One Million YouTube Subscribers and Feeling Lost without a Purpose: Isimeme Edeko’s Journey Towards Self-Discovery: The YouTube Power Hour Podcast 381

“It’s not about the numbers and the views, it’s about the impact and the message.”

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From natural hair and wigs to self care/ hygiene routines, girl talks, late night vent sessions, and more… you’re going to see all the eclectic, multifaceted sides of Isimeme Edeko on her YouTube channel. Isi is revolutionizing how we as women, think, evolve, cater to, and nurture ourselves throughout our journey of womanhood by transparently documenting her own.

Isimeme Edeko started her YouTube channel 7 years ago when she was a junior in college. At the time, she was a student-athlete on a full ride track & field scholarship. As an athlete, she felt insecure when she would scroll through social media and didn’t really see anyone who looked like her. That, coupled with the increasingly impossible societal norms and standards for women, inspired her to create that space. She started her channel in February of 2016, and graduated in December 2017, and at the time, she had no idea it would ever become a career. She was studying hospitality and planned on being an event planner, but by the time she graduated, she was able to do social media as a full-time career.

As a Virgo, Isi is naturally prone to structure, organization, and attention to detail, so before she even posted a video, she was researching and observing other creators on YouTube. She started as a “nobody.” She had no social media presence really at all, and she wanted to start creating content as a hobby, but she never wanted to niche herself in. There was a lack of Type 4 hair representation at the time on YouTube, so when she started making content as a young college-aged woman, she was kind of filling that hole and it really resonated with young girls and women. She also started a series of “girl talk” videos that did incredibly well. Though Isi has a wonderful relationship with her mom, she understands that many girls and women don’t, so she was able to deliver those “big sister” conversations about health, relationships, sex, and personal hygiene that so many girls and women never got.

Isi’s hobby blew up, and she hit 100,000 subscribers before she graduated, but having that kind of influence in people’s lives was terrifying. She recognizes the responsibility she now has as an influencer and takes it very seriously. She is intentional with her content. She’s even met some viewers who have been watching her since they were in grade school!

“We’re stronger together than we are apart. Two minds are always better than one… you are stronger with the right person.”

Power Couple

Isi and her husband are college sweethearts, and he’s been one of the main drivers throughout her journey. She credits much of her success to having that strong support system. Now, they have what she calls “the trifecta;” they juggle 3 accounts: Isi’s brand, their brand together, and Josh’s brand. 

Isi and Josh started their couples channel/brand about a year after Isi started her channel. They were both full-time student athletes, and Josh had goals to one day play in the NFL. He struggled with post-grad depression; something a lot of people can relate to, especially  athletes. During the pandemic, they decided to immerse themselves in their brand and ended up accumulating enough followers and income for him to quit his job by November 2020. He’s now finding his own voice and elevating his own social media accounts, where he has partnered with huge brands like Nike and Dick’s Sporting Goods.

Josh is almost the creative director and producer behind Isi’s channel; almost like the manager before the manager. His natural creativity is an asset in helping her with editing and scripting. What I love most about Isi and Josh is what a team they are, and how much stronger they are together. When one of them is winning, they’re both winning. 

“I started YouTube as a hobby,  it became a career, and then I found myself without a hobby.

The Ups and Downs

In 2019, Isi was invited to YouTube Black: an event that focuses on the top performing black creators on YouTube. While she was so excited and grateful for the opportunity, she still struggled with imposter syndrome and wondered if she even belonged there with so many other successful creators. The world of social media is visual and can be materialistic, and so she felt inferior to the people around her. She vowed to never feel that way again, so when she got home, to cushion her ego and to feel worthy of being in those spaces, she started buying more things and focused on her image. But in doing that, her content suffered. She started to feel inauthentic and superficial. She was living in an answered prayer, yet somehow feeling unhappy. She felt empty; like there was a void. She was living everything her college self thought was “making it.” She grew organically from nothing, but suddenly, it was no longer fulfilling. She wasn’t feeling aligned. There was such a disconnect that she got to a point where she didn’t even know what kind of content to create.

When Isi partnered with Hulu’s Hair Tales, something clicked back in. She realized that this was all so much bigger than her. The things we do and say matter. There is often a mask that content creators have that shows their lives as perfect… but they aren’t. Social media is curated. We show only what we want to show, and usually, that’s the very best. It’s exhausting to keep up with that kind of performance when things aren’t going well behind-the-scenes.   

After many hiatuses due to that exhaustion and burnout, she realized that when your hobby becomes your career, suddenly you no longer have a hobby. Your life becomes content. What is ok to just be your own? Where is the line between sharing your life on social media and  keeping some of those experiences just for you? She learned to have balance and boundaries. 

“I’ve always tried to make sure my videos and my content had a message behind it that brought value and impact to people’s lives.”

Final Thoughts

If your content is your life, and it’s not getting enough views and likes, it makes a creator think their life is inadequate or not enough. It’s unhealthy! Create those boundaries. If you’re thinking of starting a YouTube channel, make sure you’re starting for the right reasons and there’s a purpose behind it. It cannot be self-driven. What kind of value can you bring to people’s lives? As a creator, you have the responsibility of having influence over the lives of others. Create with intention and stay authentic to your purpose.

“When I learn better, I try to do better, and I also try to share it, because we have that responsibility as influencers. People are watching us.”

Mentioned in the Episode:

Hulu: the Hair Tales

GIRL TALK: LOSING YOUR VIRGINITY (my experience + tips)

HILARIOUS Boyfriend Tag | From Best Friends -to- 💑💘

Connect with Isimeme Edeko

Isimeme Edeko on YouTube

Isimeme Edeko on Instagram

Isimeme Edeko on TikTok

Josh and Isi on YouTube

Josh and Isi on Patreon

Podcast Music Credit: Boop by x50 @x50music
Music provided by Free Music for Vlogs youtu.be/o52xQkQWzyU

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