“Don’t be afraid of trying out different things.”
The plethora of video platforms on the Internet has completely changed the way we consume information. Every day, five billion videos are uploaded to a video-sharing website like YouTube, ranging from song covers, music videos, makeup tutorials, product reviews, and more.
Since then, video platforms have become a sanctuary for the world’s newest influencers and vloggers. And in the Philippines, this medium has paved the way for Filipinos seeking to make a name for themselves.
People are more focused on digital with the vast evolution of social media, and especially with the pandemic. This next speaker panelist for CHiNOY Podcast Network’s Part 3 webinar spontaneously embarked on the journey of becoming a YouTuber–to great success.
Now with 306k subscribers, Nicole Alba is a vlogger who creates video content about personal finance, investments, and self-development. She uses Youtube to inspire college students and even older adults on how to handle their expenses and be financially independent. Most impressive of all, Nicole is still a 4th-year student at the University of the Philippines Diliman studying BA Political Science.
Nicole had a thing for taking the road less traveled. Starting a YouTube channel was on Nicole’s bucket list even before she knew what kind of content she wanted to post. Unfortunately, Nicole didn’t have the time until May 2020, when the entire world went into lockdown and her days were less busy. She already had video editing and graphic design skills, which was a huge benefit to her channel, but she didn’t go all out in terms of equipment right away.
Nicole primarily discusses personal finance and investing fundamentals, but despite her popularity in these areas, she does not consider herself a finance YouTuber. Instead, Nicole says she started her channel to document and share what she has learned 9so far) in her twenties. It just so happened that the first video she posted was about finance, which drew the most attention from her audience. And there’s a reason why Alba’s finance videos are so popular: she adds a sense of humor and entertainment to an otherwise dry subject.
Her journey as a YouTuber and Content Creator was not easy, nor was it like that of other YouTubers. There is no easy way for you to become well-known or for people to immediately appreciate you. You must go through the process in every career and decision you make, whether physically, emotionally, or mentally.
Nicole and other content creators have admitted to struggling with both mental and emotional issues. Being a content creator means you’re constantly dealing with time management issues as well because you’re essentially a one-person team. As a student and a content creator, Alba is also doing internships, and she claims that online classes and the work-from-home arrangement have allowed her to maximize her time. “As to how I balance my time, I have no idea. But I believe that if you want something to happen, you will find a way to make it happen. But I’m not saying it’s easy because you have to sacrifice certain things.“
Nicole also mentioned that for her line of work, being a Chinoy is a challenge. She didn’t tell her parents about her YouTube channel until she had 1000 subscribers, which is an accomplishment because she had unexpectedly reached that number. Nicole Alba currently has 306K subscribers on her YouTube channel, and her videos are well-liked.
When Nicole’s family discovered her YouTube channel, they were enthusiastic about it and would even share it with their friends. However, there are still some facets of the YouTube industry that Nicole’s parents do not understand, so she would have to speak with them again if she wishes to pursue it as a full-time career. But, for the time being, she plans to keep her YouTube channel as a side hustle.
Nicole considers pursuing this career risky because she is putting herself out there. “At the start, I felt very exhilarated that people are watching my videos, but now that I’m kind of at my scale, like hundreds of thousands of subscribers, there’s just so many different opinions. At the start, it was a small community, and most people were supportive, but now from time to time, there are haters, and some people can be so demanding, and there are people who assume things about you that you have no control over. So it gets sometimes draining to think about YouTube.“
To those who want to take the road less traveled and those who want to continue in their current career but are unsure, here’s some career advice Nicole would like to share with everyone, “Don’t be afraid of trying out different things. I think there’s a benefit for young people to try as many things as they can because it teaches you about what you like, what you don’t like, and it informs your decisions in the future.“
Learn more about how Nicole creatively shares her life on September 24, 2021 at 4:00-5:00pm in The Power of Our Voice: Making Our Choice on the Road Less Traveled. You can visit this link to register for free! https://bit.ly/powerofvoicechinoytv .
