
The Enthusiasm Project
My name is Tom and this is The Enthusiasm Project! Join me each week for deep dives exploring the world of what it means to be an independent creator on YouTube, audio/video production, and keeping a positive, enthusiastic mindset along the way.
Latest episodes

Mar 28, 2022 • 60min
1 Year of Self Employment: What I’ve Learned
Send a text message to the show!It's been just over a year since I left my job as a high school teacher to become a full time "YouTuber!" So let's talk about what I've learned over the past year, what it's like to be self employed, and if you're consider it in your own life, is it something that's truly possible?🎙This week’s mic:ElectroVoice RE20 (Amazon)•Send a voice, text, or video message to be included in a future episode!tom@enthusiasmproject.com🎤 Ready to start your own podcast? Check out The Podcaster Playbook, a step-by-step DIY course to help you launch your show: https://podcasterplaybook.com••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••• 🎯Support the Show https://patreon.com/tombuck (access to video versions!)https://buymeacoffee.com/tombuck•••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••📲 Connect!•All My Podcasts: https://himynameistom.com/podcasts•YouTube: www.youtube.com/tombuck•Twitter & IG: @sodarntom S6E07 | Series Episode 112Affiliate links mean I earn a commission from qualifying purchases. This helps support the show at no additional cost to you.Podcast Artwork by Kevin RamirezOriginal theme music written by Patrick Boberg and performed by Mike AlvarezSupport the show

Mar 14, 2022 • 56min
"It's Just for YouTube"
Send a text message to the show!“Why do you need all that gear if it’s just for YouTube?” Let’s talk about this common question/comment that I think devalues not only the platform but also the time, skills, and experience that go into creating high quality content. 🎙This week’s mic:Rode NT-1 (Amazon)•Send a voice, text, or video message to be included in a future episode!tom@enthusiasmproject.com🎤 Ready to start your own podcast? Check out The Podcaster Playbook, a step-by-step DIY course to help you launch your show: https://podcasterplaybook.com••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••• 🎯Support the Show https://patreon.com/tombuck (access to video versions!)https://buymeacoffee.com/tombuck•••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••📲 Connect!•All My Podcasts: https://himynameistom.com/podcasts•YouTube: www.youtube.com/tombuck•Twitter & IG: @sodarntom S6E06 | Series Episode 111Affiliate links mean I earn a commission from qualifying purchases. This helps support the show at no additional cost to you.Podcast Artwork by Kevin RamirezOriginal theme music written by Patrick Boberg and performed by Mike AlvarezSupport the show

Mar 7, 2022 • 1h 24min
Let's A Some Q's!
Send a text message to the show!It's time for a Q&A episode! Thanks to everyone who submitted questions in audio, video, and written formats!Be sure to check out Guil's Podcast and YouTube channel!🎙This week’s mic:Warm Audio WA-47jr (Sweetwater)•Send a voice, text, or video message to be included in a future episode!tom@enthusiasmproject.com🎤 Ready to start your own podcast? Check out The Podcaster Playbook, a step-by-step DIY course to help you launch your show: https://podcasterplaybook.com••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••• 🎯Support the Show https://patreon.com/tombuck (access to video versions!)https://buymeacoffee.com/tombuck•••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••📲 Connect!•All My Podcasts: https://himynameistom.com/podcasts•YouTube: www.youtube.com/tombuck•Twitter & IG: @sodarntom S6E05 | Series Episode 110Affiliate links mean I earn a commission from qualifying purchases. This helps support the show at no additional cost to you.Podcast Artwork by Kevin RamirezOriginal theme music written by Patrick Boberg and performed by Mike AlvarezSupport the show

