Slaylebrity Kelly Stamps has amassed over 650 K followers within a year, how the hell did she do this?
To find out we delve into the mindset of Kelly Stamps.
In today’s digital age the possibilities are endless when it comes to creating a profitable following online. One of the best-known platforms to do so being YouTube.
With the saturation of hopefuls: from young people wanting to be make-up gurus, to every child and their mother now having a YouTube channel, one of the most asked questions is, “Is it too late to start on YouTube?”. Kelly Stamps proves that it is not.
While her success isn’t necessarily groundbreaking when compared to the likes of Emma Chamberline or Joana Ceddia, what she’s achieved isn’t common either. For many, it takes at least a few years for them to amass that kind of following, especially on an established platform like YouTube.
When it comes to trying to succeed on these social media giants, it’s easy to succumb to the idea that “it’s too late”, because the platform is “oversaturated”.
Now while there is truth to the added difficulty to standout on big websites like YouTube, it’s all the more reason to learn from creators like Kelly Stamps who have defied the odds.
It’s a given that you need to post consistently, niche down, and “never give up”. We’re not here to breakdown YouTube strategies. What I believe really made Kelly Stamps standout was her mindset.
The fact of the matter is, you could have all the strategies/tools for success in the world, but without the right mindset, you won’t get far.
That being said, let’s dive in.
1. She Thought Long Term and Was Grateful
Kelly Stamps’ YouTube channel dates back to 2 years ago, but it wasn’t until July 2019 that she started earning money.
As Kelly has said, “Maintaining a YouTube channel will remind you of your past relationships. Putting in lots of work to get nothing in return.”
While many would have gotten disheartened and likely given up after seeing hours of their hard work barely bring any return, Kelly on the other hand was grateful.
“In the early stages I made pennies. If I was lucky I’d make 2 or 3 dollars on a day and I was so proud.” -Kelly Stamps
She didn’t view her YouTube channel as a “get rich quick” scheme. In fact, she’s even said, “I knew it was going to be a very slow build.”
In the first few months of building a social media following, it’s easy to throw in the towel thinking all of your hard work amounted to “just $0.90” or “just $3”.
This is one of the most important lessons new creators need to accept if they’ve spent most, if not their entire life as an employee. Creating a dependable income online is a whole new ballpark, with a different set of rules:
x amount of time will not = x amount of income
Because you have no boss, there are no guarantees of getting paid for the work you put in. Sure the “sky is the limit” in your income potential, but that comes at the price of more often than not, barely getting paid in the early stages of building.
As Ayodeji Awosika, a six-figure online writer has shared, we need to look at an online income — no matter what the amount, as a foundation to a potential income stream pillar.
By accepting that the process will be gradual, you might as well enjoy the journey and celebrate your wins like Kelly did. Getting frustrated at your pace isn’t going to make things go faster. In fact, beating yourself up may even slow you down.
Be patient and have faith that what may be a trickle of money today, if met with the prolonged stamina of hard work & strategy, could one day become a profitable river of income in the future.
2. Didn’t Let “Not Having the Perfect Set-Up” Hold her Back
What stops a lot of new creators from making their first video are thoughts like,
“I need the perfect camera first.” or “I need perfect lighting to film.”
This desire is understandable. Ideally, every creator wants to have great looking videos, especially when it feels like all the newest YouTubers have nothing short of top-notch quality of videos.
There’s no debate that nice gadgets add to one’s videos, but to a much smaller extent than most new content creators think. Often whether an aspiring YouTuber realizes it or not, to not begin filming because they think they need a certain gadget is just an excuse.
This is simply being a perfectionist, while with good intentions, is really just another form of procrastination.
One thing that’s clear to anyone who has watched a video or 2 of Kelly Stamps, is that having high-quality footage is not her strong suit. Below is a screenshot of one of her videos filmed on her cellphone.
Despite having all the aesthetic elements of a “poorly made” YouTube video, this is one of her biggest successes to date, nearing half a million views.
Lack of great video quality is so common in her videos that her fanbase has even asked if she could upgrade her camera.
Kelly Stamps is proof that you don’t need to have the “latest and greatest” gadgets or lighting to achieve a massive following.
If you’re producing quality content, the followers will come with or without a ring light.
3. Treated YouTube as a Part-Time Job
“So I treat YouTube kind-of like it’s a part-time job and that’s how you become successful at it. Even when it’s not making you money you just gotta stay on top of it. Be consistent.” — Kelly Stamps
When many other creators enter YouTube hoping to become a success, Kelly Stamps from the start, was always very intentional in making her YouTube channel a profitable source of income.
