Our YouTube Journey: How Much Our Small Channel Earned in 3 Months From Travel Content
ฝัง
- เผยแพร่เมื่อ 22 พ.ค. 2024
- Surprise! We have a brand new income stream to help us save for Alaska! After trying this TH-cam thing THREE different times in the past FIVE years, our small channel finally earned its first paycheck. Tune in to see real numbers, strategies that helped us grow, and our favorite gear.
📬 Sign Up for our Alaska Postcard Club! (TIME-SENSITIVE) openroading.com/postcardclub
USE THESE LINKS TO SUPPORT OUR JOURNEY ⤵️
We earn a small commission at no extra cost to you!
★ Our Budgeting Software (You Need a Budget): kalynbrooke.com/refer/YNAB
★ Save 15% on a Harvest Hosts/Boondockers Welcome Membership: gr3f.co/c/53807/18w5v
★ Get a Traveling Mailbox (How We Receive Mail!) travelingmailbox.com/?ref=411
★ Health Insurance for Full Time RVers (Tell them Open Roading sent you!): www.rverinsurance.com/contact...
OUR GEAR ⤵️
● Tripod: amzn.to/3uMiFYq
● DJI Mics: amzn.to/49DDCnj
● Drone: amzn.to/4bFzR2w
● Gear Bag: amzn.to/3uJ3H5t
● Canva: www.canva.com/
● Keysearch SEO Tool: www.keysearch.co/
● Royalty Free Music Subscription: 1.envato.market/OpenRoading
● Video Editing Software: filmora.wondershare.net/
● Anemometer: amzn.to/3OMfeYS
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00:00 Recap & Intro
00:47 Our TH-cam Origin Story
01:57 Our First TH-cam Fail
03:57 A Second Failed TH-cam Attempt
06:21 Giving TH-cam One Final Try
08:12 What Made This Attempt Different
13:28 Our TH-cam Equipment
20:12 TH-cam Monetization
22:19 Alaska Update
24:01 Ask us ANYTHING!
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Hey there! We're Joe + Kalyn!
As online entrepreneurs, we thought, "why not work from home... on the road"? So in 2019, we bought and renovated a 2005 Jayco Designer Fifth Wheel, which took us to every state in the lower 48. But the economy hit our business especially hard after the 'vid, spurring us to pivot in new directions and try different strategies, including various RV work camping jobs!
Follow our full-time RV Life journey as we build back our bank accounts in order to fund the biggest RV trip of our lifetime-Alaska.
WE SEND ONLY FUN STUFF ⤵️
bit.ly/OpenRoadingUpdates
REAL-TIME UPDATES + STORIES FROM FULL-TIME TRAVEL ⤵️
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We participate in several affiliate programs. If you make a purchase through any of our links, we receive a small commission at no extra cost to you!
We are going to do a Q&A episode in the near future...so if you have any questions about Joe, Kalyn, RV life, you name it reply to this comment, or just drop it anywhere in the comment section!
More of a concern than a question: I heard Alaska roads can be very difficult to traverse. There are horror stories of bent frames, axles, tire blow outs, break downs, and more. Are you budgeted for that and do you think your aging trailer will withstand the trip?
@@rmangold Good question. And I think we should discuss it in our Q&A but many of the horror stories are from years ago. The road there, while not perfect, have improved greatly. Of course the further you get north....but at the moment we aren't planning to go to the arctic circle. I haven't found anyone who has made the trek recently, who also boondocks, who has thought the roads were terrible.
In my research people who's last experience with Alaska tell me I need to have 3 extra fuel cans, 6 spare tires, and a spare part for everything (slight exaggeration on my part for effect 😁). And anyone who's gone within the past 5 years is like "The roads aren't quite as good, but they aren't terrible." -J
Best of luck to you all! I would add lots of prayer to your emergency kit too (sounds like you’re a couple with a strong faith). I see you’ve been to Michigan (where we live) and and our roads would be good practice for Alaska! 😅
@@rmangold Always keeping prayer in and out of the emergency kit! We loved our time in Michigan this last summer. Stayed in Mackinaw City and visited friends in Petoskey! Such a beautiful state. -J
Love your videos u guys seem honest and sincere so if u are r making that kind of $$ with almost 15k subscribers what would someone with almost 12 million subscribers make?
Well ya’ll did something right because you popped up on my feed and I’ve never seen your content before. So kudos to you both. I watched this entire video.
Thanks so much clicking, taking the time to watch, and leave a comment! 🤗 The youtube algorithm sometimes smiles on us...and sometimes looks the other way. 😂 We think we've figured somethings out but at the same time we know that views are never guaranteed so we are grateful for everyone who takes the time. -J
Me too this is the first time I've seen your channel. Looks interesting and very honest looking forward to what's next
@@lindabloomfield4879 We've done a lot since this video if you want to check us out! www.youtube.com/@OpenRoading/videos
One thing I like about you two, is you don't talk over each other, like many couples do. Your dialogue is respectful. You are also positive towards one another, there's no negative comments to each other. Very important.
