You're doing great work. You turned a hobby into a job and you showed that even your job can be fun because of the ideas you've put into your LEGO City and the creativity (at least to me) outdoes anyone or anything I've seen. You're also the reason I got back into LEGO and want to find ways to make more space by using shelves and bookcases. Just more or less wanted to say thank you Bricksie.
Great insights that not a whole lot of people are aware of! You need to make a schedule for yourself though, and you should still have the weekends for yourself and your family and take vacation as 9-5ers do. I do that and it helps keeping things "balanced". The subscribers will still be there even if we don't upload for a week or two! But it is definitely a struggle in so many aspects! If we get sick there's no one to cover the business. If the kids get sick we need to tend for them and again, no one to cover the work that needs to be done. Definitely not the dream life people envision! But a fun one regardless. Wouldn't change a thing :)
I have friends who own their own businesses and it is an insane amount of work. If they don't love the work it can be absolutely soul crushing. They live with a constant feeling of impending doom their business will fail and they will lose everything. They also have to deal with a ton of Canadian government regulations, designed to stop big companies abusing the system but creating a huge headache for small businesses in the process. Friends of mine lose sleep worrying they've missed some step or filing or law and there will be consequences. As an IT manager who has always been an employee, I've never had a 9-5 job and I've never really had job security either. My job usually starts before 9am, stretches into the evening and often consumes weekends too. Difference is I'm working to make someone else a ton of money. Add to that the constant worry of layoffs in this industry, and it's hard not to think about the job when you are supposed to be "off the clock". Basically having to earn money to live sucks regardless. If you enjoy what you do, you are winning in my book. All respect to you and what you've achieved, and good luck for the future.
I used to work in tech and was laid off 4 times in my career, just when I thought I was settling into a position and lifestyle. When that happens, you get stunted possibly years of progression. I said enough is enough and quit that career to start a business in a different line of work. If I fail, I want it to be on my terms, not some random layoff.
As a hopeful second generation business owner in Canada I couldn’t agree more I think about the what ifs everyday but I also have to remind myself to just work hard and be smart with my money and hopefully I will be able to make it work like my parents
I feel 100% of this. Thanks for being honest about the perils of content creation and the stresses. It’s a blessing and a curse for sure, but you have to keep finding the joy. If you can find ways to take out the parts that aren’t so joyful and hand those off to others that can be really helpful. Ex: pay an editor to edit and post your videos for you. That will cost money but the value of that mental burden and time gained back could be worth it. It also might allow you to then free your mind to make more content or work on other ideas you may have. You got this dude. ❤
I’m 50 & I’ve had the 9-5. My best bud owns a construction business. Both have pluses & minuses. Enjoy the good aspects of your livelihood & try to minimize the negatives. All jobs have both! If the minuses ever outweigh the pluses consistently over a fairly long period of time, make a change. I follow your content for Lego as much as I follow you for your business and life discussions. Just keep building your business and diversify like you said.
The main thing is you get to work on your passion! Work always has its negatives and positives. You will be fine because you learn from doing and changing things. Your future is bright and will grow and lead you to where you need too. Enjoy the hobby and keep moving forward!!
My advice would be to start limiting yourself once you get settled into the new space. Allow yourself to "clock out" after 5 so to speak, go home and not have to worry about content or revenue. Its a work/life balance. With having the city in a separate space, it could work. Spend time with the wife and kids at home or elsewhere, build some Lego that you want to do, no need to film it. Just show it after if you're inclined to showing it off. If you want to put in "extra hours" here and there at work you can but no need to make it a regular thing. Take a weekend off! Nothing wrong with working hard all the time, as its done well for you, but there is such thing as burnout! Also, have ppl do other tasks for you to free up your time to do more important things. A lot of youtubers never allow anyone else to edit the videos, and i dont know why. It would free up a lot of their own time!
Been watching you from the beginning what an amazing journey. You described the growth of a business process really well. You work so hard and it’s great to show viewers it’s not easy Believe in yourself you are doing all the right things. !!
I really appreciate you putting this video out. People need to hear what all is involved with making a hobby into a business. And your honesty is refreshing. I turned one of my hobbies into a home based business a few years back, and I found that o got to the point that I didn’t enjoy the hobby anymore. And even after I closed my online store, I did not go back to that hobby. I hope to get back to it one of these days. Best of luck with the new space!
You’re doing a great job and also loving what you’re doing, which is the most important thing … if you love what you do, then it’s no longer a job it’s a passion!! I run two businesses here in the UK and have been for 15 years, I’ve grown those businesses and yes it’s hard work … but there is no better reward to yourself than seeing your hard work pay off!! Keep it up buddy, we all love what you do. 👍
The dream of being a successful UA-camr is very common, I know so many people who do it as a side gig and hope to make it their full-time job. I appreciate your willingness to talk about the pluses and minuses of doing that. But mostly I want to say that the reason I do tune in to your site is because of your constant creativity and the wide variety in your videos. To come up with fresh ideas all the time had got to be a real challenge, but every time you've risen to it, shown your great enthusiasm for new builds, dealt with obstacles and keep finding a way to make it even better. Really, it's inspiring! Best wishes to you as you take this endeavor to a new level.
Man I typed my comment a bit mid video, watched more then had to double back. Ride this train as long as you can. I work a hybrid job which allows me to work from home often, but with your kids man making your own schedule is key. Being able to be home with them and see them during your breaks is INVALUABLE. The 9-5 is good to have the mental checkout but not worth the demands of having to be locked in to a schedule. Maybe its just me but stress is present on both sides of the coin, as someone who plans to become self employed I envy what you've built!
The thing is, there's good and bad to EVERY job. It's all in where your priorities are. I work a 9-5 that does't pay great and I don't love, but it's something that I don't have to think about outside of those hours and I also have a really good amount of vacation time. The freedom of having that vacation time and not having any work outside of those M-F hours means I can prioritize my private life. With your job you don't have a lot of time where you don't have to think about work and you have a lot of responsibility that I wouldn't want, but I'm envious of the actual job being something fun that you enjoy. There's always trade offs. You just have to make sure that your overall happiness and mental health is where you want it to be! Thank you for all of your hard work and providing a lot of great things for your viewers to enjoy.
