Doin' The Thing w/ Dillan Taylor

Dillan interviews James Gardner—the man behind Epic Chess.James is a British YouTuber who’s built a comedic and high-skill chess analysis channel with over 100,000 subscribers. His videos blend educational game breakdowns, storytelling, and humor, making chess entertaining for enthusiasts and casual fans.They discuss: how to build long-term success on YouTube without burning out, the power of storytelling in thumbnails and titles, the challenge of idea generation, finding your unfair advantages as a creator, monetization beyond AdSense, how to create consistently without losing your soul, and much more.Epic Chess's links...YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@epicchess2021•••Follow Dillan on the interwebs...Twitter / X: https://x.com/dillanroytaylorNewsletter: https://www.grindstone.coach/newsletterApply for Grindstone Coaching: https://www.grindstone.coach/Music by myboy.scoochy:https://www.instagram.com/myboy.scoochy/ •••0:00 Intro1:04 Why James started Epic Chess13:44 Breaking down the early Epic Chess channel18:14 How James has improved his content over 3 years 27:24 The value of just getting started30:05 When to push vs when to pivot36:05 James’s creative system for posting every day39:18 Why he makes the thumbnail first40:19 Polished vs authentic content46:09 Thumbnail strategies and AI tools52:52 Sponsorships, revenue breakdown, and boundaries1:04:41 Sustainable success and reframing burnout1:15:41 Epic Chess links & Dillan's tattoo1:19:06 Dillan vs. James blitz game1:29:49 Bye bye bye

Dillan interviews Tyler Lang—aka FatalGlytch.Tyler is a full-time content creator and UGC (user-generated content) strategist who has made over $30,000 in a single month creating viral ads for brands through programs like TikTok One.They discuss: how Tyler transitioned from gaming content to UGC ads, how to make $20k/month creating UGC, what makes a great ad, beginner steps to break into the UGC industry, how to price and package brand deals, key legal terms like “perpetuity” and “likeness,” and how to avoid burnout while building a full-time creator career, and much more.Tyler's links...Twitter / X: https://x.com/FatalGlytchYouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@FatalGlytch•••Follow Dillan on the interwebs...Twitter / X: https://x.com/dillanroytaylorNewsletter: https://www.grindstone.coach/newsletterApply for Grindstone Coaching: https://www.grindstone.coach/Music by myboy.scoochy:https://www.instagram.com/myboy.scoochy/ •••0:00 Intro1:00 What is UGC content? 3:49 Tyler’s creator journey 10:16 Beginner tips for breaking into UGC 21:25 Step-by-step of a UGC brand deal 26:33 How to package and price your content32:54 Why creators should avoid perpetuity33:44 What are Spark Ads?36:29 Explaining likeness, exclusivity, and legal rights42:39 How and when creators get paid 46:57 Hardest parts of being a UGC creator50:46 What makes a great ad  55:34 Tyler’s experience in the Grindstone program58:24 Bye bye bye

Dillan interviews Giana Cambria—founder of Upper Hand Creative.UHC is a company that helps coaches, consultants, and agency owners scale their content while saving massive amounts of time. Giana shares her journey building the business, her insights on systemizing content workflows, how AI is changing the game, and what separates the creators who thrive from those who don't.They discuss: Giana's journey building the Upper Hand Creative, her insights on systemizing content workflows, what separates the creators who thrive from those who don't, the biggest pain points creators face, building a brand playbook, batching systems for content creation, creating viral content, using AI to save time and improve output, human vs AI content trends, why audience size isn’t everything for monetization, traits of Giana's top-performing clients, tactical advice for creators starting with $0, and much more.Giana's links...Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/gianacambria91/Website: https://www.upperhandcreative.com/YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@GianaCambria •••Follow Dillan on the interwebs...Twitter / X: https://x.com/dillanroytaylorNewsletter: https://www.grindstone.coach/newsletterApply for Grindstone Coaching: https://www.grindstone.coach/Music by myboy.scoochy:https://www.instagram.com/myboy.scoochy/ •••0:00 Intro0:52 What is Upper Hand Creative?4:23 The pain creators experience9:07 The power of core stories and the “Big Domino”13:12 Building a viral content library14:39 Passive vs active creating17:48 Which platform to post on?20:07 Building a content system30:41 Traits of successful creators vs those who struggle40:49 Do you need a big audience to make money?45:59 Ways to systematize content creation for $049:20 Pulling inspiration from outside your niche53:05 Trends creators are sleeping on56:23 Favorite A.I. tools and how to use them1:02:30 Will A.I. replace human content?1:06:06 Giana’s #1 advice1:10:05 Bye bye bye

