In 2007, I made the difficult decision to leave college with $50,000 in student loan debt, but it was the right move. While many of my peers struggled to find jobs after graduating, I had secured a stable position as a public policy assistant. I faced the risk of accumulating even more debt to finish my degree, so I chose to focus on work. Despite the financial uncertainty, I found a creative passion in video creation, uploading content on a new platform called YouTube, and exploring social media tools like Facebook and Twitter. Little did I know, these hobbies would shape my future.
Two years later, a friend helped me recognize that my skills in video content and social media were in demand. This was a turning point: I could turn my side projects into a career. I began helping small businesses with their social media, working evenings and weekends until I felt ready to leave my full-time job in 2010 and commit fully to my own agency.
To promote my business, I shared social media marketing tips and video tutorials. One challenging month with low revenue led me to try a new approach: offering a video creation course to my email list. With a pre-launch discount, I earned my first $1,000 in passive income, which validated my course idea and encouraged me to develop more digital products. The course required around 30 hours to complete but became a steady income source once available for sale.
Fifteen years later, my “hobby” is now my career. Today, I make roughly $18,000 a month in passive income, averaging about four hours of work per day. I built a YouTube channel, AmyTV, where I’ve posted over 1,000 videos on productivity and branding, each capable of generating indefinite revenue through ads and affiliate marketing.
Following requests from my audience, I ventured into writing. My books, including Vlog Like a Boss and Good Morning, Good Life, reflect my approach to video content and productivity. To date, I’ve sold about 40,000 copies. Inspired by Good Morning, Good Life, I also launched a productivity planner, which has generated over $140,000 in sales.
Overall, my brand brings in about $18,000 monthly through a combination of YouTube ad revenue, affiliate partnerships, brand deals, and sales of books and other products. I’ve found that when you focus on providing value to others, success often follows.
