YouTuber Christian Guzman on business lessons learned:
I started too many businesses, too soon. And, this is why there’s so much communication happening and coming into me, is because I didn’t realize that, when I started Summer Shredding, when I started Alphaland, when I started, like, whatever, it’s like, I didn’t realize by not having my company structure set up to, like—
Like, I’m still working on a structure that can encompass all of my employees, all of my resources and people with the same goal.
‘Cause, like, I’ve got my Summer Shredding bracket, I’ve got my Guzman bracket — my personal brand, my sponsorships, my YouTube channel, like, Juan and Harry, like, that team and Nabil, and all that — that’s one business.
But we shoot Alphalete, as well. And we promo Alphalete. But, then, like, Alphalete’s got it’s own team, and business, and people. But, you can’t— as soon as you start, like— they will start interfering.
So, like, this will start— Alphalete will start interfering with Summer Shredding when it comes to Alphaland, and I have events, people at Alphaland business and events coordinating—
Maxx:
‘Cause people are doing work on all of’em.
Christian:
People are doing work on all of them, but then it’s like— it gets very blurred. And, so, the more blurry the lines are with— and it’s because I started too many different things.
If it was just Alphalete, that’s easy. Make your structure, flow it up. But, when you start having other ones— [it’s like,] ‘How can I integrate?’
If you’re like most YouTubers, you suffered from analysis paralysis at the beginning of your creator career. You took way too long to finally offer your subscribers something to actually buy.
Christian is an example of the opposite problem — let’s call it, analysis schmanalysis. A few too many ‘Sounds awesome! Let’s do that, too’ moments, and you can find yourself struggling under the weight of all you’ve built.
The answer is, of course, to start and stabilize one business at a time.
That said, if you’ve gotta have one problem, or the other — I’d recommend moving a little too fast, every time.
Challenges like the ones Christian is describing — as painful as they are — fill your life with epic stories, earned professional skill, humility, and empathy.
Over-analysis, and interminable planning — without doing — fill your life with people unmet, trips untaken, and experiences never had.
— Tang
Christian Guzman’s owned platforms include: Alphalete Athletics, Alphaland, and Summer Shredding.
Maxx Chewning’s owned platforms are: Sour Strips Candy and Ever Forward Apparel.
