Habits and Hustle - Episode 125: Michael Le – 50 Million Followers on TikTok, Creating Viral Videos, and Social Media Monetization

Episode Date: July 20, 2021

Michael Le has 50 million followers on TikTok, and is a Choreographer and Dancer. This 21-year-old just bought a house, is investing in cryptocurrency, and has begun a full family of viral generating ...accounts. Maybe you don’t get it. Maybe you don’t understand. Maybe it even frustrates you, but you have to hear what he has to say. This is the future, this is marketing, this is entrepreneurship and you don’t want to be left behind. Michael guides us through what it took to be a viral sensation, how he’s sustained that, and what his plans are moving forward using platforms many of us think are “just for kids.” Don’t close yourself off from the way the world is becoming, embrace it. This episode is a great start. Youtube Link to This Episode  Michael’s TikTok – https://www.tiktok.com/@justmaiko Michael’s Instagram – https://www.instagram.com/justmaiko/ ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ Did you learn something from tuning in today? Please pay it forward and write us a 5-star review on Apple Podcasts. 📧If you have feedback for the show, please email habitsandhustlepod@gmail.com  📙Get yourself a copy of Jennifer Cohen’s newest book from Habit Nest, Badass Body Goals Journal. ℹ️Habits & Hustle Website 📚Habit Nest Website 📱Follow Jennifer – Instagram – Facebook – Twitter – Jennifer’s Website Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

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Starting point is 00:01:02 This is such an exciting episode of Happets and Hustle. We have today, Michael Lee. Michael Lee is a massive TikTok star. Is that fair to say? Yeah, I guess so. 50 million followers. I think it was at like over a billion views and prices. Like, yeah, likes.
Starting point is 00:01:23 Yeah. And you also are like, you're pretty big on YouTube as well with millions and millions. Also Instagram, or as a TikTok, your big one. TikTok's my big one, but YouTube and Instagram, they're like, you know, they have a few mail-on-bolt from them. Oh, just a few mail-on-bolt. Okay. I mean, this is exciting for me because I'm so fascinated by all of this because I think it's
Starting point is 00:01:44 not my generation right like I'm trying to like learn as I go yeah so I guess like I mean let's just start from the beginning you're 19 years old I'm 21 oh 21 yeah I'm 21 oh my gosh 21 I thought you were 19 okay you're you're old and older like an old man so what tells how you began and how it just evolved from there. Yeah, quick story. I started becoming a dancer when I was 12. I took it more seriously when I was about age.
Starting point is 00:02:16 And around three to four years later I became more professional where I started doing music videos, became choreographer, teaching classes. And when social media came out Instagram and musically were the first like you know, at social media apps that could really post those types of videos. So I became one of the first social media dancers to come on just like any platforms. And then a few years later down the line, I just continued my journey as like a dancer, social media kind media personality.
Starting point is 00:02:46 By 2019, that's when things really started taking off. When TikTok came back into the picture. When I hopped on to it, basically it just kind of took off. I saw it as a beat next opportunity. The first one was like Vine. A lot of big social media stars came from Vine. I never hopped on it. I just kind of like hopped on it the first one was like fine. Like a lot of the big social media stars came from buying. And I never hopped on it. I just kind of like, I hopped on it the first week
Starting point is 00:03:09 and then I was like, I was not gonna go anywhere. I deleted it. And a few months later, I see it. And all these guys are popping off and like, oh my gosh, and never downloaded it. I was a super just like, you know, ego. I was like, ah, it's too late for me, whatever. So I never hopped onto it.
Starting point is 00:03:25 So when TikTok came out and it did what it did, I saw it as the next opportunity. So I took it and then two years later, I'm here. Wow, so let's get, I wanna start from the beginning. So you are a dancer as well, and then you're being music videos. What were you doing videos for? So I lived in Miami, so it was a lot of Latin artists.
Starting point is 00:03:45 Like, Da Yankee was my first one that we seen Ricky Martin. I did one in Chris Brown. The first time he came out to LA. And fabulous. New video is for him? Music video. Oh, yeah.
Starting point is 00:03:56 Oh, yeah. OK, wow. Chris Brown's the great dancers. And he's got to be pretty good if you can be keeping up with that guy. OK. Thank you. Thank you.
Starting point is 00:04:02 But yeah, it was super fun. And from there, I was like, all right, how can I elevate? How can I keep going? Because I think the biggest thing for the dancer was like, okay, I kind of looked at the biggest dancers in the industry and I was like, all right, how much money are they making? Is this really like a one-live?
Starting point is 00:04:21 Like, is it like enough money for me? Or what's the biggest that they can be? And I realized for a dancer was like oh you can be a backup dancer for someone else. And I thought it was cool to experience like you know like if I was a tour dancer or a music video dancer but I was never like the main person that people care for. And I wanted to share my art like and I felt like dance was such an expression of yourself. So I felt like, okay, social media,
Starting point is 00:04:48 I can make my own dance videos. And I am, in the sense, the star that people can watch. And that's why I kind of switched from being a professional dancer and moving into more of a creator of my own. Yeah, the content creator. Yeah, exactly. Did you ever think, what was that part of the plan? Like, oh, I want to become instant famous or be like a TikTok star
Starting point is 00:05:10 or like a social media star? Was that part of the strategy? So I started the social media in 2015. And I said, I was like, I want to be a YouTuber. And I told myself, like, all right, I'm going to make it. It's just a matter of when, not. It's a matter of how, not when. It's just, you know, eventually, like, keep going. And I keep, you know, I'm gonna make it. It's just a matter of when, not, it's a matter of how, not when. It's just, you know, eventually, like, keep going and I keep, you know, pushing forward.
Starting point is 00:05:29 It'll pay off eventually. So, I always believed in myself because I knew, like, I was always just in the podcast. It's like, you got to believe in yourself for other people can believe in you and, you know, this and that. So I just kind of started feeding myself all of this information and, like, just, like, inspiration and kind of keeping that mindset. And, yeah, so I always, I just kind of started feeding myself all of this information and just like inspiration and kind of keeping that mindset and And yeah, so I always I always kind of felt like I I had it in me So then okay, so you started in 2015 you're saying you used to quit and then you know, you kind of got you didn't do buying Now did it happen because I mean from what I understand it's easier to get an audience on tiktok Then it would be let's say on Instagram because of the algorithm.
Starting point is 00:06:05 Yeah. Is that true? Yeah, definitely. 100%. Like, all the algorithm for how Instagram and Facebook worked was, you had to pay. You had to pay. Right. They made it very based off of, like, say, you had a million followers, only like 10%
Starting point is 00:06:22 of the most followers. Well, actually, see your posts on the feed It wasn't like you know it was so much that that went on to it and then the the reachability No, how could you know other people find you for me back then when it was like 2016 2017 It was always like the meme pages that if they reposted you then people could follow you from there But it was never like organically from your own post. And what TikTok brought to the table was like, it doesn't matter how many following you have, it doesn't matter.
Starting point is 00:06:50 Whatever the case may be, it's if you have a viral video, the app will push it for free, and you'll just get millions of views. So that's how like all of these new social media, you know, content creators came to be, because like they didn't have to be stuck with an algorithm or have to pay for views or, you know, content creators came to be because like they didn't have to be stuck with an algorithm or have to pay for views or you know engagement. Right. They kind of made it much easier for people
Starting point is 00:07:10 to see your content. That's true. I mean, even with us small people like myself, who has maybe a couple hundred thousand followers or maybe whatever around us. I was not a fan. I was not a fan. Here's to you a believe me. I'm a micro-micro-micro, but you're right. Only a very small portion of my audience or anybody's audience sees it. I feel like at what point does that change? If you have 5,000 followers, everyone sees it. Is there something that you can tell us that you hit a sort of point or benchmark, and that's when they start really kind of getting into the monetization on their end.
