How to make money on YouTube without filming videos by yourself (feat. @NateOBrien)
Summary
TLDRIn this insightful interview, 25-year-old YouTuber and investor Nate O'Brien shares his journey on YouTube, managing multiple channels, and his recent hiatus. Nate discusses the challenges of content creation, the importance of diversifying income, and his ventures outside of YouTube, including a media company and a venture fund. He also provides advice for aspiring creators, emphasizing the value of quality over quantity and the strategy of not reinventing the wheel. Nate's experiences and insights offer a roadmap for success in the digital age, highlighting the balance between creating content and building a sustainable business.
Takeaways
- đ Nate O'Brien, a 25-year-old American YouTuber and investor, manages multiple YouTube channels with over 3 million combined subscribers.
- đ« Nate has taken a break from posting videos on his main YouTube channel since October 2023, feeling he has said everything he needed to on YouTube and doesn't want to repeat content.
- đ Nate, along with his brother, owns a media company with a focus on finance and software tutorial channels, aiming for search-based content rather than viral videos.
- đŒ He emphasizes the importance of diversifying income sources, rather than relying solely on YouTube ad revenue, which can be unpredictable.
- đą Nate's day-to-day activities now involve managing a venture fund called Road Runner and his media company, moving away from being on camera.
- đĄ His advice for new YouTubers is to identify gaps in the market and create content in areas with high demand but low supply.
- đ Nate's revenue streams are heavily reliant on affiliate marketing, with AdSense as a secondary source, and he has experienced issues with sudden drops in AdSense revenue.
- đ€ Nate is cautious about the future of YouTube with the rise of AI and automation, but believes the platform will adapt its algorithms to maintain user engagement.
- đ° He has a diversified investment portfolio with the majority in stocks, a portion in index funds, and 5-10% in crypto, stored securely in hardware wallets.
- đ Nate is not interested in real estate as an investment, preferring liquidity and diversification over the potential tax benefits.
- âł Looking ahead, Nate has no specific plans for the next five years but hopes to slow down, possibly start a family, and continue working on projects he loves without financial worries.
Q & A
Why did Nate O'Brien consider making a 'leaving YouTube' type of video?
-Nate O'Brien thought about making a 'leaving YouTube' video because he felt he had said everything he needed to say on YouTube and didn't want to keep making similar content, which he compared to being on a hamster wheel.
What is Nate O'Brien's current involvement with YouTube?
-Nate O'Brien has taken a break from posting videos on his main YouTube channel since October 2023 and is considering a return when he feels inspired, but he is currently focusing on other ventures.
How does Nate manage his YouTube team and keep track of content?
-Nate uses Dropbox Business and Business Plus for his team's workflow, which integrates all the necessary tools into one shared space, including file storage, sharing, tracking sent proposals, and real-time collaboration through features like Send, Track, and Replay.
What is Nate O'Brien's background and how did he start on YouTube?
-Nate O'Brien is a 25-year-old American YouTuber and investor who started on YouTube in 2016 when he was 18, focusing on finance content because there was a gap in the market for such videos at that time.
What is the primary focus of Nate's media company?
-Nate's media company focuses on owning and operating multiple YouTube channels, primarily in the finance and software tutorial niches, with an emphasis on search-based content rather than viral videos.
How does Nate decide on the success of a YouTube channel?
-Nate assesses the success of a YouTube channel based on its ability to generate cash flow and its potential for growth. He is willing to invest in a channel for up to two years of consistent posting before deciding whether to shut it down.
What is the process for finding and hiring content creators for Nate's media company?
-Nate finds content creators by posting Google Forms or Type Forms seeking freelance work. He receives hundreds of applications, reviews them, and selects the best candidates, giving them a lot of trust and responsibility from the start.
How does Nate approach affiliate marketing on his YouTube channels?
-Nate focuses on creating content that aligns with what people are searching for, such as top investment apps, and then includes affiliate links to those products. He also drives traffic to companies and then negotiates affiliate partnerships based on the traffic generated.
What are Nate's thoughts on the future of YouTube and the impact of AI on content creation?
-Nate is unsure about the future impact of AI on YouTube but believes that the platform will adapt its algorithms to filter out automated content. He thinks YouTube will continue to improve recommendations to keep viewers engaged.
How does Nate manage his personal finances and investments?