So much so, that in a video about what she does during her free time, she has shared that she has always kept track of her follower count.
Some may think this is “too much effort” in the early stages of building a YouTube channel. However, sometimes when it comes to our endeavors, we’re afraid to take things this seriously, because if we fail at least we can comfort ourselves with the thought of, “It’s not like I even tried.”
“Serious matter = serious effort”
If you’re truly serious about making YouTube work for you then it makes sense to commit to it as much as you would to a part-time job. To put things in perspective, you’ve likely had jobs you’ve absolutely hated, yet you’ve poured hours of time, energy, and effort into.
Doesn’t it make sense that if you believe that building a following on YouTube could change your life — bonus points if you actually love the process — that you’d at least try to give it that same dedication as you have to past shitty jobs, if not more?
4. She Knew Her “Why”
Kelly knew what she wanted from day 1. In her video, “how I remain unbothered”, she recalls telling herself in January of 2019:
Alright clearly this working for other people clearly isn’t working out. This going to school on a budget thing isn’t really my jam…The point is I changed my lifestyle. I actually dropped the idea that ‘this is the only way’ (a 9–5), and this is what everyone else is doing. And instead, I’m doing what I feel is good for me.
Whether you’re doing YouTube for money, fame, or any other reason, the point is you need to know your why for being on the platform.
“You cannot hit a target if you don’t know what it is.”
— Tony Robbins
Sometimes the reason we don’t get what we want is that we’re not clear about what we want. Kelly Stamps never shied away from the fact that she wanted to make more money on YouTube.
She was in alignment with what she wanted and had the boldness to ask the universe for this — while backing it up with strategic action of course. With that kind of laser focus and massive action, it can only lead to good things.
5. Unapologetically Herself
Many think that they “don’t have the personality” for success on YouTube.
Often it’s because of this insecurity that many don’t even try, or the ones that do, mold themselves into a persona that they think will work on YouTube.
Doing the latter can and has worked for a lot of creators, but one can only imagine the inevitably emotional exhaustion in pretending to be someone you’re not.
As for Kelly Stamps, one of the most distinguishing things about her is her personality! Ironically enough hers couldn’t be more opposite from your typical “cookie-cutter” often over the top YouTube persona.
In fact, she is loved by her fan base because of her monotonous, deadpan, and dry sense of humor!
Among the countless YouTubers who are trying to be someone they’re not, Kelly Stamps owns her awkwardness, and has in turn attracted what she calls her “cult” of “Stamp-ede” fans who adore her.
It just goes to show that you don’t have to be the loudest on YouTube or act a certain way to build a following. Sometimes just being yourself is more than enough and what’s better than having an audience who likes you for you?
6. She Knew When to Pivot
Contrary to her current reality of gaining thousands upon thousands of followers daily, it wasn’t always this continuous uphill success. In her video where she talks about her journey to her 100k subscriber YouTube award, she shares about a time when she almost quit YouTube.
There was a point where she didn’t understand why she wasn’t getting enough views. What frustrated her was when her views took an obvious nose dive. At the time she shares that her content was scattered and random.
At this point, many aspiring YouTubers end up doing one of 3 things. The first and biggest group of people will of course quit. Many of which, often “blaming the system” for their lack of success.
The second group of people will persist producing the same type of content, in the hopes that they’ll eventually break through their rut.
“The definition of insanity is doing the same thing over and over again, but expecting different results.”
— Albert Einstein
Kelly Stamps was the third type of YouTuber. She too decided to press on but knew she had to start doing something different. After much trial and error, she eventually found her “niche”.
Yes, hard work and persistence are a must. But Kelly Stamps’ journey highlights the importance of being self-aware enough to know when what you’re doing clearly isn’t working. Knowing when to change your strategy is also key in achieving the results you want.
Conclusion
Regardless of whether you aspire to build a profitable following on YouTube or are looking to build an audience elsewhere, Kelly Stamp’s mindset in creating hers are lessons that can be applied on any social media platform.
It just goes to show that if she was able to achieve success on YouTube in 2020, truly, it doesn’t matter how oversaturated a platform is. What matters more is our mindset going into it
Slaylebrity Networth Stats
Social Fans: 655K
Est Net Worth: $12-$100 K
She got married
How Kelly Stamps spends her $40,000 a month income
Will her growth continue?
Source Entrepreneur Handbook