Thank you for making these kind of videos. I love it when you talk about your experience. Can you make more videos like these. Or a behind the scenes series’s about your average work week daily responsibilities.
There are a few 12 yo kids who need to know this. They think they just make videos and have fun and make money. And they will be able to buy a house and get groceries etc on that money . When you ask kids what they want to do and they say ….vlogger, it reminds me of when computer s first came out , everybody wanted to be a computer tech. Thanks for putting this out there .
Excellent video... there is far more to what you have found out is now not just a hobby, passion. It's a full time all consuming revenue producing job and with that comes all that you have described in detail. Kind of like the military slogan that was once used here in the states "IT NOT JUST A JOB ITS AN ADVENTIURE" LOL. Fun, exciting, ever changing, time consuming, rewarding BUT never the less still now a JOB! The best part is you have looked at it from all sides and have already thought of and found ways to balance both work and your beautiful family. You have and will continue to learn and grow with each passing day, plus you have Jose and those adorable children to remind you each and every day what is truly priority number one! Be safe and well!
My parents were small business owners and my siblings and I have great childhood memories of going out on jobs with Dad in the weekends but also him doing bookwork at night, like quotes. All three of us got jobs with the government, I'm a nurse (retired now) my sister a teacher and brother a civil engineer in traffic management, was that because we saw all that behind the scenes stuff..... Anyway you should give that talk in schools to all those ten year olds who want to be a UA-camr when they grow up because all they see is the fun part on their device. If anyone does work experience with you make sure they do all the other stuff and only get to build one thing in the week.
I know exactly how you feel bricksie being an owner myself it can be stressful n scary. I put in on average 65 hours a week pursuing my passion n deffinatly thinking about it and the future n that's what keeps giving me fresh new ideas to keep it going and becoming more successful. It's scary but you've got the drive n I see you being able to more than succeed. Your actions speak for themselves n it's a path to success.
Hey bricksie you ain’t missing out the 9-5 jobs, I’m in construction so I work 8-12hrs daily and then after work I try to to make content for UA-cam! It get really tiring but it will pay off in the end!
As a small business owner myself, the "no escaping" is 100% accurate. I can theoretically go on vacation and leave the business in my employee's hands for a couple weeks, but I won't be able to fully enjoy the time off. Golden handcuffs, as they say.
You can also have the things you feel are missing. Its all in the mindset as what you "allow" yourself to do and what not. But its basically you denying yourself some things. Find the right balance and all will be fine, even more, better! Because the happier/rested you are the more you can keep going and have a fresh mind. The business if its a good business (which it is) will not crumble if you put yourself first. Always love yourself more! Big congrats on everything you accomplished so far!
100% agree that there is more to being a content creator than people think. I used to think it would be easy. Then I started a channel, lol. Love your content!
Love to hear about the back end of the business! I am glad to work my 5 hour shifts as a delivery driver. More steady pay and easier taxes than app work. Have you looked into forming an official Lego User Group or LUG with your new space? With how much Lego you need to buy to fill the space, the LUG Bulk discount would be a big benefit in itself. Your core members would be perhaps 2 to 3 other people, insured with paperwork, who will have an interest in protecting the space. They can help keep the place up, build these big projects, and bring new ideas. Something to think about. Cheers!
I'm only 1 Lego fan, but I've watched other Lego UA-camrs, your vision for your city, and your genuine enthusiasm puts you firmly out in front of your peers. Your presentation skills are natural, from your first city video, you are the meat in this Lego and Life sandwich.
The grass is always greener on the other side… All of these thoughts certainly resonate with me, and I’m sure many others, but while content creators are living the dream, it is not without sacrifice. In contrast, I’ve learned that it’s best to choose doing what you love most, because life will be always be tiring and stressful no matter what, and it’s the passion for your work that keeps you motivated. Although you have to be your own boss, it’s better than having one above you who you may not believe in.
Just came to say, you are my favourite Lego content creator. You are such a pleasant host to watch, so open and honest. Good energy :) and the way you film is pleasant to watch. Hope you are proud of yourself and what you have created with your hard work!
You are doing a great job- comes with lots of work and we appreciate all your efforts and behind the scenes work you and Mrs Bricksie put into it. With the studio it will hopefully give you more of a work/life balance. Looking forward to the new studio videos 😊
You built up a wonderful company and should be very proud for what you have done!! And: Don't be envious of that "9-5" job; you don't need to put up with ugly company politics and a toxic work environment. I am very happy that I personally was able to escape that nonsense and reture. I know, there are cons of owning your own business, but I think the pros outweigh the cons big time!
I have done exactly the same thing. I had a successful business wrapped around my hobby. I could make money from my hobby. Wonderful. And when it became a chore. I loathed it. Just the same. No escape from its constant upkeep and even on vacations it was on my mind, or I was making calls or answering emails... I weighed it all out. And I told my Family I was going to sell my business and quit. They Said I was crazy. I had the America dream. But I was not happy. And not healthy, was neglecting even myself. I did it I quit. And I realized now looking back. It was a great springboard to get a house and cars. And then settle in to a comfortable pace if work and health. And now I do the same thing but simpler, I sell my hobby online and keep a pace I prefer. I am happy for my springboard. It was the key to my success. And now I'm happy to make the pace way simplified. And u can only do that from my earlier success. Semiretired lol at a young age is nice. And i soent my time with my young Family better now. I'm proud of i chose a simpler path ❤ Scrooge ✨️
The 9-5 job can sound appealing but it's got plenty of pitfalls too. One big thing is that most people in a 9-5 job are not in control of their own work - they have a boss, and often multiple layers of bosses above their boss. The 9-5 can feel like a prison if your personal goals are not well aligned with your company's goals, or if you just don't enjoy parts of the job. As a content creator, you have a lot of freedom and are in control as your own boss, although it might not feel that way when you are chasing the ever-evolving algorithm. Being your own boss carries extra stress, but having control over your life usually leads to a more fulfilling career. Good luck! Maybe you can find some other contributors to do some content too, to give you a little more space to breath when you need it.
You just turned fun into work…lol. Have fun with it and if you continue to wake up every morning loving what you are doing you have found the magic formula.
