Thread by @UFDisciple

My thoughts on 2017: A Thread

It's been an epic year, and while I will take the time to celebrate the milestones that we've achieved on the channel, I wanted to also share some of my inner reflections on what made this year so amazing.

1) If you have a dream: GO FOR IT!
The most rewarding thing about this year hasn't been the views or the subscribers, but that I achieved my goals of 1. providing for my family with YT & 2. building a team to help take everything to the next level.

It's been way more work than I could have ever imagined to get to this place, but the fact that I knew I was accomplishing something that I never thought I could do made it all worth it. Which brings me to the second point.

2) You can do so much more than you think.
Working a job, homeschooling our children, keeping a happy wife, having a new baby, running the YT channel, & all of the standard issues that come with life took 80-120 hours a week to fit into my schedule.

I don't say this to brag, but to really explain that none of this journey has been easy. I've amazed myself with just how hard I can work & how much my body can take when trying to pursue something that I love.

I don't think that I'm an exception. I would generally have referred to myself as a lazy guy, prior to this year, but time and again, I've put myself in complete disbelief as to how much I'm capable of. I honestly believe, if I can do it, so can you.

There's always barriers, obstacles, difficulties, and challenges along the way, but those are what make the journey the best. Overcoming the things you never thought you could, defeating external roadblocks, persevering in the face of self-doubt, all make for great retrospect.

3) You can make money on YT & Twitch.
I've heard so many people, especially in SA, talk about how insurmountable this is, and while I agree it's difficult, it absolutely can be done. You just have to keep going & producing content that people want to watch.

In Dec. 2016, the YT channel made $100 for the entire month. I was putting in the same amount of hours then, but made far less than minimum wage. In Dec. 2017, we've made at least $100/day just from views on the videos themselves.

I don't think we're doing something that no other content creator in SA can do. We've just identified what our audience wants & have gone hard at those videos, and it's paid off to inordinate amount of success. You can go full-time from YT & Twitch (even without brand deals).

I'm excited for the future of content creation in SA in 2018, but I think people need to know that it is possible.
It took me 2 years of doing it completely as a side project (40hr/week side project), but it can absolutely be done.

There are so many talented SA creators & streamers that I'm excited to watch have explosive growth in 2018: @PaCmAn10154 @TheWouter @Chani_ZA @za_geemax @axtremes & others that I think are just getting started & I can't wait to see where they take it.

4) Your personal story matters just as much as your content.
This has been the greatest revelation to me this year. People watch my videos/streams (most of the time) for me & not necessarily what I say. They respect me, enjoy my entertainment, & just want to connect with me.

We produce quality content that's helpful & informative, but we've only hit our massive growth once I started to embrace who I actually am, on camera, and connect with the audience through that. Being myself has been freeing, but it's allowed depth with the audience that I love.

The fact that I can livestream myself doing HORRENDOUS acapella rendition of punk rock songs from the early 00's and still have 60-70 people stay and watch is the clearest indicator to me that my subscribers care about me & not just the tech videos we produce.

5) A strong support system is invaluable.
I wouldn't have a YT channel if it weren't for my wife. She literally is the bedrock of all of the success that we've been able to achieve. Her selfless dedication to allow me to pursue my dream is something I can't quantify.

Her + the team that we're building (@Its_just_Tank, @ReeceTheFirst, @axtremes & more to come soon) make this worth doing every day. Their support, encouragement, criticism, & brainstorming make everything we do better.

Surrounding yourself with people who support you & can give you honest feedback is the best thing you can do. Being brutal honest with your flaws + having hope in your strengths will take you further than just having yes-men around all the time.

Let's not forget @wootware who are literally THE BEST sponsors we could ever have for the channel. They've been with us since basically nothing and have continually amazed me with their generosity & support along the way. I can't thank them enough for taking a chance on me.

6) Have role models.
@TechGirlZA @za_geemax @FrankyBro @PaCmAn10154 @petermckinnon @OlanRogers are people who have inspired me in one form or another in 2017. Whether it be their relentless work ethic, excellence in their craft or dedication to their dream, they've made me better

Finding people who you can look up to gives you something to strive for. Seeing success in other's lives and aspiring to that in your own can be a powerful thing. There's so much to glean from watching other people succeed in their area. Take what you can & apply it to your own

7) I'M SO FREAKING EXCITED FOR 2018!!!!!
We smashed all of our goals for this year. 61.5K subscribers - 6.25M views total - 20K+ subs & 1.2M views in December have made it one wild ride.

My goals at the beginning of the year were 1) Make YT financially sustainable to support my family & 2) Hit 50K subs. I had no idea how we would do it at the time with only 7K subs & making $100 on the best months, but it FREAKING HAPPENED.

The seemingly impossible became a reality as we pushed forward & continuously strived for bigger & better content. We're not winding down now, WE'RE ONLY GETTING STARTED.

My goal for 2018 isn't numbers. I want UFD Tech to become the best tech channel on YT. IDK how that's possible & I know we're a long way from it, but just like with my 2017 goals. The idea is there, the hope is there, and that's all we need to absolutely dominate in 2018.