-Nate keeps a significant portion of his savings in individual stocks and index funds, with a smaller percentage in crypto assets. He also maintains a portion of his savings in cash, which he keeps in high-yield savings accounts or short-term treasuries.
What advice does Nate have for people who want to be successful on YouTube?
-Nate advises against reinventing the wheel and suggests that people should look at what's working for others and then modify it slightly. He also emphasizes the importance of consistent posting and focusing on quality over quantity.
Outlines
đ„ Nate O'Brien's YouTube Hiatus and Business Ventures
In this segment, Nate O'Brien, a 25-year-old American YouTuber and investor, discusses his decision to take a break from YouTube, where he has been active since 2016. Nate manages multiple YouTube channels with over 3 million subscribers. He talks about his last video posted in October 2023 and his contemplation about whether to create a farewell video or to simply disappear and return when inspired. Nate expresses his desire to avoid repetitive content and his readiness to move on after saying everything he wanted to on his platform. He also introduces his involvement with Dropbox Business to streamline his team's workflow and mentions his venture fund, Road Runner, and media company, which he operates with his brother, focusing on the business side of content creation.
đ Diversifying Beyond Personal Branding with Media Channels
Nate shares his insights on personal branding, stating that there's no equity buildup in a personal brand and the difficulty of selling it. He discusses his transition from personal content creation to establishing a media company with his brother, which currently manages several YouTube channels. Nate explains that the company focuses on search-based content rather than viral videos, and they have scaled down from 15 to a few main channels. He talks about the process of starting new channels, the importance of identifying profitable niches, and the challenges of growing a channel. Nate also shares his approach to finding and hiring talent for his channels, emphasizing trust and responsibility in his team.
đĄ Identifying Market Gaps and Monetization Strategies
In this part, Nate discusses his strategy for identifying gaps in the market and creating content that fills those gaps. He talks about his experience with long-form finance tutorials that gained significant traction due to their unique format. Nate also shares his thoughts on the current state of the finance niche on YouTube and the importance of finding underserved areas within it. He hints at a new niche that he finds exciting but keeps it confidential due to its competitive nature. Nate also touches on the potential impact of AI and automation on content creation and the future of YouTube.
đž Revenue Streams and the Challenges of AdSense Fluctuations
Nate delves into the revenue streams of his media company, highlighting that it now outperforms his personal YouTube channel. He mentions affiliate marketing as the primary income source, followed by AdSense and sponsorships. Nate discusses the unpredictability of AdSense revenue due to YouTube's algorithmic changes, which have negatively impacted many creators who focus on search-based content. He also shares his preference for affiliate marketing over flat-fee sponsorships due to the unlimited earning potential of the former.
đ€ The Dynamics of Early-Stage Venture Capital Investments
Nate talks about his venture capital fund, which he started in 2022 with his partner Sebie. They invest in early-stage, pre-seed companies, primarily in the consumer tech sector. Nate shares that they have invested in 14 companies so far and plan to invest in 15 to 20 more. He expresses excitement about the potential influence on the future through these investments, rather than just the financial returns. Nate also discusses the challenges and rewards of working with early-stage startups and the long-term nature of venture capital investments.
đŒ Personal Finance and Future Aspirations
In this segment, Nate reflects on his personal finance situation, admitting that he no longer lives as frugally as he once did, due to his increased spending on travel and dining out. He estimates his expenses to be around 10% of his income, allowing him to save a significant portion. Nate also discusses his investment strategies, revealing that the majority of his savings are in individual stocks, with a portion in index funds and a smaller percentage in crypto assets. He shares his thoughts on real estate as an investment and expresses a preference for liquidity and diversification over real estate holdings. Looking ahead, Nate envisions a future where he can slow down, start a family, and focus on work that he loves without financial concerns.
đŁ Advice for Aspiring Influencers and Content Creators
Nate concludes the interview with advice for those starting out in the influencer and content creation space. He emphasizes the importance of consistency and quality over quantity in posting content. Nate also suggests that new creators should not try to reinvent the wheel but instead learn from what is already working for others and make slight modifications. He acknowledges the challenges of getting started, including dealing with self-doubt and criticism, but encourages persistence and learning from the experiences of others.
Mindmap
Keywords
đĄYouTuber
đĄInvestor
đĄPersonal Brand
đĄSearch Content
đĄAffiliate Marketing
đĄAdSense
đĄVenture Fund
đĄImposter Syndrome
đĄRevenue Stream
đĄContent Creation
đĄInfluencer
Highlights
Nate O'Brien, a 25-year-old American YouTuber and investor, manages multiple YouTube channels with over 3 million combined subscribers.
