My Biggest YouTube Business Mistakes (What I Learned)

I’m pulling back the curtain on my biggest YouTube business mistakes that held me back for years. From chasing multiple revenue streams to losing sight of my own vision, I’ve learned tough lessons that transformed my YouTube business.

It’s hard to believe I’ve been at this whole “online business with YouTube” thing for 10 years. If I’m being totally honest, it hasn’t always been sunshine and rainbows… But what I’ve learned about business in the last decade is that success is basically just a series of failures. And I think it’s important to talk about the mistakes and failures: One because I have learned so much from them but TWO (and more importantly), if I can prevent you from making even one of these mistakes, then I’m here for it.

Not to rob you of experiencing mistakes on your own or anything… but here are some brutally honest things I got wrong.

VIDEO: Real Talk: My Biggest YouTube Mistakes (And What I Learned)

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YouTube Business Mistake #1: Borrowing Someone Else’s Vision Instead of Creating My Own

When I first got serious about YouTube 10 years ago, I closely followed a mentor whose business model and content seemed aligned with what I wanted. I joined their program, followed their strategies, and modeled their workflow. And it worked—until it didn’t.

The problem? One day, they pivoted. Hard. They shut down the program I was part of, and suddenly, my entire “blueprint” disappeared. I was left asking, “Now what?” I didn’t just follow their tactics—I adopted their entire vision without thinking critically about whether it actually fit me.

Here’s what I realized, my YouTube business mistake: I had built a business based on someone else’s vision. I hadn’t taken the time to ask myself what I truly wanted to create. I hadn’t considered what kind of business model actually suited my lifestyle or long-term goals.

Your vision matters. And if you’re not careful, it’s far too easy to hitch your wagon to someone else’s dream.

Lesson: Define your Own Direction

While it’s helpful to model success, the real magic happens when you bring your unique voice and vision to the table. Don’t just follow someone else’s path—carve out your own.

Ask yourself:

What kind of business do I want to run day-to-day?
What kind of lifestyle do I want this business to support?
What do I enjoy creating most?

If you build from that foundation, your business will not only be more sustainable—it will feel more meaningful too.

YouTube Business Mistake #2: Focusing on Multiple Revenue Streams Too Early

I used to talk a lot about diversifying income—and I still believe in that. But here’s what I learned the hard way: trying to focus on multiple revenue streams at once when you’re just getting started can slow everything down.

In the early years, I tried to grow ad revenue, affiliate commissions, digital product sales, brand deals, and coaching—all at the same time. But I couldn’t give any of those areas the focus they needed to really grow.

For years, I spread myself across ads, affiliates, sponsorships, digital products, coaching, and more. Each of these revenue sources has its own unique strategy and set of demands.

Let’s break it down:

Ad revenue requires creating high-retention content that drives watch time.
Affiliate marketing is about building trust and encouraging clicks and conversions.
Brand deals take time, negotiations, and often tailored content.
Selling your own products or programs involves a whole tech stack—email funnels, landing pages, content creation, and customer support.

Lesson: Focus on What you Control

I shifted my energy to the one thing I had the most control over: my own products and programs. I laser-focused on improving and promoting them, and guess what? That’s what ultimately took my business beyond six figures.

Yes, diversify your revenue—but prioritize the income streams that you own and control. Those are the most resilient and scalable in the long run.

The Real-World Impact:

At one point, my affiliate earnings dropped from $1,500 a month to $100—overnight. At the same time, I had a traffic issue that wiped out my ad revenue.

That’s when I made a big shift: I focused fully on the thing I could control—my own programs and digital products. And that’s when things started to scale. I talk more about this in my program, where we focus on building a business foundation with revenue streams you own.

There came a moment when I realized I needed to stop spreading myself thin and start focusing on what I could control most—my own products and programs. So I made a bold decision: I shifted my energy entirely toward building and promoting my own offerings, like Video Brand Academy, my online courses, and even one-on-one client work. Once I laser-focused on creating, improving, and selling my own services, my business skyrocketed past six figures!