Thank you. -J
I have enjoyed so much watching yours and Craig and Victoria s videos but what turned the page for me was Trinity and Bunny. They are so precious and added everything that gives me so much joy. I am 68 years old and the 4 of you are living my dream. Congrats on everything you have done and keep doing such a good job.
Thanks so much for watching! Trinity & Cody bring us so much joy each and every day! -J
All the things you said are definitely key to having a successful TH-cam channel, but in my opinion the thing you have going for you is that you guys are so likable. I look forward to your videos every week. I just got paid from my grossly overpaid tech job, so I'm spreading the wealth again❤
If you tell me your bosses name I will block him or her from the channel so that they never see your comments and we can keep this relationship going... 😂
Again. Thank you so much for your generosity. Blows me away to be the recipient of it.
Stay generous to those around you. It speaks volumes. I may be over reading things here but also don't feel guilty for having a job that pays you well. You have an in demand set of skills, there is nothing wrong with getting paid for those skills even if to you it seems simple. -J
@@OpenRoading LOL My boss is cool. My wife (the real boss) is the one we have to worry about!😄
Awesomeness
That was really sweet of you. 👍🍀🍀🍀
The unsolicited generosity of people has astounded us! -J@@debbiedebbie9473
Found you thru Gate-Guarding - suggested video - was interested in hearing what that kind of work was about. Then, because of Trinity had to watch all Trinity update vids. Because you were so kind to her and kept her, and because you were real about the rv life ups and downs but with a smile on your faces, I subbed :) Have thought (for years now) about working TH-cam (tech/equipment overwhelm initially stopped me) and so really appreciate hearing about your experience. You both do such a good job and are an inspiration -- how you came back better and stronger from your challenges.
God Bless you and yours, I hope you stay around a good long time because now I'm hooked.
Comments like these make my day. I COMPLETELY understand people watching a video or two and then never coming back because the channel content wasn't exactly the same or they changed directions a bit. That's completely fair.
So when someone says "Hey - I came for this but stuck around" it just gives me all the warm fuzzies that we must be doing something right. Thank you for being so encouraging! -J
Joy & Blessings to you both. Would love a postcard when you get to Alaska!
I saw this last night and haven't been able to formulate a coherent response. We're stunned. Floored. Speechless. 🥹
How does one say a proper thank you to someone who has been so generous? Of course we would be happy to send you a post card...we better pick out a good one because it's most likely the most expensive post card you've ever asked for!
Thank you for the exceptional value you placed on our efforts. We are so very grateful.
At some point let's connect via email ( RVOpenRoading@gmail.com) and we can get your address for future connection.
Again, thank you so much. And if you let us know that the decimal was in the wrong spot and it was supposed to be $4.99 - We totally understand that too. 😁 -J
Since nobody has started a Trinity Alaska fund, Well, here's a start, I hope others contribute also. Be safe out there my friends.
Bryan! If you keep doing this I'm going to have to send you 1099 at the end of the year! 😂
I just...I genuinely don't know how to say thank you.🥹
Thank you,
(see...doesn't feel like enough) -J
People like "real," with all the good and bad things that go with it. I also appreciate not having my time wasted by needless chatter about nothing before actually getting to the subject.
I got a good chuckle...because I just responded to another comment on a different one of our videos where the commenter was complaining that they were 5 minutes in and we hadn't gotten to what the thumbnail was about. 😂 I guess sometimes we do the useless chatter bit. 😂 But it's a vlog channel so it's gonna happen sometimes. -J
@@OpenRoading I actually wasn't complaining about you. Your commentary wasn't "useless drivel," but most of it was informative. I enjoyed the whole video, and I'm a new subscriber. Your "Gate-guarding video with the dog, Trinity, was very interesting. I see you got a lot of people who were also brought in by that one. Good for you! Sometimes, it's just one video that hits a chord, and you're off to the races! I can see that you guys have made it over the hump, and good things are coming. Perseverance pays off. I was talking about other people, who blab and do "commercials" during half their video. I watched a new person the other day, title of the YT video was, "I drank none broth for 4 months, and this is what happened." Then, she proceeded to give a veiled commercial for the product she was using that lasted FOUR MINUTES OUT OF THE 6 MINUTE VIDEO! Wow. That really ticked me off. And I hate when people have thumbnails that draw you in, then they NEVER get to that subject! That's like a scam artist, and it's disrespectful of a person's time and their willingness to listen to your video. Keep up the good work, and Godspeed on your Alaska trip. I look forward to seeing more of your video creations.
