Alright everyone, get ready!
Cause today we are doing a deep dive.
Oooh, deep dive dive.
A deep dive into a side hustle that seems to be all the rage these days.
Okay.
Video editing.
Right.
Clearly everyone's talking about it.
You can make bank doing this.
Yeah.
I mean big bank.
Yeah, like five grand a month.
You know that guy, Emon Godsey?
Oh yeah.
Claims you can make like five thousand dollars a month.
Just editing videos?
Just editing videos.
Yeah, wild.
So we had to see if this was legit.
Had to test it out.
Or if it was all hype.
Right.
Luckily, we have this YouTuber Dan Corsby.
I love Dan Corsby.
Who actually took Emon's advice and put it to the test.
And like documented the whole thing.
Yeah, he filmed the whole journey.
Which is so cool.
So that's what we're gonna do today.
Okay, but break it down.
We're gonna break down Dan's experience.
See if it's real.
And see if this video editing side hustle.
Five thousand dollars a month.
Really is.
Is it really possible?
Oh, it's cracked up to be.
Yeah.
So, Emon Godsey.
He's really selling the dream here.
Oh, he is, he is.
Right.
He promises.
Big time.
That if you learn these video editing skills.
You could be making anywhere from.
A thousand bucks a month.
A thousand.
Up to five thousand a month.
Or more.
He says even more.
Even more, yeah.
He's really going for it.
It's pretty enticing.
It is.
If it's real.
Now what I thought was really cool about.
Okay.
Dan, the guy who made the YouTube video.
He already knows.
How to edit.
How to edit videos.
That's a good starting point.
So we get to like.
Skip the boring part.
Skip the whole like learning curve.
Section.
Yeah.
And jump straight into.
The good stuff.
How he actually made money doing this.
Right to the money.
Which I think is really helpful for our listeners.
Absolutely.
You know, they.
It's a head.
They can kind of skip ahead.
The part they don't care about.
The part where it's like, okay.
How do I actually.
Pick song.
Get paid.
Yeah.
But don't worry.
If you're listening to this and you're like.
I don't even know how to edit.
Oh my God.
I'm a total beginner.
I don't even know how to cut a clip.
Don't worry.
You're not out of the loop.
Out of the loop at all.
You can learn this stuff.
Totally.
Like there's tons of free resources.
Yes.
YouTube tutorials, still share.
All that stuff.
Easy peasy.
Yeah.
Anyone can learn.
Totally.
All right.
You got the skills.
Or the skills now what?
Now.
Because.
There's so many types of videos.
There are a million different types of videos out there.
What should you actually be editing to make this kind of money?
That's the real question.
Yeah.
Five grand a month.
Where's the money at?
Which videos, right?
All right.
So this is where I thought Dan got really smart.
Okay.
Let's hear it.
He decides to focus on short form content.
Like tiktoks, reels.
Oh yeah.
YouTube shorts.
All the short stuff.
All that stuff.
That's where it's at these days.
And there's a couple of really good reasons for this.
Okay.
I'm listening.
First off.
Videos are just faster and easier to edit.
Way faster.
Which means you can take on more clients.
More clients.
More money.
More work.
More money.
That's the goal.
Officially earn more money.
Exactly.
And second.
Second.
Think about it.
Everyone in their grandma.
Seriously.
Everyone.
Trying to make tiktoks and reels these days.
Reels.
Shorts.
So.
Huge demand.
The demand for editors who can.
I don't know how to do that.
Edit.
Software.
Honest stuff.
Especially that.
Is through the roof.
Skyhack.
Supply and demand.
Supply demand right.
100%.
You got to offer the skills.
That people want.
That the market is actually grieving.
Yeah.
Okay.
So.
You've got the skills.
You got the skills.
You know what to edit.
You know what kind of videos.
I know.
Yeah.
Now how do you find these clients who are just like dying.
Dying for an editor.
To get their videos edited.
Right.
Where are they hiding?
Dan went on the offensive.
I love that.
three pronged approach, okay.
YouTube, Instagram.
The trifecta.
And Facebook groups.
Love it.
For this particular experiment though.
Okay.
He focused on YouTube and Instagram.
Oh, no.
