Aspiring Creator

In this week’s episode of Aspiring Creator, I talk about my experience at MWC (Mobile World Congress) and Samsung Unpacked, the current reality of sponsorships on YouTube, and why I’m seriously reconsidering the future of my website with the new AI advances. If you're building a creator business and want the unpolished version of what's working (and what's not), this one's for you. New episodes every Wednesday 🚀 ⏰ TIMESTAMPS 00:00 - The Reality Behind Big Tech Events 🎪 09:50 - The Only Tech Events I’d Go To Now 🎟️ 12:19 - Why I’m Pausing My Website (For Now) 🌐 18:26 - Why Brand Deals Aren’t Landing 📬 21:56 - The 24-Hour View Trap on YouTube 🎯 25:55 - Fixing Our Brand Outreach System 🛠️ 30:25 - How Creator Brand Trips Actually Work ✈️ 💬 SOCIAL STUFF ▸ Instagram: @petematheson ▸ LinkedIn: @petematheson ▸ Website: https://www.petematheson.com/

🚨 Sign up to Experiments in Progress - my weekly newsletter sharing tested tech and behind-the-scenes experiments: https://www.experimentsinprogress.com/ ***** In this week’s episode of Aspiring Creator, I talk about accidentally deleting my entire YouTube channel (yes, really), what actually saved it, and why it forced me to rethink how I’m building the business behind the scenes. I also dive into the Dell monitor review that’s blown up this year, the growing trend of paid growth and bought views (including the MrBeast debate), and whether building products might be smarter than chasing traffic. If you're building a creator business and want the unpolished version of what's working (and what's not), this one's for you. New episodes every Wednesday 🚀 ⏰ TIMESTAMPS 00:00 Should I Just Make Monitor Videos? 🖥️ 09:56 Leaving the UK? 🌍 13:40 How To Stay Top of Mind With Brands? 🧠 17:11 Where I’m Investing Right Now 📈 19:21 The Chair Scandal 💺 23:14 I Deleted My Entire Channel 😱 32:16 How Do You Get Invited to Media Events? 🎟️ 40:11 Is SEO Dead? 📉 51:08 Is MrBeast Buying Growth? 📈 LINKS 📺 Marcus Jones - No Seriously, YouTube is Starting to Break - https://youtu.be/V9TXWSKt5ww ✍️ How MrBeast Dominated 2025 Using Advertising - https://x.com/MrBeast_Stats/status/2025649596744302686?s=20 💬 SOCIAL STUFF ▸ Instagram: @petematheson ▸ LinkedIn: @petematheson ▸ Website: https://www.petematheson.com/

In this week’s episode of Aspiring Creator, I talk about using AI to analyse and refocus my YouTube channel, whether Shorts actually drive long-form views, and how I’m thinking about tax savings as a UK creator. If you're building a creator business and want the unpolished version of what's working (and what's not), this one's for you. New episodes every Wednesday 🚀 ⏰ TIMESTAMPS 00:00 - Asking AI What My Channel Is About 🤖 10:28 - Do Shorts Actually Feed Long-Form? 📉 12:25 - Where AI Fits Into Our Workflow ⚙️ 15:52 - Losing Access to Brand Events 🎟️ 19:49 - The Enshittification of the Internet 🗑️ 24:32 - Reducing Tax as a UK Creator 🇬🇧 🔗 LINKS Check out the newsletter: experimentsinprogress.com 💬 SOCIAL STUFF ▸ Instagram: @petematheson ▸ LinkedIn: @petematheson ▸ Website: https://www.petematheson.com/

In this week’s episode of Aspiring Creator, I talk about getting threatened by affiliate platform, Howl, after chasing unpaid fees, why I turned down a £14k sponsorship, and the changes I’m making to simplify the business behind the channel - from editing workflows to shorts strategy. If you're building a creator business and want the unpolished version of what's working (and what's not), this one's for you. New episodes every Wednesday 🚀 ⏰ TIMESTAMPS 00:00 Getting Paid… Then Getting Threatened 💸 07:41 Update on our Editing Workflow 🔗 09:40 Our New Shorts Strategy (+ Why) 🚀 13:47 Fewer Links, Better Conversions 🔗 19:10 Turning Down £14k 💸 22:17 This Was Worth Buying 💰 26:23 Samsung Unpacked Prep 📱 💬 SOCIAL STUFF ▸ Instagram: @petematheson ▸ LinkedIn: @petematheson ▸ Website: https://www.petematheson.com/