@@juliebarnett9812 Nope! The other comment wasn't you. 😁 I just found the timing really funny almost replying to 2 comments back to back - one saying that we weren't getting to the point fast enough followed up by your wonderful comment (different videos). 🙂 -J
I honestly don’t know why I clicked on this video…it was on my feed & I clicked. As a TH-camr myself, I can relate to so much of what you guys said. What I loved most was your openness and willingness to laugh at yourselves & past mistakes! Because we have to do that sometimes. Everybody starts somewhere, we learn as we go. I think always striving to learn something new, always trying to be better with each video REALLY helps the channel grow. Awesome video guys, I enjoyed it!💪🏼
Thanks so much for not just taking the time to watch but to take the time to leave such an encouraging comment.
We truly aren't experts so there's no way we would ever roast anyone but ourselves. And the fun part is hoping that 5 years from now we can look back at today and point out all the crazy things we are doing wrong right now and have a good laugh. 🙂
Edit: AND an early congratulations on that Silver Play Button you are about to hit!! Nicely done! -J
I’ve noticed a couple of factors that both your channel and Craig and Victorias channel offer is genuine smiles and happiness AND no ego presentation. Please keep it up. We love the channel.
Thank you so much. Craig and Victoria are two of the most down to earth people we know. I feel lucky that we got to know them and travel with them for a while in 2021 during a time when none of us were filming anything. -J
Now 5001 views I love your new attempt, love the transparency. Yes, I am here from the gate guarding video where you found Trinity, I am now a subscriber. Keep up the great work!
Let's be real. Trinity was a turning point in your YT career. Not to take away from your great content and editing, but she is exactly what was needed to add engagement and make the channel more interesting. Kudos for keeping her and accepting her into your life. It's not easy to care for a dog.
I love comments like these. There's truth but they can come across so funny. "Not to take away anything but ya'll weren't interesting until Trinity came around." 😂
We've said over and over that we know more people are here for Trinity than for us. But pretty much any channel out there can look at one video that "launched" their base.
I will say that "we're broke" hit 10,000 views in the first few days (compared to our first 2 attempts where we struggled to get to 200-300) and every video after that was coming in between 1K-3K prior to Trinity. We got monetized before Trinity, and we've continued to grow with every video in our BT (Before Trinity) era. So I don't think we were THAT uninteresting.
All that to say - yeah, Trinity was and is amazing, but one can't simply adopt a dog and expect it to be the key to TH-cam success. It's quite a bit more than that. -J
Interesting rebuttal.
Half agreement half rebuttal? 😂@@destinysisco3142
@@OpenRoading Fascinating. That was the first of your videos that I watched..! I did go ahead and watched two more, just now, and you two are great. Cheers
@@iancurnow9060 TH-cam really pushed that one out. We can see the "Reach" metric (how many times TH-cam shows the thumbnail to people) and for some reason youtube showed that thumbnail to soooo many more people than they typically show our thumbnails to. Even our most recent video (which has Trinity on it) is getting showed to LESS people than normal. If you try to understand the ways of TH-cam you always end up confused. LOL -J
I think the thing for me that really comes through in your videos in authenticity. The video where Joseph was struggling to fix the truck while working the beet harvest....man, I could feel his anxiety/stress/exhaustion through the whole ordeal.
Adopting Trinity and all of the emotions that surround taking on a new pet that wasn't planned on...that all came through.
You share your journey in such an authentic way that it makes us want to continue to watch. It's not a portrayal that your life is the best and everything is sunshine and rainbows. It's the everyday struggles of things that you thought would be easier, just like we all have.
Keep it up. Your channel is great!
Thanks so much for all of that feedback. My brother messaged me after the truck one and said "Joe....people are going to relate to you hard on that one" and I was skeptical. Who wants to see a guy get frustrated with his failures? Apparently we all do 😂.
Thanks for being so encouraging! -J
Still following your journey. Mark our words... you are about to really grow on TH-cam. All elements are there. One day your side money of TH-cam will flip and it is not far away. Love your sharing and truth. Keep it up.
Thanks so much. That means a lot coming from people who not only have found youtube success but who have built an incredible community that goes beyond the meet-up. -J
Keep pushing forward! You two are naturals.
Thanks for the encouragement! -J
The struggle makes it real, keep sharing the tough parts of your journey because it makes you relatable and different. No two paths are the same and it's been interesting to hear yours!
THIS is exactly why we shared the context behind the number!
"No two paths are the same"
I get very frustrated when people share information like this without giving context. This third try could have not worked for us either. Keep learning, keep tweaking, keep going. Kinda my motto now. -J
We appreciate your authenticity. It’s so nice to see real life, the work involved, the ups and downs, and that everything isn’t perfect all the time! Love watching Trinity’s story with you, she is so lucky to have found you ❤️ safe travels and cannot wait to see your Alaska dream trip!
Thanks so much. It's been an overwhelming couple of days as people have been so kind to us in the comments. Thank you for being such an encouragement to us. We're so excited about the next steps in the adventure. -J
Why I subscribed...y'all are honest, hard working, and Trin of course. What to do better in my opinion, don't ask for the "like comment subscribe". People will do that on their own. And like I tell everyone - stay humble.
