Aspiring Creator

In this week’s episode of Aspiring Creator, I talk about my new one-take second channel, testing long-form video on Facebook, and what running shorts for 3 weeks straight did to my channel's numbers. If you're building a creator business and want the unpolished version of what's working (and what's not), this one's for you. New episodes every Wednesday 🚀 ⏰ TIMESTAMPS 00:00 - Why I started a second channel 📺 06:25 - Leaning into your unfair advantage 💪 10:09 - Posting long-form to Facebook?? 📘 13:52 - Am I moving back to Howl 💀 19:08 - What 3 weeks of only shorts taught me 📈 29:01 - Vibe coding our whole business 💻 🔗 LINKS Pete Matheson's Cool Channel - https://www.youtube.com/@PeteMatheson2 💬 SOCIAL STUFF ▸ Instagram: @petematheson ▸ LinkedIn: @petematheson ▸ Website: https://www.petematheson.com/

In this week’s episode of Aspiring Creator, I talk about a brand that turned a 4-page brief into 40+ pages mid-shoot, what 2 weeks of focusing on shorts actually did to my views and subs, and how I just used Claude to plan my entire video schedule through the end of 2026. If you're building a creator business and want the unpolished version of what's working (and what's not), this one's for you. New episodes every Wednesday 🚀 ⏰ TIMESTAMPS 00:00 - 4 Pages To 40 Pages Overnight 📄 04:09 - Why I Want A Zero-Edit Second Channel ✂️ 10:52 - Shorts Doubled My Subs (Was It Worth It?) 🤔 16:57 - Paddy Galloway's Best Creator Advice 🧠 25:14 - Letting Claude Build My 2026 Content Schedule 🗓️ LINKS 🔗 Paddy Galloway’s 30 Lessons from Turning 30 - https://www.linkedin.com/posts/paddy-galloway-459b8913a_i-just-turned-30-ive-dedicated-over-50-activity-7460328048635191296-IFmy 💬 SOCIAL STUFF ▸ Instagram: @petematheson ▸ LinkedIn: @petematheson ▸ Website: https://www.petematheson.com/

In this week’s episode of Aspiring Creator, I talk about saving a tanking video by retitling it within 24 hours, losing creative control on a sponsored deal that completely killed it, and whether Claude is about to gut the SaaS industry. If you're building a creator business and want the unpolished version of what's working (and what's not), this one's for you. New episodes every Wednesday 🚀 ⏰ TIMESTAMPS 00:00 - Turning a 10/10 into a 1/10 📉 06:03 - Losing creative control on a brand deal 🚫 12:23 - Brand wants to fly me to China ✈️ 15:07 - Is Claude killing SaaS? 🤖 19:01 - Shiny new toy syndrome ✨ 20:45 - $500 vs $30k brand deals 💰 26:15 - Cutting production effort ✂️ 💬 SOCIAL STUFF ▸ Instagram: @petematheson ▸ LinkedIn: @petematheson ▸ Website: https://www.petematheson.com/

In this week’s episode of Aspiring Creator, I talk about why YouTube views are tanking for established creators right now, why the algorithm has stopped surfacing videos to subscribers across the platform, and how I ended up with two failed monitor videos in a single week.If you're building a creator business and want the unpolished version of what's working (and what's not), this one's for you.New episodes every Wednesday 🚀⏰ TIMESTAMPS 00:00 - Two Failed Videos In One Week 💀04:26 - Why Established Channels Are Cooked 🔥12:44 - I Replaced Monday.com With Claude 🛠️19:09 - Quickest Press Trip Ever 🛫20:16 - Good Metrics, Bad Views 📉21:51 - Can't Reach My Own Audience 🚫💬 SOCIAL STUFF▸ Instagram: @petematheson▸ LinkedIn: @petematheson▸ Website: https://www.petematheson.com/

