DIRECTLY FROM SAULDERSON MEDIA
I wanted to share a part of my story with you all today – a story about hustle, learning curves, and finally landing that first big client. As some of you might know, Saulderson Media, the influencer marketing agency I run, isn't actually my first business. Believe it or not, the YouTube bug bit me early. Between the ages of 13 and 16, I volunteered for a bunch of YouTube networks in the gaming space. Talk about diving headfirst! Juggling four volunteer roles at once, was intense, but it fuelled my passion for understanding the platform inside and out. This love for the creator economy wasn't just a hobby, though. My first official business venture, Zentro Digital (at the ripe old age of 14 or 15), was a YouTube sub-network modelled after a friend's success with http://Freedom.tm's MCN (Multi-Channel Network). Back then, I partnered with "content grabbers" – creators who churned out high volumes of content – and helped them grow by offering services in exchange for a revenue split on their YouTube ad revenue. Think 60/40 contracts, where our network would get 40% for helping them optimise their channels.