October 29, 2024 • 38 mins
DeMarcus Shawn is one of the funniest people on Tik Tok, reaching over 6.6 million followers on TikTok and a million more on Instagram. Known for his relatable humor, DeMarcus has become a master of online entertainment, crafting skits and engaging videos that resonate across audiences and platforms. But his path to full-time content creation wasn’t always straightforward.
In this episode, DeMarcus speaks with AfroTech’s Will Lucas to share insights on what it takes to grow massive followings on multiple platforms, build a sustainable income through content creation, and stay authentic while adapting to the demands of the digital world.
Follow Will Lucas on Instagram at @willlucas
Learn more at AfroTech.com https://instagram.com/afro.tech
Learn more about your ad-choices at https://www.iheartpodcastnetwork.com
See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
Mark as Played
Transcript
Episode Transcript
Available transcripts are automatically generated. Complete accuracy is not guaranteed.
Speaker 1 (00:00):
Afro Tech Conference is back, bringing together over twenty thousand
tech enthusiasts, founders, investors, and more for another unforgettable year.
For years, afro Tech has been the go to event
for black innovators in tech with the brightest mind share
the latest developments and insights, and this year we're bringing
the experience to Houston, Texas. From November thirteenth through the sixteenth.
Join us to learn from the innovators and leaders who
(00:21):
are shaping the future of tech. From insightful panels to
curate it meetups and expansive recruiting, you'll connect with industry
trail blazers. In addition to focusing on the latest and
AI and data, this year's programming explores the intersextions of
tech with health, environment and creative design. Don't miss your
chance to be part of it. Secure your spoted afro
Tech Conference twenty twenty four today visit Afrotech Conference dot
(00:43):
counted by your ticket Now. I'm with Lucas and this
is Black Tech, Green Money. DeMarcus Sean is one of
the funniest people on tiktop, with over six point six
million followers and a million plus on ig He's become
a master of Online Entertainment Skits. So how do you
go from working as Firebucks to social media startled? So
(01:06):
you've talked about being naturally funny growing up, you know,
particularly in Chicago you grew up and I'm sure there's
a lot of people that you around growing up that
might have been funny. Also, how does that upg upbringing
that you had, How does that influence your comedy today?
Speaker 2 (01:23):
I would say pretty much just because the way I
grew up in me experience and so many I have
so many different family members. Like my family is huge.
My grandma on my mom's side had like ten kids,
and everybody had like three to four kids after that,
(01:44):
so I have tons of cousins. And then also on
my dad's side, my grandma over there had like six kids,
and everybody over there had kids. So on both sides,
I have big families. So like all of my inspiration
either comes from like different end of visuals in my
family or just like life itself, me growing up with
(02:07):
many different characters of like just like friends, just because
like I I was like type of kid you couldn't
really put in the box in school. I wasn't nor
the jog geeky you know, I was. I would say,
I was kind of like everything in one so like
I was cool with everybody, so I had I was
(02:28):
able to experience all different faces of life growing up,
through school, through family, and just every day nuances.
Speaker 1 (02:38):
Yeah. Yeah, I was watching another interview then and you
were talking about how, you know, just living life is
how you get these stories and these comedy sketches. And
you mentioned, you know, having a love for music and
singing and drawing and photography. How has those interests helped,
you know, shape your perspective on your comedy.
Speaker 2 (02:59):
I would say just because every single I guess creative
hobby that I do have, they are in a sense
feeding my content that I put online, and in the
small I wouldn't I shouldn't say in the smallest way,
but in a sense, in the smallest way. So like,
(03:20):
if if I'm not like, let's just say, like right now,
if I'm not really into like just like posting as
much as I want to, I'll take a break from
online and then I'll go into let's just say, my
photography for the next week or so and not really
worry about the online scene and posting, and then that
will give me the I different ideas in a way
(03:45):
because I'm not so bombarded with other people's content or
just like little things that you will see online on Instagram,
on TikTok, where like it can cloud my creative mind.
So then at the same time, I'm not number one
stealing from other people.
Speaker 3 (04:00):
It's all organic.
Speaker 2 (04:02):
And then at the same time, I'm able to come
up with my own ideas, like straight off the domes
straight from me, So then I don't have to be like, crap,
what did so and so put in his videos? I
kind of want to do that. You know, it's all
coming straight from me. It's all my own creative process
and how I post.
Speaker 1 (04:21):
It's so interesting to me, Like it's like all black
people live this same life. Like we've all seen the
guy who comes back to the job after having not
worked there, and it's like I used to We've all
seen that I used to work here guy, and so
like it was, so, how when did you recognize that
we've all had these same experiences and but you you
found the humor in it.
Speaker 2 (04:44):
I think in a sence again, growing up, I think
we all look at each other and try to impress
one another, and I think through that I was able
to kind of like I think, like, bro, we all
doing the same stuff, Like we all like a little weird,
Like we all honestly all of us are all like
(05:08):
very weird in our own way, but all in the
same way at the same time. So like what I'll
sit at home. I was having a conversation with one
of my cousins and I was like, I forgot what
I said what I did in bed. I was like, oh,
that's what I said. I was like, you ever like
set in bed and you get like super excited just
for like out of the blue, just because it's cold,
(05:30):
like you get cold, you like in your blanket, you
just start getting like jitters, like you know what I'm saying.
And he was like, wait, I thought it was just me,
And I was like, bro, I feel like everybody does
like all the same stuff. So like back then, that
kind of gave me the idea to kind of tap
into that.
Speaker 3 (05:49):
Now.
Speaker 2 (05:50):
Granted, I always sent videos to between me and my brothers,
So me making skits skid form to our videos never
like out of the blue for me, just because I've
always kind of done that, me and my brothers, We've
all just sent them back and forth.
Speaker 3 (06:08):
So me.
Speaker 2 (06:10):
Just like implementing I guess like everyday life nuances was
slightly different, just because like my skit forms before was
a tabit different than what they are what they are
Like now, what.
Speaker 1 (06:24):
Was that moment where you realize that TikTok, you know,
could be more than just a hobby, but for real
to your brand and you can make real money over here.
Speaker 2 (06:35):
I think it was more so again the money, but
besides obviously besides the money, because before that, I I
would probably have to say, building a community and not
only not only the black community, but also a community
(06:56):
that stretches on the bounds of just like America. Because
for me, when I got on TikTok, I thought my
reach was just like first just like black, and then
I started seeing like it was so many other different
races and now I'm like, okay, we all be touching
(07:18):
in the US. And then all of a sudden, I
look at it. There's people were like, I'm from Germany,
I love your stuff. I'm like Germany or Russia, and
you know what I'm saying, China, I'm like, I don't
even know that my stuff can stretch that far or
people can relate, you know, to something like that that
I would think that's just like a US thing people
(07:41):
around the world can relate as well. So that's when
I knew, like, Okay, this can kind of be a
little bit not only like I can make money off this,
but I think in a sense it helps bring people
together from different walks of life and different people across
the planet. That you know, there's so many wars going on,
(08:02):
so you may think like something so small, as I
guess the comedy that I do, could bring people together
through just something so simple.
Speaker 1 (08:13):
Yeah, and speaking, I mean, you've built this huge following
on TikTok, six point six million on TikTok, a million
on Instagram. You know when you think about the big
is as big an audience as you've built. You know,
how do you think about creating these skits, Like how
do you say, you know what this one will work?
I'm not gonna do that one. That one I thought
was a good idea, but you know that one's not
(08:34):
gonna make it to the timeline, Like how do you
how do you think through what's gonna make it to
your feed and what's.