In this week’s episode of Aspiring Creator, I talk about the creator tools I'm building with Claude (a Monday replacement, brand tracker, contract checker + more), whether pausing long-form for 2 weeks to test shorts is worth it, and why Samsung (not Howl) might actually be the reason creators aren't getting paid affiliate income.If you're building a creator business and want the unpolished version of what's working (and what's not), this one's for you.New episodes every Wednesday 🚀⏰ TIMESTAMPS00:00 - Paris with Huawei ✈️03:00 - Is Samsung the real affiliate problem? (not Howl) 🤔08:28 - The creator tools I'm building with Claude 🛠️20:09 - Taking two weeks off to test shorts 📱25:26 - I just ordered the DJI Pocket 4 📸💬 SOCIALS▸ Instagram: @petematheson▸ LinkedIn: @petematheson▸ Website: https://www.petematheson.com/

In this week’s episode of Aspiring Creator, I talk about having 0 sponsorships booked for Q2 after our biggest quarter yet, building an AI system with Claude to automate brand outreach, and how persistence finally got Apple to send us products.If you're building a creator business and want the unpolished version of what's working (and what's not), this one's for you.New episodes every Wednesday 🚀⏰ TIMESTAMPS00:00 - The short form vs long form debate 🎬05:15 - We have an empty sponsorship calendar 👀08:44 - Why I said no to a paid brand event ✈️12:40 - Stop sending rate cards to brands 🛑14:51 - Claude meets brand deals (automating the process) 🧠21:39 - Is Samsung the problem? 💸23:02 - How we got Apple to notice us 🍏LINKS🖥️ Studio Display XDR Review: https://youtu.be/hQCzpUfBpqg🎬 Becky’s YouTube Producer App: https://youtubeproducer.app/💬 SOCIAL STUFF▸ Instagram: @petematheson▸ LinkedIn: @petematheson▸ Website: https://www.petematheson.com/

In this week’s episode of Aspiring Creator, I talk about why short form is starting to out-earn long form, what brand trips are really like behind the scenes, and how AI saved me £3.5k on a surprise tax bill.If you're building a creator business and want the unpolished version of what's working (and what's not), this one's for you.New episodes every Wednesday 🚀⏰ TIMESTAMPS00:00 - Brand trips explained ✈️10:21 - Why brands prefer shorts 💸16:43 - A smarter way to sell sponsorships? 🤔19:41 - Why Adobe Creator Live stood out (a lot) 🌟30:05 - Why big creators skip brand trips 👀33:54 - AI vs the council (AI won) 🏆35:26 - $3,000 a month to post videos? 👀💬 SOCIAL STUFF▸ Instagram: @petematheson▸ LinkedIn: @petematheson▸ Website: https://www.petematheson.com/

In this week’s episode of Aspiring Creator, I talk about my experience at MWC (Mobile World Congress) and Samsung Unpacked, the current reality of sponsorships on YouTube, and why I’m seriously reconsidering the future of my website with the new AI advances.If you're building a creator business and want the unpolished version of what's working (and what's not), this one's for you.New episodes every Wednesday 🚀⏰ TIMESTAMPS00:00 - The Reality Behind Big Tech Events 🎪09:50 - The Only Tech Events I’d Go To Now 🎟️12:19 - Why I’m Pausing My Website (For Now) 🌐18:26 - Why Brand Deals Aren’t Landing 📬21:56 - The 24-Hour View Trap on YouTube 🎯25:55 - Fixing Our Brand Outreach System 🛠️30:25 - How Creator Brand Trips Actually Work ✈️💬 SOCIAL STUFF▸ Instagram: @petematheson▸ LinkedIn: @petematheson▸ Website: https://www.petematheson.com/

🚨 Sign up to Experiments in Progress - my weekly newsletter sharing tested tech and behind-the-scenes experiments: https://www.experimentsinprogress.com/*****In this week’s episode of Aspiring Creator, I talk about accidentally deleting my entire YouTube channel (yes, really), what actually saved it, and why it forced me to rethink how I’m building the business behind the scenes.I also dive into the Dell monitor review that’s blown up this year, the growing trend of paid growth and bought views (including the MrBeast debate), and whether building products might be smarter than chasing traffic.If you're building a creator business and want the unpolished version of what's working (and what's not), this one's for you.New episodes every Wednesday 🚀⏰ TIMESTAMPS00:00 Should I Just Make Monitor Videos? 🖥️09:56 Leaving the UK? 🌍13:40 How To Stay Top of Mind With Brands? 🧠17:11 Where I’m Investing Right Now 📈19:21 The Chair Scandal 💺23:14 I Deleted My Entire Channel 😱32:16 How Do You Get Invited to Media Events? 🎟️40:11 Is SEO Dead? 📉51:08 Is MrBeast Buying Growth? 📈LINKS📺 Marcus Jones - No Seriously, YouTube is Starting to Break - https://youtu.be/V9TXWSKt5ww✍️ How MrBeast Dominated 2025 Using Advertising - https://x.com/MrBeast_Stats/status/2025649596744302686?s=20💬 SOCIAL STUFF▸ Instagram: @petematheson▸ LinkedIn: @petematheson▸ Website: https://www.petematheson.com/

