Brief Summary
Laurie Wang reflects on her five-year journey as a YouTuber, highlighting how it transformed her life and career. She discusses her initial motivations, the challenges she faced, and the unexpected opportunities that arose. She emphasizes the importance of finding one's voice, building a community, and leveraging a personal brand to create a fulfilling life and business.
- YouTube started as a creative outlet and grew into a platform for building a community and personal brand.
- Overcoming postnatal depression through sharing and connecting with others online.
- YouTube provided confidence, a sense of identity, and valuable skills applicable to various career paths.
How I Got Here as a YouTuber
Laurie Wang recounts her early passion for creativity, which was initially discouraged in favor of a more practical career path. After a period in finance, she transitioned to marketing and discovered YouTube's potential as a search engine. Despite initial hesitation about being online, she started her YouTube channel to express her creativity. The channel began as a hobby and grew slowly, reaching nearly 500 subscribers in its first year.
Life Unexpected
Laurie discusses how life took an unexpected turn with the arrival of her daughter and the onset of the pandemic. During the lockdown, she experienced postnatal depression and felt a loss of identity due to isolation. After a year-long hiatus, she returned to YouTube, finding it a safe space to share her thoughts and insights.
Finding My True Voice
Laurie explains how she discovered a sense of purpose through YouTube, realizing that people were learning from her content. She emphasizes the power of the internet to build a community of like-minded individuals. She highlights examples of other YouTubers who have turned their passions into successful channels, encouraging viewers to share their own experiences and knowledge, regardless of age or background. She regained her confidence and identity through YouTube, becoming a confident introvert who shares her unique perspectives on camera.
Beyond Just YouTube
Laurie shares how her YouTube channel has grown to over 15,000 subscribers, expressing gratitude for her community. She explains that the audience and personal brand she built on YouTube allowed her to create a life and business she loves. She expanded her digital marketing training company, spent more time with her daughter, traveled, and delivered talks at conferences. She also grew her newsletter to 4,500 subscribers and plans to launch digital products. Laurie believes that a strong personal brand built through YouTube allows individuals to design a life and business they love, offering freedom and opportunities. She encourages viewers to start or continue their YouTube journey, emphasizing that the world needs their knowledge and that it is worth the effort.