Starting point is 00:07:46 Oh, I talked on any platform. So, like, our Instagram right now, we're talking with it. I mean, it really depends. I've had, I've had, I mean, brand deals. For me, it was more of like artist deals. So like, a smaller local artist would come to me and be like, hey, like, could you promote my song and you dance to it? That was more of like the brand deal back in the day for me as a dancer rather than a personality. And I've had those since the beginning, since like I had 50,000 followers or 25,000 followers. Like it really depends. But yeah, it starts there. And then once you get to like, I guess like a higher
Starting point is 00:08:20 threshold, I think throughout time, because you have more competition, and there's more people like learning about this social media stuff. Obviously, the bars set higher to where brands will, reach out to people with the higher following, or you know, this is not going to happen about brands even again. I'm just talking about in terms of just people
Starting point is 00:08:41 seeing your content, like we're going to get all of that in the front of the brands, the big part of this podcast, but my point was more that there comes a point, I feel like on Instagram or Facebook, with it to your point, you were saying this that it becomes you under boost your post or you got to pay some kind of add,
Starting point is 00:09:00 to get your actual audience to see your stuff as opposed to like TikTok where you said if you make a viral video they just push it out. So I was wondering if you knew if there's like a number that happens in the Instagram world that like that's when they start saying ahaha. Not that's a typical audience. Well I know I have no I'm not really sure about that. I mean I just know that it's like I just know that Instagram's one of the hardest places to grow. I mean, they did add the reels, which is kind of like a TikTok kind of competitor
Starting point is 00:09:31 that adds the reachability thing. So that has helped. And that's actually how I started growing on Instagram again, from reels alone. Right. But yeah, other than that, I mean, I'm still just in pay, yeah. I'm just asking, that was more of a curiosity question more than anything.
Starting point is 00:09:48 It does you. You said something also about viral video, then they push it out. Now, yes, they have you make a viral video. Is there some kind of strategy behind making one or is it kind of random? It's a mixture of both. I would say it depends because every person is different.
Starting point is 00:10:08 So everything, there's always something that works for someone else that doesn't work for someone else. So there's always the base core things of like, okay, what's relatable, what's funny, what's talented. Those are the things that people can control because those are the things that people enjoy watching. But then it goes down to the person that also does it whether it's like the looks or the style or how they shoot things. It's super, it's not like a one-two-three step process where
Starting point is 00:10:37 I can just tell everyone and then they all go viral. Or you know, it's the same thing with honestly anything in life. So it's really is really just trying to figure out what Makes you happy what you're passionate about and what you're good at and kind of combining all those things and then adding you know Understanding how the story tell well or or or or or how Add comedy into things. It's kind of just an all- everything. And then of course with trends, with with sounds, related to building again, it's kind of, it's everything combined into one.
Starting point is 00:11:12 I got that. Yeah. So now you're on TikTok and, you know, you made the first viral video. I mean, actually I should say something else. Do you feel like, because you are a dancer, you are a dancer, and there's a lot of dancers. What was it about you are a dancer that you think that, or something about you that kind of like, kind of hit and just kind of just took off?
Starting point is 00:11:34 I figured, so yeah, it's super important to like, when you get into the space of like, having a lot of other competition, the main thing is figuring out how you can differentiate yourself between everyone else. And for me at first, it was making viral videos in public. A lot of people didn't do public videos. I did my first videos in Walmart, going on counters, dancing on there, then dancing in the malls. All the stuff, I was like one of the people
Starting point is 00:11:59 that really pushed and started that. And I'm positive other people have done it before but I definitely pushed that motive in TikTok and that's what really got my first I guess like giant push of like following and everything. How many views did you get in your first viral video? Um, it was it was a fluctuation. I mean when I hop back on the TikTok it was, it was a fluctuation. I mean, when I hop back on the TikTok, it was like the first week of me doing the videos, I was hitting like maybe one mill, the three mill, some videos hit nine million.
Starting point is 00:12:34 And back then, TikTok views were really, really hard to get compared to now. Yeah. So that's way easier now, because there's more people. But yeah, back then, it was, it was crazy. So I saw those numbers and I was like, okay, I'm not getting me to use anywhere else, like an Instagram not me to so I was like all right Let me just double down on this and continue and yeah, the the concepts got crazier and crazier and I
Starting point is 00:12:54 I just kind of built off of that. We're you surprise yourself when you stop these numbers I was I was like oh my god. This is finally happened because the thing is that um In 2015 I started social media. And around 2016 is where I got my first viral video where it kind of boosted my social media presence for the first time. And I was like, okay, it's finally working. It paid off and I was like, cool.
Starting point is 00:13:15 I had like a hundred thousand dollars. And by that first year, I had 250,000, I think, on Instagram. And then from 2016 to the beginning of 2019 for the next like three four years I didn't grow Higher than that. It was actually it started doing the link so by the blast by the beginning of 2019 I had like maybe 210,000 followers So throughout the time I didn't get any other like jumping anything
Starting point is 00:13:44 It was always like kind of going slowly down but my content as a creator I got better at making you know videos, but it was because of the algorithm and how everything was happening So when I did get my first videos on TikTok that went viral That's when I was like oh my gosh, okay. It's paying off like this is worth it now like you know This is finally like all the years work for nothing type. Right. Wow. Okay. So that's crazy. So you that's amazing. So then what you said you got better at making the content. How so just practice that you just have to. Yeah. Experimentation. Figure out what works for yourself or for your audience on trying different concepts. I was doing things from skits to dance videos to constant videos on YouTube and
Starting point is 00:14:27 It was it was kind of like a full range of everything So do you so then a summation like so when did you start you say start being brand deals because that was my That was a question. I was gonna say because how do you now you have this big audience and how do you monetize and build a brand and All these things but you were saying you were getting brand deals when you had like 50,000 Yeah, you know, I it was it was more it was were getting brand deals when you had like 50,000. Yeah. It was more, it was less of brand deals when we were like artist deals, like like like corporations, like labels would would reach out to me and be like, Hey, we'll pay you X $1 for like a 15 second dance video, which are, you know, labels and brands are a little bit different in that sense.
Starting point is 00:14:59 How much would they give you instead of around? When I first started, I was like, Hey, I'll hey, I'll do a 15 second dance video for $15. And in my head, you know, at 15, 16 years old, I was like, that's a dollar a second. No one else is doing this. People are doing $16 an hour, I'm doing it one second. So I was like insane. Exactly.
Starting point is 00:15:21 I was super hyped about that. And then, you know, as I started growing, those rates started doubling, triplingpling and they just kind of like Continued as I started growing more. Okay, so then what was your really your first big brand deal? I don't remember I'm not gonna Remember I don't You don't have any followers or how much how big you were at that time and you first got like the call? So the thing is is that like with my social media
Starting point is 00:15:49 majority of my success came from the last two years like with TikTok. Right before TikTok I had 200 400 thousand followers on the Instagram and and that was really where all my you know like my brand You started after TikTok. So like, majority before it, it was like, I couldn't really have this sustainable living. I was totally with my parents. I mean, I still do obviously. But I wasn't really paying rent the way I was now. You know, the income was completely different.
Starting point is 00:16:16 So, yeah, it all kind of happened all at once more than like, solely now. Well then it's- To be sustainable. You basically built your TikTok brand and everything in two years basically. You went from like not zero, but what we like to be- From musically, I grew it up to 600,000. And then when- From 600,000, you went to 50 million. Yeah. In two years.
Starting point is 00:16:42 And completely organic. Like no, that is Yeah. And completely organic. Like no, that is insane. Oh my gosh. Okay, so can I even ask you like what art would, if I was a brand, how much would, if I said, hey Michael, I want you to help me promote, you know, my, you know, shoe line. How much would you charge me? I mean, it depends on how big the ask is.