In this week’s episode of Aspiring Creator, I talk about using AI to analyse and refocus my YouTube channel, whether Shorts actually drive long-form views, and how I’m thinking about tax savings as a UK creator.If you're building a creator business and want the unpolished version of what's working (and what's not), this one's for you.New episodes every Wednesday 🚀⏰ TIMESTAMPS00:00 - Asking AI What My Channel Is About 🤖10:28 - Do Shorts Actually Feed Long-Form? 📉12:25 - Where AI Fits Into Our Workflow ⚙️15:52 - Losing Access to Brand Events 🎟️19:49 - The Enshittification of the Internet 🗑️24:32 - Reducing Tax as a UK Creator 🇬🇧🔗 LINKSCheck out the newsletter: experimentsinprogress.com💬 SOCIAL STUFF▸ Instagram: @petematheson▸ LinkedIn: @petematheson▸ Website: https://www.petematheson.com/

In this week’s episode of Aspiring Creator, I talk about getting threatened by affiliate platform, Howl, after chasing unpaid fees, why I turned down a £14k sponsorship, and the changes I’m making to simplify the business behind the channel - from editing workflows to shorts strategy.If you're building a creator business and want the unpolished version of what's working (and what's not), this one's for you.New episodes every Wednesday 🚀⏰ TIMESTAMPS00:00 Getting Paid… Then Getting Threatened 💸07:41 Update on our Editing Workflow 🔗09:40 Our New Shorts Strategy (+ Why) 🚀13:47 Fewer Links, Better Conversions 🔗19:10 Turning Down £14k 💸22:17 This Was Worth Buying 💰26:23 Samsung Unpacked Prep 📱💬 SOCIAL STUFF▸ Instagram: @petematheson▸ LinkedIn: @petematheson▸ Website: https://www.petematheson.com/

In this week’s episode of Aspiring Creator, I’m at CES in Las Vegas and thought I’d do something a bit different — stick a camera on the table at a steak dinner with a bunch of tech YouTubers and get everyone’s honest, off-the-cuff tips on growing on YouTube.If you're building a creator business and want the unpolished version of what's working (and what's not), this one's for you.New episodes every Wednesday 🚀⏰ TIMESTAMPS00:00 - Intro02:09 - Pete (@PeteMatheson)03:08 - Dariusz (@DariuszTech)03:47 - Patrick (@PatrickRambles)04:11 - David (@DavidAVelez1)05:37 - Fenson (@Gadgetsu)07:14 - Mark & Paul (@MarkEllisReviews | @1PaulJ)09:36 - Pete & Darius10:39 - Tausif (@TausifHussain)11:29 - Outtakes💬 SOCIAL STUFF▸ Instagram: @petematheson▸ LinkedIn: @petematheson▸ Website: https://www.petematheson.com/

In this week’s episode of Aspiring Creator, I talk about why affiliate links might not be working the way you think, what I learned from calling out an affiliate platform, and how CES ended up being our most profitable year yet. I also share my honest take on YouTube Promote vs building an organic audience.If you're building a creator business and want the unpolished version of what's working (and what's not), this one's for you.New episodes every Wednesday 🚀⏰ TIMESTAMPS00:00 - The Video That Got Me a Legal Threat ⚖️05:37 - How I Found Someone Reposting My Videos 🔍07:51 - When a Video Doesn’t Find Its Audience 🎯12:37 - Are Affiliate Platforms a Scam? (+ the Honey Scandal) 🤔22:27 - How CES Finally Paid Off 📈32:31 - Growing Beyond YouTube (+ How I Got to Work with Lego)⏳39:44 - Is Now the Right Time to Start YouTube? ⏱️🔗 LINKSMegaLag: Exposing the Honey Influencer Scam - https://youtu.be/vc4yL3YTwWk💬 SOCIAL STUFF▸ Instagram: @petematheson▸ LinkedIn: @petematheson▸ Website: https://www.petematheson.com/