Speaker 2 (08:39):
Not just time And honestly, I don't whatever idea that
I do have I just posted. That's what I will
say for any creative. You do have an idea, just
posted it, don't hurt. But I have taken down a
couple of videos if they don't saying like, oh they
(09:01):
don't hit because obviously the algorithm things happen. Not every
video realistically is going to do good. That's just really
you just got to keep that one hundred with yourself.
Like every video, I know it's not gonna be as
big as the last video that I posted, or one
video may do way better than the video I post before,
so keeping that in mind. But for me, I never
(09:24):
just fully scrap an idea. What I'll do is is that, Okay,
I'll take it down. Maybe it's not received in a
way that I wanted it to, so I'll take it
down and then just rework it. So if I ever
like take down a video, I never like just like
delete it out and you won't see the video again.
(09:44):
I'll maybe add it to another video that I'm already
planning on recording in a way, so then it's come
like two videos in one.
Speaker 1 (09:54):
Yeah, talk to me about the process. It seems like
you have a real process. It's just like, is there
the market journal somewhere is like you sketching ideas while
you on your way to the grocery store, Like, how
does this way? What's the actual process you use?
Speaker 2 (10:07):
You know, it's crazy, I honestly don't. It sounds like
I have a full on process. I think my process
is kind of just letting things go with the flow.
But I honestly I don't have a journal. I don't
write down nothing. The most I will write down is
if I'm out and about and I'm doing something where
I can't fully record directly at the moment I'll.
Speaker 1 (10:31):
Come So you're typically recording right then.
Speaker 2 (10:34):
Yeah, oh wow, go straight up the dumpson. As soon
as I get the idea, I'll try to record it.
Speaker 3 (10:38):
Wow. Yeah.
Speaker 2 (10:39):
So most of the time I don't really write down
stuff just because I feel like, over time it takes
away from the feeling that I actually want to portray
in the video, and then I have to think back
to crap, how was I like, what did I want
to do in a video?
Speaker 3 (10:55):
What?
Speaker 2 (10:56):
How did I want to say this? And then if
I do record, you know what I'm saying later on,
it don't come up as authentic as I wanted it
to or as good and then I'm trying to perfect it.
And then for my videos. Again, I don't know about
anybody else. I'm an imperfect perfectionist, if that makes sense.
(11:20):
So I love that my videos, like I stumble around
a lot, Like most of my videos is kind of
like one takes at.
Speaker 3 (11:28):
The most, maybe two to three.
Speaker 2 (11:32):
But that's if I like remember something where I'm like, crap,
I was supposed to say this, But for the most part,
most of my videos are one takes, just because I
want them to be very natural as humans speak. You know,
human speech, we stumble around, we may pause for a second.
It didn't gather ourselves and stuff like that, So I
(11:54):
want that to be portrayed on the video. So then
when people are watching it was like, oh my god,
pause is so real, or you stumble around, It's really
what they always do, you know it for people, they're
able to connect to the realistic style of human beings
instead of just like a regular skit that's perfect all
(12:16):
the way through.
Speaker 1 (12:17):
Was that like an insight you had after having you know,
messed up a couple of times and you just like,
you know, let me just run with it, or was
it like it very just like I'm doing this one
take and we're gonna go no.
Speaker 2 (12:32):
I would say it kind of developed over time the
more because when I first started doing skits, I tried
to make sure that was kind of like perfect, and
then I think I stumbled on a couple and I
just like left them in. I got lazy. I was like, okay, whatever,
I don't feel like going back to record this. But
I noticed that people actually like that form of recording
(12:57):
because it helps them to connect to the skin. It
has some to connect and know that every single person
is and it's it's the same. So that's the way
I like to record. Again, there's a lot of other
a lot other you know, TikTokers and influencers that like
the perfect. I can't really go that route just because
(13:20):
you know, it don't match up with me. I like
even in some of my texts when I write it
on the screen, I'm a very fast like person when
I in terms of like texting and stuff, So like
I'll text it out or I mean I'll type it
out for the text over they overlay, and then I'll
post it and then I look back at it. I'm
the I'm missing words, I'm messing up the how to
(13:46):
how to spell the words and everything and that everybody's
like you're missing a word or you meant to put
you put there instead of there.
Speaker 3 (13:55):
Whatever.
Speaker 2 (13:56):
It's like, bro, I'll talk about that stuff very quickly.
I don't look back at it. I just type post.
So now like it kind of goes in with my
the way my brain works. That.
Speaker 1 (14:09):
I mean, you've seen success, you know with the creators
fun brand deals, you know, other revenue streams. Share how
you know creators can more effectively monetize their content on
platforms like TikTok, Like, what are some of the things
that we need to be conscious of if we want
to build not just the following, but a monetizable following.
Speaker 2 (14:33):
I would say, first focus on the how long you
want your videos to be? So like me, when I
first started, my videos were less than a minute. Now
I kind of try to stretch it to be either
a minute or to have it over.
Speaker 1 (14:52):
But in the beginning, any video, what is the why
does the lift matter?
Speaker 2 (14:58):
Just because now now on TikTok. I don't know about
this on Instagram, but now on TikTok, your videos have
to be a minute to get monetized. So if your
videos aren't a mini you can't really monetize back in
the day when TikTok, well, back in the twenty twenty
and twenty twenty, when in twenty twenty, when I was
(15:20):
doing everything, it didn't have to be a minute, you know.
So that was for a lot of creatives that was
a change, just because it seems so small. Like let's
just say, like your videos is always like forty seconds
putting that extra you know what I'm saying, ten to
twenty to fifteen seconds on there.
Speaker 3 (15:40):
It's in your mind. You're like, oh, that's easy.
Speaker 2 (15:43):
Doing it is the hardest part because then you're like, crap,
I don't know what to say at that point.
Speaker 1 (15:46):
Yeah, So I.
Speaker 2 (15:48):
Would say focus on the lane, focus on what you
want to record, and I would say, try to film
your videos and it in a way that's for you.
Don't try to focus on so much of like the
audience or a fan base or a supporter base first,
(16:09):
just because I feel like a lot of I was
just telling the girl this literally like two days ago,
I did a panel and she was like, yeah, I've
been trying to record and I'm trying to get my
following up. But she was like It's always so awkward
because when I record, because I'm not used to recording myself,
and I was like, that's because you focusing on the following.
(16:32):
You focusing on the camera. That's right there. You literally recorded.
If you were recording yourself just for you, you'll be natural,
you know. So if you're doing that, it's going to
come across better on screen when somebody's watching it, and
that's going to make them gravitate towards you to just
start following. That's how you build a community. People are
(16:53):
gonna be like, Oh, he's just supernatural with it. I
feel like I'm actually talking to him. I feel like
I feel like we're on FaceTime together, you know, I
feel like my online cousin, online brother. So do that,
and then after that you will gain success from that,
and then you will be able to monetize.
Speaker 1 (17:10):
It all that you know, you've built, you know again,
six point six million plus and growing on TikTok a
million and growing on ig and you've clearly found a
way to resonate on both platforms, which is not always
easy for a lot of people because those algorithms are different,
what the platforms want is different. How have you found
(17:33):
success on both, Like what does TikTok want from you
differently than Instagram wants from you? And vice versa.
Speaker 2 (17:41):
I just noticed that my audience is different on both,
whereas when I first started, I thought they were kind
of the same. But on each platform or each app,
every audience that you gain will be slightly different or
totally different. I noticed that on my Instagram it is
(18:01):
slightly more mature than my TikTok, where TikTok is I
have a I wouldn't say I have kids. I do
have kids on TikTok, but it's more where it's kind
of like I would say like sixteen to like thirty, yeah,
(18:21):
or like thirty five in between there that's my main.