Starting point is 00:17:05 I think it's based off of the ask of the creative, how much time it would take for me, and how many posts it would want, what platforms, but it would be in the higher range of the tens to the hundreds, so around the year. One post, how much would you want to post? This is start basics basics I mean for someone of my caliber and like in the top like 10 of like TikTok Typically all of us charge around the same which is around I say anywhere from like lowest 20 to like up to 100 So it depends just for one post and that's even being a campaign. That's just like one post. Yeah, it ranges
Starting point is 00:17:41 We they'll be brand deals that that will will take that is in the lower range, depending on how much we love the brand or something that would be asked for way more than they'll be up higher. Wow. So let's get into the second. Let's just talk still about how about building the brand. So you're saying, kind of having your passion, obviously, liking what you're doing, right?
Starting point is 00:18:02 So other than that, and also like you you actually hit on this like just because something works for you won't work for me, right? Yeah. So why do it's trial and error? But is there something to be said? Is what part of luck comes into it, right? Because I know people who try the grass off all day and they can't get arrested. I mean, I for me is like luck is like it, I mean, there's this one saying of like, because luck plays some part in it, of course. I mean, everyone's different, so like, there's different things that happen for other people
Starting point is 00:18:36 that doesn't happen for you. So, I think that if you try something a hundred different ways, you're gonna have a higher chance, or you'll be luckier than someone who's trying to get big one way and constantly doing the same thing that one way. If you're constantly diversifying and you're constantly growing, I feel like your luck percentage grows higher. That makes sense. A lot kind of turns into you make your own opportunity. Exactly. Yeah, it's an opportunity and luck meet or whatever that say. Yeah, yeah, yeah.
Starting point is 00:19:12 I know what you're trying to say. So then you're still at this point, you're living in... When did you move to LA? You just moved here, right? May of 2020. Okay, so you were living in Miami this whole time? Waspong. Waspong.
Starting point is 00:19:23 Oh, I love it there. Oh, wow. Do you like it here? Yeah, I mean, it's nice except for, you know, taxes. Yeah, I was gonna say, this is the wrong time you were moving in. I think it's usually moving back to Westpom. Yeah, no, actually, actually about the house. No, about the house a few months ago, so I will be moving back by next year. Oh, you will be. Oh, good. Okay.
Starting point is 00:19:41 And then how did it, it's like the family affair right now, right? Like your whole family now is involved with all of this. Can you talk a little bit about that and how that can happen? So I moved out here in May with a few other people that lived in the house and we're just kind of like friends at the time and I was like, oh, like we'll still wrap. What kind of house is just like a regular one?
Starting point is 00:20:01 Yeah, it's a regular one. Yeah, it's like all these Tik Tok poses, right? Yeah. I at first just wanted to be a house with friends and then it eventually became a brand that I didn't necessarily like want to continue and then things happened, kicked everyone out and then I moved my family in with me. And then that's when I like really wanted to crack down
Starting point is 00:20:21 on like, all right mom, like quit your business because she actually had like a nail salon she was like you know she she worked uh um she ran that like 24-7 and I told her to stop it move the whole family out that makes sense that your mom is nice nails I was gonna say something and I was like well they're nice and you don't have a nail salon anymore mom oh god I noticed it from outside okay sorry go ahead and interrupt you I was a lot of people. No, I noticed it from outside. It's so funny.
Starting point is 00:20:46 Okay, sorry. Go ahead and get your option. No, it was all good. So yeah, so move them out there and I was like, all right, this makes more sense. It's a more PG brand. I mean, but they spend more time with my family, create content with them and kind of give them an opportunity that a lot of people don't have. Social media is something that I feel like a lot of people don't have like social media just it's something that
Starting point is 00:21:06 I feel like a lot of people take for granted that like I didn't want to just have like kind of go away because I have no idea how long it's social media think it lasts or you know how long it would be as easy as it was you know right because it was already happening for me so I was like my as well give this opportunity for them and if they want to continue it they're able to in this and that so keep coming back you got plenty of space! Oof, not how you would have done that. You like working with people you can rely on, like USAA, who has helped guide the military community for the past 100 years.
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Starting point is 00:22:10 No, that's really smart. So you basically, to your mom, your brother, how old is your brother? 6 and 4. If you're brother. Yeah, Jonathan 6 and then my little one is 4. And you guys all have your separate channels. Do you have a family channel? So now, so actually my little brother Jonathan, he was the one that had 10 million
Starting point is 00:22:28 followers and then TikTok banned his account because... Really? Is that for your own? No, it's a six-year-old. Six-year-old? Yeah, yeah. Yeah, yeah. He's 10 million followers. Yeah, yeah, 10 million. I grew it up to that and then we lost it because he was too young. He couldn't have his own account. It was like some rules, really. What is that? What's the rule on that? It's like you have to be 13 years or older to own a TikTok account and stuff like that.
Starting point is 00:22:52 So like all the, so like there's no other like kid accounts on TikTok. The only ones that are bigger, they're like with their dad or like it's a family. So I have the Shlok family TikTok account, but I don't have like individual like little ones. So what happens to those 10 million followers gone? Oh, you serious?
Starting point is 00:23:12 Yeah. So I took the A9 half horse up ring. My mom has one fish, she's obviously older. My sister has one fish, she's older. How old is your sister? She is 14. 14? No, she's right. You make me sure is your sister? She is 14. 14?
Starting point is 00:23:25 No, sure. You made me sure. So how many followers is your sister half? How much is it? Like 30 ml? Two more? Three million? Three million, yeah, yeah.
Starting point is 00:23:34 And your mom, mom, how much do you have? Five? Five? Okay. Really? Wow. Okay, so this is amazing. Because you were saying, this is amazing.
Starting point is 00:23:44 So then basically, when did're saying, this is amazing. So then basically, when did you start getting, besides your team that you have with your family, because now you're a business, like now you're a family. Like at what point do people start knocking on your door? Like, hey, Michael, can I represent you? Do you even age in a manager?
Starting point is 00:24:00 How is the work on that side? I would say like, people started catching on a little bit late with TikTok especially with brands and especially with managers but I mean for me I was like I'd say like in the first first half a year. How many were you up to by that point? Maybe like eight to 10 no. I'd say. So it took you about eight to 10 million till some of a bunch like a manager or an agent who Who kind of approached you first? They all kind of approached at the same time. Yeah, because I think people started realizing at the same time Then you know how worried about the answers. Oh, yeah, and that's what you have an agent or manager Oh, so yeah, I have a manager now. So my mom runs it with two other people of mine and we just have like a full team.
Starting point is 00:24:46 I'm pan people are on the team. In the management side, three. Three people? Yeah. So then when you do content now, do you have a creative team that helps you or you just kind of think of everything yourself? Mainly myself. Because there's a short video.
Starting point is 00:25:00 Yeah, I have friends that like and some of my my team we kind of brainstorm but majority of it is typically I typically do everything really and so how do you kind of keep it? You feel like it is it do you feel like it's stagnates sometime like what's what kind of keeps it growing like Yeah, it's constantly just evolving and figuring out what you can do to make people still be interested in you. If you do the same things over and over, I feel like you get bored, washing the same things. So right now, I'm in my process of going to my next phase of content and my look and stuff because everyone knows me for my videos, my family, and I have a beanie in glasses.
Starting point is 00:25:42 I just completely changed my look now. And then now I'm going into this more like All right, let me get back in my talent side of things and and more personality and stuff like that So it's constantly just changing. I think people enjoy seeing like you grow as a person and kind of like adapt with times and stuff so Yeah, it's just doing that and then as long as you know, you're you're enjoying yourself and through the content you can see happiness or fun or you know, entertain me. I think that's really all that matters for that. Well it's interesting because you did look different. The videos I saw you had the glasses.