In this week’s episode of Aspiring Creator, I break down what’s been going on behind the scenes this week - from delayed affiliate payments on Howl and the messy reality of tracking commissions, to getting set up with the Panasonic Lumix S1 II.I also share how I’m approaching CES this year and my 2026 goals for the business 💪If you're building a creator business and want the unpolished version of what's working (and what's not), this one's for you.New episodes every Wednesday 🚀⏰ TIMESTAMPS00:00 - Howl Is Delaying Our Affiliate Payments ⏳05:45 - Getting to Grips With the Panasonic Lumix S1 II 📸09:20 - How I’m Approaching CES This Year 🗓️17:39 - What We Keep (and Ditch) From Brand Gear 📦19:30 - 2026 Goals: Website Traffic, Socials & Digital Products 📊💬 SOCIAL STUFF▸ Instagram: @petematheson▸ LinkedIn: @petematheson▸ Website: https://www.petematheson.com/

I've relaunched Aspiring Creator and this time I've outsourced everything except sitting in the chair and talking, so kick back and come behind the scenes 😃In this episode I talk about my Black Friday studio haul, the honest truth about finding a good agency, and the 36-page script that completely got out of hand.If you're building a creator business and want the unpolished version of what's working (and what's not), this one's for you.New episodes every Wednesday 🚀⏰ TIMESTAMPS00:00 My Black Friday Studio Haul 🎥12:22 Taking Time Off Does Hurt Your IG Reach 📉14:42 My Honest Advice on Finding an Agency 📬19:36 When Your Script Hits 36 Pages… 😅26:14 When Other Sites Republish Your Content 📄💬 SOCIAL STUFF▸ Instagram: @petematheson▸ LinkedIn: @petematheson▸ Website: https://www.petematheson.com/

I've relaunched Aspiring Creator and this time I've outsourced everything except sitting in the chair and talking, so kick back and come behind the scenes 😃In this episode I talk about the huge range of editing costs I uncovered this week, my accountant’s mistake that ended up costing me thousands. and then take you inside a full BTS Porsche shoot.If you’re curious how creators juggle editing, finances, shoots, and keeping the whole machine running - this one’s for you.New episodes every Wednesday 🚀⏰ TIMESTAMPS00:00 Are We Paying Too Much for Editing? 🎬03:59 When Your Accountant’s Mistake Costs You Thousands 💥12:17 Behind the Scenes of Our Porsche Shoot 🚘20:35 Streamlining Our Edits: What We’re Changing 🎥22:53 Power Bins Are Getting Us Closer to Faster Edits ⚡💬 SOCIAL STUFF▸ Instagram: @petematheson▸ LinkedIn: @petematheson▸ Website: https://www.petematheson.com/

I've relaunched Aspiring Creator and this time I've outsourced everything except sitting in the chair and talking, so kick back and come behind the scenes 😃In this episode I break down how we’ve ended up with a brand deal on almost every video - and the setup that finally makes it sustainable. We also get into a frank chat with a brand about expectations, plus a few behind-the-scenes upgrades from new gear to DaVinci workflow experiments.If you're curious about how creators actually manage sponsorships, workflow, and keeping the whole machine going … this one’s for you.New episodes every Wednesday 🚀⏰ TIMESTAMPS00:00 - The Problem With Posting when an Embargo Lifts ⚠️06:36 - Talking Honestly With a Brand About Results 📊15:49 - Why I Finally Bought the Mavic 4 Pro 🚁19:39 - DaVinci Power Bins could be a Game Changer 🚀23:08 - The Hybrid Approach to Brand Deals 🔄27:52 - Black Friday Strategy: Links, Deals & Brand Outreach 🔗🔗 LINKS📰 My newsletter: experimentsinprogress.com💬 SOCIAL STUFF▸ Instagram: @petematheson▸ LinkedIn: @petematheson▸ Website: https://www.petematheson.com/

