Why 9-to-5ers Make Unlikely YouTube Stars

If you’re a 9-to-5 worker who thinks, “I’d love to start a YouTube channel, but who would watch me?” — you’re not alone. It’s easy to think only influencers or people with tons of free time belong on the platform. But here’s the twist: you, with your daily hustle, are exactly the type of person people want to watch. Let’s explore why, as an ordinary 9-to-5er, you might be perfectly suited to start a YouTube channel today.

Relatability is Your Superpower

Viewers often crave authenticity. As a 9-to-5er, you bring real-life experiences that resonate with people. Many top creators started as “ordinary” people, like Sorted Food, which grew from “mates cooking at home” to a multi-million subscriber channel.

Ali Abdaal, a former NHS doctor, Ali initially created content about medical school, study tips and the occasional guitar cover. His channel skyrocketed as he expanded into productivity, personal finance, and general self-improvement topics, appealing to a broad audience of professionals and students alike.

A recent Google article highlights that viewers prefer creators who show “real life” rather than overly polished content, making ordinary people relatable icons for many viewers. Authenticity and relatability are valued as highly as good audio and video.

Look at it this way, imagine being at a party where everyone’s talking about exotic holidays. Far away, white sandy beaches, with tropical fish cruising the shores. At the same time, here’s you, the person sharing stories about surviving Monday mornings on high quantities of coffee. Whilst we often assume it’s the fantastical and rare stories people want to hear, actually, they are often drawn to more relatable people.

Leveraging Career Experience: Turning Expertise into Content

One of the most valuable assets a creator can bring to YouTube is real-world career experience.

Channels built around sharing professional insights allow creators to leverage their years in the field, creating content that’s both educational and authentic.

Take Roger Wakefield, a master plumber with decades of experience, as an example. His YouTube channel grew quickly, not because he set out to be an influencer but because he offered what few others could: first-hand expertise in plumbing.

Roger’s videos go beyond basic tutorials. He provides viewers with practical advice based on real-life scenarios he’s encountered, from emergency repairs to common household fixes. This isn’t theoretical knowledge — Roger’s been in the trenches, and his audience recognizes the difference.

His years of hands-on experience make his content not only informative but also trustworthy. He’s built credibility that new or less-experienced creators can’t replicate, allowing him to stand out in the crowded DIY and home improvement space​

Why does your career based experience work?

• Authenticity: Decades in the field make Roger’s advice credible. Viewers can tell he’s sharing hard-earned insights, which builds trust and loyalty.

• Education and Engagement: Career-based channels like Roger’s are inherently educational. He offers valuable tips while making technical topics accessible.

• Storytelling Potential: Sharing anecdotes from his career adds personality to the technical, making content relatable and memorable.

For 9-to-5ers considering a YouTube channel, remember that your career experience can be your greatest asset. Your stories, skills, and unique insights offer immense value - just like Roger’s.

Multitasking Champions: The Ultimate Content Managers

As a 9-to-5er, you’re probably already a pro at juggling work, family, and social life (by necessity!). You’re used to managing time efficiently, a skill directly applicable to YouTube, where creators handle multiple roles from scripting to editing. This multi-tasking capability is valuable in content creation, where efficient workflows are crucial.

Think of it like making tea in the office. You’ve got to time everything: boiling the kettle, handling emails, networking with colleagues, and making a quick escape before the next Zoom meeting. You know how to make every minute count, as you’ve got this down with military precision.

Those multi-tasking and time management capabilities you have acquired through your career and home life are going to be essential to create content consistently. You will be juggling the roles of researcher, writer, editor, producer and designer, until the point you may wish to outsource.

Creativity Thrives on Limitations

When we think of creativity, we often imagine boundless freedom — no limits, no deadlines, and all the resources we could want. But in reality, some of the most innovative ideas and effective work come from constraints. This paradox, where limitation breeds creativity, is a fascinating aspect of human ingenuity and productivity.

One of the best-known productivity principles, Parkinson’s Law, suggests that work will expand to fill the time allocated for its completion. If you’ve ever found yourself scrambling to finish a task just before the deadline, you’ve experienced this first-hand. When given an open-ended timeline, we often overthink, add unnecessary details, and lose sight of the core objective.

By setting strict time limits, we’re forced to prioritize, simplify, and innovate. For creators, this principle can be a powerful tool to increase productivity and stimulate new ideas. Whether it’s setting a deadline for finishing a video or working within a limited budget for a project, constraints challenge us to get creative with the resources we have, focusing on what’s essential and letting go of what’s not.

We know that you are one busy bee, you are short on time, so use that as an advantage and challenge yourself to complete your tasks in the time that you have, instead of waiting for someone to invent those extra 3 hours in a day.

You Already Know How to Engage an Audience

Whether it’s through presentations, client calls, or office banter, many 9-to-5ers are constantly communicating. This knack for engaging others transfers well to YouTube, where clear, relatable communication is key. It’s about finding interesting ways to talk about everyday life, and you’re already an expert in making mundane topics interesting.

Imagine every YouTube video as your daily lunch break with colleagues. You’re sharing stories, connecting over mutual frustrations, and bringing a slice of your personality — just on a broader scale.

Consistency is Second Nature

YouTube rewards consistency, which is built into every 9-to-5 job. Showing up daily, hitting deadlines, and maintaining schedules are second nature. These habits help you establish trust and reliability, a huge plus on YouTube. For most viewers, knowing when to expect new content builds loyalty and keeps them coming back.

Think of your YouTube channel like your daily commute. Just like the routine of waking up, eating, showering, dressing, leaving the home, and then catching the same train every day, showing up consistently for your audience builds familiarity and trust.

Conclusion

Being a “regular” 9-to-5er isn’t a disadvantage on YouTube; it’s your secret strength. Your relatability, multi-tasking skills, creativity, engagement, and consistency are exactly what audiences are looking for. Starting a channel doesn’t require being the next big influencer. It’s about connecting with people, sharing insights, and offering a window into real life. So if you’ve been wondering if you’re “YouTube material,” the answer is a resounding yes.

▶️ Filmora v14

Filmora has been my go to video editing software for a number of years. It is feature rich, affordable, capable and the learning curve is less brutal than other software’s.

Is it perfect? No. Especially when they go overboard with AI features that add zero value.

I don’t think any of these video editing apps are perfect, so its finding the right balance for your needs.

The news is that Filmora have just released version 14, a major release on their roadmap. Full of new features which you can read about here.

Keep your eyes peeled on my YouTube channel as I am going to do my usual deep dive and give you an honest opinion as to whether these features are fluff or gold, coming soon…

▶️ Video of the Week

In this newsletter I like to share what I have been watching myself on YouTube. None of the weird stuff don’t worry….

I am very much like you. I work full time in a mentally demanding job, I study, create content, and at the same time I have my family and a heap of responsibilities. So I like to watch videos that help me with all these things.

Yet, also….

I like to watch random sh#t from uber talented creators like the G.O.A.T when it comes to YouTube - Casey Neistat

Watch this video about one of the most random topics I have seen and let me know how much you can observe and take from it that could also improve your content too?