Despite my constraints, how I gained over 60K subscribers in a year and coming to a stage near you
My name is Lawson Wallace. I’m a 64-year-old guy from the United States with some chronic health issues, including dyslexia. I was also homeless once. In an inspiring moment, back on July 7th, 2022, I sat down with my old Surface Pro, turned on the webcam, and started messing around with making videos.
That first YouTube video? Well, let’s say it was rough — at least in my head. But I kept playing around, and then things got serious. A year later, after posting many videos and gaining some subscribers, YouTube allowed me to monetize my channel. It was a dream come true.
Right now, I have 60,700 subscribers. YouTube sets the monetization bar high, but I could’ve hit it sooner if I’d really focused. They want us to have 500 subscribers, some good videos, and a bunch of views on Shorts. I passed all those barriers one step at a time with patience and determination.
However, something unusual happened earlier this year. My channel was blowing up in January 2024 — over 2 million views of a story. Going viral is something special and should be celebrated, so I bragged about it to my wife and some friends. Of course, they wanted the secret. Turns out, there isn’t one.
The trick is to make a ton of content. I take my Medium stories, talk about them on camera, and then post links to the story and my channel. I even use a free indexing tool that helps people find my videos on Google.
It’s smart to keep your content friendly for everyone so you don’t offend anyone. Your videos have to follow certain rules—mostly common sense stuff like avoiding hate speech and nudity.
Bad language has to be mentioned upfront. Your video might not get taken down, but it could get an adult rating, hurting views and income. I’ve had one outright rejected and a few restricted. I try to keep it clean.
Now, here’s the good stuff in my book: YouTube really pays!
Like anything online, there are good months and slower ones, but it’s all good in my book. My goal has always been to have fun. Frankly, I’m having a blast on YouTube. More importantly, I feel like I’m making a difference in people’s lives.
Interaction with some subscribers is fun. My fans call me “Uncle Lawson” or “Pops.” It’s awesome that so many young guys, mostly teens and twenties, like what I’ve got to say! I try to read and answer as many comments as I can. Conversations with my subscribers delight me.
Then this crazy thing happened. I got a YouTube notification — someone featured a clip of one of my videos on their channel! I was worried about copyright stuff, but it was totally cool. Two guys were reacting to my video and being funny about it, but not mean at all.
Best part?
They put a link to my channel in their description. Loved that because they brought me new subscribers. Honestly, it means the world to me that people are into my videos enough to talk about them. Never in a million years did I think that would happen.
I like mixing my writing and videos to grow my audience. For example, my editor friend Aiden advised me to shortform my videos and send them to his publication called Videos and Podcasts on this platform. It works.
Earlier this year, I read a great book called “On Good Authority” by Anna David. That chapter on podcasts stuck with me. So now, my new goal is to be a guest on a podcast. I know I’ve got something to say, and I’m not bad at talking. I took speech classes in college and even did a Dale Carnegie course (terrifying, by the way). I know I could rock a podcast if it was the right fit.
Now, my next bucket list item is scarier — I want to do a TED Talk! Some friends think it is a big goal. It may be, but I’ve been trying to figure out how to practice. Then it hit me — just use my Surface Pro like I do for YouTube. Only, I’ll be standing and moving around like they do on the TED stage.
I’m good at one thing for sure — talking and writing. I plan to transfer these skills to my future goals. There’s no reason this can’t happen. Even if it doesn’t, what do I lose? The point is to try new things and keep it fun!
Now What My Story Means for You
Never stop dreaming, and never stop trying. I won’t let age or disability hold me back. I’m 64, and I’m making up for lost time, learning, and growing with every new experience.
Life throws curveballs, but if it doesn’t work out, so what? The important part is trying to become a better version of yourself.
We all deserve to chase our dreams. If you’ve faced struggles or setbacks, it’s time to break free and go for it! The worst feeling is regret — don’t let it catch up with you. You’re never too old or young to start. As long as you’re breathing, you can make it happen.
Here’s how I use Medium and YouTube together. I turn my Medium stories into videos, adding links to the original story and my channel. Want to see what’s resonating with people? Check out these top five videos that might inspire you:
- The Painful Truth About My High School Years: Maybe your school days weren’t easy either. We can connect over shared experiences. This one’s been huge!
- Dyslexia and Success — What Sets Them Apart: For all of us who learn differently, this one explores what can help us thrive.
- Brain Damaged — When Labels Do More Harm: Childhood labels can linger. Let’s talk about overcoming them.
- The Homeless and Jobs — My Honest Answer: Homelessness is complex. I bring my own experience to the conversation.
Inspiring Tips for My Readers
- Own Your Story: Your past, your struggles, your unique perspective — it all matters. Sharing your truth can resonate with others in ways you never expect.
- Don’t Be Afraid to Experiment: Try new platforms (like video!), play with different formats, and see what sparks a connection with your audience.
- Embrace the Unexpected: Sometimes, your most surprising content hits a nerve and takes off. Lean into those moments.
- Keep it Real: Authenticity shines through online. Be yourself, be honest, and keep the conversation going.
Thank you for reading my story. I’d love to read your story too.
I am a senior editor of ILLUMINATION Integrated Publications on Medium.com for a long time. I closely work with our chief editor @myildiz (Dr Mehmet Yildiz) who has a large community on Medium.com and Substack.com. Currently 32,000+ freelancer writers contribute to our publications.
We have several newsletters on Substack such as:
Content Strategy, Development, & Marketing Insights
Substack Mastery of ILLUMINATION Community
ILLUMINATION Library for Freelance Writers
Technology, Gaming, Movies, and Social Media
Here is link to my Substack where I also do podcasting.
In addition we have a community YouTube channel called Substack Mastery. It is led by @aidentmc and I am a manager of the channel.
You can subscribe to it and be contributor.
Today I created a short video to introduce it to the community.
This channel is inspired by the recent book of Dr Mehmet Yildiz called Substack Mastery.
He shares the chapters of Substack Mastery for free for his beta readers. You can find the available chapters in the following links.
Preface of “Substack Mastery” for Beta Readers
Substack Mastery Book: Chapter 1
Substack Mastery Book: Chapter 2
Substack Mastery Book: Chapter 3
Substack Mastery Book: Chapter 4
Substack Mastery Book: Chapter 5
Substack Mastery Book: Chapter 6
Substack Mastery Book: Chapter 7
Substack Mastery Book: Chapter 8
Substack Mastery Book: Chapter 9
@michaelb75 (Dr Michael Broadly) introduced me on Medium.com. I support his Health and Science publication as an editor and writer.
If you want to join our community as a guest blogger, YouTuber or Podcaster you can fill the form in the attached document.
Now we offer a three-tier service to creators, freelance writers, and content entrpreneur. Dr Yildiz defined the service and now we are implementing it. You are welcome to join our exciting journey on ILLUMINATION’s Substack Mastery community.
New Submission Guidelines for ILLUMINATION and Curated Newsletters
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