I've relaunched Aspiring Creator and this time I've outsourced everything except sitting in the chair and talking, so kick back and come behind the scenes 😃In this episode I talk about how we may have got confirmation that some creators are “legally” buying views to get sponsors, dig into the metrics brands actually check before they approve a deal and share how to actually make the most of CES as a creator.If you're building a creator business and want the unpolished version of what's working (and what's not), this one's for you.New episodes every Wednesday 🚀⏰ TIMESTAMPS00:00 - How We Map Out a Year of Videos 🎬05:43 - How to Maximise CES as a Creator 🚀11:29 - When a Brand Deal Underperforms (And They Want More) 📉17:44 - Editor Update: Our Capacity Problem 🎬18:57 - The Metrics Brands Look at Before Approving a Deal 💼23:57 - Confirmed: Brands Are Being Scammed by Fake Views ⚠️💬 SOCIAL STUFF▸ Instagram: @petematheson▸ LinkedIn: @petematheson▸ Website: https://www.petematheson.com/

I've relaunched Aspiring Creator and this time I've outsourced everything except sitting in the chair and talking, so kick back and come behind the scenes 😃In this episode I talk about why I turned down a $25k sponsorship, how hiring an in-person editor has been game-changing and how I got on LEGO’s radar.If you're building a creator business and want the unpolished version of what's working (and what's not), this one's for you.New episodes every Wednesday 🚀⏰ TIMESTAMPS00:00 - The Power of Having an In-Person Editor 💪10:14 - Why We Hired Pros Instead of Buying Gear 🎥16:27 - Why We Said No to a $25,000 💰24:45 - How We Got on LEGO’s Radar 🧱💬 SOCIAL STUFF▸ Instagram: @petematheson▸ LinkedIn: @petematheson▸ Website: https://www.petematheson.com/

This week on Aspiring Creator, I’m back from a OnePlus press trip in Prague - and it didn’t quite go to plan 😅 From rain-soaked camera tests to awkward brand negotiations, this episode dives into the real behind-the-scenes of creator life.If you're building a creator business and want the unpolished version of what's working (and what's not), this one's for you.New episodes every Wednesday 🚀⏰ TIMESTAMPS00:00 - What Really Happens on Tech Creator Press Trips 📸04:09 - Do Creators Really Have to Disclose Everything? 🤔09:58 - Why I’m Probably Not Going Back to VidSummit 🚫14:26 - Creators with Kids: You’re Playing a Different Game 🎯17:49 - How We Use Shorts to Test Video Ideas 💡22:52 - How I Accidentally Upset a Brand 😬💬 SOCIAL STUFF▸ Instagram: @petematheson▸ LinkedIn: @petematheson▸ Website: https://www.petematheson.com/

I've relaunched Aspiring Creator and this time I've outsourced everything except sitting in the chair and talking, so kick back and come behind the scenes 😃In this episode I talk about using Claude AI to rebuild our entire project system, smashing Q4 sponsorship targets and how creators can pitch brand deals that work.If you're building a creator business and want the unpolished version of what's working (and what's not), this one's for you.New episodes every Wednesday 🚀⏰ TIMESTAMPS00:00 - How Claude AI Rebuilt Our Sponsorship Tracker 🤖05:01 - How we Plan for Dips in Revenue 📈06:49 - How VidSummit Changed My Approach to YouTube 📺11:15 - How We’re Reinvesting Brand Deal Money Into the Channel 🎥13:45 - How Creators Should Pitch Brand Deals (Most Brands Still Don’t Get It) 💡26:10 - Why I Don’t Bother Growing on Other Platforms 🙅‍♂️30:24 - Who Should I Interview Next? 👀💬 SOCIAL STUFF▸ Instagram: @petematheson▸ LinkedIn: @petematheson▸ Website: https://www.petematheson.com/