In this week’s episode of Aspiring Creator, I’m at CES in Las Vegas and thought I’d do something a bit different — stick a camera on the table at a steak dinner with a bunch of tech YouTubers and get everyone’s honest, off-the-cuff tips on growing on YouTube. If you're building a creator business and want the unpolished version of what's working (and what's not), this one's for you. New episodes every Wednesday 🚀 ⏰ TIMESTAMPS 00:00 - Intro 02:09 - Pete (@PeteMatheson) 03:08 - Dariusz (@DariuszTech) 03:47 - Patrick (@PatrickRambles) 04:11 - David (@DavidAVelez1) 05:37 - Fenson (@Gadgetsu) 07:14 - Mark & Paul (@MarkEllisReviews | @1PaulJ) 09:36 - Pete & Darius 10:39 - Tausif (@TausifHussain) 11:29 - Outtakes 💬 SOCIAL STUFF ▸ Instagram: @petematheson ▸ LinkedIn: @petematheson ▸ Website: https://www.petematheson.com/

In this week’s episode of Aspiring Creator, I talk about why affiliate links might not be working the way you think, what I learned from calling out an affiliate platform, and how CES ended up being our most profitable year yet. I also share my honest take on YouTube Promote vs building an organic audience. If you're building a creator business and want the unpolished version of what's working (and what's not), this one's for you. New episodes every Wednesday 🚀 ⏰ TIMESTAMPS 00:00 - The Video That Got Me a Legal Threat ⚖️ 05:37 - How I Found Someone Reposting My Videos 🔍 07:51 - When a Video Doesn’t Find Its Audience 🎯 12:37 - Are Affiliate Platforms a Scam? (+ the Honey Scandal) 🤔 22:27 - How CES Finally Paid Off 📈 32:31 - Growing Beyond YouTube (+ How I Got to Work with Lego)⏳ 39:44 - Is Now the Right Time to Start YouTube? ⏱️ 🔗 LINKS MegaLag: Exposing the Honey Influencer Scam - https://youtu.be/vc4yL3YTwWk 💬 SOCIAL STUFF ▸ Instagram: @petematheson ▸ LinkedIn: @petematheson ▸ Website: https://www.petematheson.com/

In this week’s episode of Aspiring Creator, I break down what’s been going on behind the scenes this week - from delayed affiliate payments on Howl and the messy reality of tracking commissions, to getting set up with the Panasonic Lumix S1 II. I also share how I’m approaching CES this year and my 2026 goals for the business 💪 If you're building a creator business and want the unpolished version of what's working (and what's not), this one's for you. New episodes every Wednesday 🚀 ⏰ TIMESTAMPS 00:00 - Howl Is Delaying Our Affiliate Payments ⏳ 05:45 - Getting to Grips With the Panasonic Lumix S1 II 📸 09:20 - How I’m Approaching CES This Year 🗓️ 17:39 - What We Keep (and Ditch) From Brand Gear 📦 19:30 - 2026 Goals: Website Traffic, Socials & Digital Products 📊 💬 SOCIAL STUFF ▸ Instagram: @petematheson ▸ LinkedIn: @petematheson ▸ Website: https://www.petematheson.com/

I've relaunched Aspiring Creator and this time I've outsourced everything except sitting in the chair and talking, so kick back and come behind the scenes 😃 In this episode I talk about my Black Friday studio haul, the honest truth about finding a good agency, and the 36-page script that completely got out of hand. If you're building a creator business and want the unpolished version of what's working (and what's not), this one's for you. New episodes every Wednesday 🚀 ⏰ TIMESTAMPS 00:00 My Black Friday Studio Haul 🎥 12:22 Taking Time Off Does Hurt Your IG Reach 📉 14:42 My Honest Advice on Finding an Agency 📬 19:36 When Your Script Hits 36 Pages… 😅 26:14 When Other Sites Republish Your Content 📄 💬 SOCIAL STUFF ▸ Instagram: @petematheson ▸ LinkedIn: @petematheson ▸ Website: https://www.petematheson.com/