Nate has recently disappeared from his main YouTube channel and is considering taking a break or retiring from video creation.
He believes in not reinventing the wheel and suggests learning from successful people to achieve success.
Nate discusses the challenges of managing a team of 10 and the benefits of using Dropbox Business for streamlined workflow.
He shares his experience with the feature 'Send in Track' which helps in tracking the engagement of proposals sent to brands.
Nate highlights the importance of having a diverse income source instead of relying solely on YouTube ad revenue.
He mentions his venture into creating a media company with his brother, focusing on the business side of YouTube.
Nate explains his shift from personal branding to building a business that can be separate from himself.
He talks about the process of starting new channels and the importance of identifying gaps in the market.
Nate shares insights on the production cost of videos and the strategy behind hiring freelancers for content creation.
He discusses the approach to channel management, focusing on search-based content rather than creating viral videos.
Nate reveals that his media company's revenue has surpassed his personal YouTube channel's revenue.
He advises on the importance of affiliate marketing over flat fee sponsorships for higher potential returns.
Nate shares his experience with investing in early-stage companies through his VC fund, Road Runner.
He talks about his personal finance strategy, including diversification across stocks, index funds, and crypto.
Nate expresses his preference for liquidity over real estate investment due to the desire to avoid complications.
He provides advice for aspiring influencers, emphasizing consistency, quality over quantity, and not reinventing the wheel.
Transcripts
I was thinking if I should make like uh
I'm leaving YouTube type of video I
think I just said everything that I
needed to say on on YouTube that sounds
like a lot of headache to me I really
don't want to make videos have you
thought about buying real estate I'm not
a real estate person why I'm not sure if
I can share it cuz it's like super just
competitive one advice for everyone who
wants to be like as successful as you
are don't reinvent the
[Music]
wheel guys welcome to Sil com Val girl
we have an amazing guest today Nate
O'Brien thank you so much for making it
meet Nate O'Brien a 25-year-old American
YouTuber and investor Nate manages
multiple YouTube channels with over 3
million combined subscribers and
recently he disappeared from his main
YouTube channel so we're going to talk
about what happened we'll also talk
about his secrets of making money on
YouTube and operating multiple channels
simultaneously please welcome Nate
O'Brien Nate youve been on YouTube for
how long it's been too long uh 2016 so
what is that 7 years 7 years that's
almost 8 years yeah what is going on now
where are you where are your videos I
miss them um yeah I I think I'm taking a
little break a little retirement but uh
I'll probably be back at some point yeah
you posted your last video in October
2023 when is the next video coming out I
I really don't know I was thinking if I
should make like uh I'm leaving YouTube
type of video but then I was like I'm
just going to disappear and just come
back and like when I when I feel
inspired to come back what happened um I
think I just said everything that I
needed to say on on YouTube you know
like and and there's nothing worse than
like someone repeatedly making the same
videos like years and years and years
and like he feels like a hamster wheel
and so once I made all the videos that I
wanted to make over like the past like
six years or so I was like okay that's
everything I needed to say and um now
it's time to move on this part of the
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back to the video so what are you doing
what is your dayto day now uh right now
um saie and I have the Venture fund Road
Runner which takes up a good amount of
time and then uh my brother and I have a
media company we own some YouTube
channels and it's a little bit more on
the business side so it's like I don't
have to be on camera and and so that's
kind of where some cash flow comes from
uh which is I'm glad I set that up
because I think a lot of creators like
they get on that hamster wheel and they
can't get off because it's like their
only income source and luckily I've been
able to diversify quite a bit over the
past uh few years when did you start
doing that was there a moment when you
were like okay I am tired of being in
front of the camera I'm tired of
repeating things when did this click
happen
so so I I feel like it the click
happened before I even started my my
main Channel okay because I didn't how
old were you by the way 18 18 yeah
that's amazing so um but when I started
in 2016 I I was like I really don't want
to make videos but someone's got to make
these Finance videos because there there
was nobody making the content back then
so it was like a big opportunity um so I
said you know what screw it I'm just
going to turn on the camera I'm just
going to make the videos even though
it's like not my natural tendency to
like create content um and so yeah I
started that in like late 2016 and then
probably by sometime in 2018 my brother
and I started working on some other
things um so that I could eventually
plan to phase out my personal brand so
can you talk about like how you think
