2 things...
1) Brian doesn't pay me a penny
2) Love the name Devils Gun... 10000% using that.
Have a nice day!
2 things...
1) Brian doesn't pay me a penny
2) Love the name Devils Gun... 10000% using that.
Have a nice day!
Edit: I just realized who you were Nate. You may not "buy" a devil gun, but that certainly didn't stop you from begging for a free one to make videos with.
You're a weird guy Nate, but devils gun is still fire... so you got that going for you 
Too bad we can't get into it on here; It's against the rules, and I don't want to get kicked off.
So your the guy who shot the skunk in the leg because you were "waiting too long" for a good shot...then you poured a bunch of bleach over him under your deck when he wouldn't come out? How did that end up turning out?
I have always wondered what happened. What happened? I'm sure you remember.
I'm flattered you watch me this close, but I suggest taking another look at that video from 3 years ago. I used bleach to cleanup the skunks spray on concrete behind my neighbors door.
Why? I guess I'm just a good neighbor. Bad shots happen... apologies for showing those shots, and the net result. I can easily see how you confused that with me shooting a squirrel in the leg and pouring bleach on it until it died (per your now removed comment).
You see Nate... while I know your YT account and this site give you a sense of importance, and loosing those would be devastating... there are consequences. You getting thrown off here, your misguided anger over not getting a free gun, and accusing someone of animal abuse with made up events b/c you’re butthurt…. Well, anything that happens in your life are all the direct results of your own actions and bad decisions.
While I appreciate Brian using the value I bring to him as a way for evaluating partnership opportunities... like the one you presented... it's a strange move to come at me when you got a No! Instead... like many other creators have, a quick DM, email, etc asking for some help/feedback would have been a much better move.
So here's probably what you're looking for... a little help, but before we do that... you need to hear some truth. What you do with this is up to you...
Let's start with some harsh reality... You have zero value to a company in this industry as it stands today. Now before you wet your pants, let's unpack that. You've grossly overestimated the return you provide to the company whom is investing a free gun in you. Throwing your vanity metrics in a lazy proposal are pointless... but even those don't even remotely come close to getting a free gun... let alone $$ on top of that. You freaked out over some basic questions a company had as part of their evaluation.
I understand this ... and it's why IMHO, I'm just now getting into a place where my value justifies free stuff and/or $$. A YouTube channel doesn't suddenly mean companies owe you something Nate. It's not me, Brian, other creators who've figured it out, platforms shadow banning you. or any other companies fault... the sum of your work simply doesn't justify free guns. Instead of taking professional feedback, and an initial no... you did what you did.
You're not alone though... so don't feel bad. 95% of these gun channels are doomed from the get... why, well... let's talk about it.
First, a little context for you Nate… some history about what I've built if you will...
I didn't start the Leshiy channel so I could get free stuff. I know that was your motivation, but it wasn't mine. I started it b/c it was fun telling my unique story of this absolutely bonkers backyard I inherited. You seem to consume quite a bit of my content... so this probably isn't news for you.
What you might not know is the real root of the story… before I was having fun telling my story. You see, long before I bought an ATN that recorded video, I was just like a lot of guys on this forum... and millions of views, free stuff, etc doesn't change that. I'm still just like most of you... normal dude who loves shooting and the outdoors... I just happen to have social outlets people find entertaining.
Anyways... I digress... back to the root of why I started everything. I was looking for the perfect gun for my specific needs. Ultimately I was tricked (mislead maybe is a better word) into NOT buying the Leshiy Classic by guys like you Nate... ones that take free guns and bash other guns for $... or perhaps you're not there... but it's clearly your goal.
UA was cool enough to not beat me up too bad when I came to this realization, and traded in that final mistake for my first Leshiy Classic.
I reached out to Brian for some advice on the gun. After a little time, we became friends. During some of those early conversations I had with him, I realized this was a David a Goliath situation he was in... and I pitched him an offer he couldn’t refuse. The Leshiy Classic is an iconic gun… it was just missing this sense of community and story telling b/c Leshiy owners for the most part are totally different than a guy whom wants to pontificate about reg pressure, hammer spring, valve dwell time, etc. These are guys whom just want to throw the thing in their truck and shoot. I recognized that, and offered to build that community... for free. Why would a company owe me something yet? I was willing to invest and support small businesses along the way. The entitlement some airgun youtuber's like yourself feel is crazy.
The Leshiy Channel was always about the gun… never me. I had zero interest in being a YouTuber, but I was very interested in learning how to build a community through entertainment, and a little education.., using tools like YouTube, a blog, and other social platforms.
The sum of the parts I've built is what ultimately created that community. It's in that where I can drive value to partners. It's always a balance though, as the community itself is in the drivers seat. The balance I took was partnering with companies where I could showcase their brand/products in an organic way... not jamming BS down their throats. I get sent tons of stuff that never makes a video. My "review" is implied in that I only use what I love. People can make up their own minds based upon what they see me use. Every once and while I find that line, and perhaps showcase something I regret promoting by using it, or perhaps make people feel you can't enjoy airguns unless you can afford a $2K BB gun. That one in particular bothers me the most... but I'm working on that as we speak.
In marketing we refer to this as identifying your avatar, and then deep diving into everything about them. It's an ongoing process of getting to know your audience... what they like, where they go online, what they love, what they hate, etc... then taking that knowledge, and building content around it. I did this, and it's why my channel gets the views, engagement, and retention it does.
Your mistake is that you want free stuff to build your audience... vs the other way around. You see how that makes zero sense to even a big company... let alone one like EDgun West. FX for an example... they have a huge budget, and they giveaway guns to everyone and their mother. It's a good strategy if you can afford it... especially in a super young vertical like high-end airguns. They are playing a numbers game looking for the next big channel vs having to evaluate each and every personal/partner opportunity. It's not a knock on them... in fact it's the opposite. They grinded and got to a position where they could blanket the market.
Small brands can't do that, they have to understand everything I spoke about above, and then evaluate and make decisions on who to partner with. Brian is an extreme as EDgun doesn't put a single penny into marketing. He established a process in which evaluates where to put marketing $, and did just that with you. You took a "No thanks, and here's why" like an entitled airgun youtuber who grossly overestimates their value. Your behavior solidified that he made the right decision, and I promise you... any other company that reads this, or asks me about it... they will see that too.
To make matters worse, you doubled down on your initial mistake, and instead of taking the feedback Brian gave you... you got mad, and started banging your keyboard in the direction of the person you're ultimately trying to be... me.
Consider this lesson one. Happy to guide and even help you. The decision to do that within the context of peer to peer help, or through the lens of consequences is up to you... best of luck Nate.
Cheers,
T
it's great to here that people from the other side of the pond watch