Which I love that he didn't just sit around.
Oh, no.
Waiting for clients to.
Fall into his lap.
Like fall into his lap.
No, you gotta.
He went out and found them.
You gotta hustle.
He was proactive.
That's what we like to see.
Yeah, that's the hustle.
The hustle is real.
We love to see.
Yes.
But here's the thing.
Okay.
He talks about how creators are absolutely.
Inundated.
From-
From every editor under the sun.
All the time.
Yeah.
Their inboxes are flooded.
Your inboxes are overflowing.
Overwhelmed.
It's like everyone wants to.
Everyone wants to edit videos these days.
Edit videos.
Right.
So how do you.
How do you stand out?
Stand out from the crowd.
That's the question.
You gotta have.
Yeah.
You gotta have more.
Than just basic skills.
Basic skills.
Right.
So how do you do it?
How did he do it?
Tell me.
That's the secret sauce.
Spill the tea.
How did Dan differentiate himself?
Okay.
So number one.
He offered free sample edits.
That's a good one.
So that potential clients could see.
See his style.
His style.
See the quality of his work first hand.
Without risk.
Before committing to hiring him.
Exactly.
Two.
Second.
Laser focused.
Laser focused on the benefits he could offer clients.
Yes.
Not just features.
Benefits.
He didn't just say.
Hey.
I can edit.
Hey I can edit.
Nobody cares about that.
Right.
He said.
I can solve your problem.
I can help you with this specific thing.
I can make your videos amazing.
That you're struggling with.
Yeah.
And make your videos amazing.
It's a whole different ball game.
So it's not just about editing.
It's about the client.
It's about understanding the client's needs.
Understanding their pain points.
And position yourself.
As the solution.
Yes.
Like a video editing superhero.
I love it.
Okay.
And.
The third thing.
Three.
This one's huge.
Okay.
Building trust and credibility.
People want to work with someone.
That they trust.
That they feel confident in.
Someone they believe can actually deliver.
That they know is going to get the job done.
Right.
So how do you do that?
How do you build that trust?
Especially online.
Right.
When you've never met these people in person.
So Dan focuses on his.
Instagram.
Instagram profile.
Yes.
Like he treats his profile.
Like a storefront.
Like a professional storefront.
Yeah.
Like this is my business.
Yeah.
He adds post showing off his best work.
The greatest hits.
He created highlights.
To show off his process.
To showcase his process and expertise.
And his personality.
And he wrote a bio.
A killer bio.
That made him sound like.
The ultimate video editing guru.
Yeah.
So it's like visual.
Creating a visual resume.
But it's on Instagram.
Yeah.
I mean.
First impressions are every.
First impressions are everything online.
And his profile just screams.
Hire me.
I'm awesome.
Hire me.
I'm amazing.
He hit me.
And this applies to any.
Any freelance work.
Freelance work.
Not just video editing.
Doesn't matter what you do.
Your online presence.
Is your calling.
Is your calling card.
You got to nail it.
It needs to be professional.
Polished.
And attention grabbing.
100%.
OK.
All right.
So he's got the skills.
He's got a killer Instagram.
He's got an awesome Instagram.
He's got his strategy dialed in.
Strategy's ready.
Time to hunt.
Time to find some clients.
Let's go get them.
All right.
So this is where he went all in.
OK.
Tell me.
He sent out.
40.
Direct messages and comments.
Wow.
That's a lot.
On Instagram and YouTube.
OK.
In just two hours.
Two hours he was busy.
Talk about hustle.
40 messages.
Wow.
That's a lot.
I'm impressed.
But.
But did it work?
I guess the key is to just like.
Cast a wide net.
Cast a wide net and just see.
See what you catch.
What you catch.
Exactly.
But did anyone actually respond to these messages.
Like 40 messages did anyone even write back.
Yeah.
Right.
So.
So drumroll please.
This is where it gets interesting.
OK.
Are you ready.
I'm ready.
He had a 25% response rate.
That's huge.
25% that means like.
One in four people responded.
One out of every four people.
That he messaged.
Wow.
Responded to him.
That's amazing.
Which shows that there's a real.
Hunger.
Like a real need.
For good editors.
For skilled video editors.