Dillan interviews Michelle Varghese—a writer and former podcaster who co-hosted Build a Wealthy Spirit for four years with her sister.Now focused on writing and coaching, Michelle helps nonfiction creators improve their craft and grow their audience.They discuss: why Michelle and her sister intentionally quit their podcast after four consistent years, how to know when you're truly done with a creative project, the identity crisis that can follow quitting, how creators can build systems to stay consistent, what Michelle learned from podcasting that she now applies to her writing business, the importance of marketing your work (even when it feels uncomfortable), what the word "niche" actually means, how to gracefully pivot your creator brand, the rise of personality-driven content in the age of A.I., why vulnerability and in-person connection are the future of content, and much more.Michelle's links...Website: https://michelleelisabethvarghese.com/Twitter / X: https://x.com/mvarghooseWriting coaching: https://michellevarghoose.gumroad.com/l/writingcoaching/•••Follow Dillan on the interwebs...Twitter / X: https://x.com/dillanroytaylorNewsletter: https://www.grindstone.coach/newsletterApply for Grindstone Coaching: https://www.grindstone.coach/Music by myboy.scoochy:https://www.instagram.com/myboy.scoochy/ •••0:00 Intro0:58 Why Michelle and her sister quit their podcast3:22 How to know when to quit a project6:47 The identity shift that comes from quitting10:53 Top 3 lessons from running a weekly podcast15:53 The Ford ad story: why repetition matters20:53 How creators can build systems to stay consistent26:33 Moving on from being “the sabbatical girl”30:51 The risks of changing your niche35:23 Being your own niche in the age of A.I.36:53 Vulnerability and in-person connection42:46 Michelle’s “topics vibe, & connection”50:33 Launching her writing coaching55:30 Bye bye bye

Dillan interviews Joe (@CupppaJoe5). He's a Call of Duty: Warzone creator and educator, helping his audience improve at the game. A year ago, he quit his 9-5 job to do content full-time. They discuss: the best and worst parts of being a full-time content creator, why Joe started a brand new channel from scratch, why being stuck in a niche isn't a bad thing, what Joe learned from starting a new YouTube channel, how to script your videos in a way that attracts new viewers, the most valuable mistakes Joe has made, all of Joe's different revenue streams as a creator, why you should raise your prices, what Joe wishes he knew when he quit his job to do content full-time, and much more.Joe's links...Website: https://cupppajoe5.com/Twitter / X: https://x.com/CupppaJoe5YouTube main: https://www.youtube.com/c/CupppaJoe5YouTube let's play: https://www.youtube.com/@CupppaJoePlays•••Follow Dillan on the interwebs...Twitter / X: https://x.com/dillanroytaylorNewsletter: https://www.grindstone.coach/newsletterApply for Grindstone Coaching: https://www.grindstone.coach/Music by myboy.scoochy:https://www.instagram.com/myboy.scoochy/ •••0:00 Intro0:49 Easiest / hardest part?7:53 Why Joe started a new channel12:51 Being "trapped" in a nice23:12 Lessons from the new channel29:13 How to talk to new viewers35:19 Joe's most valuable mistakes39:23 Rev stream 1: YouTube adsense42:45 Rev stream 2: streaming49:32 Rev stream 3: coaching54:36 Why you should raise your prices1:01:36 Rev stream 4: TikTok1:05:56 Rev stream 5: sponsorships1:10:14 Joe's advice to his past self1:15:28 Bye bye bye

Dillan interviews Nate Solon—a chess coach, writer, and FM (FIDE Master) in chess. There are only about 9000 FMs in the world, which means Nate is in the top .3% of all chess players on the planet. Nate writes the Zwischenzug newsletter, built a nice Twitter audience, made a few chess courses on Chessable, and even wrote a chess book. Nate uses his data science background in his content to help intermediate chess players study and improve at the game.They discuss: how Nate revived his chess career after a long hiatus, how Nate grew an audience through long-form writing in a world of video content, Nate’s sales funnel for getting chess coaching students, how Nate builds Chessable courses, why Nate started and closed down a paid community, and at the end of the convo Nate and Dillan play a quick blitz game. Nate's links...Website / Coaching / Courses: https://www.natesolon.com/Twitter / X: https://x.com/natesolonNewsletter: https://zwischenzug.substack.com/•••Follow Dillan on the interwebs...Twitter / X: https://x.com/dillanroytaylorNewsletter: https://www.grindstone.coach/newsletterApply for Grindstone Coaching: https://www.grindstone.coach/Music by myboy.scoochy:https://www.instagram.com/myboy.scoochy/ •••0:00 Intro1:37 Nate's chess career5:05 What's an FM?10:10 Why Nate started content15:07 Can anyone make a chess course?20:43 How Nate advertised25:41 Types of chess content28:11 Niche vs broad35:54 Nate's ideal audience39:27 Nate's paid community44:

Dillan interviews Daniel Vassallo—an ex-Amazon engineer who quit the 9-5 grind to pursue building his own projects online.Daniel runs the Small Bets community, with thousands of creators and entrepreneurs who want to make low-risk, low-pressure experiments when it comes to building online businesses.They discuss: why Daniel hates Y-Combinator, what a "small bet" actually is, Daniel's biggest business mistakes, why Daniel quit his cushy job at Amazon, why most entrepreneurs fail, what woodworking taught Daniel about building businesses, how to structure your workflows, how Daniel accidentally started a profitable online community, tips for building a strong online community, how Daniel sold access to his calendar, and much more.Daniel's links...Twitter / X: https://x.com/dvassalloSmall Bets: https://smallbets.com/••• Follow Dillan on the interwebs...Twitter / X: https://x.com/dillanroytaylorNewsletter: https://www.grindstone.coach/newsletterApply for Grindstone Coaching: https://www.grindstone.coach/Music by myboy.scoochy:https://www.instagram.com/myboy.scoochy/ •••0:00 Intro1:07 Daniel hates YC7:03 Why he quit Amazon21:18 Worst-case scenario28:28 Dose & frequency40:31 High vs low motivation tasks48:22 Burning the boats52:58 Your "why" doesn't matter58:04 How Small Bets started1:15:06 Online community tips1:31:32 Daniel's latest small bet

Dillan interviews Bryan Ng (@boomerrbryan).Bryan runs Viral Bangers—a YouTube scriptwriting agency. They work with educational YouTube channels with over 100,000 subscribers. Bryan's videos and courses help creators of all levels write scripts that actually get views, tell captivating stories, and keep the viewer's attention from beginning to end.They discuss: how Bryan got into the scriptwriting business, how he got good at writing scripts, the worst scripting mistakes creators make, whether new creators should use bullets or word-for-word scripts, how to improve your speaking and camera skills, Bryan's complete scripting checklist, the difference between scripting educational vs entertainment videos, the #1 storytelling lesson from South Park, and much more.Bryan Ng's links...YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@boomerrbryanTwitter / X: https://x.com/boomerrbryanAgency website: https://www.viralbangers.com/Scriptwriting course: https://www.freelancescriptwriter.com/•••Follow Dillan on the interwebs...Twitter / X: https://x.com/dillanroytaylorNewsletter: https://www.grindstone.coach/newsletterApply for Grindstone Coaching: https://www.grindstone.coach/•••0:00 Intro0:41 Bryan's $50 client3:46 How Bryan got good8:23 Mistake 1: Title & thumbnail10:12 Mistake 2: Research16:55 Mistake 3: The hook23:41 Bullets vs Word-for-word script27:39 Speaking skills35:36 Act 1: The perfect hook40:09 Act 2: The body46:53 Act 3: A killer outro52:07 Education vs entertainment54:54 South Park storytelling58:47 Bye bye bye

Dillan interviews Jake Julius from RattlesnakeTV.Jake is a conservative analyst who breaks down clips, interviews, and debates from prominent thought leaders like Jordan Peterson, Vivek Ramaswamy, Charlie Kirk, and many more. His channel helps viewers stay "armed and dangerous" with sharper debating tools and techniques.They discuss: how RattlesnakeTV creates content while traveling the world, the systems that help Jake and his brother post almost daily, how Jake handles getting demonetized, RattlesnakeTV's revenue streams, how Jake negotiates sponsors and brand deals, how to improve your debating skills as a creator, Jake's biggest business mistakes, the importance of making the most out of big opportunities, Jake's regrets on interviewing Vivek Ramaswamy, Jake's #1 piece of advice to aspiring creators, and much more.RattlesnakeTV's links...YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@rattlesnaketvTwitter / X: https://x.com/jakerattlesnkInstagram: https://www.instagram.com/rattlesnake.tv•••Follow Dillan on the interwebs...Twitter / X: https://x.com/dillanroytaylorNewsletter: https://www.grindstone.coach/newsletterApply for Grindstone Coaching: https://www.grindstone.coach/Music by myboy.scoochy:https://www.instagram.com/myboy.scoochy/ •••0:00 Jake's growth2:41 RattlesnakeTV content12:41 3 Types of audience15:54 Getting demonetized20:47 The price of success26:23 Audience capture31:33 RattlesnakeTV monetization33:01 Why Jake blocks people37:33 Negotiating w/ sponsors41:22 Jake's business mistakes44:51 How to improve at debate51:40 Messing up big opportunities1:04:41 Jake's #1 advice

Dillan interviews Aprilynne Alter (@AprilynneAlter), a beginner-friendly YouTube educator. Aprilynne made a viral video in a niche she wasn't passionate about. It almost ended her YouTube career. But since then, she's taken off in a new niche she loves: helping others grow on YouTube.They discuss how to avoid creator burnout, why Aprilynne quit her successful channel, how to choose the right niche, how to deal with online trolls and haters, how to make great thumbnails, how to be patient and persistent, and much more.Aprilynne Alter's links...YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@AprilynneAlterTwitter / X: https://x.com/AprilynneAlterWebsite: https://www.aprilynnealter.com/••• Follow Dillan on the interwebs...Twitter / X: https://x.com/dillanroytaylorNewsletter: https://www.grindstone.coach/newsletterApply for Grindstone Coaching: https://www.grindstone.coach/Music by myboy.scoochy:https://www.instagram.com/myboy.scoochy/