Thank you for the specific feedback. We certainly will think about it...there's certainly 2 camps on whether to do it or not. I think we've forgotten to do it in a couple of videos and I don't know whether or not we've seen a difference either way.
As far as humility, we hope to keep that no matter the circumstance. I think, even if we ever get to the point of real youtube success, that it will be hard to forget where we came from. All we have to do is go back and look at our old content 😂. But then again, I've seen others lose perspective so I very much appreciate this direct encouragement. Thank you. -J
You the real ones 💯 ❤
First video I saw, was: we're broke!
Does it help y'all if I watch all the older videos?
I’m going to go the other way… asking people to like and subscribe is best practice for growing your channel, which is why all top TH-camrs do it.
Enjoying your videos. Excited about Alaska. I need that reminder to hit the like button and subscribe. So many times I’m watching a great video and completely forget to hit the like button. I appreciate the reminder.
Hi from Hobart, Tasmania. We are newly retired caravanners and I love seeing how you do it in your country, very different to ours. Looking forward to seeing Alaska with you, we cruised from Tokyo to Vancouver last year so saw such a tiny part of it. Congratulations on a great channel, just subscribed yesterday.
TASMANIA!!!!
Wow! One thing I love about living in this area is making connections with people all over the world. Thank you SO much for taking the time to comment. Kalyn and I would love to do international travel someday! I don't know that Boquillas Mexico really counts all that much. 😂 -J
I have no idea how your video showed up on my feed, but I'm hooked! Keep it up! 👍
Thanks so much! I'm so glad you gave us a shot! -J
What a beautiful open and honest video! You are so likable and nice, good luck with growing this channel!
Thank you so so much. -J
Probably one of the most honest couple, full time rv’ers online , keep it up
So so kind. Thank you. -J
Excellent video: well organized and packed with useful info. And on top of it, you seem like really nice, kind people. I loved seeing Trini with you. 😊
Thank you so much for taking the time to drop such an encouraging comment. 🤗 -J
I’m so glad y’all stuck with it! Love your channel!
Thanks so much! We are really finding a groove this time around. 🙂 -J
Starting our off-grid cabin next month and a new TH-cam channel to go with it. Thank you for the great info and good luck with getting up here in Alaska. Once you get here you'll never want to leave.
If you've seen how well we handle cold weather... you will know that we will want to leave. 😂😂😂 -J
For other references if anyone is curious: We only have 2.8k subs, but have a couple semi viral videos, so we're able to monetaize and get around $150/month from ads. We also landed a brand deal that got us some extra money as well. I think this channel could start earning a decent amount if they were to start doing brand deals. (If they aren't already)
Yeah, every channel is so different depending on niche, style etc.
So far for brand deals we've only done some "free stuff" where we control 100% of what we do with it regarding content and the've been small things:
Onnias lock (Unemployed)
aPetsPanet hammock (Don't be Fooled)
We're a little gun-shy on a full on sponsorship because we just want it to be a "heck yes" this is a company that we want to work with AND that really makes sense for the channel.
We could have done about 100 ebike sponsorships and 50 power bank sponsorships at this point 😂 but we aren't ebilke people....and we already live off grid so we don't need a power bank so it's just not something we're comfortable pitching on the channel.
Eventually we'd love to have a couple awesome sponsors but at the moment we're content to continue growing the channel without them until we find those matches made in heaven. -J
Great job!!! Glad you guys didn’t give up! Your channel is awesome!
Thank you so much. Awesome is a high bar! 🥹 (no pun intended with your youtube handle and all....but it works 😁) -J
I started watching when Trinty found you guys and I have enjoyed watching you since . You 2 are down to earth and very likable . Just keep doing what you're doing . I've got to say you are one of my favorites.
Never did we ever think that we'd get comments like "You are one of my favorites." 🥹
We always wanted to put out good stuff...but that is high high praise. Thank you so much. -J
One of my favorite channels is Itchy Boots. One of the things I like is when she shows her drone videos of the places she has visited all over the world.
I'm gonna have to check her out for inspiration! Talk about a learning curve - learning to fly this thing AND use it to get epic shots...people sure make it look easy. LOL -J
ItchyBoots is my favorite!
Regarding Alaska: make the drive no earlier than May. My wife and I drove up twice in the last four years, once in March, once in early June. During the March trip, the deciduous trees were without leaves and there were very few animals out to be seen. On the June trip, all the trees/vegetation was green and the animals were in abundance, everywhere! My wife finally said "if you see another bear and I'm asleep, don't wake me up as I've seen plenty on this trip!". Get a copy of the Milepost driving manual for great info on routes, etc.
I so love it when plans that you are making get confirmed by someone else! We're planning on entering Canada early May, Alaska in early June (weather permitting). -J
Im here for Alaska and Trinity.
