Today we’d like to introduce you to Jessie Nino
Hi Jessie, can you start by introducing yourself? We’d love to learn more about how you got to where you are today?
I moved to Arizona from Minnesota back in the summer of 2018 due relocation of a job. I Knew I was going to start a YouTube channel once I moved, but it was going to be for fun. I started it as a way to show family and close friends back home what Arizona was like. In the beginning I would bring my GoPro camera with me on road trips, hikes and all sorts of adventures to showcase parts of Arizona that people don’t normally see. Early 2019 I bought my very first drone and that brought my channel to a whole new level, as it was a brand new experience for me. Over the course of the next year or so, I started to experiment with new things on my YouTube channel called “Jessies Drone Adventures” I still maintained the identity of bringing my GoPro and drone with me as I explored the desert but I tried out new video ideas in the process. Such as product reviews, movie reviews, eating challenges, pranks and a few other random comedy skits. Once the pandemic hit and I had to work from home, I spent a lot more time on YouTube watching videos. By chance I happen to stumble upon this video that talked about how the pandemic accelerated online numbers when it came to people being online. For example, a video that I watched talked about the numbers that YouTube was projecting to see in 2022/2023 in terms of people being online, watching videos and creating videos, well the pandemic had accelerated those numbers and within a few months of 2020 YouTube saw a spike on their platform and the numbers that they were expecting to see in 2022/2023 , they were seeing those numbers just a few months into 2020. My biggest take away from that video was, if I get serious and commit to my YouTube channel today “which at the time was around April of 2020” it doesn’t guarantee me success tomorrow, next month or even next year, but what better time to commit to my YouTube channel when there is more eyeballs on the internet than ever before. Long story short for 2 years I uploaded a video every single week, without getting a dime in return. By April/May of 2022 my channel finally reached the requirements for monetization, which means I can now earn money for my views! After I was monetized, it sort of launched me into a new gear and fueled my drive to continue making videos! Fast forward about 2 and half years later, I was able to quit my full time job and do YouTube full time. I’m also on the brink of getting my first YouTube silver play button for reaching 100,000 subscribers! Which is a milestone I never thought I would reach!
I’m sure it wasn’t obstacle-free, but would you say the journey has been fairly smooth so far?
This journey was the furthest thing from a smooth ride. Sure at times things were smooth, but the majority of the time, there were a lot of bumps in the road and lots of uncertainty. After I committed to my YouTube channel, there were plenty of moments where I thought to myself, maybe I’m just not meant to do this. For example, I would spend all day filming a video and then spend around 8-10 hours editing it, and then when I finally uploaded it, the video would only get about 45 views after being online for about a week. Moments like that made me question if what I was doing was even worth it anymore. Its also EXTREMELY disheartening when you’ve been uploading on your channel for months at a time, and then you see a new channel pop up, and their 1st video gets more views in the first week than what I had on my entire channel since the beginning.
Moments like that can really knock you down, and it knocks you down hard, but every time I was uploading a video I would always get at least one new subscriber and comment. This made me think , ” well there’s at least one person out there that is thankful that I made this video, and if I keep doing this long enough, eventually I’ll get to my goal of being monetized.
It’s also extremely important to remember, by all means, NEVER compare yourself to any other channels! This is a motivation killer! you don’t know what experience they have, what knowledge they have, and what background they are coming from. some people are starting from scratch with little to no knowledge on camera’s, social media, editing and YouTube. While others may already have a good size bag of knowledge, so the journey may come easier to them. Everyone’s starting point is different, so don’t be discouraged by your results.
Appreciate you sharing that. What should we know about YouTube Channel: Jessie’s Drone Adventures?
My YouTube channel, I would say, is well known for my use of a drone while exploring different parts of Arizona and the southwest. I explore everything from caves, mines, trails, abandoned buildings, scary highways, and historic landmarks. Every once in a while I also do product review videos on the gear I use for my channel, like my drones, cameras, editing software etc. I do this all while educating my viewers on the background of these places with a little bit of a comedic twist.
I wanted to be different compared to the typical exploring/outdoor adventure channels, and I wanted to showcase more of the landscapes from my drone compared to the cliche perspectives of a handheld camera at eye level. This is part of what made me purchase a drone. As I would hike through the desert I would look up at the mountains or the towering canyon walls and think think to myself, “this camera doesn’t do justice from way down here” and If I had a higher perspective I could really show my viewers how deep we are down in a canyon or how tall my surroundings are when compared to me. Ever since I bought a drone, its allowed me to get the most award winning cinematic views of my surroundings. Views that would be impossible or very difficult to share without a drone.
One thing I would say I’m most proud of when it comes to my channel, is the amount of education that I pack into a video. Whenever I’m editing a video I always strive to educate my audience on the location, history, wildlife, drones and the gear I use, nature and little bit about content creating. I always like knowing that when my video is over and the audience leaves, they can take something away from my video. I’ve had tons of people leave comments saying things like, ” wow I didnt even know that place existed, me and my husband cant wait to visit” , ” I didn’t know that about rattlesnakes, thank you for sharing”, “I didnt know arizona had waterfalls, we are definitely putting this on our bucket list”. And one of my favorite comments to read is when someone says they bought a camera, drone, or mountain bike and they cant wait to do some exploring of their own!
I once heard Gary Vaynerchuk say something along the lines of ” people go on YouTube for one of two things, to be entertained or to be informed” and ever since I heard that, I try to incorporate both of those aspects into my videos.
My YouTube channel is called Jessie’s Drone Adventures and I upload new videos every Sunday Morning.
So, before we go, how can our readers or others connect or collaborate with you? How can they support you?
I haven’t yet collaborated with anyone else or accepted a sponsorship from any other content creator or company. I’m always open to the idea but the entire time I’ve been doing YouTube I have never accepted a partnership, brand deal or collab with anyone, I’m not against it, but if its not something I believe in or see it as being a good fit for my channel, I will not accept the offer.
Not to mention it’s really hard to gauge if an email from a company is legit or not, and I would rather say no to a deal than risk giving out sensitive information about my channel/brand or even promote a product I don’t believe in.
I actually take pride in knowing that, since the birth of my channel I have never accepted a partnership, paid promotion,
or brand deal with a company. All the products that I use on my channel are based off of my experience only and are not influenced by the pocket book of a company looking for a little exposure.
That being said if anyone wants to support my channel, you can do so by tuning in every sunday morning. You can also like the video, leave a comment and subscribe if you’d like!
I even have shirts available on the “store page” of my youtube channel, every little bit helps!
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