People are looking for this.
And people are actively looking for them.
Yes.
OK.
So.
All right. So he's getting responses.
He's getting responses.
But did they turn into gigs.
Did he get clients.
Did any of those responses turn into.
Real paying work.
Actual paying gigs.
Yeah.
Did he manage to land any clients.
All right.
Spill the beans.
All right.
Did he do it.
So he did it.
And this is where.
The free samples.
Those free samples.
The time into play.
That we talked about earlier.
Yeah.
Really came in handy.
OK.
I'm interested.
Because he had a few potential clients.
OK.
Who wanted to see his work.
In action.
Makes sense.
Before they committed to actually hiring him.
Of course.
Got to see what you can do.
Yeah.
Right.
Got to see the skills.
So he had to put in some work up front.
A little bit of work.
Even if it wasn't immediately.
Bring it in the big bucks.
Bring it in the cash.
Yeah.
But.
Mark Rove though.
Those free samples.
They do double duty.
Did double duty.
Yeah.
They helped him build a portfolio.
Showcase of skills.
Showcase of skills and style.
Mm hmm.
It led to a client.
It led to him landing.
The first one.
His very first paying client.
That's what we want to see.
Drum roll please.
All right.
How much did he make.
OK.
Tell me.
All right.
So.
Yeah.
His first client.
Yeah.
Hired him to edit a YouTube video.
OK.
Nice.
And he earned 40 bucks for it.
40 bucks.
Not bad.
Not bad for a first client.
40 bucks might not sound like a fortune.
It's not millions.
But it's a start.
This is just the beginning.
It's up a foot in the door.
It's proof of concept.
That this is real.
That this side hustle can actually generate income.
You can actually make money doing this.
And guess what.
OK.
Tell me more.
It's even better.
Oh.
All right.
Let's do some math.
Crunch some numbers.
Yeah.
And see what kind of.
Earning potential.
Being money.
He's looking at that.
Based on.
The clients he got.
The clients that he secured.
All right.
I'm ready.
So.
He snagged one client.
OK.
Who was willing to pay him.
All right.
$30.
30 bucks.
Per Instagram reel.
Per reel.
With a $20 bonus.
Oh nice.
A bonus.
If the reel.
Hits 100,000 views.
Hi.
So if he edits.
About 10 reels a month.
Around 10 reels a month for this client.
He could be making anywhere from $300 to $500.
Just from that one person.
Just from that one client.
Yeah.
Not too shabby.
Not bad.
What about the others?
All right.
What about the other clients?
So another client wants him to edit.
A whole mix.
All sorts of videos.
Like what?
YouTube videos.
OK.
Instagram videos.
TikTok videos.
Even videos for their website.
For their website.
Wow.
And they're willing to pay him.
Between $30 and $50 per video.
That's a good range.
All right.
So let's do some calculations.
If we do the math.
Assuming he edits 10 videos a month for them.
10 videos a month.
OK.
But looking at another.
$300 to $500.
From that client.
So that's hold on.
$600 to $1,000.
$600 to $1,000 a month.
Just from two clients.
From just two clients.
That's incredible.
And remember.
Yeah.
This is all.
From those 40 messages.
From those 40 initial messages he sent out.
That's immediate.
The potential here.
The potential is huge.
He's insane.
Yeah.
And he had a bunch of other potential clients.
Really?
Who expressed interest.
OK.
But he didn't even have time.
He didn't have time to follow up.
To follow up with them.
Wow.
He was too busy.
Because he was already.
He was already booked.
So busy.
Wow.
Imagine if he'd been able to pursue all those leads.
That's insane.
So what you're saying is.
There's room to grow.
There's serious room to scale this thing up.
Oh yeah.
And what's really fascinating is that Dan.
He doesn't plan to edit all these videos himself.
Oh OK.
Forever.
Interesting.
He's got bigger plans.
All right.
Tell me.
He actually talks about.
Outsourcing.
Yes.
The editing work.
Sorry.
As his client list grows.
So he can focus on the bigger picture.
So he can focus on landing new clients.
Yeah.
And managing projects.
Smart.
He's already thinking like a CEO.
I love that.
Yeah.
Like he's building a mini agency.