I've relaunched Aspiring Creator and this time I've outsourced everything except sitting in the chair and talking, so kick back and come behind the scenes 😃 In this episode I talk about the huge range of editing costs I uncovered this week, my accountant’s mistake that ended up costing me thousands. and then take you inside a full BTS Porsche shoot. If you’re curious how creators juggle editing, finances, shoots, and keeping the whole machine running - this one’s for you. New episodes every Wednesday 🚀 ⏰ TIMESTAMPS 00:00 Are We Paying Too Much for Editing? 🎬 03:59 When Your Accountant’s Mistake Costs You Thousands 💥 12:17 Behind the Scenes of Our Porsche Shoot 🚘 20:35 Streamlining Our Edits: What We’re Changing 🎥 22:53 Power Bins Are Getting Us Closer to Faster Edits ⚡ 💬 SOCIAL STUFF ▸ Instagram: @petematheson ▸ LinkedIn: @petematheson ▸ Website: https://www.petematheson.com/

I've relaunched Aspiring Creator and this time I've outsourced everything except sitting in the chair and talking, so kick back and come behind the scenes 😃 In this episode I break down how we’ve ended up with a brand deal on almost every video - and the setup that finally makes it sustainable. We also get into a frank chat with a brand about expectations, plus a few behind-the-scenes upgrades from new gear to DaVinci workflow experiments. If you're curious about how creators actually manage sponsorships, workflow, and keeping the whole machine going … this one’s for you. New episodes every Wednesday 🚀 ⏰ TIMESTAMPS 00:00 - The Problem With Posting when an Embargo Lifts ⚠️ 06:36 - Talking Honestly With a Brand About Results 📊 15:49 - Why I Finally Bought the Mavic 4 Pro 🚁 19:39 - DaVinci Power Bins could be a Game Changer 🚀 23:08 - The Hybrid Approach to Brand Deals 🔄 27:52 - Black Friday Strategy: Links, Deals & Brand Outreach 🔗 🔗 LINKS 📰 My newsletter: experimentsinprogress.com 💬 SOCIAL STUFF ▸ Instagram: @petematheson ▸ LinkedIn: @petematheson ▸ Website: https://www.petematheson.com/

I've relaunched Aspiring Creator and this time I've outsourced everything except sitting in the chair and talking, so kick back and come behind the scenes 😃 In this episode I talk about how we may have got confirmation that some creators are “legally” buying views to get sponsors, dig into the metrics brands actually check before they approve a deal and share how to actually make the most of CES as a creator. If you're building a creator business and want the unpolished version of what's working (and what's not), this one's for you. New episodes every Wednesday 🚀 ⏰ TIMESTAMPS 00:00 - How We Map Out a Year of Videos 🎬 05:43 - How to Maximise CES as a Creator 🚀 11:29 - When a Brand Deal Underperforms (And They Want More) 📉 17:44 - Editor Update: Our Capacity Problem 🎬 18:57 - The Metrics Brands Look at Before Approving a Deal 💼 23:57 - Confirmed: Brands Are Being Scammed by Fake Views ⚠️ 💬 SOCIAL STUFF ▸ Instagram: @petematheson ▸ LinkedIn: @petematheson ▸ Website: https://www.petematheson.com/

I've relaunched Aspiring Creator and this time I've outsourced everything except sitting in the chair and talking, so kick back and come behind the scenes 😃 In this episode I talk about why I turned down a $25k sponsorship, how hiring an in-person editor has been game-changing and how I got on LEGO’s radar. If you're building a creator business and want the unpolished version of what's working (and what's not), this one's for you. New episodes every Wednesday 🚀 ⏰ TIMESTAMPS 00:00 - The Power of Having an In-Person Editor 💪 10:14 - Why We Hired Pros Instead of Buying Gear 🎥 16:27 - Why We Said No to a $25,000 💰 24:45 - How We Got on LEGO’s Radar 🧱 💬 SOCIAL STUFF ▸ Instagram: @petematheson ▸ LinkedIn: @petematheson ▸ Website: https://www.petematheson.com/