about starting a new channel uh where
does the idea come from do you think
purely uh whether it's going to make
money or like what's the thought process
so I think the biggest thing that I've
realized with a personal brand is that
um there's no real like Equity buildup
in a personal brand it's it's like hard
to sell like you can't like like I I
can't really sell the natal bran YouTube
channel I mean maybe someone would buy
like revenue streams from that but um so
I wanted to build something that would
be like separate for myself um and then
that was that was the main factor and
then also it was like what what makes
money are you not interested in like
growing your personal brand anymore no
you don't want to be recognized you
don't want to be yeah I'm just a very
private person so like do you have a
home by the way cuz I see you traveling
all the time um I'm based in
Pennsylvania um and I'm trying to slow
down and not travel as much anymore I
see you in all the different places you
know Orange County the B I was in Mexico
yesterday Mex yeah and so 2018 you
started the another like Media company
with different how many channels do you
have there uh we at one time we had like
15 but now uh We've scaled it down quite
a bit so we can just focus on on a
couple of of main ones um so you know
there's like eight but a couple of them
don't really do much and then you know
there's like some okay I'm going to ask
a lot of questions about that so all of
those channels are in finance or like uh
finance a lot of like software um lot of
tutorials it's like the super boring do
you understand software um or you just
find people who yeah we find people to
do it um so like yeah just just things
that like aren't super flashy like we
don't go for viral videos it's literally
just like what do people search for and
how do you just rank how do you think
about like whether the channel is
successful or not how many videos do you
have to make in order to decide whether
to shut it down or I'd say like two
years oh two years of posting every week
um sometimes every week yeah sometimes
like less um but just kind of like
laying the groundwork for search content
is like it takes a long time wow so it's
you're not going to like blow up with
search content how much does it cost to
produce one video depends on the topic
but right now it's like um few hundred a
video it's like 3 to 400 so or like Clos
to like 8 to 900 3 to 800 in that range
just depends on who's filming it and
who's editing it and so you're paying
the person who's in front of the camera
you're paying the research right or they
do the usually the person who's who's in
front of the camera is also the one
researching how do you find them though
I'll basically just post like um like
Google forms uh or like type forms say
hey look like we're we're hiring some
people for next year um if you want some
freelance work then you know fill out
the form and we get like hundreds and
hundreds of people who apply there and
then we just stiff through them all and
find the best candidates and then when
we hire somebody we just give them a lot
of like a lot of trust and a lot of
responsibility up front and then see
what happens so per chance if you have a
channel is just one person or you have
multiple faces No we mix it multiple
people yeah for that reason easier yeah
and and it's also not as big of an issue
of like um like we're not worried about
a filmer leaving because if they leave
there's other people who are mixed in
and then also people who watch the
videos they're they're finding it by
like searching on Google or searching on
YouTube and so they're not like
connected to the person like they're an
influencer um so totally search based
interesting how many people do you have
working for you for um or I guess nine
channels together with yours it's it's
not that many we try to keep it pretty
lean so it's like around 10 give or take
I mean there's a lot of it's a lot of
contractors um and then we hired
somebody to like hire people so that we
don't have to like deal with all the the
management stuff um but my goal is
always to keep things really lean and
really really small cuz I just like my
biggest nightmare is ending up like Dave
Ramsey with like a thousand employees in
a big office and yeah so they're mostly
editors or uh filmers four filmers um
two editors and and then like thumbnail
um some other people in the mix there
for other random things like for you
know like copyrighting and everything
and and four filmers they film for
several each filmer is responsible for
several channels then right if you have
eight yeah that's so cool and for topic
research can you give some advice on
like how how you do your research vid IQ
or just Googling so I used to use a lot
of those tools vid IQ and budy and um
you know all those SEO tools um now it's
just I I I don't know how to explain
it's probably just like gut like feeling
where you just know in a certain Topic
in a certain area that there's like
demand and I'm always just searching for
that like mentally every day thinking
about like what's what's like like a an
area that there's there's like a gap in
the market where there's not enough
content on that do you still feel there
are gaps in the market in 202 oh totally
totally yeah tons oh that's that sounds
promising because I feel like sometimes
I feel like if I start researching a
niche like oh yeah like this has already
been said there's so many YouTubers and
this Niche this niche but you feel like