Speaker 3 (18:26):
I would say age range.
Speaker 2 (18:29):
On Instagram it's very wide range, but there's a key
focus on like twenty five to like forty range for
my age range on air both again, so both of
them are pretty similar in terms of the age range
as a a wide span, but the key focus points
(18:52):
are very different. So just knowing how that works is
a little bit weird for me. I'm still I was
trying to get used to it, but I guess so.
Speaker 1 (19:07):
Yeah, I was just thinking about something you said a
minute ago about you know how they added another twenty
seconds or some people who were doing forty second videos,
No gotta do a minute video, and that's not easy
for everybody. And I think about they kind of separate
people who really do this from people who can kind
of do it, you know, So I wonder your perspective
on that twenty seconds. If I'm used to doing forty
(19:29):
second videos, I may not be sixty second funny. I
may be forty second funny. And so they kind of
separate the people who really about it versus the people
who can kind of, you know, be by. So it's
one of your thoughts on how people translate to adding
more time on like what kind of things people are
doing to help people be able to get that time
(19:50):
and not just because you can't just feel the time
and be good. It has to be moving the conversation
forward or it has to be more funny. And so
talk to me about your thoughts there.
Speaker 2 (20:01):
So if you're doing let's just say skits like me,
you know what I'm saying. And even then too, even
like myself, I still have trouble trying to add on
that extra few seconds on there. But it's just knowing
you're stopping points, knowing if okay, if it's an extra
six seconds that I have to add on, well, in
these parts, I'm gonna add a pause and maybe just
(20:25):
like a looking glare between these two spots just to
fill up the time. But you just got to make
sure it comes across organically and natural on screen. So
then like nobody really notices, like why did he pause?
So weird it's just in a random spot. You just
got to know where you need to put it at. Also,
(20:48):
if you're doing let's just say I don't know beauty content,
you know, and you're really good at clipping the videos,
I would say maybe on a couple talk talk talk
on a couple walk people through, So then you would
very easily fill up that timeframe. So it's just knowing
(21:10):
how you can just like expand that time so then
you're not wasting time in a sense, wasting other people's
time with adding the extra time on to that.
Speaker 1 (21:23):
Yeah, how did you know it was time to leave
you nine to five your regular job, you know, and
just go full in on content and photography.
Speaker 3 (21:31):
Making that money.
Speaker 2 (21:32):
No real But I would say, in all honestly, when
I quit Starbucks, it was I already have like money
saved up again.
Speaker 3 (21:46):
It was.
Speaker 2 (21:48):
So I have money saved up just from me, just
saving up from Starbucks, also from TikTok a little bit.
So I was like, you know what, I'm cool, I'll
give it. Like I wanted to take a break from
working because I was a shift lead and I was
working like hard core again. I don't know why I
was working at hard at Starbucks Starbucks, but I was
(22:10):
working like hard coreps where I would come in at
like five o'clock, four o'clock in the morning. Sometime I
didn't leave until like six seven at night. So I
was like, you know what, I'm taking a break. I
don't want to work for at least about a month,
you know what I'm saying, give myself a month, month
and a half off. But I seen that I was
(22:30):
making a little bit more money on TikTok, so I
was like, okay, I can.
Speaker 3 (22:36):
I ain't got to come back so soon.
Speaker 1 (22:38):
You know, we can wait a little bit.
Speaker 2 (22:42):
Yeah, you know, let me just stretch a little bit longer.
And that I feel like it just kept. You know,
I just never went back. I thought about it even
into even now. I'm like because I think as being
a creator or being in the creative space, you kind
(23:03):
of gotta be realistic with yourself. And that's for all creatives.
This field is very wishy washy, so like you may
be fined one day and the next day, you know
what I'm saying, you might have to find a regular job.
You know, you never know. So for me, I was
just telling my friend the other day, I was like,
(23:26):
you know, not saying I need a job. I was like,
I wanted. He works at like a creative studio, and
I was like, I would do like a day a week,
one day a week, and I was like, I don't
need to, but I was like, just like one day
a week. I feel like if also, if you're used
to working like a regular job and jumping into this,
(23:47):
it could feel like you kind of I wouldn't say
not doing nothing, but not doing nothing.
Speaker 1 (23:52):
That makes sense, Yeah, that makes total sense. Do you
feel like some of the stability or security that you
might have felt is has been stripped away? What do
you mean having having you know, I know a check
is coming on Friday.
Speaker 2 (24:15):
I would say, in the beginning, yes, it was a
little bit. I was like, we gotta make a we
gotta push on some more video. You know, we maybe
been spending a little bit too much.
Speaker 1 (24:29):
But because it's now, now, it's like it's on you,
because like you can go to Starbucks. I know I
can make these drinks.
Speaker 3 (24:35):
You pay me.
Speaker 1 (24:35):
I make more drinks, you pay me. I opened the doors,
you pay me. Now it's like, okay, I gotta be funny,
and if I ain't funny, I don't get paid. It's
on the.
Speaker 3 (24:46):
Markets, exactly, I think.
Speaker 2 (24:49):
For for me it was I think just knowing now
what I knowing now, what I know about how to
expend my money or save in the right capacity. I'm
a little bit more comfortable now in ao sense, like Okay,
(25:11):
I ain't got to worry as much. You know, even
if I want to take a little bit of a break,
I don't have to worry you so much. But when
I first started, it was more of like I ain't
never been disliked before. So you know, if you grew
up a certain type of way, you may look at
me like, oh, I'm making a little bit of money,
I'm finished like spending spending, spinding, spending, and then you
look up, ain't nothing there.
Speaker 3 (25:33):
So now.
Speaker 2 (25:37):
You know I'm a little bit more comfortable on where
I'm at. And if I you know, if I need
to make a couple more videos, I'll push them out.
But for the most part, you know, I'm good right now.
Speaker 1 (25:51):
What surprised you most about the business side of being created?
Like we always hear, like, you know, there's the music business,
but the word business is much longer than the word
in music, Like, this is a business, and so content
creation when you're doing it like you're doing is a business.
Like what is what surprised you the most about the
business side of this, whether it was learning how to
(26:14):
work with brands, or managing your money kind of what
you just talked about, or navigating social media algorithms, like
what surprised you most about this side.
Speaker 2 (26:23):
Of the game that you set your own standards that
so like and let's just say you work a regular
nine to five job. You know you have, of course
all your managers, you have a certain way you need
to do things, and what time your schedule is laid
(26:45):
out for you, how you wake up in the morning,
what time you go to bed, everything is kind of
already formulated. Whereas now from my own standards, you know,
and knowing that I said my owner standards. You got
to know like, okay, I'm my own boss. I have
to make a schedule for myself when do I want
(27:09):
to record. Also, okay, if I need to take time
away from recording, you have to know like okay, when
I come back, I got to push out the videos
a little bit more, you know. Or working with brands,
it can seem at first when I first started, just
(27:30):
because they're paying me, just because they're paying you, you
know what I'm saying, you could think like, oh, they're
kind of over me in a sense because you have
that mindset because you worked a nine to five, because
whoever pays you is your manager. Yeah, you know, so
you'll be thinking like, oh, well, even though I said
my rates, you know, they'll start being a little bit demanding.