I've relaunched Aspiring Creator and this time I've outsourced everything except sitting in the chair and talking, so kick back and come behind the scenes 😃In this episode I talk about what I learned at VidSummit 2025 - from how top creators run their teams and edit faster, to the weird world of fake affiliate channels, and why every YouTuber probably needs a producer, not just an editor.If you're building a creator business and want the unpolished version of what's working (and what's not), this one's for you.New episodes every Wednesday 🚀⏰ TIMESTAMPS00:00 Inside VidSummit: Key Takeaways, Lessons & Conversations ✈️05:08 When Brands Secretly Own ‘Review’ Channels 👀09:34 Fixing Our Biggest Bottleneck: Editing 🧠14:01 The Power of Storytelling in Tech YouTube 🔋17:50 Fix Your First Frame: The Secret to Better Shorts 🎯20:55 The 4% Creator Club 🤑26:11 I Finally Found an Accountant Who Gets YouTube 💼27:53 Redefining Roles: Why My “Channel Manager” Is Actually a Producer 🎬💬 SOCIAL STUFF▸ Instagram: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠@petematheson⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠▸ LinkedIn: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠@petematheson⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠▸ Website: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://www.petematheson.com/

I've relaunched Aspiring Creator and this time I've outsourced everything except sitting in the chair and talking, so kick back and come behind the scenes 😃In this episode I talk about how much a 1-million-view video actually earns, YouTube’s new co-creator feature, and whether AI could really replace YouTubers.If you're building a creator business and want the unpolished version of what's working (and what's not), this one's for you.New episodes every Wednesday 🚀⏰ TIMESTAMPS00:00 - YouTube’s Co-Creator Feature - Worth It or Not? 🎥02:22 - What Does a 1-Million-View Video Actually Earn 🤑08:27 - Why I’m Saying No to Smaller Brand Launches 🚫13:54 - We’re Hiring a New Editor 👋15:31 - Could AI Replace YouTubers Entirely? (Sora 3 is insane) 🤖18:37 - Creators Are Lying About Sponsorships? 🤦🔗 LINKSiJustine’s video on Sora AI - https://www.youtube.com/shorts/iMK2TSXO_P4💬 SOCIAL STUFF▸ Instagram: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠@petematheson⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠▸ LinkedIn: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠@petematheson⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠▸ Website: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://www.petematheson.com/

I've relaunched Aspiring Creator and this time I've outsourced everything except sitting in the chair and talking, so kick back and come behind the scenes 😃In this episode I talk about how the channel really makes money, the different types of sponsorships (and what brands actually pay for), and why skipping iPhone launch videos might have been a mistake.If you're building a creator business and want the unpolished version of what's working (and what's not), this one's for you.New episodes every Wednesday 🚀⏰ TIMESTAMPS00:00 - How The Channel Really Makes Money 💰06:35 - From £700 to £50K/Month: How I Grew My Sponsorships 🚀11:07 - Was Skipping the iPhone Launch a Mistake? 🤦14:38 - Types of Sponsorships & How to Charge 🤝20:42 - The Harsh Reality of Brand Trip Invites ✈️26:36 - How I Actually Pay Myself & the Team 💷💬 SOCIAL STUFF▸ Instagram: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠@petematheson⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠▸ LinkedIn: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠@petematheson⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠▸ Website: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://www.petematheson.com/

I'm relaunching Aspiring Creator and this time I've outsourced everything except sitting in the chair and talking, so kick back and come behind the scenes 😃In this episode I talk about the surprising impact chapters can have on watch time, the real impact of buying views, and the early lessons from working with an agent instead of managing every brand deal myself.If you're building a creator business and want the unpolished version of what's working (and what's not), this one's for you.New episodes every Wednesday 🚀⏰ TIMESTAMPS00:00 Buying Every New Apple Product 📱05:58 My First-Ever Apple Briefing Invite 🍏07:36 Why We Stopped Adding Chapters to Videos ⏯️08:52 The Hidden Cost of Buying Views 📉14:38 The Accountant Dilemma: Cost vs. Value 💼17:28 The Hidden Drawback of Having an Agent 🤔18:45 Why Everyone’s YouTube Views Suddenly Dropped 🔍20:40 Why A/B Testing Can Hurt Your Videos 🖼️🔗 LINKS📺 iPhone 17 Buyers Guide - https://youtu.be/Exp_iR2r3Oo📰 Subscribe to my newsletter: Experiments in Progress - https://www.experimentsinprogress.com/💬 SOCIAL STUFF▸ Instagram: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠@petematheson⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠▸ LinkedIn: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠@petematheson⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠▸ Website: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://www.petematheson.com/