every Niche is unoccupied or like what
would be the top niches I'd say like
Finance is definitely flooded now like
that was the opportunity when I started
and like when you started uh Silicon
Valley Girl 2018 yeah around then that
was like perfect time for like Finance
content right now yeah it's it's just
more like Niche content or different
styles of content so like with Finance
videos right um the one thing I think I
did pretty well was like in 20 like
around 2020 I realized that a lot of the
finance videos that people were making
were like 10 minutes long I said okay
what if I just make an hour long or
2hour long tutorial on like the stock
market and nobody else had really done
that and so I was able to like that
those stock market tutorials got like
three or four million views each because
nobody was like people wanted doing the
one yeah the was like okay I'm sick of
like the 13-minute video telling me to
like invest in a Roth IRA how do I
actually do it I want like the full like
mean potatoes you know like they want
like yeah yeah so that's interesting
Okay so what are the what is the niche
that you excited about if you can share
uh I'm not sure if I can share it it's
cuz it's like super just competitive
okay maybe like um for people who are
just starting out if they're picking a
niche that's so tough cuz I think I have
like Tunnel Vision on like this specific
area Finance right yeah Finance or just
like uh like educational info content
but there's there's something there for
everyone it's like the way to to to find
something like that because it's it's
hard to like just describe the exact
niches it's more of like when you go
onto YouTube and specifically YouTube
like long form videos and you find
someone with very few subscribers but
they're getting a lot of views that's
like the imbalance that's like the
biggest green green light ever and they
getting more views than subscribers like
how's this person they have like 2,000
subscribers but they're getting 20,000
views a video and like like you can
sense that they're like getting ready to
blow up especially if you watch videos
and you're like they're not even that
good like like you think you could maybe
improve on them somehow that's like
most amazing thing ever and and um it's
so rare to find that but when you do
like really really take note on that and
so every channel is now profitable right
so you spend like no no not every
channel is profitable we just started a
new one um and you're going to give it
two years is that two years to to become
profitable I think it'll probably start
cash flowing in the next like 16 months
maybe uh but it takes a long time to
like get it off do you share those names
of those channels or no but I'll I'll
tell you afterwards but like you don't
share because you think it's a great
opportunity and you don't want other
YouTubers to um yeah it's just like I
just don't really talk about it too much
but yeah I've talked to a lot of
YouTubers recently and I feel like a lot
of YouTubers are digging into like how
can I remove myself from the picture but
still use my talent what do you think is
going to happen to YouTube like because
if everybody realizes you can like Jake
Tran he makes videos without even
showing his face right if there is a
software that can automate b-roll
there's 11 Labs that clones your voice
with pretty much it sounds like a normal
voice do you think it's going to be
flooded in a in the next couple years
yeah I'm I'm not sure what's going to
happen with that I mean it's it's um I
think YouTube's going to find a way to
to still filter it out and cuz like
people have to remember like YouTube is
on the Creator side um like where like
they want people to stay on the platform
as long as possible so they're they're
probably just going to get better at
like the algorithm with like
recommendations and um you know I'm
actually not sure though where where
that's going to end up but I think
that's the question with everything with
with AI yeah yeah it's crazy to to just
realize everything can now be automated
yeah even like the yeah all the work so
eight channels some of them were not
profitable yet but you're going to
invest for the next 16 months can you
talk about like um overall Revenue if
you're okay with say numbers say numbers
if you're not okay with telling me the
exact numbers you can say like what's
the proportion where where the does the
money come from like Number One Source
SCE number two I got you yeah um yeah so
I mean it's definitely like makes more
than my like YouTube channel like my
personal brand okay so that will be your
media company will be number one well
congratulations that's amazing I think
it's so cool like for every YouTuber
just doing something that's bigger than
your primary Channel yeah that's the
goal yeah I think that passed it like
2020 maybe or 2021 so it took you like
you started 208 so years um and that's
kind of why I've also like not really
posted much on my channel it's like
slowly phed out but yeah from that the
actual breakdown from like revenue from
those it's it's very heavily like
affiliate a lot of those like uh Finance
MH apps um and then AdSense AdSense is
good but there's like a weird bug on
YouTube right now where they'll just
like kill your your AdSense it'll drop
like 90% it's happened to so many people
that I know especially who make like
search based videos
um where like say your Channel's making
like $10,000 a month in add sense and
then all of a sudden one day one day