Yay! Alaska content is getting closer and closer! -J
Congrats on the success. Third time is the charm. Hopefully. I watch a shit ton of TH-cam, on a permanent disability pension, it is my only form of news, entertainment, and learning. You guys are personable, not too flakey, somewhat handy and crafty. Good energy. You should do as well as Less Junk given time, even without the catchy accent Marissa is rocking.
First of all...Yes - Marissa's accent is awesome. I so love listening to a good genuine southern accent.
But second of all...I so so so want to put this in our youtube bio now "not too flakey & somewhat handy"
I'm not mad because I think you're being overly generous - especially on the handy part. 😂😂😂😂😂😂😂😂😂 -J
Hey there! I recently stumbled upon your channel, and I've got to say, I'm thoroughly captivated by your content. The first video I watched was 'We’re Not Going to Make It,' and from that moment on, I was hooked. Your daily vlog style is right up my alley, and learning about gate guarding has been a fascinating journey. And Trinity? She's unforgettable! Since discovering your channel, I've already binged about 8 of your videos, and I must commend you on the fantastic work. The content is engaging, and you guys exude excitement and charisma that keeps me coming back for more. Keep up the awesome work!
Thank you so much. 😊 Comments like this are more encouraging than you realize. I'm honestly a little overwhelmed by the love tonight. -J
My wife and I will be starting our YT and RV experience full time next year when I retire; so late bloomers yes, but we're optimistic. I'm bringing Guitar and music making along with so, much to juggle. Great Video by the way, and thanks for sticking it out.
I think there is so much potential for using some of your own music in videos if you decide to do that! Let us know when you launch so we can watch a long. -J
First time watcher. Really like that you two are real and honest. Naturally good. Keep on going Now a subscriber
Thanks so much. I hope you find our travel content entertaining and fun. -J
I started my YT channel talking about something I'm not passionate about so I really appreciate you highlighting how many stops and starts you had. I have a journalism/storytelling/interviewing background and I've always wanted a travel/camping channel but COVID derailed that. This video gives me hope to start again when I can get back to camping and traveling part-time. Thank you!
Story telling is absolutely key. If you can weave a good story you can go far on YT I believe. I'm still honing my skill at that. I'm lucky to have Kalyn who will flat out tell me "This section is boring me." 😂 -J
@@OpenRoading It's a gift to have a partner who can help you hone that skill with such precision. 😂
I love you guys! I became a HUGE fan the day you adopted Trinity. Taking in an abandoned dog, (people!), shows what is in your hearts. I love your bunnies, too. Be safe!
Thanks so much! Trinity has been such an awesome addition to the family. We never thought we would be "dog people" but man...we love her to death. -J
Me, too. 🥰🥰 Love that they rescued Trin. 🙏👏👏🐶
@@aslobos As she currently lays under Kalyn's desk while she's working...forcing Kalyn to put her own feet up on the couch....I'm glad too. 🤗-J
You have what it takes to be successful. Keep going with it. Wish you well.
Thank you so much. We will continue to do our very best and keep learning every day. -J
Just watch your video and enjoyed your honesty on how long it took. My wife and I are getting ready to join the RV world and hopefully U tube. Mistakes are to be made and want to share them like you did to help the next person
100% and no journey is the same. Some people get a viral hit out of video #1. Other people work for years and years and never see their dreams.
The biggest mistake we made was keeping throwing the same spaghetti against the same wall instead of looking at what the newly successful channels were doing and seeing what we could learn from that. (I say newly successful because sometimes the well established channels can do whatever they like because they have a solid fan base that will watch regardless - it's the growing channels that are relying on YT to push out their content). -J
I've been running my own offroad channel for 5 years now, never had anything go viral, it peaked a couple years ago then the algorithm just stopped pushing my content and impressions plummeted. I'm trying to get back into a regular uploading schedule but it is so hard to break back in.
Also, i first saw you guys from the gate video...lol
I think we've discovered (I say I think because we've been "successful" for all of 6 months so...still not an expert) that consistent content is a big part of the algorithm. We published one video one week that was much shorter than our normal content...and it took us 4 weeks to "recover" back to our "normal" views. (aka...every new video was like 6-8 our ot 10 after that week as opposed to 1-4).
Of course it's not the only factor but I was kinda shocked at how much of a roll it plays (IF I'm right - and that's a big if). -J
I stumbled onto your channel about a month ago. I love that you took on Trinity, that Joe goes and works odd jobs, that Kayln actually talks about her business. That the two of you are showing the upside and the downside. No matter how long this part of your life last, just enjoy it.
Thanks so much! That is exactly how we feel. Our backs were against the wall last September (financially) and to have come so far in just 5 months feels unreal to us. We're going to keep at this season of hustle and our hope is to not ever be back in the position we were last fall. -J
What an awesome journey!! Also, glad to have been a part of it. Loved seeing the throwbacks to 2022…despite it being the worst time ever to travel through California (financially), we had such a great time spending most of it with you guys!!