Coming from someone in a similar situation; get out of the house & meet up more with friends. I understand it's really tough with the young kids, but going out with your girl atleast once a week is necessary. We mostly do one week just the 2 of us & the next week we go out with friends and just repeat. Any activity will do if you have got some good friends.
You are doing a great job. I myself find it hard to separate work form home life sometimes because you are always thinking about something. Be sure to take some days (when you need) to recharge, spend time with family and when you go back you will find you are so much more refreshed.
This amazing journey you in of becoming a full Lego person is what atrac me to this Chanel how can you make this a susefull businessman out of Lego and handle or your responsibility it amaze-me the things you come up love it and support it thank you you inspired a lot off people to do something they think is impossible ❤
Being a subscriber for years, remembering your old videos, after all you said about how your hobby and life has changed, I still have the impression you now have more time for building lego sets than you had while you were working as a manager for another company. Although it might feel different.
It's new to you because you're young and for a long time young people starting a business was a rare thing, but these days, social media and especially UA-cam have opened up opportunities to young people that never realistically existed before. The career ladder isn't really a thing anymore, but I, as Gen X, sadly didn't realise that until it was too late for me to course correct. You've got things laid out ahead of you, and you have a lot of online resources to assist you that should let you succeed. Good luck with it!
I have the same experience as you pretty much. Started a Lego investing business next to my regular 9-5 and I'm pretty deep in at this point. The taxes, admin and moving around this stuff between storage spaces is serious work and I'm not even really selling a lot at this point. I recently came to the conclusion that even though it's a cool business, it's not worth the toll it's taking on me. I guess in your case the overhead and especially the pressure is a lot to take. Honestly it's probably not sustainable what you're doing in the long run (is any UA-cam channel?), but I would just take it 1 year at a time and see where it takes you.
Jordan - You do a great job, love the content. Been checking in over the years how you have developed the lego room, wish mine was as big! Keep up the fantastic work.
I've never really appreciated how much work goes in behind the scenes. With me being a young person, I've never had the experience of dealing with all the necessary "extras" that you do. I have a whole new level of respect for you, even higher than it was before. I love the content so keep up the great work
Every job/businesses has their there struggles my father was a business owner. My husband is a CPA/ account. I've seen both. One you are tied the the Monday through Friday. If you are salaried you may have longer days and work on the weekend to get the job done. If you own a business and take time for family you are not getting paid and stress of the company being on you. But at least that is within your control. The otherside is you work for the man. I've watched your videos. I think you would regret working for the man. You are doing great...no regrets. Keep moving forward😊
17:09 Existential crisis lol we all have moments like these just keep plugging away and creating this amazing thing! Very excited to see what the future holds for you
This is the stuff I think about whenever someone tells me I should turn my hobbies into a job. I just want to relax and do my hobby. I don't want to deal with all of the other stuff of running a business. That takes it from a hobby into areas that are, to me, less fun. I very much appreciate coming home and forgetting about my job. I like being able to unplug and just build some Lego. I think that people that can turn their hobby into a fun job are amazing, and I am sometimes envious. But every time I think about really doing it myself, I think about all the stuff that comes along with it. And I know it would make the hobby less fun for me. I envy you and respect all you do. I don't think I could ever do it.
I know how you feell bricksie. I help my parents run a bait shop while working at tractor supply part time, my dad work 40+ hours in a manufacture/distribution plant and having to work help in the bait shop. Now sinces he retired because loosing his eyesight he comes over to the shop and talks to the customers plus he wants to help but the circumstances of his eyes is getting in his way but he feels better just talking and joking with the people that comes into the shop than running the shop
I did 9-5 landscaping and for the last 10 years I've been a full time self employed glassblower. So I've seen both sides. Positive of 9-5 Weekends off Time stop at 5 and u get to relax Negatives Not your own boss Often dead end positions Not appreciated Overworked Underpaid I'll take self employed ftw
It’s your 1st child…. You can’t not think of it, but you balance ALL THE children. Love them all. I’ve watched a couple of handfuls of videos - found you yesterday. Haven’t seen you build anything yet 😉 That city is AMAZING! Hire trusted people to help you, and if you don’t trust them with your visions….lose them fast.
Bricksie is living my dream man, lives in Alberta, has a basement full of LEGO ( soon to be a warehouse ) I’m stuck in BC where to buy a house you are looking like 1mil + 😢😂❤
Totally get what you mean about no longer having a hobby i tried a bit of content creating, and found having to set up the camera get the right angles thinking of what im going to say, it took so much time when all i wanted to do was unwind and build a set. My time is so limited with a full time job and a 2 year old child so i gave up with the content creating which was upsetting because i did enjoy it. But i totally get you.
Ironically, I started watching the channel regularly to deal with how stressful my 9 to 5 job is. With hiring freezes my 9 to 5 is now an 8 to 8 most days. Working for someone else might solve some problems but it definitely adds others you don't want. I wonder if you could add more sponsors and hire an office manager to handle the corporate side while you work the "talent" side. At your size almost all the other channels I see have at least 2-3 others working on staff. There's no shame in getting help.
I'm not sure about Canada, but in the states, there are companies that small business can hire to do all that other stuff such as taxes, payroll, benefits, etc... so you can focus on your actual business (in this case Lego) ... they are like an all in one.
The best job is the job you love and enjoy doing it , some suggestions : please add new (3 in 1) creator sets (giraffe , fox , pink parrot + alt builds of em) those are best sets of lego with very well design (you already have tiger, blue parrot and king fisher & 3 awesome bugs) ... and finally add this new big technic super car ( with cheap price u show in last video) its a french super car (call it pejhu in english) your technic super car collection will be complete with it and in new place you will have so much space for 1 more big set like that. thank you for cool videos . (You live the life that I Dream and i will probably never be able to achieve... so you keep it and hold on tight)
I love cars, I turned that into a business 20 years ago by becoming a car detailer. I get to work on some awesome cars, but it’s also a business, which has meant a skill has had to develop to include sales, marketing, admin, accounts and development. Not things I originally planned on. Would I go back to PAYE? No. I now have full control.
I have so much respect for what you do and how you do it i have also a dream to have my own space for my lego collection but i dont no where to start so i see your movies and maybe i can create the time and the space i need tanks for your inspiration and make videos and flogs Everyday
@Bricksie - could you please create a video about your channel growth? how long did it took for you to get 100 subscribers? 1000? and maybe some statistics of your early days?
