- Hello Massage Nerds.
10 months ago I started this YouTube channel.
It's grown to 50,000 subscribers
and a lot of you are Massage Nerds
so thank you very much for your support
and for subscribing.
We've put out 21 free videos.
That's about an average of two a month.
I've replied to over 5,000 comments.
I've translated to Spanish subtitles.
I've also kept up with Instagram
with some of you that follow me on Instagram.
I've tried to put out a video every week.
Either a technique or anatomy and physiology.
Or just me.
So I've really done my best to keep you guys updated
and keep you guys going and motivated.
We've put out really high quality videos for you guys,
I take pride in that.
Carol is an amazing videographer
and Mike, our artist, we just a really great team
so it's really been fun
and it's also been challenging at times.
We've wanted to give you variety.
We've done everything from painting the muscles
to Massage Talk with Maria, tips, hints, tools.
ASMR, six months ago I didn't even know what ASMR was
and now we've got people that are following
just because it helps them with anxiety
and insomnia and to relax.
So I'm very open minded and I don't mind putting
a variety of videos.
I know you guys have more.
There's so much more to do.
You know Carol and I decided that after a year
of doing this we were gonna revisit again
and find out if we wanted to continue doing this.
And we decided that we do.
The year's not up yet and we still wanna continue.
So 2020 here we come.
We've got a lot of videos that we still need to do
and that's what brings me to today.
I need your help guys.
I've been giving you all this material for free
and I've never asked for anything in return
and I'm not ready for Patreon,
I don't think I wanna go that route,
I don't wanna ask for three, five, $10 donations.
I think there might be a solution
that we can help each other out.
When I started my business 31 years ago
it was all word of mouth.
I never advertised.
I never paid anybody for advertisement.
I built my practice by word of mouth
and I was an entrepreneur
before there was even the word entrepreneur.
So, I figured that maybe that I can ask
for your help and this is how you guys can help me.
Let me explain to you a little bit
about how we got here.
In order for me to start monetizing for the videos,
we had to have 10,000 subscribers.
And I remember when I was calling up people.
I remember when I had 100.
I remember when I had 1,000.
10,000 sounded like far away guys.
It was like oh my God are we ever gonna get there?
And so I would be calling people, calling family,
friends, massage therapists, please share the videos,
pass the word and it started growing.
And then I find out I have to have 240,000 minutes
that have been viewed.
So it's like that seemed like another milestone.
I thought we were never gonna monetize.
Well low and behold we did make it,
thank you for your support and for sharing the videos,
for passing it on because it has grown.
So we started monetizing about six months ago more or less
and that has to do with the commercials.
So this is how it works.
After 10,000 subscribers and 240,000 minutes viewed,
they start paying you for the commercials.
Then you have commercials and you can monetize.
Now let me break it down for you.
It's not much.
You must watch at least 30 seconds of the commercial
in order for us to get paid so that's what I'm asking
from you guys, not Patreon, not donate,
but watch the commercials.
I know some of 'em are redundant
and I love watching Danny DeVito over
and over again in his commercial
and I know some of 'em are longer than others.
Some of 'em are 30 seconds to a minute,
but if you can watch the commercial
that would really help us out a lot.
You must watch 30 seconds.
If you skip it we don't get paid.
So, make sure that you watch for a minimum of 30 seconds
and then you can skip.
Then they pay us somewhere anywhere
from 15 to 18 cents per commercial.
So it's really not much but it'll help us.
We've averaged about $600 a month in the past six months
and I know $600 is a big help
if it was all going towards me, hey, but it's not.
So let me tell you how I break it,
I'll break it down for you.
Immediately I put 21% away for taxes,
we all have to pay taxes.
For you that have your own business,
you know that's important.
You always put money away for taxes.
So that's my first cut.
Put 21% away for taxes.
And then I give 10% to my charity.
So that's important to me so giving back is important to me
so I give 10% to my charity.
And the rest is divided between the videographer
and Mike, you know, Carol, and Mike the artist,
and the paints for the videos and the subtitles,
I have them translated in Spanish.
I wish I could translate them to more languages.
People are asking me "Can you please translate to French?
"To Russian?"
I have a lot of followers from Russia and France
and Germany and I wish I could guys I really do wish
I could afford to translate for everybody.
I want this to be worldwide.
People can benefit from this worldwide
and I would love to do it
but we just can't afford it right now.
So what's left over really after all those expenses
is probably maybe $100 and I try
to reinvest that back in the business.
If you guys notice from our videos at the beginning,
I didn't have those pretty blue curtains before.
So, I bought curtains.
We buy microphones.
So we're trying to reinvest the money for the videos
and that's what we do.
Another thing that we're working on is the affiliates.
I also get a 10% commission
from the TENS Unit Healthmate Forever.
Make sure you click the link that's associated
with that video.
So make sure it's the link that goes through me
so that way I can get that 10%.
And we wanna become an affiliate with the Lacuna Botanicals.
I'm so excited about that because we have two videos
that we've done for Lacuna Botanicals
and that's gonna also give me a little bit more revenue
and maybe help you guys out if you're interested.
And Massage Nerd T-shirts are finally on their way
so be on the lookout for that.
We're gonna make T-shirts and cups
and I love our Massage Nerd logo.
So you can support me with that.
I think I'll only be getting 10% with the T-shirts also.
So I need your help guys.
I wanna continue giving you the free videos.
It's been fun, I love it.
Carol and I and Mike
and all the models are donating their time.
They're usually my students and they donate their time
and I'm very grateful for that.
So I just wanted to give you an update
and to ask for your help.
Help me out.
Watch the commercials.
It'll help all of us in the long run.
You know it's no coincidence that massage therapists
are great people.
If you choose to be a massage therapist,
it tells a lot about your personality.
I know that massage therapists are usually caregivers.
We like to help others.
Sometimes we put others before ourselves.
So, I know that massage therapists are great people.
They're very dear and close to my heart,
especially students.
I love the eagerness and enthusiasm the students have.
I've been teaching since 1995 and they really motivate me.
They keep me going.
That's why I wanna continue doing this for you guys
for new students that are motivated,
that wanna learn more.
For seasoned massage therapists that maybe are burned out
or need some motivation.
So please, let's keep it going.
Let's share.
Share with as many people as you can.
If you see a technique or something that reminds you
of somebody, that's another way that you can help us,
by spreading the word.
They could be in Germany.
They could be anywhere.
I've got people following me
that are not even massage therapists,
but they just like to view the massage being given.
So share as much as you can
and let's help each other out.
So we wanna continue giving you high quality videos
and that's all I have for you guys.
Thank you for your support
and I hope that we can continue doing this
and until the next time.
Create a great day.
(light music)