oo?si=cXNQTgTVSu6SmfzL
If you want to know some of my mistakes, I shared in my video below:
The Lesson
If there’s one thing I learned from my YouTube journey, it’s this:
“Sometimes to move forward you might need to take a few steps back. And there’s no loss in doing something that hurts in the short run but proves worthwhile in time.”
The one-year break I took was crucial. It helped me analyse what I needed to do next.
Today, I’m proud to say I work on my YouTube channel with better clarity and a solid strategy. My channel now focuses on what matters most to me: my journey in my 40s, balancing caregiving and business, and offering YouTube insights for entrepreneurs.
As of now, it’s 68 subscribers shy of 500 – my next goal.