(27:53):
And then you got to remember and click, you know,
click back into it, like wait, now, boss, I'm the
only one I run this, So now you gotta okay, no,
I'm not gonna after two rounds of videos that I
done sent you, you're not getting a third or you're
gonna have to pay a little bit more, you know
(28:13):
what I'm saying. So you kind of gotta be a
little bit I wouldn't say rude, but a little bit
stern with some of the brands and everything, just so
you aren't being a pushover. They ain't pushing you over,
you know what I'm saying. They can't really push you
around to do different things. And some of them will
(28:33):
some of them try try to stretch that little few
dollars that they're giving you, and you gotta something, No,
I want a little bit more if you won't. If
you want seven videos, I'm man the seven seven video money,
you know.
Speaker 1 (28:51):
So guess let's say more about that, like are how
do you decide who you're gonna work with brand wise?
Or do you or if anybody got a bag the
Marcus down, like how do you determine who you gonna
work with?
Speaker 2 (29:04):
It's just pretty much whoever goes good with my brand?
And I think that's created. You gotta know what what
companies go good with what you create? So if uh,
let's just say I don't know, because most of my
videos I can kind of create a video around anything.
(29:26):
So let's just say, if you a if you're a
beauty creator and somebody about planting planting flowers come to
you and they're like, hey, I would love you to
promote this, even though it may seem decent, you gotta
the video won't do good. Maybe you know what I'm saying.
(29:48):
Somebody may be like, I don't like this video? Why
did you record this? Or why are you? They're gonna
know what's that actual promotion deal? So I think the
best videos that you can create Y eight is the
ones that people don't really know that it's an AD
because then they click back on it, they're like, wait,
it's an AD, what's the product that he's that.
Speaker 3 (30:08):
He's even promoted?
Speaker 2 (30:10):
So knowing what brands works best with you, and also
having a good team either a manager or agent, somebody
who can who is able to negotiate, and that know
how you record, and that knows your content as well.
(30:30):
That helps a lot as like too. So just knowing
what really works best for you.
Speaker 1 (30:38):
So so many creators are dependent on these algorithms which
can switch up tomorrow. You know, how do you future
proof yourself? How do you make sure that you know,
no matter what happens to Instagram next week, I'm gonna
still be good.
Speaker 2 (30:56):
I would say, you know, you never you never honestly
really know just because I may post a video tomorrow
and my video do good, and then I may post
one the next day and it does horrible. The algorithm,
the algorithm is ever changing online, even on TikTok. But
I think, my bad if you hear my dog. But
(31:21):
I would say, just learning how to be adaptable in
that situation or circumstance, not only with the algorithm, but
also with your content and how you record. So obviously,
if you started off doing like me, I started off
(31:43):
doing dry humor content, and then I switched and started
doing skits, but my skits was more focused on school
skits and teachers, and then I went to then I
pivoted a little little bit, and then I went into
(32:05):
going to like life nuances inside of school, like looking
at different people on the side of school.
Speaker 3 (32:10):
And then I pivoted again.
Speaker 2 (32:12):
To what you kind of see now, to the everyday
life nuances of like different people. And every once in
a while I throw a little something like a curveball
or something of like fashion or whatnot, you know, But
I think learning to change your your content ever so slightly,
(32:36):
you ain't got to change it a lot. So don't
start off and with basketball and then all of a
sudden you singing on the next video.
Speaker 3 (32:43):
And that's the whole It.
Speaker 2 (32:45):
Won't it won't do as good the algorithm, but the
algorithm is already bad. And you do that, then your
content won't really fear as good, at least from what
I've seen. So your best bet is to, Okay, let
me adapt a little bit. If you see that it
keeps happening with the algorithm, you just got to learn
(33:05):
to adapt.
Speaker 3 (33:06):
Switch it up a little bit.
Speaker 2 (33:07):
Maybe that'll push the algorithm a little bit more to
push you out there.
Speaker 3 (33:12):
And if you need to do it a little bit more,
do it a little bit more.
Speaker 2 (33:15):
But you never want to steer so far away from
what you created first, just because the algorithm won't really
know who you are at that point. No.
Speaker 1 (33:24):
Then, and finally, I think a lot about networking, Like
you talked about, you've been doing these panels and things
like that. What role has networking played in your success
to leads you to deals and collabse and things like that.
Speaker 2 (33:39):
Because you build a partnership, you actually build a friendship
with some of these brands and some of these people
that you meet at these different events and or honestly anywhere.
So if I do meet somebody from I don't know
from like Dove at like.
Speaker 3 (33:59):
A weird pan that I was out out and about that.
Speaker 2 (34:02):
At the very moment, I'm not really focused on the partnership.
I'm not really I'm just getting to know that person
that works for Dove, you know. So building a relationship,
building a friendship, building a foundation first with the person
or the brand, I would say is a key component
(34:22):
to future partnerships with that brand because if you built
that foundation, let's just say, at the very moment, they won't.
They don't have the budget that you have. You know
what I'm saying that you're saying that you want or
the rate that you're giving them, they don't have the
budget to pay you. Well, you built that foundation, so
(34:45):
later on when they have that budget, they're most likely
gonna pay you double of what you said in that
rate just because y'all built that foundation. You've always been
very nice and sweet to them, so they're gonna double
that just because or they're gonna you're gonna be the
first person they look for.
Speaker 1 (35:03):
Actually, I want one more so I think about, you know,
the kind of content you post and how some brands
may be like, you know, oh, he's talking about politics now,
so we can't put him on. Like, how do you
think about or anything? I'm just made up politics, But
how do you think about or do you think about
I can't talk about certain things because that will limit
my opportunities, or I can only talk about these things
(35:25):
because that will expand my opportunity. How do you think
about you know, your ability to talk about whatever you
want to talk about.
Speaker 2 (35:33):
I think for my content, I try to keep it
as clean as possible, just because there's no hiccups with brands,
Like if they come back and say, oh, you talk
about this, they don't. They won't, I guess, like just
not work with me if that's the right ven, the
right saying. But but for my content, honestly, I keep
(35:59):
it very cookie cutter friendly to where like I don't
even mention no typic like world political or even like
I don't what sort of stuff. I don't do political religion,
(36:21):
most holidays honestly because I just tried to. There's a
lot of people that maybe don't celebrate a certain holiday
because of this and that, so I leave some of
those out. Or even just like world affairs as far
as like wars and stuff like that, I keep all
that kind of out of my videos just because number one,
(36:46):
if there is a war, there's people come to the
internet number one to kind of escape that and to
kind of look at other people and to kind of
laugh and get away from that. So they don't want
to come directly on it and see like, oh dang it,
another creator talking about the war, because there's billions of
(37:07):
them that's going to be talking about it.
Speaker 3 (37:09):
Yeah, so.
Speaker 2 (37:11):
Me not talking about that's giving them a way out
to just like, Okay, finally I can take a breather.
Or if there's a lot of political stuff going on,
they can come on there and take a breather. So
when brands look at my page and they see like, oh,
he ain't got nothing up there that's controversial, you know,
(37:33):
he's kind of good for all sides. If they want
to sell a product, it can reach all wide ranges
of different areas of the world. There's nothing that can
like stop it from going out. So that's how I
do my content. Again, if you do make content on
(37:54):
some of those matters, I would say limit the other
portions then so then you know.
Speaker 3 (38:01):
It just ain't hurting.
Speaker 2 (38:02):
But hey, you know, if you talk about all of them,
more power to you I'm not because I will be
subscribed so then I can listen.
Speaker 1 (38:13):
Black Tech Green Money is a production of Blavity Afro
Tech on the Black Effect podcast network in night Heart Media.
It's produced by Morgan, Debaonne and me Well Lucas, with
the addigital production support by Kate McDonald, Sarah Ergan and
Jaden McGee. Special thank you to Michael Davis and Love Beach.
