February 4, 2022

Welcome to The Tilt, a twice-weekly newsletter for content entrepreneurs. Each edition is packed with the latest news, strategies, and tactics, plus inspiring creator stories and exclusive education, all to help you create, grow, and monetize better.

Features in this issue (view online):

Full Tilt: Mental Health Tips for Creators
Entrepreneur: Body Positivity Content Tilt
Stan: Finance on TikTok

full tilt

Healthy Mindsets and Motivations for Creators from a Life Coach to Stars and Streamers

Life coach Tim Storey has worked with the likes of Oprah Winfrey, Robert Downey Jr., and Kanye West. He’s seen the ups and downs of fame, and he says, content creators aren’t immune to it.

Through his partnership with XSET, an esports and gaming lifestyle brand, Tim works as a mental health and well-being advocate and resource for the organization’s roster of Twitchers, and other talent, employees, and athletes.

“The thing I’ve learned over all these years is that as humans, we all have our flaws, our faults, and our failures,” Tim says. “And on the celebrity side, it seems like everything is more amplified, and also with social media because people can look into your window a lot easier.”

Human being vs. human doing: As he talks and works with streamers, Tim, author of The Miracle Mentality, sees a variety of obstacles that can set back their overall well-being, especially as they begin to make it big.

Many creators didn’t chase celebrity when they launched their first stream or TikTok. But fame can come quickly and unexpectedly in the business of content creation. That sudden change often leads them to have unrealistic expectations of their new status. “What I see in many of the people that I deal with is the major let down of, ‘I thought the view would be better on top of this mountain,’” Tim says.

The hamster-wheel nature of a creator’s work also can take its toll, as they worry taking even a single day off from streaming or posting could set them back in an irreparable way, Tim says.

The excitement of doing the work can quickly turn into an addiction. “You go through withdrawals,” he says. “People become human-doings instead of human-beings … When you become a human-doing, life starts to get very messy.”

Here are some of Tim’s recommendations for content creators who need a refresh:

Wake up: Take notice of what’s messy in your life to head off the struggles that come when you don’t pay attention. “Becoming awake is becoming conscious and really paying attention,” Tim says.

Take inventory: Take stock of your mindset, physical health, family, and social life. On a scale of one to 10, rate how well each one is going.

Partner with the right people: Look for people who can provide emotional support and are living a lifestyle you would like to emulate, not just on a professional level.

– Sarah Lindenfeld Hall

For more tips and counsel, read the longer story.

content entrepreneur spotlight

Epiphany Turns Into Business for Body Positivity Creator Brynta Ponn

Entrepreneur: Brynta Ponn

Biz: Brynta Ponn

Tilt: Body positivity

Primary Channels: Instagram (85K), TikTok (48.6K)

Time to First Dollar: 3 to 4 months

Rev Streams: Sponsored posts, some speaking opportunities (She has kept her full-time job in marketing.)

Our Favorite Actionable Advice:

Pay attention to others: Monitor what other creators in your niche do. Stay updated on new features and promotions on your primary channels.
Put down the phone: Don’t constantly check your feeds, comments, or analytics. Brynta says while creators often think they must go, go, go, it’s important to take breaks.
Be versatile: Though niches are important, don’t let them restrict you too much. Be as versatile as you can within your content tilt, which will seem more authentic and less boring for your audience.

– Sarah Lindenfeld Hall

All the Story: To learn more about Brynta Ponn, check out the longer story.

Know a content creator who’s going full tilt? DM us. Or email [email protected].

quick talk

Caught on … YouTube

“Growing a successful YouTube channel in 2022 means getting monetized and getting more subscribers to build your community.” – Roberto Blake

things to know

Money

Wordle wonder: The New York Times acquired Wordle, the simply designed one-a-day word puzzle that went viral in 2022. The media company has been doubling down on games as a way to attract new subscribers. (Axios)
Tilt Take: Though Wordle’s creator never imagined an exit strategy, content entrepreneurs should think about it. Who would you want to buy your content business?
Circus business: TikTok acts as the new “three-ring” venue for circus artists who aren’t on the road anymore. The hashtag #circus has 4.2B views, prompting aerialists, acrobats, clowns, and others to make a living from the platform. (Input; h/t Joe Waters)
Tilt Take: Cool transformation by the workers of a declining industry.

Audiences

Forced views: To boost numbers, some video creators put so much text on the screen in a seven-second video that viewers have to watch again to read it all. (Jack Appleby)
Tilt Take: We’re not sure frustrating viewers to boost your numbers is the best long-term business plan.
Better accessibility: Instagram’s accessibility team improved core elements that will create a faster experience for users of its TalkBack tool who typically have a visual impairment. In the old experience, it could take as long as a minute to swipe from one post to another. (Social Media Today)
Tilt Take: Always create and publish for all members of your audience.

Tech and Tools

Insta authenticity: Instagram’s new 3D avatar update will add more face shapes, skin shades, expressions, and more to allow users to reflect themselves better. (Instagram)
Tilt Take: See previous Tilt take.
Sewing articles: A screenshot indicates Twitter is working on giving users the ability to create their own “Twitter article.” (Jane Manchun Wong; h/t Martin Lieberman)
Tilt Take: Is Twitter sick of the now ubiquitous threads?

And Finally

Video stack: Adding native video to your Substack content could be an option soon. It’s in a private beta test now that’s accepting applications. (Tech Crunch)
Tilt Take: It’s a smart strategy for creators who want to keep their subscribers behind a paywall instead of sending them to a public YouTube channel.
Board up: A personal board of advisors can help you on a personal and professional level. (Bryan Kramer)
Tilt Take: It can be helpful for creators to establish a go-to sounding board with different expertise represented.

we’re a stan for Humphrey Yang

Two years ago, Humphrey Yang, a former Wall Streeter, noticed a lack of finance videos on TikTok. So, he challenged himself to create and upload one video a day for one month. He gained traction and knew there was only one thing to do: Keep going.

Humphrey has made a real impression on TikTok’s finance-crazed Gen Zers. And it’s obvious why as Money.com explains: He’s “pretty transparent, even nerdy, in his thoughts.

After a follower asked him to explain NFTs in a way that even a 3-year-old could understand, Humphrey did it using a Taylor Swift reputation concert ticket. His clever storytelling backs why the Californian has 2.7M subscribers.

Why we’re a Stan: Humphrey knows what his audience wants, and he uses the power of storytelling to help them learn it.

– Shameyka McCalman

the business of content

5 Mistakes Businesses Make with Content (Content Inc.)
Spotify’s Rogan Pains (This Old Marketing)
Small Business Emergency Funds: Preparing for Financial Need (Nav)
Advice From Olympians and Paralympians on Chasing Your Dreams (CNBC)
How Early-Stage Founders Can Build an Inclusive Culture From Day One (Venture Beat)

the tilt team

Your team for this issue: Joe Pulizzi, Ann Gynn, Laura Kozak, Marc Maxhimer, and Dave Anthony, with an assist from Angelina Kaminski, Sarah Lindenfeld Hall, Shameyka McCalman, and Don Borger.

Get Your Mind Right – February 4, 2022