Happy Sunday. This week, we interviewed two of Australia’s fastest rising channels & they revealed the authentic struggles, sacrifices & strategies which helped them build their impactful YouTube brands.

Misfit Minds on becoming the biggest YouTube channel in Australia

Seb, Will & Nic have committed everything to their shared dream job. Now… it’s one of the most popular shows on YouTube. It’s hard to believe that despite their total 22 million views & successful Mindware clothing brand, they’re only just getting started.

Here’s what they had to say.

So…Why YouTube?: “We didn’t enjoy our jobs…& were in the trap of living for the weekend”, recalled Seb. “We started with tiktok skits…& even tried out radio”, but, “YouTube always appealed to us more with it’s full creative freedom”. He added, “We tried one prank & really enjoyed making the video. So we made more and people seemed to enjoy them too”. It was then, the formation of Australia’s future largest prank channel had begun.

When asked about any pressure to succeed & the fear of failing publicly, Seb said, “There wasn’t much pressure from family & friends, they’ve always supported. But “now that it’s off the ground”, with 242,000 people watching weekly, “there’s more pressure to maintain it and not fall off”. He noted “we only have ourselves to let down.”

So, they worked tirelessly, posting a prank video every week for almost 3 years, forming a community of comedy-loving fans. There’s never been a time like the present, where 3 friends can start-up their dream YouTube brand & build it to hundreds of thousands of subscribers. Their potential to build a lasting impact on YouTube culture is there for the taking. However, it came with a lot of sacrifice so far.

“It’s hard to explain why you’re working so hard on something with nothing to show for it”, Seb recalls on the early days, explaining, “you have to go all in…”

What does “all-in” look like?:

• “It’s 3 guys, working & investing everything they’ve got into the same project”

• “No outside schedule except ensuring we have a video for Sunday 5pm. Plenty of editing all nighters”

• “When views are inconsistent & money is scarce it can be a bit daunting…that’s part of it. Taking the jumps when the future is uncertain”

• “Just start, if you throw enough sh*t at the wall, something’s going to stick”

• “The original goal was to escape any 9-5, now we’re doing more hours than ever. But, we wouldn’t change it for anything”

Lessons learned from building a YouTube start-up: “Packaging is super important. You need to build hype & make people care”, said Seb. Recently, the trio returned from a 2-month hiatus with their “McBeaufort” mega-video. They made a poster, released trailers, focused on storytelling & it all worked in their favour - gaining 140,000 views in 24 hours.

The future dreams for Misfit Minds: “Everything we do, we want to build a culture around,” he stated. “Unfortunately, YouTube can’t last forever. So, we want Mindware to stand on it’s own”, said Seb. “A mockumentary is definitely one too. But, we’d never want to change for big corporations. People like us because we push the limits & boundaries,” he added. “We dance on the line without every really crossing it, which is a dangerous game. Also, hosting a festival is a pipe dream of ours, but that’s not for a while.”

What do you want people to think when they hear Misfit Minds? I asked.

“The Biggest YouTube Channel in Australia”. Very simple.

Wade Papenfus On Building His Ultimate Adventure Start-up, Offshore Tales.

Wade Papenfus is an Australian challenge YouTuber, creating these adventurous, ocean survival episodes every week. He’s built a community of 890,000 outdoor enthusiasts, who all subscribe to the thrill of an “Offshore Tale”. However, it’s been quite the ride since quitting his law clerk job at Gold Coast firm Salerno in 2021.

The reality of creating a YouTube start-up: In 2021, “I said to my parents, I’m not doing law anymore…I hated my life yet had this burning passion” revealed Wade. “I was living off $150 in savings in my caravan…and couldn’t even afford to buy proper food” he recalled. YouTube was his outlet to live spontaneously, but he had to just start.

To his extreme frustration Wade didn’t achieve the growth he’d hoped for despite putting in the effort & sacking his risk free desk job. “I was sick of making videos & not getting any views” after posting every week.

So? He decided to go all-in. “I spent 1 year in Indonesia…learning how to make better videos, understand retention, make captivating thumbnails etc”. It was then that a few videos went viral - leading to his best friend & roommate, Joel Bryant, joining the journey, collaborating on video creation with Wade. “There’s no better person than Joel”, Wade told Story Street, “the moment has come man, we are going to travel the world & make this happen”.

Two friends, 100% committed, new episodes every week, building their dream life.

Together, Wade with the videography skills of Joel, gained over 250+ million views in 2023, taking their subscriber community to 885,000. Offshore Tales is more than a name but a call to adventure for ocean thrill-seekers. To expand their YouTube start-up, Wade released adventure themed clothing, accessories, hats & more in March 2024. I asked about what’s next & he let me know a special product may be on the future horizon, but their first priority is making the best videos possible.

Looking ahead: When asked about his dream vision for Offshore Tales, Wade replied, “For us, it’s about growing everything as much as possible”. But a special dream would be taking Offshore Tales overseas. “We want to start doing international videos too…Maldives, Bahamas…Ethiopia. But it comes down to ideas & what we can film since it’ll cost us thousands”.

Wade’s advice for any creator start-up:

1. “To be successful on YouTube, you need to find an identifiable market”

   (adventure, vlogging, education, entertainment, podcasting etc)

2. “You need to constantly evolve & critique your own videos through regular trial and error”

3. (If it’s not working, that’s okay, try again in a different format. Just don’t quit)

4. “You have the exact same happiness at 100, 1000 & 500k subscribers”

   (Happiness isn’t just unlocked at the next milestone. Enjoy the journey.)

Just like anyone else, Wade was committed to a secure job, whilst dreaming of another life. He embraced the utility of the creator economy & now has his own YouTube start-up to inspire millions.

Business moves in the creator space 💡

1. The Hamish & Andy Podcast is officially back after no episodes since November 2023. After a “Government Mandated Break”, the boys are back on the mics for season 6.

2. Filming for season 2 of The Inspired Unemployed (Impractical) Jokers has commenced. Their first season was a hit & the next one will be out in 2024.

3. Former YouTuber Jake Paul will fight Mike Tyson live on Netflix on July 20th in Texas, US.

Top 3 Videos Of The Week 🌐

The STORY STREET spotlight 🌐

Up & Coming Creators To Watch

• Tom Oswald - an 18 year old South Australian, documenting his journey in starting Homeboy Cafe in Hahndorf. Through vlogs, bts, days in the life, light cafe conversation & more, Tom has built a community of 200,000 people following his business’ journey.

• Life of Riza - a Canadian YouTuber documenting her 20s with highly cinematic, authentic vlogs aimed to inspire.