Starting point is 00:26:15 Yeah, yeah, yeah. And all that stuff too, and the beanie. And then the other thing I found interesting, well a lot of things I found interesting, but I didn't see so much dancing on the videos. I was like, I saw that you kind of stopped doing more of the dancing stuff, which by the way, I love the dancing videos. I get that. I get where people would want to watch that stuff, right? Because it's like super, that's something that people can aspire to do in practice.
Starting point is 00:26:36 They can do all those things. And I thought TikTok really was about in the beginning, well, that I know of doing those little dancing dances. Now I feel like everyone's on TikTok doing fitness stuff or business excerpts or whatever. Yeah, it would definitely agree from dancing. And now from back then, it's definitely got way more accepting in terms of like what contents allowed on there and stuff
Starting point is 00:26:56 like that. So it's way more open. And yeah, with the content for me, I definitely slowed that down because I was getting more into entertainment or skits and stuff like that. I just wanted to test out what I could do. I did steer away from dancing. Not even trying to. It just happened because I started having less time. Right. But yeah, that's something I'm getting back into, just really. So then, what is finally, we talked, you said this a few years earlier, at the club,
Starting point is 00:27:22 at a large, we're talking with the clubhouse houses. So what is that? Is it, because there are people living in these club houses, they're like, TikTok houses. TikTok houses. Yeah. TikTok houses. There's also fun house houses.
Starting point is 00:27:34 Yeah. The TikTok, those things that TikTok, what are those? I mean, basically it's just like these management companies will get this massive mega mansion. They'll get these TikTokers that they feel like is a good investment to you know, bid on basically, they'll group them together, they'll make this kind of brand together, and then I guess they'll reap awards based off of the brand deals they get, stuff like that. And I think the main ones honestly that are going to stick around is just the main to like, the sway house and high-pouse. Like, those are the established, like, first houses that have like, the main creators.
Starting point is 00:28:08 I think a lot, I mean, I don't know now, but I mean, I know that they, there's like, constantly houses being made like every month now. So, I mean, I don't know how successful they are. I know that they constantly change, but that's, that's kind of just how like, yeah, that little thing goes. Can you walk the 10 out of the 10 out, I'm like, constantly change, but that's kind of just how like yeah that little thing goes Can you walk the 10 out of the 10 out? I'm like in total like idiot
Starting point is 00:28:29 It's not gonna come down. So like here. So somebody comes up with this idea Let's create a Tik Tokas and then reach out to 10 Tik Tokers Yeah, and say what to these Tik Tokers? Hey Tik Tokers, some of them are gonna pay you rent Yeah, we'll pay you rent. Well, you know, this and that, we have X-Miner rules and you have to make three TikToks a day and you have to tag the house page and you have to do this and you get split revenue of whatever brand deals we bring to you. And if you find a brand deal, do you have to pay them the revenues? I'm not sure. Yeah. I'm going to assume that any brand deals we bring to you. And if you find a brand deal, do you have to pay them the revenues? I'm not sure.
Starting point is 00:29:06 Yeah. I'm going to assume that any brand deals that go to them, they split. I'm good. Your mom and dad, you know? That's the point. That's the point. As you live in the place, we're free. Because the tip-towers are living in there.
Starting point is 00:29:22 And then the house for them to make the profit back, they're living for free. So thank you, make that much. I just said this, but no, so we're saying if the TikToker makes a deal with Nike, that's what part of the thing is. That's what Mike found out. Right, but now I'm just talking out way from Mike Mike.
Starting point is 00:29:40 Sorry. Finally enough, I think you, so my camera guy in a TikTok herb, he's got three million that he's doing all sorts of other stuff, he lives in the house. So what did you say, that house is? Clothes. Clothes.
Starting point is 00:29:53 Do they take a percentage of you, if you got it yourself? Yeah. Yeah, so I think it's different throughout the houses, but typically it's gonna be somewhere like free rent. You get all these amenities just in that, but we'll cut, we'll take a percentage of brand-new. That's like the investment, return on investment. Are there Instagram homes and Snapchat houses?
Starting point is 00:30:13 I don't believe so. Right, why TikTok? Because TikTok has the most reachability. Yeah. You can't really grow it to Instagram house and get like a page to grow because there's nothing. Unless it's like a real house and and it's your own real house, that's the possibility or a YouTube Shorts house.
Starting point is 00:30:28 But I mean, right now it's still, everyone's finally getting out to TikTok now. I think that's still early stages for the other platforms. It's interesting that you say that because I feel like, you know, when, you know, you're too young for this, but when I was on Facebook, okay? You're too young for it. You when I was on Facebook, okay, you're too young for it.
Starting point is 00:30:45 You're on Facebook? Oh God, okay. But when people's parents started to get on Facebook, it became kind of like the uncool thing. That's when people kind of jump ship to like Instagram, right? Now I feel like I thought the same with Instagram, like, oh my God, I'm on Instagram, but not me, nobody wants to be on Instagram.
Starting point is 00:31:04 Instagram is definitely my god, I'm on Instagram, but not me nobody wants to be on Instagram. Instagram is definitely like Instagram YouTube TikTok those are the three main I'd say for like this generation of like the kids Right, but then if you start seeing people like my and the people in their 40s on TikTok Doesn't that kind of like mean it's jumped the shark of it and now it's onto the next thing? I don't I think because there's no thing that's newer than Instagram yet, it hasn't happened yet, but Instagram is still, I think, I think it's still one of the the serious platforms that people think you should, like you had 10 million on TikTok compared to Instagram, I think people will take the Instagram 10 million followers more seriously than they take.
Starting point is 00:31:41 You're right, why is that? Just because it's more established of a platform. Of a platform? Yeah. What about Snapchat? I heard Snapchat's making a huge resurgence right now. Is that true? I have no idea. I'm I'm gonna cave. Yeah. I'm not gonna lie. Really? I don't know this. I don't. You're the question on Snapchat. Are you kidding me? I know, I know, I know. In what Instagram's paying you some other side deal, you should be going on Snapchat too. Yeah, I think it's just whether it's time. I mean, it really depends. I like hopping on things when it's not already popped off, but when I know it works. Right now, it's an investment in my time of like, okay, what's work my time right now? If it's something that I can try out, but I don I don't have enough time to put into that. Yeah. I just won't. Because yeah, I have to run my two YouTube channels after running, I've run like three TikTok channels on top of Instagram. Are you running all of this?
Starting point is 00:32:34 Yeah, break it down to exactly what is in the day and the life of you. What are you running and give me your platforms? So I'm actually planning out my schedule right now again, because I'm trying to balance myself out, because I became such a workaholic to where I focused all of my attention onto one thing, and then I forget other things about what success really means to me, whether it's just all business, is it relationship friends, family,
Starting point is 00:33:02 being able to just appreciate sometimes too. I'm trying to balance myself out again with that also fitness of course. No I didn't know that. I mean you have dancing which is a huge fitness course. Yeah are you doing it for the fitness purpose are you doing it because you love creativity and you love to kind of express yourself out. I love it all I love feeling fit like I just because of the boxing thing that just really gets my fitness journey has like kicked off and like I love new body I have I love like just a process of everything so that's something I'm gonna continue. Now you're
Starting point is 00:33:33 speaking my like. But yeah it's just it's just a balance of like I think like this week I have three days set aside for TikTok days. So I'll have to make X-mounted videos in those days for my channel or my mom, she needs some videos for the Shlub Family channel or even my sister. So we kind of just debuted up from there. And then I need probably one or two days for YouTube days. So I'll have a day schedule for recording YouTube for my channel my gaming channel or my little brother's channel
Starting point is 00:34:07 So How many videos do you make on a week? It it fluctuates. I mean I haven't made a lot recently because of the whole box I haven't had a lot of time but before that I used to I'd say post like Before that, I used to, I'd say post like, anywhere from four minimum to like 10 a week. Wow. So I mean, I used to make four a day. I mean, it was, it was, but now like I'm putting more effort into the videos to where like,
Starting point is 00:34:36 it takes longer to make a viral video for me. Right. And then it would, that means I would make less. So it kind of like, you know, depends. And YouTube's a whole other animal altogether right? Yeah. So what are you trying to do on YouTube that you're not doing on TikTok? I mean it's just longer platform. It's a longer video thing. So I would make skids. I would make these like vlog-ish challenge videos and I kind of like
Starting point is 00:35:01 it's kind of whatever I really want honestly. So like my last video I did was say yes to my little brother for 24 hours. So we did like this elaborate schedule. And you think of all this stuff? Yeah. You do. No help. No one says hey, my god, you're like 20, you know, things you can do tomorrow or next week.
