đŻ Work-first growth, YouTube quality cues, and early founder grit
Hope youâre all doing swell this week. Iâve been a bit of a slump, health and work energy wise this past week so no article - again. But a round up of whatâs been top of mind in my discussions with you folks. I hope somethingâs here to tickle your interest đ.
/ Ben
Why you shouldnât build a personal brand?
Alex Becker is not for the soft-stomached, but hold on for this one. He gives a counter-perspective on why you shouldnât focus on building a personal brand - and the better alternative. This might give some confidence and direction if you donât want to build a brand yourself.
đș Why Having A "Personal Brand" Will Ruin Your Life, Alex Becker (22 minutes)
How long should your YouTube videos be? Does it matter?
When my mate David told me that video length is a quiet signal about quality, I didnât fully register the idea- but the more I thought about it, the more it makes sense. This guide breaks down what the optimal length actually is for value-signaling and retention.
đș I Found Out Which Video Length Makes It SPREAD, Faster (TimeZone Method), Nate Black (20 minutes)
Building a more authentic personal brand by focusing on the work
A mate and I were talking about whether he should build a brand around himself as the niche (all his natural interests) or pick a topic. It reminded me to remind you (ha) that I wrote a post sharing my latest view on this. TLDR - perhaps itâs better to focus on making your work famous (which makes you famous) rather than focusing on building a following first.
âïž Ryan Reynolds and the Maker-Creator, by me (5 minutes)
GummySearch founder Folio Fedâs early indiehacker journey - Key lessons learned
Fed is an indiehacker who actually made it and this post catches him earlier in the journey, before that. Itâs interesting because you can see the perspectives that worked out in hindsight (hint: it didnât involve focusing 100% on one product).
âïž Bootstrapping 2 products while consulting and traveling, by Fed (8 minutes)
Make it easier - work to your strengths by Managing oneself (book summary)
This book came up in discussion with some friends recently. It can sometimes feel like youâre smashing your head against the wall when maybe youâre just not working with yourself, but against yourself. This summary gives insights on how to align with your natural proclivities so you donât have to read the whole book. Definitely brain superfood for thought.
âïž Managing Oneself, summary by Rick Lindquist (6 minutes)
P.S. Want to build something together?
Here are a few ways we could collaborate:
Validate your product idea: Use HypeDeck.io to get early feedback before building anything. Great if you're still testing the waters.
Learn to DIY Facebook ads: I made a course for my friends who asked for a speedrun on DIY lead ads. Itâs how I do what I do, condensed into a digital playbook. You can get it too on Gumroad.
Work with me on your Ads: If you want help running ads or want to bounce around strategy ideas, reach out here.