7 People Making $5M-$10M From Weird Hobbies

Key Concepts

• Creator Economy: Businesses built around individual content creators and their audiences.
• Relatability: The ability of a creator to connect with their audience by appearing similar or understandable.
• Niche Communities: Focused groups of people with shared interests that creators can cater to.
• Venture Scale Business: A business with the potential to reach $100 million or more in annual revenue.
• Bottom of the Funnel: The point at which a creator can monetize their audience through products or services.
• Team and Theme: Evaluating a creator's potential based on their leadership qualities and the scalability of their niche.
• Prioritization: Focusing on one business line at a time and ensuring proper operations before expanding.
• Shots on Goal: Trying multiple business ventures to find the one that achieves venture scale.
• Everyday Carry (EDC): Items people carry with them daily, like knives, wallets, and pens.

Creator Lovability and Business Durability

• The Core Idea: For a creator business to succeed, the creator must be genuinely loved by their audience.
• Relatability as a Key Attribute: Creators who seem like "a version of yourself" are more likely to foster strong community bonds. Example: A woodworking enthusiast watching Jonathan Katz-Moses feels like they're learning from a relatable buddy.
• The "Big Sibling" Effect: Creators who teach and guide their audience, providing tools and knowledge, build durable businesses. Example: Motorcycle enthusiasts seeking advice from experienced riders.
• Cancel-Proofing: Strong community love makes creators less susceptible to cancellation.
• Doug Demorro Example: Doug's success with Cars and Bids stems from his relatable, unpretentious persona and in-depth car reviews. He sold about $450 million worth of vehicles.
• Aspirational vs. Quirky: The ideal creator persona depends on the audience. Doug's audience values information and authenticity, while Emma Chamberlain's audience may aspire to her coolness and character.

The Creator Middle Class

• Beyond the Superstars: Focus on creators making $10-50 million annually with niche audiences (e.g., meat smoking, car reviews).
• Jonathan Katz-Moses (KM Tools): A woodworker with 600,000 subscribers who built a $6 million revenue business selling specialized tools.
  • Investment: Slow Ventures invested $2 million in Jonathan's business.
  • Growth Potential: Expectation to reach $100-200 million in revenue within 10 years.
  • Evergreen Content: Jonathan's content remains relevant over time, contributing to sustained audience engagement.
• Doug Demorro (Cars and Bids): Car reviewer who turned his passion into a two-sided marketplace for enthusiast cars.
  • Scale: Has sold approximately $450 million worth of vehicles.
  • Authenticity: Started with basic equipment (camcorder) and a relatable, "car nerd" persona.
• Five Marys Ranch: Mary Heffernan, a former restaurateur, built a ranching business with 400,000 Instagram followers.
  • Ethical Sourcing: Focus on ethically sourced meats.
  • Multiple Revenue Streams: Subscription boxes, courses, whiskey, cookbooks, and a tallow product line.
  • Ranch Life Storytelling: Authentic content showcasing ranch life and family involvement.
  • Venture Scale Potential: Believed to have the ability to achieve venture scale.
• Ballerina Farms: Similar ranching business with a more composed and aesthetically driven approach.

Building a Creator Business: Practical Steps

• Team and Theme: Assess the creator's leadership potential and the scalability of their niche.
• Identifying White Space: Creators should deeply understand their niche and identify unmet needs or opportunities.
• Passion and Expertise: Creators with deep expertise in their field are better positioned to identify and capitalize on opportunities.
• Prioritization and Operations: Focus on one business line at a time, ensuring proper operations and staffing before expanding.
• Taking Shots on Goal: Be willing to experiment with different products or services to find the one that resonates with the audience.
• Authenticity and Trust: Build a strong community based on trust and authenticity.
• Bottom of the Funnel Thinking: Consider how to monetize the audience through relevant products or services.
• Content Creation: Start with basic equipment (e.g., iPhone) and focus on creating engaging, relatable content.
• Hiring Operators: Attract talented individuals to run the business by demonstrating a clear vision and value proposition.
• U-Dating Before Marrying: Work on small projects with potential partners before committing to a long-term relationship.

Examples of Successful Creator Businesses

• Ammo NYC (Larry Kosilla): Car detailing business with 2.3 million YouTube subscribers. Focuses on detailing celebrity cars and selling specialized cleaning products.
• Detail Geek: Car detailing channel with nearly 4 million subscribers. Focuses on cleaning everyday vehicles and selling detailing products.
• Tonster Paints: Paint brand launched by a former Sherwin-Williams employee who gained popularity on TikTok.
• Jocko Willink: Former Navy SEAL with a massive podcast, leadership courses (Echelon), tactical apparel brand, and a successful energy drink line (Jocko Fuel).
• Epic Gardening (Kevin Espiritu): Gardening content creator who sells raised farm beds and seeds.
• Cars and Bids (Doug Demorro): Car review platform that facilitates car auctions.
• Go Clean Go (Sarah McAllister): Cleaning expert with a large Instagram following. Potential to launch a successful line of cleaning products.
• Next Admit (Gohar Khan): Service that helps students write college entrance exams.

Niche Categories with Potential

• Everyday Carry (EDC): Knives, wallets, watches, pens, etc.
• 2A Creators: Second Amendment rights advocates who teach about tactics, safety, and product reviews.
• Chess: Online platforms and educational resources.
• Jiu-Jitsu: Online instruction and training materials.

Key Quotes

• "In order for a creator business to work, the creator needs to be loved."
• "What makes them loved is you feel like you're watching a version of yourself doing it."
• "Team and theme"
• "Prioritization"

Conclusion

The creator economy offers significant opportunities for individuals to build successful businesses around their passions. The key is to cultivate a genuine connection with the audience, establish expertise in a niche, and develop relevant products or services that meet their needs. While venture scale success requires a combination of talent, hard work, and strategic decision-making, the examples discussed demonstrate that it is achievable for creators who are willing to embrace the entrepreneurial journey.