On this week's Aspiring Creator we're talking about balancing quick cash from brand deals with long-term channel growth, the workflow tweaks I picked up from other creators, and a full breakdown of how much my channel actually makes.If you enjoyed this, a quick rating or review on your podcast app makes a huge difference 🙏New episodes every Wednesday 🚀⏰ TIMESTAMPS00:00 – Choosing Between Fast Cash and Sustainable Growth 💸05:14 – Buying Views and Why Brands Still Fall for It 🫠09:55 – How to Make One Great Video a Week ⚙️13:48 – Signing With an Agent but Keeping Control (the Hybrid Model) 🤝17:36 – Drowning in Last-Minute Brand Deals (Did I take on too much?) 👀22:17 – Big Rant: My Accounts (and Accountants) are a Mess 😫31:39 – Exactly How Much My Channel Makes 🤑💬 SOCIAL STUFF▸ Instagram: ⁠⁠⁠⁠@petematheson⁠⁠⁠⁠▸ LinkedIn: ⁠⁠⁠⁠@petematheson⁠⁠⁠⁠▸ Website: ⁠⁠⁠⁠https://www.petematheson.com/

On this week’s Aspiring Creator podcast, we’re live from IFA Berlin 2025, I’m joined by Alex and MrHtech for a very creator-at-a-trade-show kind of week. We get into how to actually make events like IFA pay, the constant battle with titles and workflow, and why fake views and dodgy metrics still mess up brand deals.If you enjoyed this, a quick rating or review on your podcast app makes a huge difference 🙏New episodes every Wednesday 🚀⏰ TIMESTAMPS00:00 - How Creators made Tech / Trade Shows Pay 🤑07:05 - The Clickbait Dilemma: Titles that perform vs titles that don’t annoy your audience 🎣13:08 - Planning Content for Apple Season (and keeping to deadlines) 📅18:17 - Do You Need an Agent to Manage Sponsorships? 🤝23:55 - Fake Views & Failing to Educate Brands 😤🔗 LINKSAlex Gear & Tech - https://www.youtube.com/@AlexGTechMrHtech - https://www.youtube.com/@MrHtech💬 SOCIAL STUFF▸ Instagram: ⁠⁠⁠@petematheson⁠⁠⁠▸ LinkedIn: ⁠⁠⁠@petematheson⁠⁠⁠▸ Website: ⁠⁠⁠https://www.petematheson.com/

Kick back for a very tech-YouTube week. From Google’s embargo-before-the-show chaos (plus a Jimmy Fallon keynote?!) to a Pixel review unit appearing out of nowhere, I unpack what happened. I also share how we’re simplifying our Monday.com content OS and discuss whether bringing an agency back in makes sense.If this helped, a quick rating/review on your podcast app really helps 🙏New episodes every Wednesday 🚀⏰ TIMESTAMPS00:00 - Pixel Launch Chaos, a Jimmy Fallon Keynote and a Review Unit Mysteriously Turning Up 📦07:19 - Pixel 10 Video Filmed on a Pixel 9: Mistake or Genius? 🧐11:17 - Levelling Up Our Monday.com Content Management System 🚀14:16 - Agency vs In-House: Can You Really Offload Sponsorship Admin Without Losing Money? 📈20:26 - Guaranteeing Views on Videos 👀🔗 LINKSCatch up on last week’s episode: https://youtu.be/C2oOcZi76SA💬 SOCIALS▸ Instagram: ⁠⁠@petematheson⁠⁠▸ LinkedIn: ⁠⁠@petematheson⁠⁠▸ Website: ⁠⁠https://www.petematheson.com/

We're back again with another behind-the-scenes look at running a creator business. In this episode I talk about:🚀 Growing an email list🤖 How to massively level up your content using Claude🤝 What really goes into brand deals and sponsorship negotiationsIf you're building a creator business and want the unpolished version of what's working (and what's not), this one's for you. New episodes every Wednesday 🚀⏰ TIMESTAMPS00:00 How to Grow an Email List (+ SEO Experiment Update) 🚀 05:57 Claude AI is Actually Insane 🤯16:52 How I Really Negotiate Brand Deals (with Actual Numbers) 🤝 26:46 Selling my Business to go all in on YouTube 😳32:00 The Real Difference Between Short Form and Long-Form Content 👀37:20 The Creator Trap: Why Doubling Output isn't Always the Way 🙅‍♂️42:11 Is Google Pixel Screwed Over Smaller Creators? 😕💬 SOCIALS▸ Instagram: ⁠@petematheson⁠▸ LinkedIn: ⁠@petematheson⁠▸ Website: ⁠https://www.petematheson.com/

