Everyone makes errors, but few are as transparent about them as Eric Wei, Devin Lytle, Sidney Raskind, and Evan Britton during their VidCon 2025 session titled “F*ckups, Fixes, and Lessons Learned.”
Lesson 1: Commence with a Clear Mind and Strategy
Devin Lytle, who expanded her YouTube channel to 179,000 subscribers, recommended, “Don’t initiate a YouTube channel when you’re feeling down.” After going through burnout and lacking a distinct plan, she took a break from being in front of the camera. “When launching a YouTube channel, a strategy and a clear mindset are essential,” Lytle stressed.
She discovered joy by concentrating on producing and directing.
Lesson 2: Work Smarter, Not Harder — Repurpose Content
Lytle now partners with Sidney Raskind, a short-form creator who encountered burnout from daily uploads. Motivated by others, he re-uploaded some of his content, initially finding it daunting. However, his audience reacted positively, with one video receiving 15 million additional views on re-upload. This enabled him to experiment with captions and posting times for enhanced engagement.
Lesson 3: Balance Creativity with Business Acumen
Eric Wei, co-founder of Karat Financial and host of the Karat Podcast, experienced the difficulties of blending business with content creation. After an episode in which a creator criticized MrBeast, Wei chose to remove it due to possible business ramifications. He recognized, “The podcast can serve as an implicit endorsement that impacts the business aspect.”
All three creators talked about burnout, with Lytle warning against declaring breaks. “The internet is where everyone spends their leisure time. If you’re absent, it’s fine. You’ll return next time,” she mentioned.
Lesson 4: Let Audience Behavior Steer Your Course
Evan Britton, founder of Famous Birthdays, suggested following audience enthusiasm. “The best way to determine what people desire is by observing what they search for,” he stated. Originally focused on A-list celebrities, the site adjusted to users’ interest in online creators, expanding to 30 million monthly users.