That is 100% accurate. Spending time with ya'll was so worth it!
Thanks so much for being amazing friends! -J
I love every one of your videos!
🤗
The first video my wife and I watched was the gate watching in Texas, where Trinity was trying so hard to adopt you guys. I told my wife, "If these people don't give this dog a chance to join their family, that I wasn't going to watch anymore." Well, we subscribed, and we will be watching. 🙂
So glad you stuck around - and so glad Trinity is part of our fam. Couldn't imagine life without her now. 🤗 -J
I just found your channel and you guys are doing awesome! I heard about you from Wild RV Life channel. I'm glad you tried for the third time and congratulations on your success!
Thanks for stopping by! Craig and Victoria are awesome. -J
Always fun to catch up with you all! Thank you for being upbeat, using clean language, and creating content that isn’t trying to win a soap opera award.
God bless you!
"Isn't trying to win a soap opera award" I'm gonna try to convince Kalyn to stick that in our bio! 😁 -J
You two are real cute you’re adorable you showed up on my and I clicked. It was the guard job one and I clicked on it cause it looked interesting and anyways and can’t wait to see what more you guys do. Thanks for this particular video cause I’m thinking about doing a TH-cam channel, so thank you so much. Good luck to you.
Thanks so much for taking a chance on us and sticking around! Glad you found this particular video helpful and informative. -J
I’m very glad that you took another stab at TH-cam. Your channel is great. The first video I watched was when you found Trinity, thank you for keeping that beautiful dog. Hopefully we will run into you one day and my two dogs will get to say hi.
Thank you so much for that. And if you do see us please say hi! -J
Hey guys, this is from Marilyn .... I just want to encourage you to continue in the style you've been employing. I'm not sure I could say what changed for me, but I LOVE the videos that started with gate guarding. I really look forward to your vids now. You are real, honest, relatable, and super cute. I'm a big fan! Excited for you to go to Alaska! Congrats in advance! ❤💕
Thanks so much Marilyn! We so appreciate feedback. And I'll take being called "super cute" to the bank every day of the week! -J
I like the way you two reply to everyone
We'd be dumping our content into an empty void if it wasn't for ya'll's amazing support and encouragement. People taking time to watch and leave a comment means so much to us, replying is the least I can do to say thank you!
If we start getting close to 500 comments on a video I'm sure I won't be able to respond to everyone all the time, BUT I'll don't want to ever get to the place where I only respond to a few. I want to respond to as many as I can, even if it takes me time to do so. -J
We have driven 3 times to alaska, pulling a camper. You might need an extra 5K. Just a warning! But it's so worth it! We live here now. In wasilla.
Thanks for the heads up. Our $15K is specifically for Fuel, Excursions, and buffer. We will still be spending our normal $3-4K a month out of our normal budget for groceries, random expenses and everything else. -J
Thank you both for sharing! Love your openness and down to earth style. I echo the same as others, you must be doing something right because this is the first time you’ve come up in my feed. New subbie here - keep up the great work!!
I love it when the YT algorithm shows our thumbnails to new people. But what I love even more is when encouraging people like you click on the video and leave such a sweet comment. Thank you! -J
Been waiting. Exciting to see you guys again
Thanks so much for making us part of your Friday night 🤗 -J
Please don't sacrifice relationship for content. Remind yourselves of the what for and why. It can get away from you quickly. Keep up the good work!
100000000%
This is exactly why we stepped away in Act 1. Act 2 was more discouragement.
We have found so much joy together over the past year which is interesting because never was our back more against the wall than it was last September. God has been so incredibly good to us (He always is). -J
The last thing I need is another subscription. However…..,this video was unique. If the subject matter has been done by others I haven’t seen it. I will NEVER be a TH-camr….but it was neat to see the journey. Subbed! Good luck to you both!
Wow! What a compliment! To subscribe after watching a video that wasn't something you were looking for - that means a ton! Thank you! -J
Yup,abandoned dog popped up in my feed. I was so glad to see you kept her. ❤Thanks for the behind the scene. I don’t like to be nosy,but it sure is interesting how every thing works. And it makes me happy to see hard working people do well in life👍🏻🐶🐰
It's not nosey when someone puts it out there for the world to see! 😁 Now if you start asking us deep and probing questions that's another story. 🙂 lol -J
Thanks!
Thanks so much Jason. I still haven't come up with the right way to respond to superthanks because they shock and amaze me every time. Thank you for your generosity to these two random strangers. 🤗 -J
Love you guys!
Thanks so much! It means so much to us when people watch right when the video comes out. 🤗 -J
@@OpenRoading I also loved the gate guards job very interesting
Thanks for sharing!! Great job!!! You guys rock!! Good luck!
Congratulations.
