Surprising Ways I Earned Money as a Content Creator (Full Breakdown)

[@aohamer]

I literally was on a Zoom call with my patrons last night and they were shocked that I only make $100/month from KZbin. I'm still grateful considering I'm under 10k subs, but I've realized content creation is not the well 💧but a pipeline to send people other places🚿 I appreciate you for sharing this and reminding artists to diversify. Congrats on a great year! 🥳

[@hallease]

Yes, it’s definitely a stepping stone but you really have to think beyond the content itself to make a sustainable living

[@aohamer]

@@hallease Facts 💯

[@Amandaarticulates]

That is exactly it. It is a funnel to send individuals into your space. Share what you're doing for them. How can you help them. And then route them to your product or service that meets their needs. I am still mastering this concept myself. Its a game we all so delicately play.

[@aohamer]

@@Amandaarticulates Delicate game indeed 👌🏾

[@BreeonaNechole]

This video just told me to step my 🐱 up. And I’m so here for it. You work hard!!!! Thank you for sharing.

[@hallease]

I hope I gave you some food for thought, remember to factor in ✨rest✨ as much as possible. It's a marathon not a sprint. You'll have seasons of going and then, similar to what I'm doing this year, seasons of coasting and rebuilding. Roll with the tide.

[@qwertydeluxe]

I always appreciate how transparent you are about this, you really demystify what goes into making a creative endeavor run. Hoping good things for this year too!

[@hallease]

Thank you 🥰

[@ellenrics]

You have the best voice ever

[@blubat_]

I'm not in the same youtube/filmmaking creative field, but watching your videos is always inspiring! It always gives me motivation to push forward in my own black small business owner journey as a book publisher!

[@hallease]

Yes, at the risk of sounding incredibly "entrepreneur-ish" 🫠 it's all about leveraging the audience as much as possible. Regardless of the size.

[@kasiapetruk6730]

What a beautiful mug and the blue top!

[@hallease]

Thanks mugs are from a well-known ceramics artist named Padilla. I thrifted them! The top was on sale at Old Navy I think?

[@Queen-of-the-Burbs]

Off topic but your new apartment is beautiful. You be decorating girl!

[@hallease]

Literally finished filming the apartment tour video this week and that'll hopefully be coming out sooner rather than later.

[@SunshineMena]

I truly appreciate your transparency since the very beginning. As a creative who’s trying to figure out how to make this creative life work by the end of the year or else get a regular desk job, which I really don’t want to do, this video came at a pivotal time for me (literally today I locked myself in my room trying to map out all the possible income streams and how to approach them). My question is, do you have content creator references from other contexts/countries you could recommend, who also speak relatively openly about how they make a living (even if they don’t share exact numbers)? I’m from and based in Mozambique, Southern Africa, so the realities and opportunities around creating content here are a tiny bit different, so maybe you have creators to recommend from other geographies, just so I can get a sense of how other people outside of North America are doing things?

[@hallease]

Oh man, the only person who comes to mind is Sorelle Amor here on KZbin. She's based in Iceland but is a digital nomad. She's actually a millionaire now so 🫠 but in her past videos, she would talk very openly about how she made a living as a full-time artist. Another person who again used to talk semi-openly about money was Nathaniel Drew. He was also a digital nomad that spent time in CDMX but I think he now owns a condo in France?! Again, pretty sure he's a millionaire now 🫠

[@chimdi]

I always appreciate the transparency and its so beautiful seeing the way your career has expanded!!

[@hallease]

Aye! Hey girl hey!

[@JustFluffyQuiltingYarnCrafts]

Thank you for your transparency, Hallease. ❤You are a bright light in what can be a dark world in the real and on the internet. 🌟

[@hallease]

🥹 omg what a sweet comment, thank you for this!

[@MayaTable]

I’m catching up on all the videos. I have saved on my watch later list. You’re a genius and hella resilient!

[@WordsPictures997]

Thank you so much for being so open Hallease. This is super helpful, insightful and inspiring. I'm sorry happy for you that you got such great opportunities to help push you forward. May this only be the beginning for you. Thank you so much for showing us that finances can come in a variety of creative ways.

[@magnumlifestylemedia]

Im a filmmaker and I follow you...

[@hallease]

👀

[@manestreambeauty]

Solid info and advice. Thank you for your transparency, it helps others make informed decisions about content creation as a career. You really need to be self-motivated and find a combination of things to sustain yourself if you choose a similar career path. If you can't handle uncertainty, it's not the path for you -- unless you are independently wealthy or don't need an income.

[@hallease]

Facts! Most of the creative artists I follow, regardless of their specialty, have a strong internal drive and also are really good with their money. Like scary good. I aspire to have an organized budget that's as good as Temi Coker.