After over a decade of not having 9-5... i have my first one at a Bricks & Minifigs i helped open. I know i can only stay on payroll for a year at most. I miss the free flow of schedule working my business.
Hi there, watching this gives me second thoughts about "Making LEGO a business" sometimes cause I AM physically disabled & probably couldn't handle doing the things you spoke about. My dream IS becoming a UA-cam content creation "business", but probably not as intense as yours. I can see the downsides too, like for instance, my mom passed away last month. What IF i was a "business" as large as yours? Could I take the time off to "mourn", and the answer I "hear" is "NO", I'd have to keep going anyway, creating videos everyday, where-as how "small" I am now with NO revenue coming in, i can take time off for things like that. I even wonder, I'm 57 years old and am turning 58 tomorrow....yes, my birthday is tomorrow (Feb 20th), and I'm not getting any younger. What would happen once I'm "gone"? Is there anyone to take over? NO, it would just come to a screeching halt! That scares me, a lot! I DO have a "LIVE" tomorrow (3pm PST) & am thinking about doing similar to what you did here.....hmmm. It does seem easier to being able to say it out loud & have input from others, so I think i WILL do the same, thank you! I have a lot to think about.... Great video!
Great video, it made me think more about your work and appreciate what you do. I think meditation would help you think less when you need to rest your mind and reduce your stress levels. Thanks for sharing!
If you have such job, you will also not have the same amount of money at the end of the month so the stress will be : can take food to the family every time it's needed. What I want to say is that I think that life is complicated for everyone. And you can't try another one because it's your life, but I think that you can be proud of what you achieved so far. 412 000 people around the world are waiting for your video, that's huge ! That's not nothing, really what an adventure that we called life and everybody are heroes of their own life!
I'm helping my son start his UA-cam LEGO journey. I want to give him the tools to succeed. I've explained to him there is a lot of people that do this and not to be hurt if he doesn't get views. He seems to want to do this just for fun at this point. I'm happy as his Dad to help him reach his goals. We have a nice camera, mic and lighting. Any tips on Editting? what program to use? Any tips in that regard would be appreciated. I work the 9-5 m-f hustle. There is still some of the same stresses and emotions especially as a husband/dad/homeowner etc. I work for a big fortune 500 company but I treat it like they are letting me us their space to run my own small business in a way.
I’m on the other end of the spectrum. I have a job I love which is not even 9 to 5 but more like 10 to 4. Due to that the pay is not very high but on the bright side it happens to be an incredibly trustworthy source of income as labor laws basically assure I can’t get fired unless I consciously screw up. I can’t even imagine running my own company and to me it feels like a nightmare.
Good video, while Lego is expensive and a key part of your overhead costs, Lego does have the advantage of being a decent investment on top of the revenue produced from the content. Compare that to other UA-camrs who have expense overheads but are left with no investment after they produce the content.
Now that you are getting a studio it is going to be come more challenging.. anyway, keep creating good content. any business you own the questions of is it going to continue is always the same question.. this is why i came to conclusion that i don't want to be a business owner. I am a so called corp job nine to five person. but, i must tell you i do have similar concern like you.. even thought i start at nine i rarely finish at five.. I do answer business calls after business hours.. I find that the stresses of being a business owner is the same stresses of being an employee will it continue..
Yes it is, I’m very jealous I’ve been trying and trying to get my Instagram big with my legos and my city but just don’t seem to be able to get very big, so yes you are loving the dream
Thanks for this video, it was enlightening. Question, Do you think you’ll hire someone to do the accounting and some of the administrative aspects of your company especially as the kids get older and start taking up a lot of weekend time with activities, sports, and birthday parties. Love your channel make sure you don’t burnout.
I think if you want to have the regular work life feel it might pay you to cut back from daily videos to a couple videos a week and then you can get ahead a lot easier (especially when your sick)
Ok Bricksie im sorry but nothing last forever im 23 and disabled and i was bitter that i can’t do anything that i want to do and if im going to survive for more then 20 years and all nasty stuff but the i was just fk everything and just i don’t care about anything so now i just do a day by day so im not sure if this will work for you but my main point is just take it day by day
Honest question with current situation aside, how much from a business perspective has LAN helped you or is it more of a burden for you because of embargoes and reviews and such?
If I were to produce Lego content I don’t think I’d want the hassle of tax returns etc, I admire those that do though. It would always be a hobby to me. Think you’re doing a great job
I think you need to get some help. Things get tough, and if you can find someone that has been through it and come out the other side. I hope you look back at this video in a few years and recognise that this was the point you realised something had to change. With so much going on, it’s not always easy to notice you’re not Ok. The fact you made this video shows that you know something isn’t right, you just need to work out what you are going to do about it.
Maybe consider taking one single day a month to do NOTHING lego or business related and just hangout with the family or take your lovely wife on a day date. I was happy to see you took a disney trip together recently.
You're doing great work. You turned a hobby into a job and you showed that even your job can be fun because of the ideas you've put into your LEGO City and the creativity (at least to me) outdoes anyone or anything I've seen. You're also the reason I got back into LEGO and want to find ways to make more space by using shelves and bookcases. Just more or less wanted to say thank you Bricksie.
Great insights that not a whole lot of people are aware of! You need to make a schedule for yourself though, and you should still have the weekends for yourself and your family and take vacation as 9-5ers do. I do that and it helps keeping things "balanced". The subscribers will still be there even if we don't upload for a week or two!
But it is definitely a struggle in so many aspects! If we get sick there's no one to cover the business. If the kids get sick we need to tend for them and again, no one to cover the work that needs to be done. Definitely not the dream life people envision!
But a fun one regardless. Wouldn't change a thing :)
Sir we don’t just watch for the Lego, your a good dude and you inspire in lots of ways.
I have friends who own their own businesses and it is an insane amount of work. If they don't love the work it can be absolutely soul crushing. They live with a constant feeling of impending doom their business will fail and they will lose everything. They also have to deal with a ton of Canadian government regulations, designed to stop big companies abusing the system but creating a huge headache for small businesses in the process. Friends of mine lose sleep worrying they've missed some step or filing or law and there will be consequences.