It's like a mini agency.
Right.
He's the head honcho.
And he's got a team of editors.
He's orchestrating everything.
Yeah.
And he's got.
Talented editors.
A team of talented editors.
Yeah.
Handling.
The actual work.
He's got the system.
And that's a model.
That can be replicated.
That can be replicated for so many other side hustles.
Oh yeah.
For sure.
Not just video editing.
Doesn't matter what you do.
Writers.
Graphic designers.
Virtual assistants.
Anything.
You can scale up.
If it's service based.
Any service based business.
You can scale it.
By building a team.
Yeah.
That's so empowering.
It is.
It means that you're not limited to.
Trading your time for money.
Yeah.
You can create systems and build a team.
Yeah.
That allows you to actually grow your income exponentially.
So much potential.
All right.
So we've seen how Dan.
Has landed clients.
Has managed to land these clients.
And made money.
And actually start making money.
Yeah.
But let's be real.
Video editing is just one piece.
Of the puzzle.
Yeah.
There's a whole lot more to being.
A successful freelancer.
There's more to it.
Right.
We've barely scratched the surface here.
We've got so much more to talk about.
This deep dive.
Is just getting started.
Stay tuned.
One thing that I thought was really interesting.
OK.
About Dan's approach.
Yeah.
Was how he really focused on the pain points of creators.
Oh yeah.
Yeah.
Like he really understood.
Yeah.
What they were struggling with.
And he used that.
To his advantage.
Yeah.
He positioned himself as the solution.
This is smart.
Not just I'm good at editing.
Right.
But I can solve your problem.
Exactly.
I understand your struggles.
He did his homework.
He knew.
Knew exactly what.
What was keeping those creators up at night.
Yeah.
What were some of those pain points.
OK.
So he mentioned creators often struggle with finding editors.
OK.
That are consistent.
Ah.
Consistent stuff.
Yeah.
Like one video is great.
Right.
The next one's a flop.
I can only imagine.
And then missed deadlines.
Oh no.
Poor communication.
Poor.
Lack of creativity.
So frustrating.
Right.
And for creators.
Especially.
Who are trying to build a brand.
Trying to grow an audience.
Yeah.
Consistency is key.
So so key.
And like unreliable editors can really mess that up.
Oh yeah.
For sure.
And that's where Dan saw his opportunity.
Yeah.
He's like I'm reliable.
I'm high quality.
I'm the solution.
I can make your life easier.
So smart.
He was speaking their language.
Yeah.
He totally guessed it.
And that builds trust.
Huge.
It's not just about the technical skills.
Right.
It's about understanding the needs.
Building relationships.
Building those relationships.
OK.
So let's go back to that volume game for a second.
OK.
Remember how Dan sent out 40 messages.
40 messages.
Two hours.
In just two hours.
It was a bold move.
But it paid up.
25% response rate.
That's incredible.
It's a numbers game, right?
It is.
You just got to put yourself out there.
Put yourself out there.
Yeah.
Even if it's scary.
Even if it feels scary.
A lot of people.
So many people.
Get stuck in that fear of rejection.
I know.
It's hard.
They don't want to reach out.
They don't want to hear no.
They're afraid of hearing no.
Yeah.
But you can't win if you don't play.
So true.
That applies to.
Everything in life.
So many things in life.
Not just side hustles.
Yeah.
You have to be willing to take risks.
Just switch yourself out there.
And you know, the more you do it.
The easier it gets.
You build that confidence.
Yeah.
You refine your pitch.
You get better at it.
And you start seeing results.
OK, let's switch gears for a second.
OK.
Talk about scaling up.
All right.
Scaling up.
Dan mentioned briefly.
Yeah.
That he plans to outsource.
Smart.
Some of the editing work.
That's thinking ahead.
As his business grows.
Yeah.
He actually talked about looking for.
Other editors.
Other video editors.
Who are to partner with.
So that he could.
Focus on the bigger picture stuff.
Yeah.
Landing clients.
Managing projects.
He's already thinking like a CEO.
He's got that CEO mindset.
It's like he's building a mini agency.
A mini agency.
I love that.
Right.
He's like the head honcho.
He's the boss.
He's orchestrating everything.