Feb 28, 2022 • 1h 4min
Tom's Commentary On Comments (Tomments?)
Send a text message to the show!Everybody's got an opinion, and for better or worse the internet lets us share every last one of them. If you're someone who creates content online, you've probably found yourself on the receiving end of some "negative feedback." Heather is with me this week to talk about that and I also have a strategy for handling both positive and negative comments that has been incredibly helpful! 🎙This week’s mic:Tom: Neat King Bee II (Sweetwater)Heather: Neat Worker Bee (Amazon)•Send a voice, text, or video message to be included in a future episode!tom@enthusiasmproject.com🎤 Ready to start your own podcast? Check out The Podcaster Playbook, a step-by-step DIY course to help you launch your show: https://podcasterplaybook.com••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••• 🎯Support the Show https://patreon.com/tombuck (access to video versions!)https://buymeacoffee.com/tombuck•••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••📲 Connect!•All My Podcasts: https://himynameistom.com/podcasts•YouTube: www.youtube.com/tombuck•Twitter & IG: @sodarntom S6E04 | Series Episode 109Affiliate links mean I earn a commission from qualifying purchases. This helps support the show at no additional cost to you.Podcast Artwork by Kevin RamirezOriginal theme music written by Patrick Boberg and performed by Mike AlvarezSupport the show

Feb 21, 2022 • 57min
How Much Money Can You Make As A Content Creator? 2021 Revenue Breakdown
Send a text message to the show!How much did my creativity earn in 2021? Turns out, more than I ever made as a teacher. This episode breaks down all the revenue streams associated with my channel to give you what I hope is some helpful information if you're looking for ways to monetize your creativity without selling your soul or compromising your morals. Click here for the free Google Sheet template I use to track incomeYou can also visit himynameistom.com/downloads for more free goodies. 🎙This week’s mic:Earthworks Icon Pro•https://bhpho.to/3vkZEYZ (B&H)•Send a voice, text, or video message to be included in a future episode! tom@enthusiasmproject.com🎤 Ready to start your own podcast? Check out The Podcaster Playbook, a step-by-step DIY course to help you launch your show: https://podcasterplaybook.com••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••• 🎯Support the Show https://patreon.com/tombuck (access to video versions!)https://buymeacoffee.com/tombuck•••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••📲 Connect!•All My Podcasts: https://himynameistom.com/podcasts•YouTube: www.youtube.com/tombuck•Twitter & IG: @sodarntom S6E03 | Series Episode 108Affiliate links mean I earn a commission from qualifying purchases. This helps support the show at no additional cost to you.Podcast Artwork by Kevin RamirezOriginal theme music written by Patrick Boberg and performed by Mike AlvarezSupport the show

Feb 14, 2022 • 54min
90's Nickelodeon Changed My Idea of YouTube
Send a text message to the show!Cameras and 90's TV! That's what we're talking about this week. The show starts off with a quick update about the Canon R5C (proving I was RIGHT about something I brought up last week)! I play clips from an interview by CineD, so please check out the full video if you want the full context: https://youtu.be/t4mQJ9oB1AQFrom there I dive into some heavy nostalgia that was brought up by a documentary about Nickelodeon called "The Orange Years" and how I think the philosophy behind the network in its earlier years is extremely relevant in today's world of YouTube and content creation. •Here's the Marques Brownlee interview from Colin and Samir that I mentioned🎙This week’s mic:Shure SM7B (B&H)•Send a voice, text, or video message to be included in a future episode! tom@enthusiasmproject.com🎤 Ready to start your own podcast? Check out The Podcaster Playbook, a step-by-step DIY course to help you launch your show: https://podcasterplaybook.com••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••• 🎯Support the Show https://patreon.com/tombuck (access to video versions!)https://buymeacoffee.com/tombuck•••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••📲 Connect!•All My Podcasts: https://himynameistom.com/podcasts•YouTube: www.youtube.com/tombuck•Twitter & IG: @sodarntom S6E02 | Series Episode 107Affiliate links mean I earn a commission from qualifying purchases. This helps support the show at no additional cost to you.Podcast Artwork by Kevin RamirezOriginal theme music written by Patrick Boberg and performed by Mike AlvarezSupport the show

