This was Long Overdue.

Summary

After eight years of balancing a career as an aerospace research engineer and creating YouTube content, the speaker announces a major life change: quitting his engineering job to pursue content creation and entrepreneurship full-time. Faced with the pressures of work, family, and limited creative freedom, he recognizes the need to prioritize his passions. With the support of his community, including patrons and viewers, he is moving into a collaborative studio space with fellow creators, Mario and Robin. This new creative environment promises to unlock exciting opportunities, marking a new chapter in his journey as a full-time creator.

Takeaways

• 😀 After 8 years of creating YouTube content, the creator reflects on a transformative journey shaped by ups and downs, with the support of viewers motivating him to continue.
• 😀 The creator's career shift from aerospace engineering to metal additive manufacturing led to a fulfilling, yet demanding, professional life that required balancing family, YouTube, and work.
• 😀 To manage stress and have more time for creative projects, the creator reduced his work hours and moved to a part-time schedule, eventually even taking paternity leave.
• 😀 Juggling multiple roles, the creator realized the need for diversification of income streams, and began selling products alongside YouTube revenue, with Patreon being a steady support.
• 😀 The decision to quit his engineering job was difficult, especially with a family to support, but it became clear that pursuing a full-time creator career was the best path forward.
• 😀 A major change for the creator is moving into a new, collaborative studio space with other creators to foster creativity and share resources.
• 😀 The new studio, a 400 square meter space, is being developed with a focus on functionality and comfort for multiple creators to work on projects together.
• 😀 The creator expresses gratitude to William Osman for facilitating the connection that led to the creation of this new studio space, thanks to the open-source community.
• 😀 The new studio is still under construction, with progress shown in the video, including drywalling, kitchen installation, and setting up dedicated areas for work and relaxation.
• 😀 The creator highlights the importance of a work environment that promotes creativity and productivity, and is excited about the potential for future projects in the new space.
• 😀 Despite the challenges, the creator is optimistic about the future and looks forward to growing his content and business while balancing family life and creative work.

Q & A

What prompted the speaker to make the decision to leave their aerospace engineering job?

The speaker was overwhelmed by the demands of balancing a full-time job, family life, and running a YouTube channel. Despite initially managing to reduce work hours, the lack of time for personal projects and the toll on family life led to burnout. The decision was made to prioritize mental health, creative fulfillment, and family well-being.

How has the speaker's YouTube channel evolved over the years?

The YouTube channel started as a hobby focused on sharing personal research, but over the years, it grew into a large platform with hundreds of thousands of viewers. The speaker credits their audience for the channel's success and motivation to continue producing content despite the challenges.

What role did the speaker's family play in the decision to reduce work hours?

The speaker's family, particularly after the birth of their daughter, was a key factor in the decision to reduce work hours. Initially, they worked long hours to maintain both jobs, but the speaker realized that spending time with family, especially with their daughter, was becoming increasingly difficult and unhealthy.

Why did the speaker decide to diversify their income sources?

The speaker recognized that relying solely on YouTube ad revenue could be unstable, with fluctuations in income especially during certain months. To secure financial stability, they diversified into Patreon, YouTube memberships, affiliate marketing, and their own product business.

What kind of business does the speaker run alongside their YouTube channel?

The speaker runs a product business that sells heat set inserts and related items. While their business partner handles most of the logistics, the speaker is involved in product selection, quality control, and working with suppliers.

How has the speaker's involvement in product business helped in their career transition?

The speaker's involvement in the product business has provided financial diversification, which gave them the security to transition into full-time content creation. The ability to earn from multiple income streams helped reduce reliance on YouTube alone.

What new developments have occurred in the speaker’s creative workspace?

The speaker moved into a new, much larger shared studio space with fellow creators Mario Honberger and Robin Rer. The new space, at 400 square meters, allows for greater collaboration, more equipment, and a more comfortable environment for creative work.

What challenges did the speaker face when setting up the new studio?

The setup process was complex, with the studio space requiring significant renovations like drywalling, ceiling work, and the installation of a kitchen. The speaker also faced challenges with electrical issues and heating problems, as well as organizing the space to accommodate large equipment and collaborative work.

How has the speaker's YouTube content creation been influenced by their community?

The speaker credits their community, particularly Patreon supporters, YouTube members, and viewers who buy from their online store, for enabling the transition to full-time content creation. Their support provided financial stability and motivation, especially during challenging times.

What does the speaker hope to achieve in the future with the new studio?

The speaker hopes the new studio will foster creativity and collaboration with other talented creators. With the larger space, they aim to work on more ambitious projects that wouldn't have been possible before, and they are excited about the potential for growth and innovation.