As an IT manager who has always been an employee, I've never had a 9-5 job and I've never really had job security either. My job usually starts before 9am, stretches into the evening and often consumes weekends too. Difference is I'm working to make someone else a ton of money. Add to that the constant worry of layoffs in this industry, and it's hard not to think about the job when you are supposed to be "off the clock".
Basically having to earn money to live sucks regardless. If you enjoy what you do, you are winning in my book. All respect to you and what you've achieved, and good luck for the future.
I used to work in tech and was laid off 4 times in my career, just when I thought I was settling into a position and lifestyle. When that happens, you get stunted possibly years of progression. I said enough is enough and quit that career to start a business in a different line of work. If I fail, I want it to be on my terms, not some random layoff.
As a hopeful second generation business owner in Canada I couldn’t agree more I think about the what ifs everyday but I also have to remind myself to just work hard and be smart with my money and hopefully I will be able to make it work like my parents
I feel 100% of this. Thanks for being honest about the perils of content creation and the stresses. It’s a blessing and a curse for sure, but you have to keep finding the joy. If you can find ways to take out the parts that aren’t so joyful and hand those off to others that can be really helpful. Ex: pay an editor to edit and post your videos for you. That will cost money but the value of that mental burden and time gained back could be worth it. It also might allow you to then free your mind to make more content or work on other ideas you may have. You got this dude. ❤
I’m 50 & I’ve had the 9-5. My best bud owns a construction business. Both have pluses & minuses. Enjoy the good aspects of your livelihood & try to minimize the negatives. All jobs have both! If the minuses ever outweigh the pluses consistently over a fairly long period of time, make a change. I follow your content for Lego as much as I follow you for your business and life discussions. Just keep building your business and diversify like you said.
The main thing is you get to work on your passion! Work always has its negatives and positives. You will be fine because you learn from doing and changing things. Your future is bright and will grow and lead you to where you need too. Enjoy the hobby and keep moving forward!!
It's been awesome to watch this channel, and you're doing a great job!
My advice would be to start limiting yourself once you get settled into the new space. Allow yourself to "clock out" after 5 so to speak, go home and not have to worry about content or revenue. Its a work/life balance. With having the city in a separate space, it could work. Spend time with the wife and kids at home or elsewhere, build some Lego that you want to do, no need to film it. Just show it after if you're inclined to showing it off. If you want to put in "extra hours" here and there at work you can but no need to make it a regular thing. Take a weekend off! Nothing wrong with working hard all the time, as its done well for you, but there is such thing as burnout! Also, have ppl do other tasks for you to free up your time to do more important things. A lot of youtubers never allow anyone else to edit the videos, and i dont know why. It would free up a lot of their own time!
Been watching you from the beginning what an amazing journey. You described the growth of a business process really well. You work so hard and it’s great to show viewers it’s not easy Believe in yourself you are doing all the right things. !!
I really appreciate you putting this video out. People need to hear what all is involved with making a hobby into a business. And your honesty is refreshing.
I turned one of my hobbies into a home based business a few years back, and I found that o got to the point that I didn’t enjoy the hobby anymore. And even after I closed my online store, I did not go back to that hobby. I hope to get back to it one of these days.
Best of luck with the new space!
You’re doing a great job and also loving what you’re doing, which is the most important thing … if you love what you do, then it’s no longer a job it’s a passion!! I run two businesses here in the UK and have been for 15 years, I’ve grown those businesses and yes it’s hard work … but there is no better reward to yourself than seeing your hard work pay off!! Keep it up buddy, we all love what you do. 👍
A big part of why I watch your channel is that you’re sharing your passion and that is igniting mine. Thank you.
The dream of being a successful UA-camr is very common, I know so many people who do it as a side gig and hope to make it their full-time job. I appreciate your willingness to talk about the pluses and minuses of doing that. But mostly I want to say that the reason I do tune in to your site is because of your constant creativity and the wide variety in your videos. To come up with fresh ideas all the time had got to be a real challenge, but every time you've risen to it, shown your great enthusiasm for new builds, dealt with obstacles and keep finding a way to make it even better. Really, it's inspiring! Best wishes to you as you take this endeavor to a new level.
Man I typed my comment a bit mid video, watched more then had to double back. Ride this train as long as you can. I work a hybrid job which allows me to work from home often, but with your kids man making your own schedule is key. Being able to be home with them and see them during your breaks is INVALUABLE. The 9-5 is good to have the mental checkout but not worth the demands of having to be locked in to a schedule. Maybe its just me but stress is present on both sides of the coin, as someone who plans to become self employed I envy what you've built!
The thing is, there's good and bad to EVERY job. It's all in where your priorities are. I work a 9-5 that does't pay great and I don't love, but it's something that I don't have to think about outside of those hours and I also have a really good amount of vacation time. The freedom of having that vacation time and not having any work outside of those M-F hours means I can prioritize my private life. With your job you don't have a lot of time where you don't have to think about work and you have a lot of responsibility that I wouldn't want, but I'm envious of the actual job being something fun that you enjoy. There's always trade offs. You just have to make sure that your overall happiness and mental health is where you want it to be! Thank you for all of your hard work and providing a lot of great things for your viewers to enjoy.
Thank you for making these kind of videos. I love it when you talk about your experience. Can you make more videos like these. Or a behind the scenes series’s about your average work week daily responsibilities.
There are a few 12 yo kids who need to know this. They think they just make videos and have fun and make money. And they will be able to buy a house and get groceries etc on that money . When you ask kids what they want to do and they say ….vlogger, it reminds me of when computer s first came out , everybody wanted to be a computer tech. Thanks for putting this out there .
Excellent video... there is far more to what you have found out is now not just a hobby, passion. It's a full time all consuming revenue producing job and with that comes all that you have described in detail. Kind of like the military slogan that was once used here in the states "IT NOT JUST A JOB ITS AN ADVENTIURE" LOL. Fun, exciting, ever changing, time consuming, rewarding BUT never the less still now a JOB! The best part is you have looked at it from all sides and have already thought of and found ways to balance both work and your beautiful family. You have and will continue to learn and grow with each passing day, plus you have Jose and those adorable children to remind you each and every day what is truly priority number one! Be safe and well!
