The Enthusiasm Project

Send a text message to the show! It’s my first ever Q&A episode! I can’t believe how many great questions were submitted, so let’s dive in for an extended episode! Thank you so much to everyone who took the time to submit a question. •The Hive Podcast: https://www.hivepodcast.org/ 🎙Ready to start your own podcast? Check out The Podcaster Playbook, a step-by-step DIY course to help you launch y...

Send a text message to the show! Let’s get ethical! Last season I talked about wanting to develop an ethics statement to help guide how I approach potential partnerships with my YouTube channel and podcast, and to help keep my audience, me, and partners on the same page. It took about 6 weeks, but I drafted a statement that I’m very happy with and that has already helped to build stronger relation...

Send a text message to the show! It’s been a whirlwind of camera news lately, and I think it’s super exciting! However, as people are praising new releases or lamenting imitations, there’s a third group that tends to show up and remind everyone that “story is king” and “gear doesn’t matter.” While there’s definitely truth to those platitudes, I think they can actually be harmful, and in some insta...

Send a text message to the show! My lovely wife Heather has been struggling with the direction of her own YouTube channel lately. We wanted to have a candid conversation about creativity and how she might want to adapt/approach her content in the future. I think this includes a lot of very valuable lessons for anyone who creates things to share with an audience online. Thank you to Heather for bei...

Send a text message to the show! We’re kicking off Season 3 on what happens to be the 3 year anniversary of my YouTube channel! To celebrate, I wanted to share three personal stories with you that taught me 3 very valuable lessons, not only helpful for life in general, but that have also proven immensely valuable as a digital content creator. Leave a message and be included in a future episode! I’...

Send a text message to the show! Thanks to everyone who’s been listening and sending me awesome messages of support. Let's wrap up Season 2 with a dive into all the ways that comparison can negatively affect your attitude and accomplishments. Whether it's against yourself or others, comparison has a way of devaluing our successes and planting the seeds for insecurities. Ultimately, it&ap...

Send a text message to the show! Don’t get me wrong, I love you guys, and the YouTube camera/tech space is fairly diverse when it comes to race/age/orientation, but have you noticed that the gender split is wildly uneven? This week Heather and I dive into the issue and explore some of the possible reasons why female creators aren’t often found in this niche. If you’re like me, this might be someth...

Send a text message to the show! This week I wanted to share some of the unexpected places I’ve found inspiration for my videos and how that has helped me to develop my personal style over time. I think that anyone who creates anything often struggles with where to find inspiration and how to be inspired without plagiarizing, so it’s a valuable discussion even if you’re not someone who makes video...

Send a text message to the show! As my YouTube channel grows, there are more opportunities to work with brands for sponsored content- which also means there are more opportunities to damage the relationship between me and my audience or put my credibility at stake. This week I explain what that’s like from the position of a relatively small channel that wants to create a strong foundation for futu...

Send a text message to the show! This week I interview Heather all about her professional and personal journeys. It just so happens that we recorded this the day before our somewhat impromptu quarantine wedding at the county office, so it was a ton of fun! If you haven't heard last week's episode yet, Heather interviewed me and we tried out a simultaneous podcast recording and video live...

Send a text message to the show! This week we’ve flipped things around– Heather interviews ME. Eek. We dive into YouTube, teaching, and life in general. It was incredibly fun, and I'm very grateful to Heather for leading the discussion, managing our live stream, and moderating the chat all at once! We tried out a simultaneous podcast recording and video live stream because why not? So you can...

Send a text message to the show! Over the past 8 years I’ve had quite a few of my digital media students level up their skills in incredible ways. Despite all the differences in their circumstances, personalities, skills, and interests, this week I wanted to share the top 5 lessons I’ve learned from my students when it comes to digital media. I also open the episode with an update on the LLC that...

Send a text message to the show! Our insecurities are often barriers in our own mind. This week I wanted to explore how accepting the fact that I’m a “video production guy” and not a “filmmaker” was oddly freeing and how it allowed me to better enjoy what I do. Follow The Everyday Dad on Twitter: https://twitter.com/every_daydad And YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCqvULRRboZeXVezSm_XduLQ...