Learn more about My Guessing Other Technis. Ruff is an
innovators at afrotech dot com. The video version of this
(38:33):
episode will drop to Black Tech Green Money on YouTube,
so tap in, enjoy your Black Tech Green Money, share
us to somebody, go get your money. Peace in love,
Afro Tech Conference is back, bringing together over twenty thousand
tech enthusiasts, founders, investors, and more for another unforgettable year.
For years, afro Tech has been the go to event
for black innovators in tech with the brightest mind share
the latest developments and insights, and this year we're bringing
the experience to Houston, Texas. From November thirteenth through the sixteenth.
Join us to learn from the innovators and leaders who
(00:21):
are shaping the future of tech. From insightful panels to
curate it meetups and expansive recruiting, you'll connect with industry
trail blazers. In addition to focusing on the latest and
AI and data, this year's programming explores the intersextions of
tech with health, environment and creative design. Don't miss your
chance to be part of it. Secure your spoted afro
Tech Conference twenty twenty four today visit Afrotech Conference dot
(00:43):
counted by your ticket Now. I'm with Lucas and this
is Black Tech, Green Money. DeMarcus Sean is one of
the funniest people on tiktop, with over six point six
million followers and a million plus on ig He's become
a master of Online Entertainment Skits. So how do you
go from working as Firebucks to social media startled? So
(01:06):
you've talked about being naturally funny growing up, you know,
particularly in Chicago you grew up and I'm sure there's
a lot of people that you around growing up that
might have been funny. Also, how does that upg upbringing
that you had, How does that influence your comedy today?
Speaker 2 (01:23):
I would say pretty much just because the way I
grew up in me experience and so many I have
so many different family members. Like my family is huge.
My grandma on my mom's side had like ten kids,
and everybody had like three to four kids after that,
(01:44):
so I have tons of cousins. And then also on
my dad's side, my grandma over there had like six kids,
and everybody over there had kids. So on both sides,
I have big families. So like all of my inspiration
either comes from like different end of visuals in my
family or just like life itself, me growing up with
(02:07):
many different characters of like just like friends, just because
like I I was like type of kid you couldn't
really put in the box in school. I wasn't nor
the jog geeky you know, I was. I would say,
I was kind of like everything in one so like
I was cool with everybody, so I had I was
(02:28):
able to experience all different faces of life growing up,
through school, through family, and just every day nuances.
Speaker 1 (02:38):
Yeah. Yeah, I was watching another interview then and you
were talking about how, you know, just living life is
how you get these stories and these comedy sketches. And
you mentioned, you know, having a love for music and
singing and drawing and photography. How has those interests helped,
you know, shape your perspective on your comedy.
Speaker 2 (02:59):
I would say just because every single I guess creative
hobby that I do have, they are in a sense
feeding my content that I put online, and in the
small I wouldn't I shouldn't say in the smallest way,
but in a sense, in the smallest way. So like,
(03:20):
if if I'm not like, let's just say, like right now,
if I'm not really into like just like posting as
much as I want to, I'll take a break from
online and then I'll go into let's just say, my
photography for the next week or so and not really
worry about the online scene and posting, and then that
will give me the I different ideas in a way
(03:45):
because I'm not so bombarded with other people's content or
just like little things that you will see online on Instagram,
on TikTok, where like it can cloud my creative mind.
So then at the same time, I'm not number one
stealing from other people.
Speaker 3 (04:00):
It's all organic.
Speaker 2 (04:02):
And then at the same time, I'm able to come
up with my own ideas, like straight off the domes
straight from me, So then I don't have to be like, crap,
what did so and so put in his videos? I
kind of want to do that. You know, it's all
coming straight from me. It's all my own creative process
and how I post.
Speaker 1 (04:21):
It's so interesting to me, Like it's like all black
people live this same life. Like we've all seen the
guy who comes back to the job after having not
worked there, and it's like I used to We've all
seen that I used to work here guy, and so
like it was, so, how when did you recognize that
we've all had these same experiences and but you you
found the humor in it.
Speaker 2 (04:44):
I think in a sence again, growing up, I think
we all look at each other and try to impress
one another, and I think through that I was able
to kind of like I think, like, bro, we all
doing the same stuff, Like we all like a little weird,
Like we all honestly all of us are all like
(05:08):
very weird in our own way, but all in the
same way at the same time. So like what I'll
sit at home. I was having a conversation with one
of my cousins and I was like, I forgot what
I said what I did in bed. I was like, oh,
that's what I said. I was like, you ever like
set in bed and you get like super excited just
for like out of the blue, just because it's cold,
(05:30):
like you get cold, you like in your blanket, you
just start getting like jitters, like you know what I'm saying.
And he was like, wait, I thought it was just me,
And I was like, bro, I feel like everybody does
like all the same stuff. So like back then, that
kind of gave me the idea to kind of tap
into that.
Speaker 3 (05:49):
Now.
Speaker 2 (05:50):
Granted, I always sent videos to between me and my brothers,
So me making skits skid form to our videos never
like out of the blue for me, just because I've
always kind of done that, me and my brothers, We've
all just sent them back and forth.
Speaker 3 (06:08):
So me.
Speaker 2 (06:10):
Just like implementing I guess like everyday life nuances was
slightly different, just because like my skit forms before was
a tabit different than what they are what they are
Like now, what.
Speaker 1 (06:24):
Was that moment where you realize that TikTok, you know,
could be more than just a hobby, but for real
to your brand and you can make real money over here.
Speaker 2 (06:35):
I think it was more so again the money, but
besides obviously besides the money, because before that, I I
would probably have to say, building a community and not
only not only the black community, but also a community
(06:56):
that stretches on the bounds of just like America. Because
for me, when I got on TikTok, I thought my
reach was just like first just like black, and then
I started seeing like it was so many other different
races and now I'm like, okay, we all be touching
(07:18):
in the US. And then all of a sudden, I
look at it. There's people were like, I'm from Germany,
I love your stuff. I'm like Germany or Russia, and
you know what I'm saying, China, I'm like, I don't
even know that my stuff can stretch that far or
people can relate, you know, to something like that that
I would think that's just like a US thing people
(07:41):
around the world can relate as well. So that's when
I knew, like, Okay, this can kind of be a
little bit not only like I can make money off this,
but I think in a sense it helps bring people
together from different walks of life and different people across
the planet. That you know, there's so many wars going on,
(08:02):
so you may think like something so small, as I
guess the comedy that I do, could bring people together
through just something so simple.
Speaker 1 (08:13):
Yeah, and speaking, I mean, you've built this huge following
on TikTok, six point six million on TikTok, a million
on Instagram. You know when you think about the big
is as big an audience as you've built. You know,
how do you think about creating these skits, Like how
do you say, you know what this one will work?
I'm not gonna do that one. That one I thought
was a good idea, but you know that one's not
(08:34):
gonna make it to the timeline, Like how do you
how do you think through what's gonna make it to
your feed and what's.
Speaker 2 (08:39):
Not just time And honestly, I don't whatever idea that
I do have I just posted. That's what I will
say for any creative. You do have an idea, just
posted it, don't hurt. But I have taken down a
couple of videos if they don't saying like, oh they
(09:01):
don't hit because obviously the algorithm things happen. Not every
video realistically is going to do good. That's just really
you just got to keep that one hundred with yourself.
Like every video, I know it's not gonna be as
big as the last video that I posted, or one
video may do way better than the video I post before,
so keeping that in mind. But for me, I never
(09:24):
just fully scrap an idea. What I'll do is is that, Okay,
I'll take it down. Maybe it's not received in a
way that I wanted it to, so I'll take it
down and then just rework it. So if I ever
like take down a video, I never like just like
delete it out and you won't see the video again.
