The milestone that taught me everything about building in public

Hey there!

I hit 500 YouTube subscribers this week, and I'm honestly more emotional about it than I expected to be.

Not because 500 is some magic number—it's not. But because of what those 500 represent.

Each one is someone who chose to follow along on this messy journey I've been on. Someone who resonates with the idea that we can build businesses with AI that feel like play.

And if you're reading this after finding me through YouTube—hi! 👋 Welcome to our little corner of the internet where we talk about building sustainable, authentic businesses with AI and automation.

The cringe is real

Six months ago, when I decided to go all-in on YouTube, people thought I was crazy. I kind of thought I was crazy.

"The algorithm is brutal," they said. "You need a content strategy," they said. "You should batch your videos and optimize for going viral."

But here's what I knew that they didn't: this work doesn't feel like work to me.

That doesn't mean it was easy.

Boy, it was SO not easy.

I spent my first ten videos stumbling over words, forgetting what I wanted to say mid-sentence, and cringing at the sound of my own voice. I still can't rewatch those early videos—the secondhand embarrassment is too real.

I remember thinking, "Is this really what I'm supposed to be doing? Maybe I'm just not a video person."

But there was this quote from Florence Given that kept echoing in my head: "Everything you want is on the other side of cringe."

And that's when I realized: there's a huge difference between something feeling uncomfortable because it's wrong for you, and something feeling uncomfortable because it's exactly where you need to grow.

When I was stumbling through those early videos, yes, I was cringing. But underneath the discomfort, there was this undeniable excitement. This sense of "I know I need to be doing this even though I have no idea what I'm doing."

It wasn't just following joy—it was following that specific combination of excitement and terror that tells you you're on the right edge of your comfort zone.

Now I wake up excited to turn on my camera. I could talk about AI and building online income streams for hours without getting tired. When I'm editing videos, time disappears.

That's when I realized this: if something feels like play to you, you can sustain it long enough to see real results—even through the cringe phase.

Why most people quit right before the magic happens

I'm watching so many people cycle through side hustles like they're trying on clothes. Which is totally cool and an essential part of the process of exploring opportunities, especially if you are a multi-passionate human being (aren’t we all?).

They start a podcast, don't see growth in month one, and switch to newsletters.

They try affiliate marketing, don't see immediate returns, and jump to course creation.

They launch a faceless YouTube channel chasing quick passive income, hit a roadblock, and move on to the next shiny opportunity.

But here's what they're missing: every meaningful thing takes time to compound.

What breaks my heart is that they never stop to actually debrief with themselves. They don't ask the most important questions: How did that feel? Did my curiosity get sparked? Did time disappear when I was working on it? Did I feel energized or drained?

They're leaving the most valuable feedback on the table.

Instead, they let external metrics decide whether something was "worth it." No immediate growth? Failure. No quick returns? Must be the wrong path. Hit a roadblock? Time to pivot. (Listen, I am the biggest proponent of multiple income streams. But there is a difference between intentionally cultivating each income stream and disregarding the thing after 1 week with no reflection)

But here's the thing: when you don't see immediate results, that doesn't mean you failed. It means you haven't succeeded yet. And whether you should keep going has nothing to do with the metrics and everything to do with how it felt in your body.

Because if something lights you up, if you lose track of time doing it, if you feel genuinely excited about getting better at it—those are signals that matter way more than any vanity metric ever could.

The people who succeed aren't the ones with the best strategies or the most optimization. They're the ones who found something that energizes them and stuck with it long enough for the momentum to build.

Most people can't tell the difference between "this isn't working" and "this isn't working yet." They don't give themselves the time and space to really lean into something and figure it out before they see the rewards.

We're so wired for instant gratification in our modern society that we've forgotten how to trust the process when results don't show up immediately.

The vanity metrics trap that almost derailed me

From day one, I made myself a promise: I would not get sucked into chasing subscribers or views.

My only commitment was to show up authentically and provide the biggest value I could to whoever was listening—even if that was just 10 people.

This decision saved me. Because when my videos got 50 views instead of 500, I didn't spiral. When my subscriber count grew slowly, I didn't panic and change everything.

I kept asking myself: "Did I share something valuable today? Did I show up as myself?"

The answer was always yes. And slowly, beautifully, people started responding.

What I wish someone had told me (but I wasn't ready to hear)

Here's the thing I've finally landed on after years of personal development and inner work:

Your only job is to be yourself and let whatever wants to come through you, come through.

I know how that sounds. Trust me, my rational brain has rolled its eyes at similar advice countless times. But there's a difference between knowing something intellectually and feeling it in your bones.

When you're operating from this place—when your work feels like an extension of who you are rather than something you're performing—everything changes.

You don't need a playbook because you're writing your own.

You don't need external validation because you're aligned internally.

You don't need to force outcomes because you trust the process.

But it requires developing such a strong trust muscle.

You have to trust yourself, trust your instincts, trust that you'll figure it out as you go.

And here's the beautiful truth: if you're following the path of excitement and curiosity, you will figure it out.

The AI authenticity wake-up call we all need

I'm seeing the first wave of AI entrepreneurs crash and burn, and it's exactly what I predicted.

They jumped on faceless YouTube channels and AI-generated content, chasing quick passive income. Some made money fast. But now YouTube (starting next week) is demonetizing these channels because they provide no real value.

You cannot build something sustainable on a foundation of shortcuts and inauthenticity.

AI can amplify your creativity, speed up your processes, and help you bring ideas to life faster than ever. But it cannot replace the most important ingredient: YOU.

Your perspective. Your experience. Your authentic voice.

The people who will thrive in the AI era aren't the ones using it to disappear behind automation. They're the ones using it to become more themselves—to scale their unique value and authentic expression.

Instead of asking "How can I make money quickly?" they're asking "How can I give value authentically?". The money will follow.

Because when you're just creating noise without substance, sooner or later it all goes away.

What this means for how we build

I'm more convinced than ever that the future belongs to people who are willing to play the long game authentically and are using AI accordingly.

Yes, it takes more time than chasing shortcuts.

Yes, it requires building your trust muscle when you can't see the full path ahead.

Yes, it means some people won't resonate with your approach.

But the alternative—building something that drains your energy, doesn't align with your values, or could disappear with the next algorithm change—isn't sustainable anyway.

This work feels like play when you're pursuing it in a way that's truly yours.

The community I'm building (and why it might not be for everyone)

This is exactly what my upcoming membership will be about: building authentic, sustainable businesses with AI for people who want to play the long game.

Not quick fixes or get-rich-quick schemes. Not soulless automation or faceless brands. But real businesses built by real people who want their work to feel like an expression of who they are.

Some people won't want to do this work. They'll prefer the shortcuts and hope for different results. That's okay—they might come back later when they're ready, or they might not.

But for those of you who feel what I'm talking about in your bones, who are tired of trying to fit into other people's blueprints and all the AI noise out there—this is for you.

If you want to be first to know when it launches, [join the waitlist here].

I'm so grateful you're here for this journey with me.

Until next week,

Your AI Solopreneur Bestie, Elena