My biggest YouTube lessons of the past 12+ years

Tomorrow, I am turning 32.

When I write it, it sounds even more real. I hate it.. 😂

But, one thing I have embraced over time is that knowledge really does come with years. If I think back on how I thought about YouTube and creating viral content in general ten years ago, I am a completely different man.

Have you ever heard of the Dunning Kruger effect? I’ve experienced it myself in full swing in my twenties. Here’s how it works:

In my early twenties, after several viral videos under my belt and a few channels that grew steadily, I’d say I was in the ignorant phase. I thought I had it all figured out. Nobody could tell me shit about YouTube, I understood it like no other.

But it only took a few months of stagnant growth and no idea how to get out of the rut before I realized I knew jack shit. YouTube’s algorithm started to get more sophisticated around 2013, and I was fighting to stay afloat, while also still working with some of the biggest game publishers in the world to create viral content with them.

It took around a year of facing my own ego and learning more deeply about the psychology of a viral concoction that I slowly started growing towards the ‘’cultured’’ part of the Dunning Kruger effect. I knew I had great experience, but I also knew that I had lots to learn.

Now, in my early thirties, I’d say I am sliding closer and closer to being an expert. A major thing that has changed vs. my twenties is that I do not pretend to know everything. Sure, I have more verifiable results on creating category kings on YouTube and working with big creators versus most strategists in the world, but I tell everyone the same thing:

‘’If it is not based on data, and it’s based on my gut, it is based on 12+ years of gut development. That doesn’t mean I am always right, though.’’

If you truly want to become the best in the world, there is no place for ego. It doesn’t matter if you want to become the best basketball player in the world, the best YouTuber, or the best YouTube strategist. You need relentless believe in yourself, but always be open to feedback and learning. Nobody knows everything. And once you embrace that, you’ll find out why it is so much fun to strive for greatness.

Another lesson is one that is closely aligned with the Dunning Kruger Effect, but manifests in a different way.

Many, many people tend to overcomplicate YouTube and the strategies needed to grow a channel. They come up with all these fancy terms, new ideation techniques, focus on data points in YT Studio and other things.

Let me tell you this:

If you want to grow a YouTube channel consistently, these are the only things you’ll need:

• Base your ideas on proven concepts

• Know how to package your idea so people want to click it

• Obsess over storytelling

• Be predictable

I do not care what someone else says. This is the core of growing YouTube channels. You don’t need to memorize fancy terms or concepts. The deeper you understand the above list, the better you’ll do. It truly comes down to simply this:

Make great ideas into great videos.

For the beginners here, I am about to launch my zero to 1000 subscribers starter course. I was about to release it today, but the editor needs a little more time to finetune it. If you are on the waitlist, don’t worry; I will accept you as soon as I feel its done. Most probably will be tomorrow, but I’ll ensure to send out an email when it is done and ready to be consumed.

The course itself is an hour+ of content that will help you understand the bullet points I just shared more deeply. No bullshit 4 hours worth of content there, I don’t try to sell you on hours, but quality of information.

Although, my 1:1 call recordings and private case studies are well over 5 hours of content itself, so I’d say that upsell alone is worth more than I am selling it for.

This course isn’t meant to make me rich, as you might understand from the price point. Quite frankly, I just want to feel like the time I spent on it was worth it, and educate the next generation of my clients. Because I am a 100% sure that if you implement what you’ll learn from it, it is a matter of time before you can afford to work with me. 😏

So, have a piece of cake on me tomorrow for my 32nd birthday, and I can’t wait to give you the course within the next few days.

Keep creating,

Leroy.

PS: I will keep updating the course for the foreseeable future with more case studies, more private 1:1 recordings, and more course material. Just want to be straight with you: I’ll probably up the price at some point for both the basic course and the upsells. Get it before Q4.