There has been a changing of the guard in digital content creation. Ten years ago, YouTube made and broke million-dollar careers, birthing stars who would ascend into popular culture and achieve mainstream acclaim. As time went on, the platform’s role changed from less of a global pastime into an educational tool to provide visualizations of existing ideas. Chris Williams, CEO and founder of Grow Your Side Business Podcast, is one of the entrepreneurs using YouTube for a distinct new purpose.
The pandemic period has been marked by the increasing prominence of business influencers. Some of the most popular podcasts in the world are hosted by entrepreneurs who have become household names in only the past two years. They are joined by the CEO, who has added YouTube to his repertoire of methods to draw previously inaccessible eyes to his output.
Shorts and live streams are among the ways the podcast host aims to make his channel distinct from but complementary to his podcast. GrowYourSideBusiness has been releasing episodes at least once a week since 2017. The founder developed its focus after identifying a high number of people in C-suite roles who could potentially benefit from building a side hustle. Advantages of doing so include the creation of a second income stream, which can lead to better financial security, and increased effectiveness in existing roles.
“I didn’t have the visibility needed to attract my ideal client, so I had to figure out how to reach more people,” he said. “That led to changing my YouTube channel’s direction and getting a business coach in my life. My wife and I invested over $200k in coaching—the single most important investment we’ve ever made.”
While Williams’ focus has long been on helping people turn ‘side hustles’ into viable businesses, his YouTube channel has allowed him to cover a broader range of topics. In popular shorts (60-second videos designed in response to the rise of TikTok), he has uploaded cover subjects such as marriage and self-love. Longer live content has centered on everything from luxury watch analyses to book reviews. The focal point, however, has always been explaining and simplifying the transition from full-time employee to part-time entrepreneur.
“In my findings, many corporate employees won’t let go of the security of their job to go full-time into a business,” he added. “But they want to learn how to. My coaching, program, and YouTube content aim to help them leverage their current skills in the marketplace to build a great side business.”
Grow Your Side Business has garnered over 280,000 views since its launch on YouTube. In the next two to three years, its founder hopes for it to become the number one show on the platform for professionals building a side business. Key strategies to get there include corporate partnerships and adoption by top consulting firms worldwide.