This week on Aspiring Creator, I’m back from a OnePlus press trip in Prague - and it didn’t quite go to plan 😅 From rain-soaked camera tests to awkward brand negotiations, this episode dives into the real behind-the-scenes of creator life. If you're building a creator business and want the unpolished version of what's working (and what's not), this one's for you. New episodes every Wednesday 🚀 ⏰ TIMESTAMPS 00:00 - What Really Happens on Tech Creator Press Trips 📸 04:09 - Do Creators Really Have to Disclose Everything? 🤔 09:58 - Why I’m Probably Not Going Back to VidSummit 🚫 14:26 - Creators with Kids: You’re Playing a Different Game 🎯 17:49 - How We Use Shorts to Test Video Ideas 💡 22:52 - How I Accidentally Upset a Brand 😬 💬 SOCIAL STUFF ▸ Instagram: @petematheson ▸ LinkedIn: @petematheson ▸ Website: https://www.petematheson.com/

I've relaunched Aspiring Creator and this time I've outsourced everything except sitting in the chair and talking, so kick back and come behind the scenes 😃 In this episode I talk about using Claude AI to rebuild our entire project system, smashing Q4 sponsorship targets and how creators can pitch brand deals that work. If you're building a creator business and want the unpolished version of what's working (and what's not), this one's for you. New episodes every Wednesday 🚀 ⏰ TIMESTAMPS 00:00 - How Claude AI Rebuilt Our Sponsorship Tracker 🤖 05:01 - How we Plan for Dips in Revenue 📈 06:49 - How VidSummit Changed My Approach to YouTube 📺 11:15 - How We’re Reinvesting Brand Deal Money Into the Channel 🎥 13:45 - How Creators Should Pitch Brand Deals (Most Brands Still Don’t Get It) 💡 26:10 - Why I Don’t Bother Growing on Other Platforms 🙅‍♂️ 30:24 - Who Should I Interview Next? 👀 💬 SOCIAL STUFF ▸ Instagram: @petematheson ▸ LinkedIn: @petematheson ▸ Website: https://www.petematheson.com/

I've relaunched Aspiring Creator and this time I've outsourced everything except sitting in the chair and talking, so kick back and come behind the scenes 😃In this episode I talk about what I learned at VidSummit 2025 - from how top creators run their teams and edit faster, to the weird world of fake affiliate channels, and why every YouTuber probably needs a producer, not just an editor.If you're building a creator business and want the unpolished version of what's working (and what's not), this one's for you.New episodes every Wednesday 🚀⏰ TIMESTAMPS00:00 Inside VidSummit: Key Takeaways, Lessons & Conversations ✈️05:08 When Brands Secretly Own ‘Review’ Channels 👀09:34 Fixing Our Biggest Bottleneck: Editing 🧠14:01 The Power of Storytelling in Tech YouTube 🔋17:50 Fix Your First Frame: The Secret to Better Shorts 🎯20:55 The 4% Creator Club 🤑26:11 I Finally Found an Accountant Who Gets YouTube 💼27:53 Redefining Roles: Why My “Channel Manager” Is Actually a Producer 🎬💬 SOCIAL STUFF▸ Instagram: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠@petematheson⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠▸ LinkedIn: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠@petematheson⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠▸ Website: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://www.petematheson.com/

I've relaunched Aspiring Creator and this time I've outsourced everything except sitting in the chair and talking, so kick back and come behind the scenes 😃In this episode I talk about how much a 1-million-view video actually earns, YouTube’s new co-creator feature, and whether AI could really replace YouTubers.If you're building a creator business and want the unpolished version of what's working (and what's not), this one's for you.New episodes every Wednesday 🚀⏰ TIMESTAMPS00:00 - YouTube’s Co-Creator Feature - Worth It or Not? 🎥02:22 - What Does a 1-Million-View Video Actually Earn 🤑08:27 - Why I’m Saying No to Smaller Brand Launches 🚫13:54 - We’re Hiring a New Editor 👋15:31 - Could AI Replace YouTubers Entirely? (Sora 3 is insane) 🤖18:37 - Creators Are Lying About Sponsorships? 🤦🔗 LINKSiJustine’s video on Sora AI - https://www.youtube.com/shorts/iMK2TSXO_P4💬 SOCIAL STUFF▸ Instagram: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠@petematheson⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠▸ LinkedIn: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠@petematheson⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠▸ Website: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://www.petematheson.com/

