Today we’d like to introduce you to Nick Vespa.
Nick, let’s start with your story. We’d love to hear how you got started and how the journey has been so far.
We lost our house to Harvey. When we moved into our new house my wife wanted a little writing desk in our bedroom. I scoured the internet and every other store I could think of but I couldn’t find a desk that would fit the dimensions. So I said, “I can build that.” To that point, I’d really only built shop furniture (out of necessity) but I knew the basics. I had a YouTube channel at the time that was focused on parenting (I have 4-year-old twins, please send help!). So I figured I would video the making of the desk and see if it took off. It did not. In fact, I think it’s still one of my lowest performing videos. But I was hooked! I wanted to build more things. And I wanted to make videos about it.
So, it started off as a weekend thing. I’d lock myself away in the garage on Saturday and Sunday and make things. And I’d film that process and post it to YouTube. And that whole process made me happy. The videos weren’t doing great, but people were watching them. I was gaining a few subscribers here and there. But, I started to have some health issues. Nothing big at first, but then the problems I was having started to get worrisome. I was having gut-wrenching stomach pain and multiple migraines a week. I went to see every doctor under the sun. And they all told me I was in perfect shape. No issues. About that time, I had a random video take off. A “How To Shou Sugi Ban” video. Normally, I was lucky if one of my videos got 500 views in total. This video was getting 10,000 a day. I went from gaining one or two subscribers a week to 50-100 a day. And then the comments started rolling in. People thanking me for showing them how to do something. I’m not going to lie, it felt amazing.
Fast-forward a few months and it looks like I might actually be able to make this YouTube thing a side hustle. And my wife and I developed a plan. I was going to stick it out at my day job, a job I hated by the way until I could make enough money to quit. Also around this time, I went to see another specialist who looked at all of my test results and said everything looked normal. He said the only thing he could think of that would cause my symptoms was stress. And I was missing a lot of time from work due to my health issues. So, my wife and I sat down again. We decided if we tightened our belts, we could make it work.
Early August, I quit my job. The next day I felt amazing. It was the best decision I’ve ever made. My glorious YouTube career hasn’t really taken off quite yet. But we can pay our bills and I get to spend more time with my kids. And every time I question if I made the right decision, I go back and read some of the hundreds of emails, DMs, and messages I have received thanking me for showing someone how to do something or encouraging somebody to work with their hands.
Great, so let’s dig a little deeper into the story – has it been an easy path overall and if not, what were the challenges you’ve had to overcome?
I thought “going full time in the shop” would allow me a lot more time in the shop. What I didn’t expect was all the paperwork and bookkeeping behind the scenes. It’s been a learning curve, to say the least. And it’s always frustrating when you put out a new video that you think is just going to dominate and it does poorly. My father passed away in December, which didn’t help my depression all that much. And this whole quarantine thing has definitely set back my production schedule. But, I’ll get it handled.
We’d love to hear more about your work and what you are currently focused on. What else should we know?
I am a Content Creator for YouTube. I make “How To” or “DIY” videos. I’m most known for my videos on how to Shou Sugi Ban, which is a finishing technique where you burn the wood to give it texture and contrast. And I do a lot of videos on how to use different dyes and stains to add color. What sets me apart? I don’t have a big fancy shop. I make the things I make with the tools I have. If I mess something up, I show that part of the project too. I want everyone to understand what it’s like to work with your hands. How therapeutic it is. And I feel like if you see that I’m screwing up and still pressing forward that makes it that much more accessible for someone just starting out.
Is there a characteristic or quality that you feel is essential to success?
My personality. When you watch one of my videos, I want you to feel like you’re in the shop with me when I’m building something. Like you’re looking over my shoulder while I’m working.
Contact Info:
- Website: builddadbuild.com
- Email: nick@builddadbuild.com
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/builddadbuild/
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/builditburnit
- Twitter: https://twitter.com/BuildDadBuild
- Other: https://www.pinterest.com/BuildDadBuild
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