[@manestreambeauty]

@@hallease You will. You're already on the path. I left comments on previous videos, but Paco Leon and the micro budget filmmaker's podcast could be helpful resources to tap into specifically as a creator/filmmaker. Rooting for you and fellow creatives!

[@globisdead]

What valuable information! Thanks for posting

[@hallease]

You're welcome! I'm just out here trying to ✨demystify✨ the content creator life

[@jae-annedanae4512]

Hallease this is honestly very inspiring. I know you’re working extremely hard and it can’t be easy so honestly hats off to you for pursuing your dreams and endeavoring to persevere!

[@hallease]

Yeah, I like making these videos to remind people that this is WORK and it takes EFFORT. I really enjoy what I do so it feels worth it for me (most of the time). But I’m not living that “I don’t dream of labor” life. I am actively laboring 😂😂 I am inside labor.

[@introvertinwonderland]

I need to actually utilise my different streams, I think for me a lot has to do with my self worth and getting my mind in the right place to follow through with my various avenues

[@hallease]

Yes, also I know this is a broad statement but if you aren’t represented by someone you’re probably undercharging

[@noovernightguests]

This is now my FAVORITE video on this topic! Thank you for being so transparent and telling us about allllllll the ways you are supporting yourself and your business. So many other KZbinrs fail to mention certain streams of income because they don't think it's relevant or significant enough to mention. Next thing you know they're buying a house... and then renovating it. Girl how? On the other hand, I can clearly see that I am SLACKING. Wishing you and everybody on the entrepreneur/small business journey the ENERGY to keep going.

[@stefanieamezcua2023]

Absolutely loved this!!! Fellow San Antonian & I just want to say how I regret never introducing myself to you when I saw you walking around the Pearl one Sunday afternoon with your husband. I wanted to share how your video work is so fantastic! *extroverted introvert here* I fangirled from afar but it is lovely to see you thrive in Atlanta! And the transparency is so appreciated with your content work & many talents. Very inspirational and I hope you keep getting blessed with bigger & better opportunities to grow & teach! You inspire me! The 210 definitely needs great minds like you but I totally get the small town no BIG opportunities available will only stagnate your creativity ❤

[@hallease]

Honestly, coming back to San Antonio after living in Austin for so long was a breath of fresh air. It took a while to find my group but I definitely found some lifelong friends there. It was a really tough decision to leave but I'm glad I did what felt right for me at the time. I do miss it though 😭 Brown Coffee was my SPOT. I had a cortado almost every day.

[@Yojordansky]

I always love when you show these it just kinda feels like oh that's what kept our girl so busy

[@hallease]

Yes, I wish more of my income could just come from making videos here, but alas, it's a great connecting point but I don't directly make that much from this channel 😔

[@Yojordansky]

@@hallease Hey KZbin did what it had to do it pointed you to people that could pay the bills. It was like look child of Google, go fly, but come back home every now and again

[@chloepickett1687]

We are so proud of you!!! I was smiling the whole video!

[@TheFinanceRebel]

Great Video! When you said Artists are businesses that was everything

[@leslinepittman]

Hallease! This is incredible. Thank you for sharing 🙏🏾

[@hallease]

You're very welcome! A rising tide raises all ships and other such things 🥹

[@Martina_E]

Thanks for your transparency and congrats!

[@Passion84GodAlways]

I'm SOOOOOO GLAD you got an entertainment lawyer and you're getting paid MUCH MORE for the QUALITY WORK you produce!!! 😀👏🏾👏🏾👏🏾

[@oniciamuller]

Happy for you.

[@Amandaarticulates]

I love your content, and am a long time supporter from SkillShare. Thank you for sharing your opinion on the strike, I feel that it is very important to be vulnerable, and for that I am so appreciative.

[@hellotinashe]

This was a brilliant video as always!

[@hallease]

Oh thank you!

[@alexismichelle3967]

This is really inspiring!! I’m starting my journey in this content creation space and it’s truly inspiring

[@JubeiKibagamiFez]

19:39 That's amazing. I was heated when netflix took down Chewing Gum, but I just started I May Destroy You, though.

[@hallease]

Yooo, when I interviewed her I made sure to mention how I May Destry You was such a pivotal show that really had a profound effect on me personally in re-evaluating my own sexual experiences. WHEW! She actually started tearing up when I told her that. I dont think she realizes how healing that show was for so many people.

[@JubeiKibagamiFez]

@@hallease That's sooo amazing. Now I'm even more excited to watch it.

[@TazzyPhe]

you inspire me Hallease! what an amazing year!

[@hallease]

🥹 As you know, i'm out here rolling in the deep, just tryna be somebody

[@serenity6831]

Thank you for this! I wish transparency about salary and earnings was less frowned upon, bc it honestly helps corporations who want to scrimp on paying workers fairly

[@jordanmcgrory2171]

If corporations can be people, people can be corporations.