My parents were small business owners and my siblings and I have great childhood memories of going out on jobs with Dad in the weekends but also him doing bookwork at night, like quotes. All three of us got jobs with the government, I'm a nurse (retired now) my sister a teacher and brother a civil engineer in traffic management, was that because we saw all that behind the scenes stuff..... Anyway you should give that talk in schools to all those ten year olds who want to be a UA-camr when they grow up because all they see is the fun part on their device. If anyone does work experience with you make sure they do all the other stuff and only get to build one thing in the week.
I know exactly how you feel bricksie being an owner myself it can be stressful n scary. I put in on average 65 hours a week pursuing my passion n deffinatly thinking about it and the future n that's what keeps giving me fresh new ideas to keep it going and becoming more successful. It's scary but you've got the drive n I see you being able to more than succeed. Your actions speak for themselves n it's a path to success.
I am so impressed with you doing a UA-camr as a full time job,you are really amazing!Keep up the great work you will always be our inspiration!😊👍💪👍
Hey bricksie you ain’t missing out the 9-5 jobs, I’m in construction so I work 8-12hrs daily and then after work I try to to make content for UA-cam! It get really tiring but it will pay off in the end!
Your are the very reason we started a channel to start. Thank you for your videos and your ideas and sharing your family. 😎
As a small business owner myself, the "no escaping" is 100% accurate. I can theoretically go on vacation and leave the business in my employee's hands for a couple weeks, but I won't be able to fully enjoy the time off. Golden handcuffs, as they say.
You can also have the things you feel are missing. Its all in the mindset as what you "allow" yourself to do and what not. But its basically you denying yourself some things. Find the right balance and all will be fine, even more, better! Because the happier/rested you are the more you can keep going and have a fresh mind. The business if its a good business (which it is) will not crumble if you put yourself first. Always love yourself more! Big congrats on everything you accomplished so far!
100% agree that there is more to being a content creator than people think. I used to think it would be easy. Then I started a channel, lol. Love your content!
Love to hear about the back end of the business! I am glad to work my 5 hour shifts as a delivery driver. More steady pay and easier taxes than app work. Have you looked into forming an official Lego User Group or LUG with your new space? With how much Lego you need to buy to fill the space, the LUG Bulk discount would be a big benefit in itself. Your core members would be perhaps 2 to 3 other people, insured with paperwork, who will have an interest in protecting the space. They can help keep the place up, build these big projects, and bring new ideas. Something to think about. Cheers!
I'm only 1 Lego fan, but I've watched other Lego UA-camrs, your vision for your city, and your genuine enthusiasm puts you firmly out in front of your peers. Your presentation skills are natural, from your first city video, you are the meat in this Lego and Life sandwich.
The grass is always greener on the other side… All of these thoughts certainly resonate with me, and I’m sure many others, but while content creators are living the dream, it is not without sacrifice. In contrast, I’ve learned that it’s best to choose doing what you love most, because life will be always be tiring and stressful no matter what, and it’s the passion for your work that keeps you motivated. Although you have to be your own boss, it’s better than having one above you who you may not believe in.
Just came to say, you are my favourite Lego content creator. You are such a pleasant host to watch, so open and honest. Good energy :) and the way you film is pleasant to watch. Hope you are proud of yourself and what you have created with your hard work!
You are doing a great job- comes with lots of work and we appreciate all your efforts and behind the scenes work you and Mrs Bricksie put into it. With the studio it will hopefully give you more of a work/life balance. Looking forward to the new studio videos 😊
You built up a wonderful company and should be very proud for what you have done!! And: Don't be envious of that "9-5" job; you don't need to put up with ugly company politics and a toxic work environment. I am very happy that I personally was able to escape that nonsense and reture. I know, there are cons of owning your own business, but I think the pros outweigh the cons big time!
I have done exactly the same thing. I had a successful business wrapped around my hobby. I could make money from my hobby. Wonderful. And when it became a chore. I loathed it. Just the same. No escape from its constant upkeep and even on vacations it was on my mind, or I was making calls or answering emails... I weighed it all out. And I told my Family I was going to sell my business and quit. They Said I was crazy. I had the America dream. But I was not happy. And not healthy, was neglecting even myself. I did it I quit. And I realized now looking back. It was a great springboard to get a house and cars. And then settle in to a comfortable pace if work and health. And now I do the same thing but simpler, I sell my hobby online and keep a pace I prefer. I am happy for my springboard. It was the key to my success. And now I'm happy to make the pace way simplified. And u can only do that from my earlier success. Semiretired lol at a young age is nice. And i soent my time with my young Family better now. I'm proud of i chose a simpler path ❤ Scrooge ✨️
The 9-5 job can sound appealing but it's got plenty of pitfalls too. One big thing is that most people in a 9-5 job are not in control of their own work - they have a boss, and often multiple layers of bosses above their boss. The 9-5 can feel like a prison if your personal goals are not well aligned with your company's goals, or if you just don't enjoy parts of the job.
As a content creator, you have a lot of freedom and are in control as your own boss, although it might not feel that way when you are chasing the ever-evolving algorithm. Being your own boss carries extra stress, but having control over your life usually leads to a more fulfilling career. Good luck! Maybe you can find some other contributors to do some content too, to give you a little more space to breath when you need it.
You just turned fun into work…lol. Have fun with it and if you continue to wake up every morning loving what you are doing you have found the magic formula.
Coming from someone in a similar situation; get out of the house & meet up more with friends.
I understand it's really tough with the young kids, but going out with your girl atleast once a week is necessary.
We mostly do one week just the 2 of us & the next week we go out with friends and just repeat.
Any activity will do if you have got some good friends.
Continue following your dreams, Jordan! We all love the content!
You are doing a great job. I myself find it hard to separate work form home life sometimes because you are always thinking about something. Be sure to take some days (when you need) to recharge, spend time with family and when you go back you will find you are so much more refreshed.
This amazing journey you in of becoming a full Lego person is what atrac me to this Chanel how can you make this a susefull businessman out of Lego and handle or your responsibility it amaze-me the things you come up love it and support it thank you you inspired a lot off people to do something they think is impossible ❤
Being a subscriber for years, remembering your old videos, after all you said about how your hobby and life has changed, I still have the impression you now have more time for building lego sets than you had while you were working as a manager for another company. Although it might feel different.