Starting point is 00:35:18 Not really. I mean, I'll have some people like throw ideas out at me, but I'll kind of pick and choose. I'll look at other YouTubers, get inspiration from them as well. So that's kind of how it works. And then yeah, it will take me like a few hours to kind of like write the script for the whole video. And then we'll just record it and edit it. Wow, nice.
Starting point is 00:35:38 So that's a lot. So you have to think, and you guys think of a lot of different concepts. A lot of mental, yeah. That's a lot. Yeah. No, it's definitely a lot of different concepts. A lot of mental. Yeah. A lot. No, it's definitely a lot stressful than some people think. Because I could meet, because again,
Starting point is 00:35:51 with the whole concept of certain things work for certain people, I can't just record myself on a phone and just expect 10 million views. For me, I have to add concepts. I have to add viral factors that make me different, that people are like, oh, let me wash this again. You know, like, I just feel like there's a lot of different factors that come into things like that.
Starting point is 00:36:10 And for me, it comes down to creativity and the content itself, not really just me. So what are your factors that you have to add for yourself? It's a factors of, I mean, it's every little thing. When it comes to lighting, it comes to outfits, it comes to colors, it comes to composition of the videos, little viral factors of like not expecting this to happen or a skit happening. The talent of everyone's like super in sync. Like there's just so it really depends on the video, but every video has different factors. I have to kind of brainstorm and think about to make it's like okay okay, is this going to be really enjoyable for like a random
Starting point is 00:36:47 personal watch? And if it is, it will hit 10 all the way to 50 million views, and if it's an end video, I hit like 1 to 2 million views, and I'll just continue from there. Vitamin water just dropped a new zero sugar flavor called with love. Get the taste of raspberry and dark chocolate for the all-warm, all-fuzzy, all-self-care, zero-self-doubt you. Grab a with love today. Vitamin water's zero sugar, nourish every you. Vitamin water is a registered trademark of glass-o. Because you just said something I didn't realize. So you're creating the videos for your family too. You're thinking of the concepts for your brothers, or sister, your mom.
Starting point is 00:37:29 Yeah. And then you're also doing that on YouTube. And so people monetize, and you can explain this, how is the monetization different from YouTube to TikTok? YouTube, I would say you get money, you get way more money than TikTok in terms of from what the platform provides. So like with YouTube ads, you'll make more money from there, but compared to TikTok. But on the brand's deals, I think in my opinion, I mean, I have way more followers than TikTok compared to YouTube, so it's a little harder to kind of gauge it. But I think,
Starting point is 00:38:10 I mean, I make way more money than TikTok on TikTok than YouTube because of the brand deals. Right, because you're following is so big on that too, right? Yeah, yeah. It's time to get back to the beach with America's favorite vacation company, Apple Vacations. Book your summer getaway with confidence and enjoy a one-stop vacation shop, filled with exceptional values, personalized service, and so much more. With popular destinations like Mexico, the Caribbean, Central America, Hawaii, and the continental U.S., there's a thundersplash option for everyone. Each all-inclusive Apple Vacations package includes round-trip airfare, hotel accommodations, all meals, drinks, entertainment, and tips. Non-stop transfers are also included
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Starting point is 00:39:26 I mean, Blackwires, one of them now, you know, I've worked with you. Yeah, I'd be okay. I'd be okay. You can call Blackwires. Yeah, I've been working with Bay Energy for a long time actually too. They're actually one of the first people I worked with back in 2016 actually. I've worked with friends like Walmart. I've done this soap.
Starting point is 00:39:50 I forgot which soap it was. You're looking around here. Yeah. I've done this. Like what kind of soap? Dario, I mean. Which soap come through? I'm really soap, but I can list it.
Starting point is 00:40:00 Which soap company did I work with again? Saker? Saker. Oh, Saker. Yeah, that one. I worked with Tums. I mean, it is all over. Oh my gosh, I just realized.
Starting point is 00:40:10 Which, what was your, you don't have the company and you could have you on, but what was your biggest deal that you got that you were like, what? Like the biggest, Invisalign. Invisalign? Yeah.
Starting point is 00:40:19 Oh, you're wearing it right now. Yeah, I'm currently doing that. But besides, I mean, you're not the kind of person now that's only gonna do a missile line by wearing their product for free. It is, you wanna watch some money behind it. Yeah, how much money are we talking about? Something like that.
Starting point is 00:40:33 Couple hundred. Wow, and then that goes for how long that's a whole time you wear it. Oh, it depends. No, I would say for this one, it's like a yearly thing, or it's a year thing, so it's like throughout the month. So it's like way more asked. It's not just like, oh, I want to post one video
Starting point is 00:40:48 and then all the money is there. It's kind of like an app to post like, X-mon take talks, X-mon of Instagram, stuff like that. So it's consistently. Yeah, exactly. And then you're wearing them as well for the next, how long do the red ones for? This is like a year thing.
Starting point is 00:41:02 I'm like on on like a week I'm on I like 27 Alliance that's what job from I think on a line or six or seven. Oh Yeah, they're working Yes, but oh, okay, what is it that's okay, Tom's and there's a line I'm doing both. So what how much were Tom's giving for one post? We didn't have a post with that one. There was technically three but we only had two post one. So yeah so they made me post three and two of them were to kind of promote something but I could delete the two so it's technically one. Oh wow. And then I did a live, and I did that one
Starting point is 00:41:47 for around the over 100. Just for one post and one live, and then the grand. I, God, that's great for an acid. I think I'm part of it. I'm sorry, is there today one something that I need more? I mean, I can be in a video with you. That's amazing money, though.
Starting point is 00:42:03 I mean, you can make it, you can make it killing. So like, what would be, it's been two years. Mm-hmm. Like, are you making like 10 million a year from just TikTok? I wish. It sounds like you would be. I mean, 100 grand for each little.
Starting point is 00:42:15 I mean, it's so awesome thing. Every take, every brand deal is different. It's not like every brand goes all over. I can't. So it's like those one-offs, they're those, you know, some, but typically it's in a lower range, so it kind of ranges.
Starting point is 00:42:27 I'd say so far. I mean, in general, I could have probably made around like two to four. Right. Mill and combined of everything. And you're like, you're like, 21 years old. Yeah. Did you ever, like even in your wildest dream, maybe you believe in yourself and you think you can do it
Starting point is 00:42:45 and you're in your, you have an extraordinary mindset. You ever think, you know, two years ago that you're going to be sitting, doing, you know, making this kind of money, doing this kind of stuff. I would say, I, yes and no, not, I would say yes, like eventually, but not this fast. I didn't think it was going to happen. Right.
Starting point is 00:43:02 And then like, well, who's your audience? Was it, is it 50% male? Is it mostly male? It's half an half. It's 50, 50. Yeah. What's the age bracket? Young.