[@hallease]

Exactly!

[@temicoker]

so good! Thanks for sharing

[@megaGreatKahli]

The first video of yours that came across my feed was how to put long locs in a high bun about a month ago and then this one just seems to have magically started up and I must say that I'm glad it has. You're very inspiring yourself, providing such insight as to your overall experience and success as a content creator and so much more! Appreciate your great flame and adding spark to my and many others in the community🖤🤎💚💛

[@hallease]

Aw! 🥹 Welcome to the channel

[@theperspectivestu]

Thank you for sharing this! There’s a lot of good info here!

[@QueenZsWorld]

this is so inspiring, thank u Hallease!

[@hallease]

I’m glad! The goal is to give a realistic view of the labor involved

[@thefilmmakermom]

*Raises hand in "Other Filmmakers don't follow me"*..... Ummm yes we do lol. Thank you for this insight. Many think that the money is just going to roll in once monetized on KZbin. That's clearly not the case. To see that you made $5k in a year with AdSense goes to show that we certainly need other streams of income. Thanks for the transparency and congratulations on the "exception" to the rules in 2022.

[@shannonhawkins1819]

I enjoyed seeing the breakdown and what unexpected avenues could bring in. Sometimes this stuff feels like a black box and you find yourself wondering how the hell someone bought a telsa when they have xyz number of subscribers.

[@busayo2893]

Feel like a big lesson ive learnt from this as a creator is DIVERISFY income streams if you can. I have been trying to fixate on one stream because it feels easier. But it's really the way to go.

[@victorybeginsinthegarden]

I was wondering about the difference in money between doing yt shorts and a regular yt video.

[@hallease]

They just monetized shorts earlier this year automatically and it's not anything to write home about but it's adding a lil something something to the adsense

[@epd0126]

wow I'm really proud of you..I hope you are saving for retirement..does ur spouse have a job that has health insurance for your family and a 401K..I retired and It feels so good to not have to worry about money because I planned well...love your content and your hair

[@hallease]

Yes, I work for myself so I do IRA stype things but I'm hoping to transition my company to an S-Corp so I can set up traditional 401k rather than IRA

[@teem3263]

I really appreciate your content!

[@hallease]

Yay! I'm glad it was helpful for you

[@Heir2themoon]

Thank you for this 🤙🏾

[@LiveNaturallyLove]

I loved this

[@LoveLife-gv8jg]

You go girl!!!🎉🎉❤

[@leilathecuttlefish]

I'm curious why a lot of the private companies don't allow you to share how much you made with them?

[@hallease]

Content creation and partnering with brands isn't standardized at all and brands want to maintain their negotiation power. For example, I just got an entertainment lawyer to start reviewing my contracts this year. A brand I worked with through her literally doubled my fee because the lawyer knew how to push back on the language etc.

[@UrbanInfluence54209]

Love it go girl

[@lesliew.7804]

Question! Taxes. With all the different categories of income streams, are you doing taxes as multiple entities, or under one umbrella?

[@hallease]

1 umbrella everything I do is through my company StumbleWell

[@charmedgeek_]

Could you make a video going into detail about your indiegogo campaign? Like how you marketed it and such?

[@hallease]

Whew! Thoughts and prayers is how I marketed it but yeah I think I can make some content around launching a campaign. Especially since I'm thinking about doing a new one for a different project.

[@Complexanxiety]

You make me want to create content but I’m not interesting enough.

[@victorybeginsinthegarden]

Their is a section of yt for any intrest. But it is hard to get the courage to start.

[@hallease]

Lies. Fallacies. Everyone has a story and an audience that will resonate with it.

[@shansworld712]

sooooo cool

[@Sageandgold]

I have a lot of your videos to catch up on.

[@mandy]

I miss creator camp haha. Good times

[@hallease]

Girl same! It was a CUTE CHECK.

[@oniciamuller]

WGA STRONG 💪

[@elizabethbaker7308]

😊

[@KweenPhotos]

other filmmakers do infact follow you

[@thisiselodie]

"Other filmmakers dont follow me" cough cough, do i mean nothing to you? Lol

[@hallease]

🌾🌾👀🌾🌾 I’m so sorry! Y’all be real quiet in the comments until now

[@TheLovelyOne1111]

🥰

[@sharaibrown174]

You're bomb

[@thebritneylashaun]

Very insightful. Thanks for sharing value. Much appreciated. 🤎

[@IAMthatIAM_TLM]

Hello, flowers, beautiful Queen!💐🫶🏽🤗 knowledge is POWER and I've always been measured by your knowledge of intelligent!😉 thanks for spreading it to others!🥹🙏🏽 23:26