(09:44):
I'll maybe add it to another video that I'm already
planning on recording in a way, so then it's come
like two videos in one.
Speaker 1 (09:54):
Yeah, talk to me about the process. It seems like
you have a real process. It's just like, is there
the market journal somewhere is like you sketching ideas while
you on your way to the grocery store, Like, how
does this way? What's the actual process you use?
Speaker 2 (10:07):
You know, it's crazy, I honestly don't. It sounds like
I have a full on process. I think my process
is kind of just letting things go with the flow.
But I honestly I don't have a journal. I don't
write down nothing. The most I will write down is
if I'm out and about and I'm doing something where
I can't fully record directly at the moment I'll.
Speaker 1 (10:31):
Come So you're typically recording right then.
Speaker 2 (10:34):
Yeah, oh wow, go straight up the dumpson. As soon
as I get the idea, I'll try to record it.
Speaker 3 (10:38):
Wow. Yeah.
Speaker 2 (10:39):
So most of the time I don't really write down
stuff just because I feel like, over time it takes
away from the feeling that I actually want to portray
in the video, and then I have to think back
to crap, how was I like, what did I want
to do in a video?
Speaker 3 (10:55):
What?
Speaker 2 (10:56):
How did I want to say this? And then if
I do record, you know what I'm saying later on,
it don't come up as authentic as I wanted it
to or as good and then I'm trying to perfect it.
And then for my videos. Again, I don't know about
anybody else. I'm an imperfect perfectionist, if that makes sense.
(11:20):
So I love that my videos, like I stumble around
a lot, Like most of my videos is kind of
like one takes at.
Speaker 3 (11:28):
The most, maybe two to three.
Speaker 2 (11:32):
But that's if I like remember something where I'm like, crap,
I was supposed to say this, But for the most part,
most of my videos are one takes, just because I
want them to be very natural as humans speak. You know,
human speech, we stumble around, we may pause for a second.
It didn't gather ourselves and stuff like that, So I
(11:54):
want that to be portrayed on the video. So then
when people are watching it was like, oh my god,
pause is so real, or you stumble around, It's really
what they always do, you know it for people, they're
able to connect to the realistic style of human beings
instead of just like a regular skit that's perfect all
(12:16):
the way through.
Speaker 1 (12:17):
Was that like an insight you had after having you know,
messed up a couple of times and you just like,
you know, let me just run with it, or was
it like it very just like I'm doing this one
take and we're gonna go no.
Speaker 2 (12:32):
I would say it kind of developed over time the
more because when I first started doing skits, I tried
to make sure that was kind of like perfect, and
then I think I stumbled on a couple and I
just like left them in. I got lazy. I was like, okay, whatever,
I don't feel like going back to record this. But
I noticed that people actually like that form of recording
(12:57):
because it helps them to connect to the skin. It
has some to connect and know that every single person
is and it's it's the same. So that's the way
I like to record. Again, there's a lot of other
a lot other you know, TikTokers and influencers that like
the perfect. I can't really go that route just because
(13:20):
you know, it don't match up with me. I like
even in some of my texts when I write it
on the screen, I'm a very fast like person when
I in terms of like texting and stuff, So like
I'll text it out or I mean I'll type it
out for the text over they overlay, and then I'll
post it and then I look back at it. I'm
the I'm missing words, I'm messing up the how to
(13:46):
how to spell the words and everything and that everybody's
like you're missing a word or you meant to put
you put there instead of there.
Speaker 3 (13:55):
Whatever.
Speaker 2 (13:56):
It's like, bro, I'll talk about that stuff very quickly.
I don't look back at it. I just type post.
So now like it kind of goes in with my
the way my brain works. That.
Speaker 1 (14:09):
I mean, you've seen success, you know with the creators
fun brand deals, you know, other revenue streams. Share how
you know creators can more effectively monetize their content on
platforms like TikTok, Like, what are some of the things
that we need to be conscious of if we want
to build not just the following, but a monetizable following.
Speaker 2 (14:33):
I would say, first focus on the how long you
want your videos to be? So like me, when I
first started, my videos were less than a minute. Now
I kind of try to stretch it to be either
a minute or to have it over.
Speaker 1 (14:52):
But in the beginning, any video, what is the why
does the lift matter?
Speaker 2 (14:58):
Just because now now on TikTok. I don't know about
this on Instagram, but now on TikTok, your videos have
to be a minute to get monetized. So if your
videos aren't a mini you can't really monetize back in
the day when TikTok, well, back in the twenty twenty
and twenty twenty, when in twenty twenty, when I was
(15:20):
doing everything, it didn't have to be a minute, you know.
So that was for a lot of creatives that was
a change, just because it seems so small. Like let's
just say, like your videos is always like forty seconds
putting that extra you know what I'm saying, ten to
twenty to fifteen seconds on there.
Speaker 3 (15:40):
It's in your mind. You're like, oh, that's easy.
Speaker 2 (15:43):
Doing it is the hardest part because then you're like, crap,
I don't know what to say at that point.
Speaker 1 (15:46):
Yeah, So I.
Speaker 2 (15:48):
Would say focus on the lane, focus on what you
want to record, and I would say, try to film
your videos and it in a way that's for you.
Don't try to focus on so much of like the
audience or a fan base or a supporter base first,
(16:09):
just because I feel like a lot of I was
just telling the girl this literally like two days ago,
I did a panel and she was like, yeah, I've
been trying to record and I'm trying to get my
following up. But she was like It's always so awkward
because when I record, because I'm not used to recording myself,
and I was like, that's because you focusing on the following.
(16:32):
You focusing on the camera. That's right there. You literally recorded.
If you were recording yourself just for you, you'll be natural,
you know. So if you're doing that, it's going to
come across better on screen when somebody's watching it, and
that's going to make them gravitate towards you to just
start following. That's how you build a community. People are
(16:53):
gonna be like, Oh, he's just supernatural with it. I
feel like I'm actually talking to him. I feel like
I feel like we're on FaceTime together, you know, I
feel like my online cousin, online brother. So do that,
and then after that you will gain success from that,
and then you will be able to monetize.
Speaker 1 (17:10):
It all that you know, you've built, you know again,
six point six million plus and growing on TikTok a
million and growing on ig and you've clearly found a
way to resonate on both platforms, which is not always
easy for a lot of people because those algorithms are different,
what the platforms want is different. How have you found
(17:33):
success on both, Like what does TikTok want from you
differently than Instagram wants from you? And vice versa.
Speaker 2 (17:41):
I just noticed that my audience is different on both,
whereas when I first started, I thought they were kind
of the same. But on each platform or each app,
every audience that you gain will be slightly different or
totally different. I noticed that on my Instagram it is
(18:01):
slightly more mature than my TikTok, where TikTok is I
have a I wouldn't say I have kids. I do
have kids on TikTok, but it's more where it's kind
of like I would say like sixteen to like thirty, yeah,
(18:21):
or like thirty five in between there that's my main.
Speaker 3 (18:26):
I would say age range.
Speaker 2 (18:29):
On Instagram it's very wide range, but there's a key
focus on like twenty five to like forty range for
my age range on air both again, so both of
them are pretty similar in terms of the age range
as a a wide span, but the key focus points
(18:52):
are very different. So just knowing how that works is
a little bit weird for me. I'm still I was
trying to get used to it, but I guess so.