I've relaunched Aspiring Creator and this time I've outsourced everything except sitting in the chair and talking, so kick back and come behind the scenes 😃In this episode I talk about how the channel really makes money, the different types of sponsorships (and what brands actually pay for), and why skipping iPhone launch videos might have been a mistake.If you're building a creator business and want the unpolished version of what's working (and what's not), this one's for you.New episodes every Wednesday 🚀⏰ TIMESTAMPS00:00 - How The Channel Really Makes Money 💰06:35 - From £700 to £50K/Month: How I Grew My Sponsorships 🚀11:07 - Was Skipping the iPhone Launch a Mistake? 🤦14:38 - Types of Sponsorships & How to Charge 🤝20:42 - The Harsh Reality of Brand Trip Invites ✈️26:36 - How I Actually Pay Myself & the Team 💷💬 SOCIAL STUFF▸ Instagram: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠@petematheson⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠▸ LinkedIn: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠@petematheson⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠▸ Website: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://www.petematheson.com/

I'm relaunching Aspiring Creator and this time I've outsourced everything except sitting in the chair and talking, so kick back and come behind the scenes 😃In this episode I talk about the surprising impact chapters can have on watch time, the real impact of buying views, and the early lessons from working with an agent instead of managing every brand deal myself.If you're building a creator business and want the unpolished version of what's working (and what's not), this one's for you.New episodes every Wednesday 🚀⏰ TIMESTAMPS00:00 Buying Every New Apple Product 📱05:58 My First-Ever Apple Briefing Invite 🍏07:36 Why We Stopped Adding Chapters to Videos ⏯️08:52 The Hidden Cost of Buying Views 📉14:38 The Accountant Dilemma: Cost vs. Value 💼17:28 The Hidden Drawback of Having an Agent 🤔18:45 Why Everyone’s YouTube Views Suddenly Dropped 🔍20:40 Why A/B Testing Can Hurt Your Videos 🖼️🔗 LINKS📺 iPhone 17 Buyers Guide - https://youtu.be/Exp_iR2r3Oo📰 Subscribe to my newsletter: Experiments in Progress - https://www.experimentsinprogress.com/💬 SOCIAL STUFF▸ Instagram: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠@petematheson⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠▸ LinkedIn: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠@petematheson⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠▸ Website: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://www.petematheson.com/

On this week's Aspiring Creator we're talking about balancing quick cash from brand deals with long-term channel growth, the workflow tweaks I picked up from other creators, and a full breakdown of how much my channel actually makes.If you enjoyed this, a quick rating or review on your podcast app makes a huge difference 🙏New episodes every Wednesday 🚀⏰ TIMESTAMPS00:00 – Choosing Between Fast Cash and Sustainable Growth 💸05:14 – Buying Views and Why Brands Still Fall for It 🫠09:55 – How to Make One Great Video a Week ⚙️13:48 – Signing With an Agent but Keeping Control (the Hybrid Model) 🤝17:36 – Drowning in Last-Minute Brand Deals (Did I take on too much?) 👀22:17 – Big Rant: My Accounts (and Accountants) are a Mess 😫31:39 – Exactly How Much My Channel Makes 🤑💬 SOCIAL STUFF▸ Instagram: ⁠⁠⁠⁠@petematheson⁠⁠⁠⁠▸ LinkedIn: ⁠⁠⁠⁠@petematheson⁠⁠⁠⁠▸ Website: ⁠⁠⁠⁠https://www.petematheson.com/

On this week’s Aspiring Creator podcast, we’re live from IFA Berlin 2025, I’m joined by Alex and MrHtech for a very creator-at-a-trade-show kind of week. We get into how to actually make events like IFA pay, the constant battle with titles and workflow, and why fake views and dodgy metrics still mess up brand deals.If you enjoyed this, a quick rating or review on your podcast app makes a huge difference 🙏New episodes every Wednesday 🚀⏰ TIMESTAMPS00:00 - How Creators made Tech / Trade Shows Pay 🤑07:05 - The Clickbait Dilemma: Titles that perform vs titles that don’t annoy your audience 🎣13:08 - Planning Content for Apple Season (and keeping to deadlines) 📅18:17 - Do You Need an Agent to Manage Sponsorships? 🤝23:55 - Fake Views & Failing to Educate Brands 😤🔗 LINKSAlex Gear & Tech - https://www.youtube.com/@AlexGTechMrHtech - https://www.youtube.com/@MrHtech💬 SOCIAL STUFF▸ Instagram: ⁠⁠⁠@petematheson⁠⁠⁠▸ LinkedIn: ⁠⁠⁠@petematheson⁠⁠⁠▸ Website: ⁠⁠⁠https://www.petematheson.com/