It's new to you because you're young and for a long time young people starting a business was a rare thing, but these days, social media and especially UA-cam have opened up opportunities to young people that never realistically existed before. The career ladder isn't really a thing anymore, but I, as Gen X, sadly didn't realise that until it was too late for me to course correct. You've got things laid out ahead of you, and you have a lot of online resources to assist you that should let you succeed. Good luck with it!
This video was really great, you’re a big inspiration!
I have the same experience as you pretty much. Started a Lego investing business next to my regular 9-5 and I'm pretty deep in at this point. The taxes, admin and moving around this stuff between storage spaces is serious work and I'm not even really selling a lot at this point. I recently came to the conclusion that even though it's a cool business, it's not worth the toll it's taking on me. I guess in your case the overhead and especially the pressure is a lot to take. Honestly it's probably not sustainable what you're doing in the long run (is any UA-cam channel?), but I would just take it 1 year at a time and see where it takes you.
As all business is it stressful but you do what you love 🤟
Jordan - You do a great job, love the content. Been checking in over the years how you have developed the lego room, wish mine was as big! Keep up the fantastic work.
I've always had the 9-5 job, Mon to Fri, and I'll tell you it's absolutely a living he ll absolutely hate it 😢
break the mold brother, pursue your own happiness. time is the most valuable thing you have
I've never really appreciated how much work goes in behind the scenes. With me being a young person, I've never had the experience of dealing with all the necessary "extras" that you do. I have a whole new level of respect for you, even higher than it was before. I love the content so keep up the great work
Great transparency. Thank you.
Every job/businesses has their there struggles my father was a business owner. My husband is a CPA/ account. I've seen both. One you are tied the the Monday through Friday. If you are salaried you may have longer days and work on the weekend to get the job done. If you own a business and take time for family you are not getting paid and stress of the company being on you. But at least that is within your control. The otherside is you work for the man. I've watched your videos. I think you would regret working for the man. You are doing great...no regrets. Keep moving forward😊
17:09 Existential crisis lol we all have moments like these just keep plugging away and creating this amazing thing! Very excited to see what the future holds for you
This is the stuff I think about whenever someone tells me I should turn my hobbies into a job. I just want to relax and do my hobby. I don't want to deal with all of the other stuff of running a business. That takes it from a hobby into areas that are, to me, less fun. I very much appreciate coming home and forgetting about my job. I like being able to unplug and just build some Lego. I think that people that can turn their hobby into a fun job are amazing, and I am sometimes envious. But every time I think about really doing it myself, I think about all the stuff that comes along with it. And I know it would make the hobby less fun for me.
I envy you and respect all you do. I don't think I could ever do it.
I know how you feell bricksie. I help my parents run a bait shop while working at tractor supply part time, my dad work 40+ hours in a manufacture/distribution plant and having to work help in the bait shop. Now sinces he retired because loosing his eyesight he comes over to the shop and talks to the customers plus he wants to help but the circumstances of his eyes is getting in his way but he feels better just talking and joking with the people that comes into the shop than running the shop
I did 9-5 landscaping and for the last 10 years I've been a full time self employed glassblower. So I've seen both sides.
Positive of 9-5
Weekends off
Time stop at 5 and u get to relax
Negatives
Not your own boss
Often dead end positions
Not appreciated
Overworked
Underpaid
I'll take self employed ftw
It’s your 1st child…. You can’t not think of it, but you balance ALL THE children. Love them all. I’ve watched a couple of handfuls of videos - found you yesterday. Haven’t seen you build anything yet 😉 That city is AMAZING! Hire trusted people to help you, and if you don’t trust them with your visions….lose them fast.
Grass is always greener on the other side. You’re doing great work.
You do fantastic work and looking forward seeing your new Place can't wait xx
Keep it up Jordan, you are doing an amazing job with you channel and your family
Bricksie is living my dream man, lives in Alberta, has a basement full of LEGO ( soon to be a warehouse ) I’m stuck in BC where to buy a house you are looking like 1mil + 😢😂❤
Totally get what you mean about no longer having a hobby i tried a bit of content creating, and found having to set up the camera get the right angles thinking of what im going to say, it took so much time when all i wanted to do was unwind and build a set. My time is so limited with a full time job and a 2 year old child so i gave up with the content creating which was upsetting because i did enjoy it. But i totally get you.
Ironically, I started watching the channel regularly to deal with how stressful my 9 to 5 job is. With hiring freezes my 9 to 5 is now an 8 to 8 most days. Working for someone else might solve some problems but it definitely adds others you don't want. I wonder if you could add more sponsors and hire an office manager to handle the corporate side while you work the "talent" side. At your size almost all the other channels I see have at least 2-3 others working on staff. There's no shame in getting help.
I'm not sure about Canada, but in the states, there are companies that small business can hire to do all that other stuff such as taxes, payroll, benefits, etc... so you can focus on your actual business (in this case Lego) ... they are like an all in one.
The best job is the job you love and enjoy doing it , some suggestions : please add new (3 in 1) creator sets (giraffe , fox , pink parrot + alt builds of em) those are best sets of lego with very well design (you already have tiger, blue parrot and king fisher & 3 awesome bugs) ... and finally add this new big technic super car ( with cheap price u show in last video) its a french super car (call it pejhu in english) your technic super car collection will be complete with it and in new place you will have so much space for 1 more big set like that. thank you for cool videos . (You live the life that I Dream and i will probably never be able to achieve... so you keep it and hold on tight)
I love cars, I turned that into a business 20 years ago by becoming a car detailer. I get to work on some awesome cars, but it’s also a business, which has meant a skill has had to develop to include sales, marketing, admin, accounts and development. Not things I originally planned on.
Would I go back to PAYE? No. I now have full control.
Very interesting reflections. I hope once your warehouse is set up the way you are envisioning it that you will be able to relax more.
To have own business is always challenge. But you are doing amazing job 😉
This was an interesting video, thanks Bricksie!
I love watching your video's, , I do lego builds for my mental health keeps me at a good level, couldn't do the road you've gone down
You are doing a great job.