Speaker 1 (19:07):
Yeah, I was just thinking about something you said a
minute ago about you know how they added another twenty
seconds or some people who were doing forty second videos,
No gotta do a minute video, and that's not easy
for everybody. And I think about they kind of separate
people who really do this from people who can kind
of do it, you know, So I wonder your perspective
on that twenty seconds. If I'm used to doing forty
(19:29):
second videos, I may not be sixty second funny. I
may be forty second funny. And so they kind of
separate the people who really about it versus the people
who can kind of, you know, be by. So it's
one of your thoughts on how people translate to adding
more time on like what kind of things people are
doing to help people be able to get that time
(19:50):
and not just because you can't just feel the time
and be good. It has to be moving the conversation
forward or it has to be more funny. And so
talk to me about your thoughts there.
Speaker 2 (20:01):
So if you're doing let's just say skits like me,
you know what I'm saying. And even then too, even
like myself, I still have trouble trying to add on
that extra few seconds on there. But it's just knowing
you're stopping points, knowing if okay, if it's an extra
six seconds that I have to add on, well, in
these parts, I'm gonna add a pause and maybe just
(20:25):
like a looking glare between these two spots just to
fill up the time. But you just got to make
sure it comes across organically and natural on screen. So
then like nobody really notices, like why did he pause?
So weird it's just in a random spot. You just
got to know where you need to put it at. Also,
(20:48):
if you're doing let's just say I don't know beauty content,
you know, and you're really good at clipping the videos,
I would say maybe on a couple talk talk talk
on a couple walk people through, So then you would
very easily fill up that timeframe. So it's just knowing
(21:10):
how you can just like expand that time so then
you're not wasting time in a sense, wasting other people's
time with adding the extra time on to that.
Speaker 1 (21:23):
Yeah, how did you know it was time to leave
you nine to five your regular job, you know, and
just go full in on content and photography.
Speaker 3 (21:31):
Making that money.
Speaker 2 (21:32):
No real But I would say, in all honestly, when
I quit Starbucks, it was I already have like money
saved up again.
Speaker 3 (21:46):
It was.
Speaker 2 (21:48):
So I have money saved up just from me, just
saving up from Starbucks, also from TikTok a little bit.
So I was like, you know what, I'm cool, I'll
give it. Like I wanted to take a break from
working because I was a shift lead and I was
working like hard core again. I don't know why I
was working at hard at Starbucks Starbucks, but I was
(22:10):
working like hard coreps where I would come in at
like five o'clock, four o'clock in the morning. Sometime I
didn't leave until like six seven at night. So I
was like, you know what, I'm taking a break. I
don't want to work for at least about a month,
you know what I'm saying, give myself a month, month
and a half off. But I seen that I was
(22:30):
making a little bit more money on TikTok, so I
was like, okay, I can.
Speaker 3 (22:36):
I ain't got to come back so soon.
Speaker 1 (22:38):
You know, we can wait a little bit.
Speaker 2 (22:42):
Yeah, you know, let me just stretch a little bit longer.
And that I feel like it just kept. You know,
I just never went back. I thought about it even
into even now. I'm like because I think as being
a creator or being in the creative space, you kind
(23:03):
of gotta be realistic with yourself. And that's for all creatives.
This field is very wishy washy, so like you may
be fined one day and the next day, you know
what I'm saying, you might have to find a regular job.
You know, you never know. So for me, I was
just telling my friend the other day, I was like,
(23:26):
you know, not saying I need a job. I was like,
I wanted. He works at like a creative studio, and
I was like, I would do like a day a week,
one day a week, and I was like, I don't
need to, but I was like, just like one day
a week. I feel like if also, if you're used
to working like a regular job and jumping into this,
(23:47):
it could feel like you kind of I wouldn't say
not doing nothing, but not doing nothing.
Speaker 1 (23:52):
That makes sense, Yeah, that makes total sense. Do you
feel like some of the stability or security that you
might have felt is has been stripped away? What do
you mean having having you know, I know a check
is coming on Friday.
Speaker 2 (24:15):
I would say, in the beginning, yes, it was a
little bit. I was like, we gotta make a we
gotta push on some more video. You know, we maybe
been spending a little bit too much.
Speaker 1 (24:29):
But because it's now, now, it's like it's on you,
because like you can go to Starbucks. I know I
can make these drinks.
Speaker 3 (24:35):
You pay me.
Speaker 1 (24:35):
I make more drinks, you pay me. I opened the doors,
you pay me. Now it's like, okay, I gotta be funny,
and if I ain't funny, I don't get paid. It's
on the.
Speaker 3 (24:46):
Markets, exactly, I think.
Speaker 2 (24:49):
For for me it was I think just knowing now
what I knowing now, what I know about how to
expend my money or save in the right capacity. I'm
a little bit more comfortable now in ao sense, like Okay,
(25:11):
I ain't got to worry as much. You know, even
if I want to take a little bit of a break,
I don't have to worry you so much. But when
I first started, it was more of like I ain't
never been disliked before. So you know, if you grew
up a certain type of way, you may look at
me like, oh, I'm making a little bit of money,
I'm finished like spending spending, spinding, spending, and then you
look up, ain't nothing there.
Speaker 3 (25:33):
So now.
Speaker 2 (25:37):
You know I'm a little bit more comfortable on where
I'm at. And if I you know, if I need
to make a couple more videos, I'll push them out.
But for the most part, you know, I'm good right now.
Speaker 1 (25:51):
What surprised you most about the business side of being created?
Like we always hear, like, you know, there's the music business,
but the word business is much longer than the word
in music, Like, this is a business, and so content
creation when you're doing it like you're doing is a business.
Like what is what surprised you the most about the
business side of this, whether it was learning how to
(26:14):
work with brands, or managing your money kind of what
you just talked about, or navigating social media algorithms, like
what surprised you most about this side.
Speaker 2 (26:23):
Of the game that you set your own standards that
so like and let's just say you work a regular
nine to five job. You know you have, of course
all your managers, you have a certain way you need
to do things, and what time your schedule is laid
(26:45):
out for you, how you wake up in the morning,
what time you go to bed, everything is kind of
already formulated. Whereas now from my own standards, you know,
and knowing that I said my owner standards. You got
to know like, okay, I'm my own boss. I have
to make a schedule for myself when do I want
(27:09):
to record. Also, okay, if I need to take time
away from recording, you have to know like okay, when
I come back, I got to push out the videos
a little bit more, you know. Or working with brands,
it can seem at first when I first started, just
(27:30):
because they're paying me, just because they're paying you, you
know what I'm saying, you could think like, oh, they're
kind of over me in a sense because you have
that mindset because you worked a nine to five, because
whoever pays you is your manager. Yeah, you know, so
you'll be thinking like, oh, well, even though I said
my rates, you know, they'll start being a little bit demanding.
(27:53):
And then you got to remember and click, you know,
click back into it, like wait, now, boss, I'm the
only one I run this, So now you gotta okay, no,
I'm not gonna after two rounds of videos that I
done sent you, you're not getting a third or you're
gonna have to pay a little bit more, you know
(28:13):
what I'm saying. So you kind of gotta be a
little bit I wouldn't say rude, but a little bit
stern with some of the brands and everything, just so
you aren't being a pushover. They ain't pushing you over,
you know what I'm saying. They can't really push you
around to do different things. And some of them will
(28:33):
some of them try try to stretch that little few
dollars that they're giving you, and you gotta something, No,
I want a little bit more if you won't. If
you want seven videos, I'm man the seven seven video money,
you know.
Speaker 1 (28:51):
So guess let's say more about that, like are how
do you decide who you're gonna work with brand wise?
Or do you or if anybody got a bag the
Marcus down, like how do you determine who you gonna
work with?
Speaker 2 (29:04):
It's just pretty much whoever goes good with my brand?
And I think that's created. You gotta know what what
companies go good with what you create? So if uh,
let's just say I don't know, because most of my
videos I can kind of create a video around anything.