I'm relaunching Aspiring Creator and this time I've outsourced everything except sitting in the chair and talking, so kick back and come behind the scenes 😃In this episode I talk about:🛠️ The systems that make the channel sustainable📈 Growth vs revenue and how I approach it🤖 AI & YouTube realityIf you're building a creator business and want the unpolished version of what's working (and what's not), this one's for you. New episodes every Wednesday 🚀⏰ TIMESTAMPS00:00 - My £1.5k/mo SEO bet (+ how I'm outsourcing) 💰05:16 - Why I'm Starting a Second Newsletter (+ monetisation) 📰07:09 - Views vs Brand Deals: Which is more important? (+ Tech-tober) 👀12:48 - New Content Management System (+ financial forecasting) 😌15:01 - YouTube Analytics: CTR vs Retention (+ is A/B testing worth it?) 📈19:59 - Channels Stealing Content (+ losing faith with YouTube) 🥷25:49 - Using AI for YouTube Analytics 🤖💬 SOCIAL STUFF▸ Instagram: @petematheson▸ LinkedIn: @petematheson▸ Website: https://www.petematheson.com/

Chapters 0:00 Press Trips 1:13 Uploading to YouTube Podcasts 3:02 CES 2025 and Upcoming Trips 7:38 I Quit 13:58 I want a Pixel 9 Pro Fold 18:30 First Year Numbers on YouTube 23:40 Asking for Subscribers 25:13 Helping others 27:20 Easier to find sponsors for Apple content? 29:00 93mph in a 30

0:23 Issues with YouTube Podcasts 2:51 Worth spending money on SEO? 7:40 Begging for Subscribers? 10:35 Less better videos 15:33 Careful with Switching 18:17 Curating Happy Comments 25:11 I now have an agent! 32:40 Video misses

Took me 6 months but I fixed the audio! haha 00:00 I've been a bit busy 00:50 Hitting 200,000 Subscribers 9:23 Finding a format that I love 13:25 Changing up my Team 19:19 Being First vs Being Best. Is there much difference? 21:10 Changes to our editing process 26:02 Attending Events - What should I have done?

Totally buggered up the mic settings here - Will fix this in future episodes! 00:00 The Shift in Content Creation on YouTube 05:44 Attending the Kajabi Event and Finding Clarity 10:34 Focusing on YouTube as the Main Source of Income 13:00 "Video Performance is Essential to working together again" 17:00 How do you review a bad product...? 21:30 The Challenges of Offering Discounted Rates to Sponsors

00:00 Manager vs. Agent for Sponsorships 06:09 The Value of Weekly Calls with Other Creators 08:05 The Misconception of Being a YouTuber 15:16 Running an IT Coaching Business 32:25 Exploring Non-Scripted Videos

Chapters 00:00 Building a Community for Tech Creators 03:48 Reflecting on Video Performance and Ideation Skills 06:39 Balancing YouTube Work and Other Commitments 10:28 Attending Brand Events: Insights and Opportunities 13:55 Gifted Products: Considering Audience Interest

Episode 3 of chatting about the creator economy, as an Aspiring Creator! Chapters 00:00 The Impact of Views on Content Creation 03:23 Balancing Creativity and Audience Engagement 08:16 Struggling with Making Videos to Be Proud Of 11:12 Navigating Brand Deals and Sponsorships 16:29 Influencer Summit Experiences 30:24 Balancing Commercial Success and Creative Fulfillment

In this episode, Pete discusses various topics related to the creator economy. He talks about his recent Twitter thread on his earnings as a content creator, the success of his video titled 'The Untold Truth of Buying an iPhone,' and his approach to video titles and thumbnails. Pete also shares his thoughts on SEO tools, AI advancements, and his experiences with brands and creator contracts. He concludes by mentioning upcoming events he has been invited to and his plans to offer legal templates for creators..

This is probably where I should write some show notes