just goes down 90% ,000 a month no and
we've talked to so many people at
YouTube about this and they're like like
they don't have a clear answer I think
it's cuz they think that like there's
traffic coming that's like not um oh bot
like Bots or whatever exactly but it's
but like I know so many people that this
has happened to and they're not driving
B like they're not botting so that's
that's the part that's kind of weird
interesting yeah that's that's the thing
with being dependent on one source of
income but your number one is affiliate
right yeah the second would be AdSense
um maybe sponsors probably like flat fee
sponsors but we don't do a lot of those
anymore the reason why I don't like a
lot of flat fee sponsors is like let's
say on my YouTube channel right like a
company might offer like $20,000 for
like a flat fee like mid roll like ad in
a video my problem with that is like I'm
kind of maxed out then at $220,000 if
you insert an affiliate then you can
make so much more right that basic
unlimited upside um that's great that's
great if you figured out the affiliate
part yeah and so then it's like I just
feel like with the flat fee sponsor it's
like I feel like I'm really trading my
time for money it's like if it takes me
all day to make a video and then I'm
maxed out at like a certain amount you
still get
AdSense yeah and you still can you can
still put other affiliate links in in
description no maybe it depends we some
yeah sometimes they're super strict but
sometimes they're like whatever can you
give advice on like trying to someone
who's trying to to figure out Affiliates
um the biggest advice I would say is
like just like knowing when people are
warmed up to something so like um
because a lot of our volume comes from
search like people are already looking
for something specific and so then we
have it there like if they're like okay
like what are the best investing apps
right and they search that on YouTube M
and now the five best investing apps
that we talking about we have an
affiliate link to each one of those like
the conversion is going to be through
the roof because because it's so like
they're so ready for it but also top
five investment apps like Vanguard
wouldn't have an affiliate how do you um
well so or you just don't include it no
no no no no So like um we'll usually
either like link to it or um we've do
this a lot where we'll just drive
traffic to a company without even being
like an affiliate partner with them and
then like once we like hey like we got
like we got 10,000 like clicks sent to
your website I'm sure we drove like at
least a few hundred customers we should
work together were you able to do
something yeah we do that all the time
with companies where like they don't
have an affiliate program and then we
just send them a lot of traffic we like
you guys should really make an affiliate
program that's great that is awesome
what about your um VC company you said
it's taking up a lot of time do you
interview a lot of startups what's the
process there yeah so um my partner on
the fund is is sebie which you know and
hopefully some people know him as well
um and we started that in 2022 um and uh
you know we raised some money for a lot
of it's our own money as well and we
just invest into early stage like preed
seed companies um a lot of consumer Tech
but any exits not yet but it's coming
things are looking good yeah I'm I'm I'm
very excited in in especially like the
past like two or three months um where
the the thing with like when you invest
into really early stage companies where
it's literally like an idea or like they
barely have like an MVP is like there's
basically like a one to twoe period
after you invest where you're like
praying and and so doubtful and then all
of a sudden and sometimes this can take
a long time like look at figma which I
guess that figma adobe deal got canell
but I mean they they were founded like
over a decade ago and for like the first
like eight years it was just like flat
like it did nothing and then all of a
sudden it was hockey stick so um yeah
things are looking good we're still
investing and like deploying the funds
um how many companies do you invest in
each month so far we've invested into 14
um since May of 2022 so almost two years
14 companies and we probably still have
another um I'd say close to 20 companies
that we'll probably invest into in total
maybe maybe 15 to 20 yeah do is it only
you and sebie yeah it's myself and sebie
um who like are the GPS on on the fund
is that what you most the most excited
about uh in in what you're doing yeah
it's definitely the one that like I wake
up and I just get super excited about it
um and talking to people and Founders is
such a great way to just stay in the
loop with like what the future is like
what the world's going to look like in
10 years um or even in 50 years and um I
think the best part about it is like not
the returns or the potential returns but
like as a person with like investing
have like a tiny influence on what the
future's going to look like because you
know even if like a check that you're
writing like an angel check is maybe
like $110,000 even like that $10,000
might make or break it for the company
so yeah that's that's really cool that's
exciting uh can we talk about your
personal finance a little bit when like
your expenses what's the fraction of
your total income right now cuz I know
you're you live a fugal life um I say
you're like desk setups yeah