(29:26):
So let's just say, if you a if you're a
beauty creator and somebody about planting planting flowers come to
you and they're like, hey, I would love you to
promote this, even though it may seem decent, you gotta
the video won't do good. Maybe you know what I'm saying.
(29:48):
Somebody may be like, I don't like this video? Why
did you record this? Or why are you? They're gonna
know what's that actual promotion deal? So I think the
best videos that you can create Y eight is the
ones that people don't really know that it's an AD
because then they click back on it, they're like, wait,
it's an AD, what's the product that he's that.
Speaker 3 (30:08):
He's even promoted?
Speaker 2 (30:10):
So knowing what brands works best with you, and also
having a good team either a manager or agent, somebody
who can who is able to negotiate, and that know
how you record, and that knows your content as well.
(30:30):
That helps a lot as like too. So just knowing
what really works best for you.
Speaker 1 (30:38):
So so many creators are dependent on these algorithms which
can switch up tomorrow. You know, how do you future
proof yourself? How do you make sure that you know,
no matter what happens to Instagram next week, I'm gonna
still be good.
Speaker 2 (30:56):
I would say, you know, you never you never honestly
really know just because I may post a video tomorrow
and my video do good, and then I may post
one the next day and it does horrible. The algorithm,
the algorithm is ever changing online, even on TikTok. But
I think, my bad if you hear my dog. But
(31:21):
I would say, just learning how to be adaptable in
that situation or circumstance, not only with the algorithm, but
also with your content and how you record. So obviously,
if you started off doing like me, I started off
(31:43):
doing dry humor content, and then I switched and started
doing skits, but my skits was more focused on school
skits and teachers, and then I went to then I
pivoted a little little bit, and then I went into
(32:05):
going to like life nuances inside of school, like looking
at different people on the side of school.
Speaker 3 (32:10):
And then I pivoted again.
Speaker 2 (32:12):
To what you kind of see now, to the everyday
life nuances of like different people. And every once in
a while I throw a little something like a curveball
or something of like fashion or whatnot, you know, But
I think learning to change your your content ever so slightly,
(32:36):
you ain't got to change it a lot. So don't
start off and with basketball and then all of a
sudden you singing on the next video.
Speaker 3 (32:43):
And that's the whole It.
Speaker 2 (32:45):
Won't it won't do as good the algorithm, but the
algorithm is already bad. And you do that, then your
content won't really fear as good, at least from what
I've seen. So your best bet is to, Okay, let
me adapt a little bit. If you see that it
keeps happening with the algorithm, you just got to learn
(33:05):
to adapt.
Speaker 3 (33:06):
Switch it up a little bit.
Speaker 2 (33:07):
Maybe that'll push the algorithm a little bit more to
push you out there.
Speaker 3 (33:12):
And if you need to do it a little bit more,
do it a little bit more.
Speaker 2 (33:15):
But you never want to steer so far away from
what you created first, just because the algorithm won't really
know who you are at that point. No.
Speaker 1 (33:24):
Then, and finally, I think a lot about networking, Like
you talked about, you've been doing these panels and things
like that. What role has networking played in your success
to leads you to deals and collabse and things like that.
Speaker 2 (33:39):
Because you build a partnership, you actually build a friendship
with some of these brands and some of these people
that you meet at these different events and or honestly anywhere.
So if I do meet somebody from I don't know
from like Dove at like.
Speaker 3 (33:59):
A weird pan that I was out out and about that.
Speaker 2 (34:02):
At the very moment, I'm not really focused on the partnership.
I'm not really I'm just getting to know that person
that works for Dove, you know. So building a relationship,
building a friendship, building a foundation first with the person
or the brand, I would say is a key component
(34:22):
to future partnerships with that brand because if you built
that foundation, let's just say, at the very moment, they won't.
They don't have the budget that you have. You know
what I'm saying that you're saying that you want or
the rate that you're giving them, they don't have the
budget to pay you. Well, you built that foundation, so
(34:45):
later on when they have that budget, they're most likely
gonna pay you double of what you said in that
rate just because y'all built that foundation. You've always been
very nice and sweet to them, so they're gonna double
that just because or they're gonna you're gonna be the
first person they look for.
Speaker 1 (35:03):
Actually, I want one more so I think about, you know,
the kind of content you post and how some brands
may be like, you know, oh, he's talking about politics now,
so we can't put him on. Like, how do you
think about or anything? I'm just made up politics, But
how do you think about or do you think about
I can't talk about certain things because that will limit
my opportunities, or I can only talk about these things
(35:25):
because that will expand my opportunity. How do you think
about you know, your ability to talk about whatever you
want to talk about.
Speaker 2 (35:33):
I think for my content, I try to keep it
as clean as possible, just because there's no hiccups with brands,
Like if they come back and say, oh, you talk
about this, they don't. They won't, I guess, like just
not work with me if that's the right ven, the
right saying. But but for my content, honestly, I keep
(35:59):
it very cookie cutter friendly to where like I don't
even mention no typic like world political or even like
I don't what sort of stuff. I don't do political religion,
(36:21):
most holidays honestly because I just tried to. There's a
lot of people that maybe don't celebrate a certain holiday
because of this and that, so I leave some of
those out. Or even just like world affairs as far
as like wars and stuff like that, I keep all
that kind of out of my videos just because number one,
(36:46):
if there is a war, there's people come to the
internet number one to kind of escape that and to
kind of look at other people and to kind of
laugh and get away from that. So they don't want
to come directly on it and see like, oh dang it,
another creator talking about the war, because there's billions of
(37:07):
them that's going to be talking about it.
Speaker 3 (37:09):
Yeah, so.
Speaker 2 (37:11):
Me not talking about that's giving them a way out
to just like, Okay, finally I can take a breather.
Or if there's a lot of political stuff going on,
they can come on there and take a breather. So
when brands look at my page and they see like, oh,
he ain't got nothing up there that's controversial, you know,
(37:33):
he's kind of good for all sides. If they want
to sell a product, it can reach all wide ranges
of different areas of the world. There's nothing that can
like stop it from going out. So that's how I
do my content. Again, if you do make content on
(37:54):
some of those matters, I would say limit the other
portions then so then you know.
Speaker 3 (38:01):
It just ain't hurting.
Speaker 2 (38:02):
But hey, you know, if you talk about all of them,
more power to you I'm not because I will be
subscribed so then I can listen.
Speaker 1 (38:13):
Black Tech Green Money is a production of Blavity Afro
Tech on the Black Effect podcast network in night Heart Media.
It's produced by Morgan, Debaonne and me Well Lucas, with
the addigital production support by Kate McDonald, Sarah Ergan and
Jaden McGee. Special thank you to Michael Davis and Love Beach.
Learn more about My Guessing Other Technis. Ruff is an
innovators at afrotech dot com. The video version of this
(38:33):
episode will drop to Black Tech Green Money on YouTube,
so tap in, enjoy your Black Tech Green Money, share
us to somebody, go get your money. Peace in love,
Host
Will Lucas
Popular Podcasts
24/7 News: The Latest
The latest news in 4 minutes updated every hour, every day.
Stuff You Should Know
If you've ever wanted to know about champagne, satanism, the Stonewall Uprising, chaos theory, LSD, El Nino, true crime and Rosa Parks, then look no further. Josh and Chuck have you covered.
Dateline NBC
Current and classic episodes, featuring compelling true-crime mysteries, powerful documentaries and in-depth investigations. Follow now to get the latest episodes of Dateline NBC completely free, or subscribe to Dateline Premium for ad-free listening and exclusive bonus content: DatelinePremium.com