Starting point is 00:43:12 Yeah. Their kids, like, like, anywhere from like eight to like 15. And about eight years old. Yeah. I've had kid kids come up to me. I'm sure you're not. I'm so cute, but yeah, they're, yeah. I was gonna say, I was at a pool party yesterday
Starting point is 00:43:27 for my little eight, I had eight, you're going to six-year-old. And I was like, and they were like, dude, they were like watching TikTok. I'm like, why are you guys walking? You're like, this kid was like, I think nine or 10. Like, what do you want to think, Topic? How do you know what TikTok is?
Starting point is 00:43:40 And I have a TikTok person coming on, my podcast tomorrow, and they're like, whoo, and I told tomorrow and they're like who and I told them like I'm like you're not how do you even have a phone to follow? Yeah, I was crazy. It's so good. I mean, even my little brother who's four They they know how to get into phones. They know how to go on to YouTube and they're like no, I don't want you to get on YouTube Yeah, they don't want to like oh Yeah, no, YouTube and they're like, I don't want you to kid on YouTube. They don't want to, like, they don't want you to kid. Yeah, they're into it all.
Starting point is 00:44:09 They're not exactly, they're not into the kids. Right, not all. And then, so, I was going to ask you, so if you have 50 million on a platform, like a TikTok, and it doesn't necessarily convert onto a different, like I know that just because you're 15 on line, I would imagine some of the most of that audience would follow you on, it's not just you buy it.
Starting point is 00:44:32 I think it generally. It really depends because for me, a lot of them are kids. So that means that they don't have access for Instagram. So like some people that are having older audience, it's easier for them to convert. Follower. So for me, that's why like adjusting my brand to be able to be likeable to the teenagers to the adults that that's currently what I'm doing right now. So that's kind of like my game plan of how to like kind of adjust and fix that. Do the dancing more? I'm telling you. Yeah, no, I'm
Starting point is 00:45:01 definitely definitely getting back into it all the way. That to me is like a little greater, because like people my age are like looking at these dancing things. And then, so what, so I thought so many questions for you back. So, what else? In terms of like, I understand your content creating, you're creating so much content and I didn't even realize how much you're doing for like your family as well, which is adding up the hours that you're spending.
Starting point is 00:45:23 Are there any other like, axillary businesses that you are doing because of your fame now with Instagram? I'm gonna put that to talk. Like just other like- Other business ventures. Yeah, I- Or your own, you know, line of clothing. Yeah, I'm like a big thing that I wanted to do now
Starting point is 00:45:40 for this year or next year coming up is like create like a really, really nice like urban street brand like clothing brand like that's something that I really like I love fashion. I can see that nice fashion sounds like that. I'm super in love with that and I want to kind of like take my time to make sure that like if I do something I do it right and I you know I have something I'm passionate for. That is something that's coming out. I'm working with the brand to come out with different little tech and gadgets to be in Walmart or Target. Those are the other things.
Starting point is 00:46:12 I love the crypto space. I love the NFTs space. I'm working with Cybertino and NFTs stuff. And then you are doing a lot. I can talk a little bit about what you're doing and how you are branching up and doing that stuff. So let's talk about that. Yeah, yeah, for sure. So yeah, with Cybertino, obviously,
Starting point is 00:46:29 the NFT space is growing every single day. It's crazy. And they're trying to work to where creators can promote and sell NFTs. And that's something I haven't started that yet, but that's something that I'm starting soon. What else? You have a podcast and you have a TV show on your or-
Starting point is 00:46:46 Yeah, so we were able to do a Facebook show, Facebook, I think it was Brad's TV, reached out and they wanted to do like a 12, was it 12 episodes? Right, 11 episodes. So we did 11 episodes for that. It's gonna come out on Facebook and Instagram. And that was one of, that was one of like a one off, but once, depending depending how well it does
Starting point is 00:47:06 be those season two or not that's something that's kind of that we finished. We did we are starting a podcast in a few months with Spotify one. Right. It's gonna be really cool. What kind of clue stuff were you saying we use it your faf? Me and my mom. Oh really? I mean life stuff. Oh really? And what are you guys gonna talk about? I mean, life stuff. It's gonna have different segments, but it's gonna be me and her rifting, kind of like, keeping up with like what's happening and then inviting and interviewing a guest and talking about their process from like start to finish, what makes them different, kind of like inspirational stuff. Right.
Starting point is 00:47:42 Do they come to you as Spotify? Or, yeah. Yeah. They give you a concept where they just say, hey, we want to do a podcast. They're only going to certain people. Yeah. And I'm going to deal with, you know, they give me some concepts, but they honestly, you know, they wanted it to kind of be
Starting point is 00:47:58 something that resonated with me. So I kind of started a concept. We kind of bounced off back and forth. And we're kind of able to configure something. gave me like a guideline of what what to talk about you know how long each second is going to be this night and that's pretty much yeah video all her stuff yeah no no that's great you guys so what does that come out though October, so that's a new later in the year. Oh wow. Okay, so you have a lot of stuff that you're doing. Like you seem to be a very busy person. Definitely. Um, and like, so I feel like I'm missing a bunch of questions that I have for you because I, you know, I wanted to make sure that I follow all the stuff
Starting point is 00:48:38 I asked you about monetization. Do you think it's easier for people to always have a niche or is it better to have more? Right, right, right, yeah. Right, right, right, yeah. I mean, in the beginning, if you haven't started anything with your social media, I think it's important to experiment, do something that you don't know what you're known for, so experiment, do whatever you can to be like cooking, try some cooking videos, like dance and try some of this, you know, and then from there you can gauge, okay, this is what I enjoy making, this is what does the best, and then from there you can kind of figure it out, but once you understand like what you make, it's easier to be consistent with it, and to kind of like continue with that. So for me, like obviously the dancing, I'm a dancer, so like, okay, I'm gonna make dance videos, I have a set like, I do it in mind, and then from there I'll be able to build it out.
Starting point is 00:49:30 But if you don't have any niche about you, then it is a little harder to be consistent because then people are gonna follow you and be like, what am I following you for? Well, they also want to know what they're coming to you for, right? And you want to have some valuable content, and it was just like random all the time that just doesn't really give people anything. But then I guess here, young young audience, they just want to be entertained too, right? Like eight, nine, 10 years old,
Starting point is 00:49:54 they want to just be entertained. Now, how long in terms of your future, like you said yourself, but you don't know how long this is gonna last, so you're building a really good foundation. Like in 10 years from now, or because you're so young, I'd say five if you were grown up, but you know, 10 years, what would you, when you see yourself do, what would you like to be doing?
Starting point is 00:50:15 Um, as long as I'm like financially like free, like I can just, I mean, like eventually in 10 years, I don't want this to be a job necessarily. I want this to be something where I've grown so much to where like, I've invested some time to real estate. I mean, all these different, you know, business ventures to where like, okay, I grew from this, but like now I can do it for a passion and do whatever I want. And then if I want to stop and disappear from the face of the earth, I'll be able to do that. So what, so you are investing your money then? I was gonna say you're not one of these people who is gonna be spending everything that you
Starting point is 00:50:52 make right now. No, I mean, I can't, I mean, I tried. I mean, just to where's money to spend. Yeah, I mean, I'll get like, we'll use an X and X and X, like I'll get like a flame for, I'll buy some clothes and that would be like, I got I got a got a go kart but like this all under $10,000 you know like now I'm like yeah I'm still you know investing into that um crypto currency super smart real estate um reusing my platform to reach out to like high high net worth and
Starting point is 00:51:22 individuals to like haven't teach me you know what they're doing. Um, well like mentors. Yeah. I was actually gonna ask you am I good? Do you have any mentors? Yeah. You do. Who are your mentors? Um, I have a, I mean, I do and I don't because I'm figuring out I'm basically just reaching out to people that are successful in their in their lane whether it's like investing in Airbnb's or real estate or cryptocurrency or Forex all those different things and I'm basically like Hearing what their processes and what the schedule looks like to see like if I can even fit that into my schedule or if I can you know do that in the future But I have connections that could be, I have potential mentors. But I have potential mentors.