well no I actually don't think I live as
Frugal of a life anymore because you
travel travel and then also I I I like
eating out a lot like restaurants and
guilty pleasures yeah so I definitely
spend a lot more than I used to like if
people watch like my minimalist videos
in like 2020 it's definitely I've
changed a bit um but expenses as as a
total of my income is probably like
maybe like 10% and so you're able to
save around like 90% well yeah the the
IRS takes half but uh have you thought
about buying real estate um not really
no I'm I'm not a real estate person why
um you know people always say it's great
for for taxes but then you're then
you're stuck in real estate and you're
going to have to recapture all of those
gains at some point if you ever sell so
then it's like you can't ever sell you
you can sell sell and you buy another
yeah but then you have houses all over
the world that sounds like a lot of
headache to me
but you can hire a manager yeah I know
but uh I would rather be more liquid and
real estate just doesn't it doesn't
excite me yeah interesting yeah wow
you're the first person yeah cuz
everyone is like oh I'd love to buy
something it just seems boring to me
like I I would rather rent and um I'd
rather invest in the stock market or so
all any other asset all ofia if we take
the all of your savings like what
percentage is in cash what percentage in
is invested what's what's in crypto
what's in stocks uh the majority is
definitely in stocks individual stocks
actually oh risky yeah um yeah and then
I have a good chunk in like you know
index funds um crypto I'm pretty
Diversified with like how much is in
crypto um like percentage mhm uh usually
around like 5 to 10% I try to keep it in
that range is it on Ledger um I I have
hard like wallets yeah yeah yeah yeah
yeah I after 2021 you don't trust I
wouldn't trust keeping any crypto on any
exchanges yeah so okay crypto um stocks
how much do you have in cash in
percentage it's probably maybe around
like 20% or so uh I I usually don't have
like a ton of cash on hand is it in on
high high yield savings account uh like
short-term treasuries yeah it's a little
bit better like higher yield than a
where did you buy them uh just through
my brokerage yeah M yeah but it's it's
like right now you could get like 5% on
like short-term treasuries short term
meaning like like 6 months you know 3
months one month it could be yeah
anything under like a year for some
people that might be kind of complicated
to buy those specifically you can put
your money into like things like uh
funds that basically are that but like
they're liquid and they're not it's not
the actual like bonds or notes
themselves where do you see yourself in
five years like what's the goal with all
of this uh in five years I I have no
idea um probably probably Slow Down
Start a family I wanted to focus my
early 20s on just like building a nice
Baseline of like you know have enough
money set myself up so that if I don't
want to work I don't have to which I
think I'm like at that point now and now
I can just work on things that that I
love you know and that I really want to
do and so maybe like 5 years from now
I'll just big farm you know cattle or
something and like I'll be able to do it
cuz I won won't be worried about paying
the bills you're living a life that's
amazing you're how old are you now 25 25
traveling the world having your income
figured out your retirements oh sorry
your retirement account is probably all
ready for you to retire yeah that is
perfect okay let's wrap up this video
with one advice for everyone who wants
to be like as successful as you are and
it's just starting out I'd say don't
reinvent the wheel MH yeah like people
try to create like some you know crazy
new formula or something I would say
just like look at what's working for
people then just like modify it ever so
slightly post just yeah and and for
influencers um
I guess consistently post but it's more
of just like I'd focus on quality over
quantity also if if you're trying to do
the influencer out yeah but also like
for you 16 months I'm I'm just thinking
eight channels 16 months you're posting
every week right um yeah every week or
you know a few times a month and it's
yeah that's amazing week that's you know
you're really diligent about actually
making things happen that's the because
I know some people like they posted
videos oh they didn't perform it's not
for me people don't like me yeah or just
like getting started is the like hardest
part it's like oh I don't know what like
when I was 18 I was like who's going to
listen to me about investing in the
stock market I'm 18 did you have
imposter syndrome when you started
totally yeah I mean I still do everyone
everyone does you know does anyone ever
tell you like oh how can you talk about
this you don't have a license or
whatever no and that's what I was
shocked by when like people were
listening to me when I was 18 I was like
what this is kind of scary you're also
very humble and you're like this is what
it looks like for me you know I'm just
sharing yeah that was great thank you so
much Nate you're super inspiring and I
hope more people who are watching their
18s they they will be like oh my God I
want to do the same thing as Nate be
consistent right and don't reement the
the wheel yeah thanks for having me on
thank you so much that was amazing bye
guys and please subscribe to Nate's
Channel I hope he's going to post
something
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