Send a text message to the show! With the entire world being thrown into an unprecedented situation, how do you handle it as a creator of online content? Do you stop making stuff, do you continue as usual, or is there another strategy? Leave a message and be included in a future episode!   https://anchor.fm/enthusiasm —— Gear of the Week —— Animal Crossing New Horizons on Nintendo Switch - It’s no...

Send a text message to the show! If you find yourself with a little extra time at home lately, it might be a great time to revisit your YouTube channel, or to finally start that channel you’ve been thinking about. These are the 6 things I’ve found to be the most important when it comes to building a channel that feels consistent and complete: Niche Banner (free template www.himynameistom.com/downl...

Send a text message to the show! Let’s take a look “behind the curtain” at what it really takes to create a work/life balance, especially when building a side business in addition to a traditional day job, including some of the creative sacrifices and tough decisions that sometimes have to be made. Definitely check Out “Essentialism” by Greg McKeown. It’s an awesome read that’ll help guide you to...

Send a text message to the show! This week we’re taking a close look at the production process that I’ve developed for my YouTube videos. While everybody’s process is going to look a little different, this is what I’ve organically come up with over the past 2.5 years, and I think there’s a lot of helpful info here that might be able to save you a few tears and gray hairs. Leave a message and be in...

Send a text message to the show! This week I share my biggest regret when it comes to my YouTube channel and offer some thoughts and advice to anyone who may be in a similar situation. The lesson is, you can’t get better until you get started. Leave a message and be included in a future episode!   https://anchor.fm/enthusiasm —— Gear of the Week —— The Sony WH-CH700n headphones have made my workfl...

Send a text message to the show! This week I’m taking YOUR questions from Twitter, Instagram, and YouTube. I’ve never done a Q&A before, so thank you so much to everyone who sent in questions and helped make this more of a two way conversation. I’m loving the community we’re building here! Here are a few of the links mentioned in the episode: Artlist (2 months free): http://bit.ly/enthusiasmar...

Send a text message to the show! Over the past 2.5 years my YouTube channel has started to organically generate revenue, which is kind of amazing. So this week I go through the ways Heather I make money on YouTube and the different ways you might be able to effectively monetize your own channel. We also dispel a few myths about that sweet sweet ad revenue. Heather’s Channel: https://youtube.com/he...

Send a text message to the show! It’s almost cliche advice at this point, but learning to build your brand lets you take effective control of your narrative and drive your story forward on your terms. After spending the past few weeks fine tuning and in some cases, redesigning my “brand,” I wanted to share what I learned and why it’s something worth your time. I also discovered that Anchor lets pe...

Send a text message to the show! This week I wanted to take some time to explore a bit of insecurity that’s popped up along the journey to start a business, and share a few stories/examples of how a bit of ignorance and naiveté can sometimes be exactly what you need to succeed. After all, you can’t get better until you get started. I also discovered that Anchor lets people leave voice messages, so...

Send a text message to the show! It’s time to take the next step in formalizing this idea to start a business. Heather and I are teaming up for the next step, and this is our chance to explore some of the finer points. Check out Heather’s channel: https://www.youtube.com/sharesparkmedia —— Gear of the Week —— Heather loves the Switchpod, which is a lighter and more durable alternative to the Joby...

Send a text message to the show! Heather is back in the studio as web talk about what I think is a critical missing piece to The Enthusiasm Project: community. Eric Wen and I had an incredible conversation about how to build a channel that appeals to others while maintaining authenticity. It was rad. Check out Heather’s channel: https://www.youtube.com/sharesparkmedia And here’s Eric Wen on YouTub...

Send a text message to the show! Last week we talked about my journey to start a business and the fact that I have no idea what I’m doing. This week I share the story of why I chose to spend all of my free time creating a “media kit” for what first appeared to be no good reason at all. And it was all because of a 15 year old kid in New Zealand. Check out the media kit I put together: https://www.h...