Starting point is 00:52:10 Who's your potential mentors? I have a few friends in Florida, a Q and Ryan. They're four extraders, but they have a high community with real estate, with crypto, all that stuff, and those are the Dubai State closest to you right now. Right. Who, like, what's the best advice you've been given to date about all of this? I mean, it's like the advice I've heard, like, pod, I mean, it's just like just take
Starting point is 00:52:42 risk, especially because I'm young, like that's the best one thing I have to be energy of that other people don't. Like the young EUR and the more like focused you are, I mean like you can take more risk because like what else do you have to lose, you know? Right. Now, will you always, you seem like to be very disciplined and focused. Now, that's not very common when you're 21 years old or 21 years old. Will you always like that? Did you learn that from your home or how? I had a lot of different things I've learned from.
Starting point is 00:53:12 I mean, my mom and dad were always on to me or so they always were working hard. So I feel like I gained that from them. And I also had friends that I stuck around that. They taught me the ways of life. They taught me, you know, my work ethic for school, things like that. So I've, I mean, even the dance community, like dancing, having a passion for that, really taught me to stick to something and continue at it.
Starting point is 00:53:36 Right. Um, yeah. Yeah. Yeah. Exactly. I mean, it was ill-mannered to be from all over from, from friends, from moms to, to dancing to whatever sports house and all kind of like bundled together. Well, it does sound like you have your, it can be an ICUI, like if your head is on straight, you have like, you're very close to your family. I feel like that's probably a big piece of it too. Yeah, no, definitely.
Starting point is 00:53:59 You don't seem like you're this airy, fairy kind of like, you know, kid, who just, you know, hoping for the best, you know what I mean? Like you're trying to actually, you have like some kind of like plan and you're like working towards the plan. And you're thinking, so like, do you want to be doing not just, you don't want to, do you think it's going to be around in 10 years? Where do you think social media is going? I think social media is going to continue for sure. I mean, we're only at the start.
Starting point is 00:54:27 For generations of influencers, we're only in like what, third generation? Is that even what we're all in? I think we're at third generation. Because the first generation was like, my space, that was the first gen. Yeah, that's true. The second gen was YouTubers and Instagrammers and vine and then third gen is now youtubers Instagram TikTok
Starting point is 00:54:52 So that's like that's the little that's a current space of like influencers and platforms that we have right now So we're we're still really the beginning so you think there's still gonna be companies that come along that are really the beginning. So you think there's still going to be companies that come along that are... Can you tell where this is? Okay, you're gonna add that part out. Sorry. I don't know if they can even, I can just give it back. you did the other platforms that come along that we don't even know even exists. Like next year is going to be another platform.
Starting point is 00:55:29 For sure. Yeah, it's going to like continue evolving. I don't think that we can just say like, yeah, these little platforms are just going to last forever. I mean, we thought that Vine was going to, I mean, I thought Vine was going to stay around like, it was so big already. What was the demise of it? Um, I heard from a few creators, I don't know a lot of say this, but I'm okay, I'm okay.
Starting point is 00:55:52 But apparently Vine was having a deal with the top creators like paying them like a million dollars or something and then I guess like where it got out and certain creators didn't get the deal and it was like a like you're not allowed to speak on the contract like and D8 type of thing and then I guess go boycott and, say no. And that's how it failed. I, I, wow. Yeah, that's, that's from that's why I heard. So I think I, that would be right. I mean, I'm, I take your words for it. What do you think of the other one day? I've heard a little bit about, but not a ton. Does it sound like it's doing so well? Um, trailer? Yeah, trailer. Uh, I think they're moving into a different route. Now, I have no idea. I mean,'re moving into a different route now.
Starting point is 00:56:45 I have no idea. I mean, it was known for a music video-esque app, make your own little music videos by compiling a whole bunch of videos together. But its usability, its interface wasn't necessarily as updated as other ones, and it just didn't really take off as they wanted it to. Well, we kind of talked about it a little bit, but I really want to make sure I, my audience, I know the monetization, the building of a brand, I want to really kind of hone in on that for a second.
Starting point is 00:57:20 The monetization is through these brand partnerships to grow. Now, I should say, do you need to do a lot of collaboration at your stage still with other big top-like, or top-10, or top-11, whatever? You guys have to collaborate or you might stay in your own lane and there's a competitive now. It depends. For me, I'd be more collaborations just as a way to be more creative with content, not necessarily for reachability.
Starting point is 00:57:48 I mean, I could. And of course, that's why I, you know, certain people I reach out to, like, I mean, you know, collaborations are always amazing. You're always going to help you. What I say is necessary. If I have a structure in team around me that I can continue making content, then no. Like, I only need the numbers. I just need structure in team around me that I can continue making content then no.
Starting point is 00:58:05 Like, I only need the numbers. I just need the right people around me and the right concepts. And I can make, you know, viral videos is viral in itself, you know. Right, if you know what you're doing. Yeah, exactly. You know that I'm just thinking when you're talking about your brand deals and, you know, who your audience is and you're doing these deals with, like, tongues and invisible lines. And this is why it makes sense.
Starting point is 00:58:24 I'm surprised, like, toy toy companies like Mattel or Hasbro or like are not coming to you because you have that exact target audience that they want or that you should develop a toy for kids. They're watching this. I know, it's like a no brainer to me. Like, I don't know. I would think just as an entrepreneur,
Starting point is 00:58:41 like if you think like, that's a means like a really seamless bit, right? Because that is legit, like if 50 million kids watch you, that's more than any sesame street or whatever other shows or other that are like, kid-like, you know, even like, the Nickelodeon or whatever. To have you ever done a gaming, a game like that? We've done, we've done card games. That's been a popular thing. That has come out card games.
Starting point is 00:59:08 Like the Napoli or any of those? No. No. I mean, if it takes too long, I just make my own. I was gonna say, you should be true. I'll be 50-50. I'll be your partner. That's like an audience built in right there. Right?
Starting point is 00:59:26 I think that would be an no brainer, right, for that type of thing. And then like, how about any terms of like other stuff? Like a Netflix show for kids because of this. Or, you know, they all know you. You're like a superstar for these kids. Has anyone ever approached you for something like that? Or Amazon? I don't think yet. you're like a superstar for these kids. Has anyone ever approached you for something like that or Amazon? I don't think yet.
Starting point is 00:59:46 I think we have connections. And we're just kind of like, once we have the right concept to do with it. And once the kids are ready, if I want to do a family thing with them, I'm still trying to put them into acting classes and kind of get them ready for it, because it'll be easy to work with. But yeah, I think the opportunity is there. I think it's just waiting for the right time to do it.
Starting point is 01:00:08 Would you ever do like World of Dance or like so you think you can dance now that even... Because it's also very intense. Yeah, yeah. I think it depends. It depends on if it makes sense so it's my time. It's like just... I think it's yeah different factors How did you do the box anything like what was that all of them they just came to me one time? I gave a system. It was it was I forgot their names. What was your name? What was the guy's name? I forgot I was a while say it was a Sam. Is that a name?