He could all happen.
And he's got his team.
The team of editors.
Of talented editors.
Yeah.
Handling the actual work.
I love that model.
And that model can be replicated.
For so many other side hustles.
Oh yeah.
For sure.
It doesn't have to be just video editing.
Writers.
Graphic designers.
Virtual assistants.
Yeah.
Anyone.
You can scale up any.
Service based business.
You build that team.
By building a team.
Yeah.
That's so empowering.
It's so empowering.
It means you're not limited to.
Trading your time for money.
Just trading your time for money.
Yeah.
You can build something bigger.
You can create systems.
His stuff.
And build a team.
That works for you.
That allows you to grow your income exponentially.
So much potential.
OK.
So we've seen how Dan.
Definitely the clients.
Has managed to land these clients.
Started making money.
And start making money.
Yeah.
But video editing.
It's just one piece of the puzzle.
There's so much more to it.
There's a whole lot more to being a successful freelancer.
Absolutely.
Right.
We need to talk about financial management.
Yes.
The money stuff.
Staying up to date with the latest trends.
Yeah.
The industry is always changing.
And building a rock solid online presence.
All of that is so important.
All crucial for long term success.
100%.
So much more to unpack.
This deep dive is just getting started.
OK.
So you've convinced me.
Free samples.
Yeah.
They can be a great way.
Get your foot in the door.
Showcase your skills.
So totally.
But it can feel a little weird.
Giving away your work for free.
It feels wrong.
Right.
Like you should be getting paid for this.
Yeah.
Like I'm good at this.
Yeah.
Why am I doing this for free?
Right.
So how do you.
How do you get over it?
How do you reframe that.
Yeah.
Think of it as an investment.
OK.
You're investing in your portfolio.
OK.
You're gaining experience.
You're earning the trust of potential clients.
So it's not just about getting that first gig.
No.
It's about the long game.
It's about building those long term relationships.
Exactly.
Improving your worth.
Showing them what you can do.
And Dan's first paying client.
Yeah.
Came from a free sample.
It works.
So it's a strategy that can actually lead to.
Real paid work.
Yeah.
But of course.
You don't want to be doing it forever.
You don't want to be giving away your time and talent forever.
Right.
You got to start charging at some point.
So how do you know.
When to make that switch.
When to stop offering freebies.
Yeah.
When to suck.
And start charging.
What's the balance there.
You got to be strategic about it.
OK.
You could offer like a short clip.
OK.
Or a portion of a longer video.
OK.
As a sample.
Got it.
So you're showing them your style.
Without giving away the whole thing.
Exactly.
Like a teaser.
It's like a little sneak peek.
A sneak peek.
To get him hooked.
Of your amazing editing skills.
That's the goal.
OK.
So you've got some clients under your belt.
You're feeling good.
You're feeling confident.
Hmm.
Now what.
Now comes the scary part.
The scary part.
Oh no.
Setting your rates.
Then then then.
How do you even know what to charge.
Right.
It's a mystery.
It feels like a mystery.
OK.
So.
Secret.
Research is your best friend.
OK.
See what other editors are charging.
OK.
With similar experience and skills.
OK.
So look at other people.
Yeah.
Look at job boards.
Look at what people are charging.
Freelance platforms.
OK.
You can even reach out to other editors.
Oh interesting.
And just get a sense of what's standard.
OK.
It's like a little intel gathering.
So it's like a combination of knowing your worth.
Yeah.
But also understanding the market.
Understanding the market.
Yeah.
You don't want to undervalue yourself.
Don't sell yourself short.
But you also don't want to price yourself out.
Out of the game.
Yeah.
Totally.
So how do you find that sweet spot.
It's a little bit of trial and error.
And don't be afraid to adjust your rates.
OK.
As you get more experience you get better.
You can charge more.
I love that.
Your value increases.
You have the power.
You do.
To decide your earning potential.
Absolute.
So motivating.
It is.
And remember.
Yeah.
You're not just charging for your time.
No.
You're charging for your creativity.
For your expertise.
Your technical skills.
Your unique style.
The value that you bring.
Value you bring to your clients.
To your clients.
Right.
It's more than just time.
OK.
Speaking of value.