Feb 7, 2022 • 1h 15min
Season 6 Premiere: Everything’s Changed!
Send a text message to the show!The podcast is back and oh boy have things changed...specifically in the world of cameras! Let's talk about reasons behind my full on switch to Sony, why I might be entirely wrong, and how the Canon R5C might change my mind (spoiler: it didn't).🎙This week’s mic:Earthworks Icon Pro•https://bhpho.to/3vkZEYZ (B&H)•Send a voice, text, or video message to be included in a future episode! tom@enthusiasmproject.com🎤 Ready to start your own podcast? Check out The Podcaster Playbook, a step-by-step DIY course to help you launch your show: https://podcasterplaybook.com••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••• 🎯Support the Show https://patreon.com/tombuck (access to video versions!)https://buymeacoffee.com/tombuck•••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••📲 Connect!•All My Podcasts: https://himynameistom.com/podcasts•YouTube: www.youtube.com/tombuck•Twitter & IG: @sodarntom S6E01 | Series Episode 106Affiliate links mean I earn a commission from qualifying purchases. This helps support the show at no additional cost to you.Podcast Artwork by Kevin RamirezOriginal theme music written by Patrick Boberg and performed by Mike AlvarezSupport the show

Dec 6, 2021 • 1h 26min
Season 5 Finale: I Canon’t Believe It!
Send a text message to the show!It's the Season 5 Finale! I hate goodbyes, so instead let's have some fun with my old ENG camera, bizarre stories from my time as a TV news intern, and of course, the fact that I sold my Canon EOS R for a Sony FX3 😬🎙This week’s mic:Earthworks Icon Pro•https://bhpho.to/3vkZEYZ (B&H)•Send a voice, text, or video message to be included in a future episode! tom@enthusiasmproject.com••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••• 🎯Support the Show https://patreon.com/tombuck (access to video versions!)https://buymeacoffee.com/tombuck•••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••📲 Connect!•All My Podcasts: https://himynameistom.com/podcasts•YouTube: www.youtube.com/tombuck•Twitter & IG: @sodarntom S5E21 | Series Episode 105Affiliate links mean I earn a commission from qualifying purchases. This helps support the show at no additional cost to you.Podcast Artwork by Kevin RamirezOriginal theme music written by Patrick Boberg and performed by Mike AlvarezSupport the show

Nov 29, 2021 • 1h 3min
Making the Sony Switch?
Send a text message to the show!It's time for some gear talk! From anamorphic and portrait primes to old school broadcast cameras and microphones, there's been A LOT of fun stuff happen in my gear universe– not the least of which being the realization that I've made the switch to Sony from Canon without even realizing it. 🎙This week’s mic:•Electrovoice RE20 Blackhttps://geni.us/re20black (Amazon)•Send a voice, text, or video message to be included in a future episode! tom@enthusiasmproject.com••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••• 🎯Support the Show https://patreon.com/tombuck (access to video versions!)https://buymeacoffee.com/tombuck•••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••📲 Connect!•All My Podcasts: https://himynameistom.com/podcasts•YouTube: www.youtube.com/tombuck•Twitter & IG: @sodarntom S5E20 | Series Episode 104Affiliate links mean I earn a commission from qualifying purchases. This helps support the show at no additional cost to you.Podcast Artwork by Kevin RamirezOriginal theme music written by Patrick Boberg and performed by Mike AlvarezSupport the show

Nov 22, 2021 • 1h 3min
The Ins & Outs of Creator Media Kits
Send a text message to the show!This week I dive in to the how's, why's, and huh's of media kits. I've been publishing a monthly media kit for the past two years, and while it's not the most important resource you can have it's definitely useful and a great way to track your progress over time. This episode breaks down the parts of my media kit and also covers how I produce the PDF with Photoshop & Pages and then upload to to me website. I hope it's helpful!•Check out my media kit here:www.himynameistom.com🎙This week’s mic:•Earthworks ICONhttps://bhpho.to/3vkZEYZ (B&H)•Send a voice, text, or video message to be included in a future episode! tom@enthusiasmproject.com••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••• 🎯Support the Show https://patreon.com/tombuck (access to video versions!)https://buymeacoffee.com/tombuck•••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••📲 Connect!•All My Podcasts: https://himynameistom.com/podcasts•YouTube: www.youtube.com/tombuck•Twitter & IG: @sodarntom S5E19 | Series Episode 103Affiliate links mean I earn a commission from qualifying purchases. This helps support the show at no additional cost to you.Podcast Artwork by Kevin RamirezOriginal theme music written by Patrick Boberg and performed by Mike AlvarezSupport the show
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