Starting point is 01:00:43 Sam I think this guy is a name of Sam and Austin they came to me I forgot. I forgot. I forgot. I forgot. I forgot. I forgot. I forgot. I forgot. I forgot. I forgot. I forgot. I forgot. I forgot. I forgot. I forgot. I forgot. I forgot. I forgot. I forgot. I forgot. I forgot. I forgot. I forgot. I forgot. I forgot. I forgot. I forgot. I forgot. I forgot. I forgot. I forgot. I forgot. I forgot. I forgot. I forgot. I forgot. I forgot. I forgot. I forgot. I forgot. I forgot. I forgot. I forgot. I forgot. I forgot. I forgot. I forgot. I forgot. I forgot. I forgot. I forgot. I forgot. I forgot. I forgot. I forgot. I forgot. I forgot. I forgot. I forgot. I forgot. I forgot. I forgot. I forgot. I forgot. I forgot. I forgot. I forgot. I forgot. I forgot. I forgot. I forgot. I forgot. I forgot. I forgot. I forgot. I forgot. I forgot. I forgot. I forgot. I forgot. I forgot. I forgot. I forgot. I forgot. I forgot. I forgot. I forgot. I forgot. I forgot. I forgot. I forgot. I forgot. I forgot. I forgot. I forgot. I forgot. I forgot. I forgot. I forgot. I forgot. I forgot. I forgot. I forgot. I forgot. I forgot. I forgot. I forgot. I forgot. I forgot. I forgot. I forgot. I forgot. I forgot. I forgot. I forgot. I forgot. I forgot. I forgot. I forgot. I forgot. I forgot. I forgot. I forgot. I forgot. I forgot. I forgot. I forgot. I forgot. I forgot. I forgot. I forgot. I forgot. I forgot. I forgot. I forgot. I forgot. I forgot. I forgot. I forgot. I forgot. I forgot. I forgot. I forgot. I forgot. I forgot. I forgot. I forgot. I forgot. He came to me and was like, hey, do you want to be a part of this boxing match? And I was like, what do you mean? Like, yeah, I was kind of confused because I've never done it before. And they started talking about how it'd be really big, because there's other influencers that's apart of the game and be great for association. It's gonna be YouTubers versus TikTokers. No one's professional in this, so it's not like you're gonna get in there and get killed or anything like that. No one is in the same route with Logan Paul and Jake Paul. Obviously, I'm doing the boxing.
Starting point is 01:01:32 It started getting a lot of attention. So this was just one of those things that I felt like, why not take it? Take risks. It would be cool. I felt like it worked perfectly with like what I wanted to kind of let people know is like, no matter what people think of you or this and that. Like, if you want to do it, you can do it. I wanted to give it a try. You know, I've trained, I trained for three or four months, like completely transformed. I gave it my all and it was like,
Starting point is 01:02:02 it was a great experience, you know. So, yeah, did that uh they told me the if I if the money made sense if the exposure makes sense then then I'll I'll commit my time to it. What was the deal anyway? I mean the deal yeah I mean yeah the thing the thing is is that there's like some like controversy going around it that like, oh, really? Financially, they're not paying. Not paying people. Are you serious? Did you not get paid?
Starting point is 01:02:30 I haven't gotten paid. What are you doing? You're doing the deposit, put that in. Yeah, so it's kind of F. No, it's not. No one. Are you sure? I don't know.
Starting point is 01:02:40 I think the YouTuber's got paid. Well, I mean, I'm ticked off. I feel like it was kind of something sketchy going on. I haven't put my interview your time into it yet, because I'm just getting back from vacation. I'm really out of it. I don't know, it's right up there. I don't, but.
Starting point is 01:02:56 It's kinda sounded like the fire, what's the thing on Netflix that fire festival? Fire festival. Is it like a fire festival type of thing? I don't even know what that is. It's this thing where this guy, this person, put together this festival, a music festival type of thing and he got all these influencers and people involved
Starting point is 01:03:13 and it was a total racket. Do you remember all that stuff? It was a total scam. I'm hoping this isn't a scam because I'll be super pissed because of the amount of money that was talked And I'm hoping this is in a scam because I'll be super pissed because like this Yeah, the amount of money that was talked and put into this that like influencers were agreed to like just yeah, I don't know so you were spiting It was tiktok versus in youtubers. Yeah, and so you had to fight a youtuber. Yeah correct and then
Starting point is 01:03:42 Who is the youtuber? Oh, this guy named Jarvis. And how many followers does he have on YouTube? I think like three, three or four more. Yeah, four. And so who put them together? This guy just says, yeah, in the behind the scenes, yeah, they were kind of they brought everyone. They're like, hey, do you want to fight this person? Do you want to fight this person? And they kind of like arranged it, based off of like, I guess height and weight and stuff. Oh, who won? Did you have a line? Sadly, didn't win.
Starting point is 01:04:08 Oh, you know. You're so nice. I'm fine. It's okay. Oh, gosh. That's too bad. But you trained really hard to support too. So now that you've, so now you said fitness
Starting point is 01:04:17 is a big part of your life too. So what are you doing in the fitness space? Like what you're, what are you going to do? I like, I love calisthenics. But I'm going to get into weight training as well, but calisthenics is my Really so how much do you like give me give me a day in the life of you? I know you do a ton of videos but besides that what time do you wake up give us a full lately? I don't know why I mean I have a cat and then is hero who wakes me up at six every morning
Starting point is 01:04:41 So I wake up at six every morning, but I stay in bed about six every morning. So I wake up at six every morning. But I stay in bed. You don't have to have a room. You know, it's cute. So it's whatever. But I'd say I'm going to feel like an hour or two. I wake up around eight. I'd say like, I'll bed doing whatever I have to do. Then I have to do my content or meetings or whatever I have to do until like afternoon ish. And then at nighttime, I mean,
Starting point is 01:05:06 my schedule changes constantly, so it's not like a set and something, because when I was training for the fight, my schedule is completely different than what it is now. Right, right. But typically when I work out, I think when I work out like five times a week still, just because I enjoy working out,
Starting point is 01:05:21 and those sessions typically last for like two, three hours. At the time? Yeah. Wow. I mean, that's just me though. It's kind of like my sanctuary. So I like just, you know? Yes.
Starting point is 01:05:33 Well, I think I said you're preaching to the converted because that's my sanctuary, but three hours a day. It's a lot. Yeah. And so you do that in the more afternoon? I like nighttime. I'm an owl. Yeah.
Starting point is 01:05:44 Wow. And so you do that in the more, afternoon. I like nighttime. I'm an owl. Yeah. Wow. And then you said also that is there anything else that you do, it would be, well, it's a lot. But is there any other particular being like routine or regimented thing that you need to do? Yeah, it's going to be so I'm going to do what I'm going to do is like, I don't know about running.
Starting point is 01:06:00 I don't really care for running. But dancing, I'm getting into where I'm going to that two to four times a week, dance classes, workout, whatever dance class, whatever studios, I think there's like four or five of them that I have selected. Then I'll do I think once a week boxing to continue that yoga twice a week, and then yeah, and the workouts. So those four like activity is basically. go with ties a week and then, yeah, and the workouts. So those four activities basically. Chris, for you, I love it. I mean, I think I, I mean, listen, I, I wish you so much luck because you sound like you have like a walk going on
Starting point is 01:06:35 and you're doing really, really well. Thank you. Where do people find, I mean, again, if you're not eight years old, we're, I have to tell people here how they can find you or like know your content, like where are you? You can find me on Instagram, TikTok, YouTube. I guess Facebook too. My family.
Starting point is 01:06:55 My handle is just Michael, J-U-S-T, just. And then Michael is M-A-I-K-O. It's just like a special way to say my name, because Michael is really normal. Yeah. So just Michael, M-A-I-K-O. And my name because Michael is really normal. Yeah, so just my code I'm a Ikea We don't even normal that way
Starting point is 01:07:09 Orin, yeah, right Well, thank you. I appreciate you coming on the podcast. I mean, this has been great And you like I said you're such a nice guy. I'm really happy and done this with you of course And well, that's it. I think we're gonna like call it a day Fire Um, and that's it. I think we're gonna like call it a day Fire. Bye guys Habits and hustle time to get it rolling stay up on the grind don't stop keep it going Habits and hustle from nothing in the summer all out host the budget of fuck Visionaries tune in you can get to know
Starting point is 01:07:39 Be inspired this is your moment excuses. We in heaven at The habits and hustle podcasts, power by happiness

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