In this episode, we talked about:
- The journey of transitioning from a 9-to-5 job to becoming a full-time content creator.
- The challenges and setbacks faced along the way, including the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic.
- The importance of mindset shifts, self-belief, and taking small steps to overcome self-doubt and imposter syndrome.
- The various income streams explored, including calligraphy, coaching, YouTube AdSense, brand deals, affiliate marketing, and Etsy.
- The significance of finding a supportive community and mentors to navigate the entrepreneurial journey.
- The ongoing process of self-discovery and aligning content creation with personal passions and values.
- The role of financial goals, savings, and side gigs in maintaining stability during the transition.
- The importance of embracing experimentation and viewing new ventures as opportunities for growth and learning.
- The power of authenticity and relatability in connecting with an audience and building a successful online presence.
- The future aspirations of pursuing creative endeavors and sharing inspiring content with the world.
Listen to the full episode now:
“I think every time I did something new, in my mind it was an experiment—like, let me just try this and see how I feel. You don’t have to feel pressure because you can always scrap it. But once you do it for the first time, or even start a little bit, you gain confidence. That’s really how we deal with imposter syndrome and self-doubt—you just do a little bit of it, and most of the time you feel a lot better because you did it.”
Timestamp:
- 0:00 intro
- 1:24 Dina’s journey from
- 9-to-5 to entrepreneurship
- 9:46 Dina’s journey from coaching to full time content creating
- 10:55 Dina’s struggles as a content creator and what are her new discoveries in the content creator journey
- 15:48 overcoming the fear of not making enough money
- 19:09 financial mindset shifts for aspiring content creators
- 22:32 how much is Dina making from Youtube
- 23:53 and from brand deals
- 25:33 and from affiliate programs
- 26:06 and from calligraphy workshops
- 26:25 Dina’s total income from all online income streams
- 26:50 importance of doing what you love and be in alignment 28:14 self-comparison among content creators and entrepreneurs
- 29:29 navigating self doubts and negative self-talk when pursuing this journey
- 34:27 importance of community and like-minded social network
- 35:53 Dina’s take on the future of her content creator journey
- 39:01 summary and outro
Stay Connected with Dina:
- Dina’s YouTube channel: http://www.youtube.com/@DinaLu
- Dina’s Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/dinadlu/
- Download Dina’s Free 40+ Page Business Starter Bundle: https://www.dinalucreative.com/free-creative-resources
Detailed Summary:
Introduction
Welcome back to another episode of Small Girl Big Talk, where we delve into the significant aspects of adulthood, such as self-identity, relationships, money, health, and other important matters that you care about. I’m your host, Wendy, and today, I have a special guest, Dina, a friend from my university days. It’s surreal to be having this conversation because just a year ago, when Dina was living her digital nomad life and visiting Malaysia, I was telling her about my plans to start a podcast. And here we are, recording this episode together.
From 9-to-5 to Content Creation
Dina’s journey is quite inspiring. Fresh out of university, she had a stable 9-to-5 job. I’m curious to know how she transitioned from that to becoming a full-time content creator. Dina shares that right after university, she got a job in a government office in Vancouver, working in business development and international trade. However, her dream was always to be a digital nomad and have an online business that allowed her to travel.
The Side Hustle
After a year at her job, Dina started a calligraphy business on the side. She sold greeting cards, taught workshops, and did this for about a year. Although she wasn’t making much money, around $1,000 Canadian per month, she decided to take a leap of faith, quit her job, and focus on her calligraphy business full-time.
The Pandemic Pivot
Unfortunately, six months later, the COVID-19 pandemic hit, forcing Dina to cancel all her workshops. She had to figure something else out. She transitioned from workshops to coaching other calligraphers on how to start their businesses. During this time, a mentor suggested she start a YouTube channel to reach more people and potentially get more clients.
The Unintentional YouTuber
Dina never intended to be a big YouTuber; it was just a means to an end for her coaching business. She started creating videos, and a year later, she realized she wasn’t as passionate about calligraphy as she thought. She wanted to talk about more things, like personal development and her business journey.
Finding Her Voice
Dina made the pivot to focus solely on YouTube, but this meant losing her coaching income. To make ends meet, she took on various side gigs, including delivering for Uber Eats, pet sitting, and creating UGC content. About four months later, she started an Etsy shop selling Canva templates. A video about her first month on Etsy went viral, helping her YouTube channel grow significantly.
The Digital Nomad Dream Realized
At the beginning of 2023, with her YouTube channel gaining traction, Dina decided it was time to embrace her digital nomad dream. She spent seven months traveling in Asia, and during that time, she started doing brand deals and exploring other income streams like courses and affiliate marketing.
The Present and Future
Currently, Dina is back in BC and The Evolving Content
The conversation then shifts to Dina’s current phase of figuring out what’s next for her online presence and identity as a content creator. She expresses feeling stuck with her content and wanting to move away from solely focusing on business-related topics. She’s experimenting with new creative outlets, such as writing a personal blog and offering calligraphy poems for the soul.
Embracing the Creative Journey
Dina’s vision for her future career involves being inspired every day, creating and sharing beautiful things, and connecting with her audience on a deeper level. She’s shifting her work process to prioritize inspiration and creation from the heart, rather than solely focusing on algorithms and views. She’s open to experimentation and embracing the unknown path that lies ahead.
Overcoming Self-Doubt
The discussion also touches upon the common challenges of self-doubt and imposter syndrome that many creatives face. Dina emphasizes the importance of taking small steps, viewing new projects as experiments, and finding a supportive community to navigate these feelings. She believes that by taking action and gaining confidence, one can overcome self-doubt and pursue their creative dreams.
The Importance of Community
Both Wendy and Dina acknowledge the value of having friends and a community who understand the unique challenges of pursuing a creative career. They highlight the importance of finding people who can relate to your journey and offer support and encouragement along the way.
Transparency and Relatability
Wendy commends Dina for her openness about her income streams and acknowledges that while she sometimes avoids watching such content due to self-comparison, she appreciates Dina’s transparency and relatability. She emphasizes how Dina’s authenticity makes her content resonate with viewers.
Money Mindset
The conversation delves into the fear of not making enough money, a common concern for creatives. Dina shares her experiences and mindset shifts around money, emphasizing the importance of self-belief, having savings as a safety net, and being open to exploring various income streams. She also highlights the importance of aligning one’s work with their passions, believing that it leads to greater success and fulfillment.
Conclusion
The episode concludes with Wendy expressing her excitement for Dina’s future and thanking her for her transparency and authenticity. She encourages listeners to check out Dina’s content on various platforms and to embrace their own creative journeys. The episode ends with a warm farewell and a promise to see the listeners in the next episode.