OK.
Dan mentioned that he.
Wants to specialize.
Wants to specialize in a certain.
Niche down.
Yeah.
In a certain type of video editing.
So smart.
Why is that so beneficial.
OK.
So think of it this way.
OK.
When you niche down.
Yeah.
You become an expert.
In a specific area.
OK.
And that makes you more attractive.
OK.
To clients who need that expertise.
Because they know you're the person to go to.
Exactly.
It's like going from a general practitioner.
OK.
To a specialist.
OK.
You're not just any doctor.
Right.
You're the heart surgeon.
You're the brain surgeon.
Yeah.
You're the expert.
The go to person.
So that specific thing.
For that specific need.
Exactly.
But how do you figure out your niche.
That's the question.
Right.
Yeah.
Think about your interests.
OK.
Your passions.
Your skills.
OK.
What kind of editing do you enjoy the most.
What are you naturally good at.
What comes naturally to you.
What are you drawn to.
And where does that intersect with market demand.
OK.
So let's say you love.
Editing a fast paced action videos.
OK.
And there's a huge demand.
Yeah.
For gaming editors.
OK.
Boom.
There's your niche.
Perfect.
You're the gaming editor.
Yeah.
Or maybe you love those.
OK.
Super aesthetic.
Yeah.
Product focused videos.
Those are so popular.
They're everywhere.
All over Instagram.
Yeah.
You could specialize in that.
You could be the e-commerce editor.
Yeah.
For all those brands and influencers.
I get it.
So by focusing on a niche.
You really hone your skills.
Yeah.
You build a killer portfolio.
You attract the right clients.
Who are looking for exactly what you offer.
And you can often charge more.
To win win.
Win win.
OK.
One last piece of the puzzle.
The final piece.
Building a strong online presence.
Oh this is so important.
Crucial for any freelancer.
Especially these days.
Yeah.
Everyone's online.
So how do you make sure that you stand out.
It's your storefront.
Your online presence is like your storefront.
This is how clients find you.
This is how they decide.
Do they want to work with you or not.
Whether or not they want to hire you.
First impressions matter.
OK.
So what are the must haves.
All right.
The essentials.
What should a video editor focus on.
A professional website.
OK.
For a portfolio.
OK.
To showcase your work.
Showcase your work.
Yeah.
OK.
Highlight your skills and experience.
OK.
So a website is key.
A website is key.
Yeah.
OK.
A good LinkedIn profile.
Oh yeah.
LinkedIn.
You got to have a good LinkedIn.
So important for professional networking.
It's where the clients are.
And what about social media.
Oh social media is huge.
Should video editors be using social media.
Absolutely.
What platforms should they focus on.
Instagram.
OK.
Twitter.
Facebook.
Even TikTok.
OK.
It's all about connecting with people.
Sharing your work.
Yeah.
Showing off your skills.
Stilling off your skills.
Building that community.
Building relationships.
It's all about being visible.
Yeah.
Making it easy for people to find you.
So they can hire you.
Exactly.
But don't underestimate.
Offline networking.
Still matters.
It still matters.
Yeah. Go to events.
Meet other editors.
Collaborate on projects.
Yeah.
Build those relationships.
It's not just about competition.
No.
It's about community.
It's about supporting each other.
Yeah.
We're all in this together.
We are.
All right.
So to wrap up.
To sum it all up.
This incredible deep dive.
Yeah.
A video editing side hustle.
It can be legit.
Can be a legit way.
To make extra cash.
Or even a full time income.
Or even replace your full time income.
If you're willing to put in the work.
We uncovered so many valuable insights.
Just.
From Dan Corsby's experience.
Real world experience.
We talked about finding clients.
Setting rates.
Nitching down.
Scaling up.
Managing finances.
Shaying up to date.
Building a strong online presence.
All the things.
We hope that this has inspired you.
Yes.
The listener.
To explore your own side hustle potential.
To chase your dreams.
What are you waiting for?
Take that first step.
Thanks for joining us.
It's been a pleasure.
On this deep dive.
Deep dive.
We'll catch you next time.
For another adventure.
For another fascinating exploration.
Figure in the lay.
Of a trending topic.
We'll see you then then.