Not only did it grow faster than anything else I’d tried, but it also brought me the most fulfillment. Now, don’t get me wrong—I absolutely believe in having multiple streams of revenue. It’s a huge win when you get monetized on YouTube or earn steady income through affiliate marketing by promoting tools and programs your audience can truly benefit from. But here’s the truth: the revenue stream you have the most control over is the most powerful one when it comes to building a sustainable, scalable business. Want to learn how to create your own stream of income and grow with confidence?

The Lesson:

You don’t need all the income streams right away. Pick one—preferably one you control—and master it first. That solid foundation will give you the confidence, systems, and income to expand later.Head over to my site and let’s build something amazing together!

YouTube Business Mistake #3: Obsessing Over Something New

When I first started, I poured hours into perfecting every video. This is the one that still stings a little—because I genuinely love the editing side of YouTube. I used to spend 12+ hours perfecting a single video. Lighting. Angles. Music. Transitions. You name it. It felt productive, but in reality, I was spending more time perfecting than publishing.

I now realize I was trying to earn the approval of other YouTube creators more than I was serving my audience.

Let’s be real: If you’re using YouTube to grow your business, your goal isn’t to impress other creators—it’s to help your audience, grow your reach, and serve your clients. Your ideal viewer doesn’t care if you used two cameras or shot in 4K—they care about the value you’re offering.

While I was focused on video polish, I was neglecting strategy—like figuring out what my audience actually wanted to watch, how to plan content that led to sales, and how to build a system I could repeat week after week.

In fact, one of the biggest mindset shifts I teach in YouTube Video Editing Made Easy is how to stop editing like a perfectionist and start editing like a business owner.

The Lesson:

If you’re trying to grow a YouTube channel as a business, your number one priority should be value and clarity—not cinematic lighting. Your audience isn’t looking for the next Spielberg. They want helpful, clear, engaging content.

These days, I use tools like Descript to cut my editing time down from 12 hours to just 1 or 2. It’s good enough, and more importantly—it’s done.

The Path Forward: Work Smarter, Not Just Harder

Looking back, the common thread in all three mistakes is this: I was putting time and energy into the wrong things.

I thought:

Following someone else’s roadmap would get me there faster.
Having more income streams early on meant more stability.
Better production meant better results.

But what actually worked?

Creating my own vision instead of copying someone else’s
Focusing on the revenue stream I could control
Putting strategy before polish

These are the same things I help creators with inside my programs at Video Brand Academy . If you’re ready to grow your channel and your business without spinning your wheels, you’re in the right place.

Your Turn to Avoid These Mistakes

If you’re building your YouTube channel as a solo creator or business owner, remember this:

Build your own vision—not someone else’s.
Focus your monetization—master one stream before adding more.
Prioritize value over polish—your audience doesn’t need perfect, they need you.

This journey is a marathon, not a sprint—but making a few smarter moves now can save you years of frustration.

Editing videos used to take me hours, sometimes up to 12, but with Descript, I can now finish in under an hour without compromising on quality! The software makes it possible to produce polished, professional-looking videos that sound great, as long as you’ve got good ideas and are creating content that resonates with your audience.

Consistency and clear audio are key, too!

I’m excited to share my mission of helping you avoid the same mistakes I’ve made over the past decade and create “good enough” content that helps grow your business on YouTube. I’m offering a free training session soon on How to Crush your YouTube Edits in 2 hours or Less, so you can get it done in two hours or less!

I don’t have a date just yet, but you can join the waitlist now by entering your email below. This training will be full of time-saving tips and tricks that work no matter what video editing software or type of content you’re creating. I can’t wait to see you there!

If you have an online business with a course, program, or any other kind of offer, and you’re not currently generating consistent sales on autopilot, I’d like to introduce you to the hands off youtube funnel that has made me over $20k on a $147 course! That way, you too can make consistent sales of your offer, with the beauty and simplicity of organic, evergreen traffic from YouTube! Start here with my free “AIT Method” training.