Absolutely loved everything about this. Your honesty is so real, and I really think you have a really good shot at making this going far. I am really looking forward to going on all your adventure with you :)
We really hope so! Thank you so much for being so encouraging. -J
Thank you. Your video is very helpful. I just learned yesterday, TH-cam change some rules of engagement. Thumbnail & views is where it's at.
No one sees your video if they don't click the thumbnail! -J
Thanks for sharing your YT journey! Love hearing the rawness
You're welcome! We just wanted to be open with everyone especially since we have been working toward a specific financial goal! -J
You are both wonderful people an love the channel..... just need more content....an honestly the dog sold me !!! Wish all the best
Thanks so much for your kindness! I'm pretty sure you're stuck with just one new video per week. 😂 I know some other creators are able to put out more than that but I think I would lose my sanity if I tried. -J
I came on the gate guarding video and your dog:) I think you are a nice couple and enjoy watching you.
Thank you so much. I love it when people let us know what their first video was. Trinity built herself a fan club FAST! 🐕🦺
Speaking of noise when you're in the truck, I found that in post if you turn the bass of your audio down just a tad, it will take out sooo much of that road noise. Thanks for sharing your tips! You got a like and sub out of me (winks).
Yes - that does help - and the DJI mics actually have their own low-cut filter that does exactly that. Our trouble prior to the mics was that our video editor doesn't have a good audio editing component (other than volume) so if I wanted to edit the audio I had to export it out, edit the audio in adobe audition, then export it back into the video project. Fun fun fun! 😂 -J
@@OpenRoading May I ask what Editor you were using. I used to use Adobe Premiere Elements but I just got Black Magic's Davinci Resolve and so far I absolutely love it and I will never be going back to Adobe products! I also just started using Canva, the thumbnail maker you suggested and I LOVE IT, sooo easy to use!!! I just made a new video and I used it for my thumbnail. Thank you for so many excellent tips!
I just found you guys and so happy that I did…..you guys are so honest and adorable. I also, Loved the content of this video. Thanks for sharing your ups and downs with your TH-cam channel. You guys will make it work this time, I’m sure!! You’ve got the right mindset this time around!! I just became a subscriber and look forward to your next video.
❤😊
Thanks so much for taking the time to be so encouraging! -J
Thank you for this! I have been stalling at starting my TH-cam channel that so many people have been asking me to do. You guys are doing a great job. A real inspiration.
I understand the stall. Been there!
If your journey is like ours (and not everyone's story is the same for sure) you'll know when the right time is. In September Kalyn and I both knew it was time to do our final shot and let the chips fall where they may. Keep working on ideas and you'll know when to start. -J
Psssstttt.... 1 bite at a time kids... Upload, repeat, breathe and carry on... You got this, don't give up... We really do enjoy the content!
We have never felt more energized for creating content. I'll admit...being "stuck" in one place has had it's challenges for creativity of content creation 😂 but we should be moving on soon. -J
@@OpenRoading Being stuck is always an opportunity to explore!! Look into the local storytellers and share the stories!!
@@GregPrince-io1cb Have we told you about this road........ 😂 If it weren't for the gate guarding schedule we probably would get out more - but since I sleep to between 2 or 3 pm it only gives us 4ish hours before one of us has to be on shift - so we really don't have time to get out somewhere for more than our errands. -J
Great information....Thank you!
You bet! - K
Good video good luck
So happy to subscribe to this channel. Looking forward to your 100,000 subscriber, TH-cam Award. I appreciate your honesty, and I’ve always wondered how TH-cam pays the content creators. Most TH-camrs are not willing to share this information. This is just one reason why I will remain a subscriber well beyond the 100,000000 subscriber mark.
You have big goals for us! 😂 Of course I want a silver plaque but I'm thinking it's a pretty fair way off.
So we didn't say this in the video (we try not to go too deep into the weeds) but we get paid by those skippable ads that pop up during the video. TH-cam takes around half of the money and the creator gets the rest (this of course after you meet their monetization requirements.)
You can also do sponsored content where you do your own ad in the middle for a company. You negotiate those rates on your own with whatever company you are working with (we haven't done any of those as of yet.) -J
@@OpenRoading you will get there. I saw a channel get 30,000 subscribers in less than 1 month by doing complaint videos. “Yes I’m ashamed, but I did watch them”. Maybe some people like that, but I think there is more people that like the positive message you send and I for one, find it refreshing.
I have more questions, but I’ll save them for a later video. I don’t want to seem like a stalker.
@@abgodden Hey! I pinned a comment asking for questions that we can answer IN a future Q&A episode!! Drop all your Q's right in there!! -J
Thank you for sharing!
You're welcome! -J
Thank you for sharing! Enjoying the channel!!
Thanks so very much! -J
Hey, just a friendly heads-up! It's crucial to ensure you have your pilot license for operating drones if you're planning to showcase them on TH-cam. Without the necessary paperwork, you risk getting reported. If your drone footage contributes to your business promotion, having a Part 107 Remote Pilot license is a must before filming. It not only ensures compliance but also enhances the professionalism and credibility of your content. Stay safe and legal in the skies!