I have so much respect for what you do and how you do it i have also a dream to have my own space for my lego collection but i dont no where to start so i see your movies and maybe i can create the time and the space i need tanks for your inspiration and make videos and flogs Everyday
@Bricksie - could you please create a video about your channel growth?
how long did it took for you to get 100 subscribers? 1000?
and maybe some statistics of your early days?
After over a decade of not having 9-5... i have my first one at a Bricks & Minifigs i helped open.
I know i can only stay on payroll for a year at most.
I miss the free flow of schedule working my business.
Hi there, watching this gives me second thoughts about "Making LEGO a business" sometimes cause I AM physically disabled & probably couldn't handle doing the things you spoke about. My dream IS becoming a UA-cam content creation "business", but probably not as intense as yours. I can see the downsides too, like for instance, my mom passed away last month. What IF i was a "business" as large as yours? Could I take the time off to "mourn", and the answer I "hear" is "NO", I'd have to keep going anyway, creating videos everyday, where-as how "small" I am now with NO revenue coming in, i can take time off for things like that. I even wonder, I'm 57 years old and am turning 58 tomorrow....yes, my birthday is tomorrow (Feb 20th), and I'm not getting any younger. What would happen once I'm "gone"? Is there anyone to take over? NO, it would just come to a screeching halt! That scares me, a lot! I DO have a "LIVE" tomorrow (3pm PST) & am thinking about doing similar to what you did here.....hmmm. It does seem easier to being able to say it out loud & have input from others, so I think i WILL do the same, thank you! I have a lot to think about.... Great video!
Great job Jordan
Great video, it made me think more about your work and appreciate what you do. I think meditation would help you think less when you need to rest your mind and reduce your stress levels. Thanks for sharing!
If you have such job, you will also not have the same amount of money at the end of the month so the stress will be : can take food to the family every time it's needed.
What I want to say is that I think that life is complicated for everyone.
And you can't try another one because it's your life, but I think that you can be proud of what you achieved so far.
412 000 people around the world are waiting for your video, that's huge ! That's not nothing, really what an adventure that we called life and everybody are heroes of their own life!
I'm helping my son start his UA-cam LEGO journey. I want to give him the tools to succeed. I've explained to him there is a lot of people that do this and not to be hurt if he doesn't get views. He seems to want to do this just for fun at this point. I'm happy as his Dad to help him reach his goals. We have a nice camera, mic and lighting. Any tips on Editting? what program to use? Any tips in that regard would be appreciated.
I work the 9-5 m-f hustle. There is still some of the same stresses and emotions especially as a husband/dad/homeowner etc. I work for a big fortune 500 company but I treat it like they are letting me us their space to run my own small business in a way.
I’m on the other end of the spectrum. I have a job I love which is not even 9 to 5 but more like 10 to 4. Due to that the pay is not very high but on the bright side it happens to be an incredibly trustworthy source of income as labor laws basically assure I can’t get fired unless I consciously screw up. I can’t even imagine running my own company and to me it feels like a nightmare.
Keep going and u are awesome ignore self doubt and Judy keep going
Good video, while Lego is expensive and a key part of your overhead costs, Lego does have the advantage of being a decent investment on top of the revenue produced from the content. Compare that to other UA-camrs who have expense overheads but are left with no investment after they produce the content.
''the reward is the journey''
Now that you are getting a studio it is going to be come more challenging.. anyway, keep creating good content. any business you own the questions of is it going to continue is always the same question.. this is why i came to conclusion that i don't want to be a business owner. I am a so called corp job nine to five person. but, i must tell you i do have similar concern like you.. even thought i start at nine i rarely finish at five.. I do answer business calls after business hours.. I find that the stresses of being a business owner is the same stresses of being an employee will it continue..
I remember the 100k stream still
Yes it is, I’m very jealous I’ve been trying and trying to get my Instagram big with my legos and my city but just don’t seem to be able to get very big, so yes you are loving the dream
Thanks for this video, it was enlightening. Question, Do you think you’ll hire someone to do the accounting and some of the administrative aspects of your company especially as the kids get older and start taking up a lot of weekend time with activities, sports, and birthday parties. Love your channel make sure you don’t burnout.
The video says 11h ago, the UA-cam algorithm didn't show it then. Did anyone else get delayed?
Yes your job is growing in complexity but you've got 400,000+ people around the world rooting for you and I think we all want you to be happy
I think if you want to have the regular work life feel it might pay you to cut back from daily videos to a couple videos a week and then you can get ahead a lot easier (especially when your sick)
I work 6 days a week 10 hrs a day 6 am to 4 pm 6 - 12 on saturdays that 56 hrs a week beside that you do a good job keep it up👍👍👋👋🍺🍺
Why have you stopped posting on your other channel?
I’m going to guess he’s been really busy with the new place
Ok Bricksie im sorry but nothing last forever im 23 and disabled and i was bitter that i can’t do anything that i want to do and if im going to survive for more then 20 years and all nasty stuff but the i was just fk everything and just i don’t care about anything so now i just do a day by day so im not sure if this will work for you but my main point is just take it day by day
I guess it's always something of a "grass is always greener..." situation about everything. :)
Fellow self-employed busniness owner here. You just need to hire a CEO, CFO, CSO and CMO. Then you are 100% free to do what you want 😅
Like anything if you are doing it for profit, it is a job and there will always be work associated with it. I can think of a lot worse jobs though.
Honest question with current situation aside, how much from a business perspective has LAN helped you or is it more of a burden for you because of embargoes and reviews and such?
If you plan like 2 weeks ahead and then go in vacation without Lego that’s a option to take a break
If I were to produce Lego content I don’t think I’d want the hassle of tax returns etc, I admire those that do though. It would always be a hobby to me. Think you’re doing a great job
I think you need to get some help. Things get tough, and if you can find someone that has been through it and come out the other side. I hope you look back at this video in a few years and recognise that this was the point you realised something had to change. With so much going on, it’s not always easy to notice you’re not Ok. The fact you made this video shows that you know something isn’t right, you just need to work out what you are going to do about it.
I'm a bookkeeper hence I do Lego to relax 😂There is no "regular 9 to 5 work" that you leave behind.
Maybe consider taking one single day a month to do NOTHING lego or business related and just hangout with the family or take your lovely wife on a day date. I was happy to see you took a disney trip together recently.