Yep! Getting it. Not super concerned for the 3 or 4 clips in the meantime though. It takes a special kind of person to report someone for flying a drone within the proper airspace over the desert. The research I have done indicates that the FAA has really only gone after people if they are involved in a crash. But that said....getting it. -J
@@OpenRoading You would be surprised that some people will get jealous of your success and find a reason to try to hurt your success. I watch a lot of TH-cam and have seen this a few times already. I think at most you will get a phone call from the FAA, and they will talk with you and tell you to stop, tell you to get it. If you want to delete this comment or me to delete it just let me know. I'm not trying to cause in issue. Just trying to help new youtubers
@@edellenburg78 No, no problem at all. I'm in the process of getting the 107 and like I said...just keeping things pretty low key on it right now. Still have a lot of learning to do.
It sucks that jealous people exist but IMO if someone is the type of person who's going to do that sort of thing....that could be part of the reason they're not seeing success. 😂 Comments like yours I really appreciate. You're looking out for us and giving us good information. I really do appreciate it. No need to delete anything. I'm not hiding behind anything and if people want to come after me and waste the FAAs time on a guy who is making $7 an hour on a youtube channel that has 2 drone shots in it.... then more power to them I suppose. lol We'll be fully compliant soon. -J
Don't forget permits for drones in national parks. I've seen other USA youtubers get massive fines over that too!@@OpenRoading
No flying drones in NP for us.@@lynettejwhite -J
PREDICTION = This season, you will NOT flame out... 💪💪💪
So funny story.
I believe you are 100% correct. But.....No video this next week. 😂 The project we are working on FOR the video is taking incredibly long and we are just crunching way too hard to try to get it done in time while we have about 3 other things happening at the same time.
I promise you! It's not a flame out!!! BUT WHY DID IT HAVE TO HAPPEN AFTER VIDEO 18?!?!?!?!? 😂😂😂😂😂😂 -J
OK!!! I lied!!! We have a video going live to day! We worked our butts off to get it out in time but it's all scheduled and ready to go tonight at 7pm Central! -J
@@OpenRoading High fives, you got this!!!
@@dianeschmiane 🙌🏻
Congratulations!
Thanks so much! -J
For Trinity's puppy food.!!
Thank you so so much. It's always so humbling to me when people like you go out of there way to be such a tangible support of what we're doing over here. I know it goes to Trinity food - but the $50 to Trinity food is $50 that is freed up from our budget so we can invest in other aspects of the channel. Thank you! -J
Thanks for the info!!
You're welcome. We were so helped out when someone shared everything about their youtube journey with us, so we felt we should pass ours on as well! -J
Congratulations!!!!!
Thank you! -J
I subscribed! Thanks for all your info!
You're welcome and thanks so much for subscribing! Hopefully you'll find future videos to be informative and/or entertaining! -J
Thank you for sharing with us!!
You're welcome. Thanks so much for watching. -J
Congratulations 🎊 👏.
Thank you! -J
Oh you’re getting so close! Yay!😊
We can feel it! -J
Well done! Very informative. Hope you keep growing. Enjoy Alaska!!!
Thank you! We hope so too but we are really enjoying the youtube journey along the way. -J
Keep going!!
That's the plan! -J
Honesty is best. Keep having fun.
Thanks! For the great time I enjoy your videos I love wish i could be traveling ❤
Thanks so much for supporting the channel! We so appreciate it! -J
Excellent video, just liked and subscribed! 🎉
Thanks so much! -J
Love your videos so much so please keep going!
That's the plan! -J
In Wasilla, Alaska waiting to see ya bere🙏
Sounds good! If it's alright with ya'll we're going to wait for it to warm up just a little bit first. 😁 -J
Just found yr channel and I hope you keep going as i love you both
Thanks so much! The plan is to continue on! We're taking 1 week off from publishing to work on getting ahead on some of our editing but back to weekly videos starting on the 29th! -J
You can go here to check to see if you missed anything: www.youtube.com/@OpenRoading/videos
-J
Oops, finger slipped! I will watch, comment and subscribe. Good luck! 😊
Thanks so much! We so appreciate anyone who takes the time and enjoys are videos. 🤗 -J
Just subscribed , looking forward to the journey.
Thanks so much!! -J
Keep up the good work!
Thanks so so much. I'll never get over someone being so generous to two random strangers on the internet! -J
Love watching you guys.
It means so much that you take the time to let us know. Thank you! -J
You guys are great to watch.
You are going to love Alaska!
We hope so! Thanks so much for watching. -J
Great video folks, glad we found your channel!
Thank you so much! -J
Another great video - thank you!!
Thanks so much! Hope you saw your shoutout! -J
@@OpenRoading lol! I did! That was really nice of you.