Aspiring Creator

In this week’s episode of Aspiring Creator, I break down what’s been going on behind the scenes this week - from delayed affiliate payments on Howl and the messy reality of tracking commissions, to getting set up with the Panasonic Lumix S1 II.

I also share how I’m approaching CES this year and my 2026 goals for the business 💪

If you're building a creator business and want the unpolished version of what's working (and what's not), this one's for you.

New episodes every Wednesday 🚀

⏰ TIMESTAMPS

00:00 - Howl Is Delaying Our Affiliate Payments ⏳

05:45 - Getting to Grips With the Panasonic Lumix S1 II 📸

09:20 - How I’m Approaching CES This Year 🗓️

17:39 - What We Keep (and Ditch) From Brand Gear 📦

19:30 - 2026 Goals: Website Traffic, Socials & Digital Products 📊

💬 SOCIAL STUFF

▸ Instagram: @petematheson

▸ LinkedIn: @petematheson

▸ Website: https://www.petematheson.com/

I've relaunched Aspiring Creator and this time I've outsourced everything except sitting in the chair and talking, so kick back and come behind the scenes 😃

In this episode I talk about my Black Friday studio haul, the honest truth about finding a good agency, and the 36-page script that completely got out of hand.

If you're building a creator business and want the unpolished version of what's working (and what's not), this one's for you.

New episodes every Wednesday 🚀

⏰ TIMESTAMPS

00:00 My Black Friday Studio Haul 🎥

12:22 Taking Time Off Does Hurt Your IG Reach 📉

14:42 My Honest Advice on Finding an Agency 📬

19:36 When Your Script Hits 36 Pages… 😅

26:14 When Other Sites Republish Your Content 📄

💬 SOCIAL STUFF

▸ Instagram: @petematheson

▸ LinkedIn: @petematheson

▸ Website: https://www.petematheson.com/

I've relaunched Aspiring Creator and this time I've outsourced everything except sitting in the chair and talking, so kick back and come behind the scenes 😃

In this episode I talk about the huge range of editing costs I uncovered this week, my accountant’s mistake that ended up costing me thousands. and then take you inside a full BTS Porsche shoot.

If you’re curious how creators juggle editing, finances, shoots, and keeping the whole machine running - this one’s for you.

New episodes every Wednesday 🚀

⏰ TIMESTAMPS

00:00 Are We Paying Too Much for Editing? 🎬

03:59 When Your Accountant’s Mistake Costs You Thousands 💥

12:17 Behind the Scenes of Our Porsche Shoot 🚘

20:35 Streamlining Our Edits: What We’re Changing 🎥

22:53 Power Bins Are Getting Us Closer to Faster Edits ⚡

💬 SOCIAL STUFF

▸ Instagram: @petematheson

▸ LinkedIn: @petematheson

▸ Website: https://www.petematheson.com/

I've relaunched Aspiring Creator and this time I've outsourced everything except sitting in the chair and talking, so kick back and come behind the scenes 😃

In this episode I break down how we’ve ended up with a brand deal on almost every video - and the setup that finally makes it sustainable. We also get into a frank chat with a brand about expectations, plus a few behind-the-scenes upgrades from new gear to DaVinci workflow experiments.

If you're curious about how creators actually manage sponsorships, workflow, and keeping the whole machine going … this one’s for you.

New episodes every Wednesday 🚀

⏰ TIMESTAMPS

00:00 - The Problem With Posting when an Embargo Lifts ⚠️

06:36 - Talking Honestly With a Brand About Results 📊

15:49 - Why I Finally Bought the Mavic 4 Pro 🚁

19:39 - DaVinci Power Bins could be a Game Changer 🚀

23:08 - The Hybrid Approach to Brand Deals 🔄

27:52 - Black Friday Strategy: Links, Deals & Brand Outreach 🔗

🔗 LINKS

📰 My newsletter: experimentsinprogress.com

💬 SOCIAL STUFF

▸ Instagram: @petematheson

▸ LinkedIn: @petematheson

▸ Website: https://www.petematheson.com/

I've relaunched Aspiring Creator and this time I've outsourced everything except sitting in the chair and talking, so kick back and come behind the scenes 😃

In this episode I talk about how we may have got confirmation that some creators are “legally” buying views to get sponsors, dig into the metrics brands actually check before they approve a deal and share how to actually make the most of CES as a creator.

If you're building a creator business and want the unpolished version of what's working (and what's not), this one's for you.

New episodes every Wednesday 🚀

⏰ TIMESTAMPS

00:00 - How We Map Out a Year of Videos 🎬

05:43 - How to Maximise CES as a Creator 🚀

11:29 - When a Brand Deal Underperforms (And They Want More) 📉

17:44 - Editor Update: Our Capacity Problem 🎬

18:57 - The Metrics Brands Look at Before Approving a Deal 💼

23:57 - Confirmed: Brands Are Being Scammed by Fake Views ⚠️

💬 SOCIAL STUFF

▸ Instagram: @petematheson

▸ LinkedIn: @petematheson

▸ Website: https://www.petematheson.com/

I've relaunched Aspiring Creator and this time I've outsourced everything except sitting in the chair and talking, so kick back and come behind the scenes 😃

In this episode I talk about how we may have got confirmation that some creators are “legally” buying views to get sponsors, dig into the metrics brands actually check before they approve a deal and share how to actually make the most of CES as a creator.

If you're building a creator business and want the unpolished version of what's working (and what's not), this one's for you.

New episodes every Wednesday 🚀

⏰ TIMESTAMPS

00:00 - How We Map Out a Year of Videos 🎬

05:43 - How to Maximise CES as a Creator 🚀

11:29 - When a Brand Deal Underperforms (And They Want More) 📉

17:44 - Editor Update: Our Capacity Problem 🎬

18:57 - The Metrics Brands Look at Before Approving a Deal 💼

23:57 - Confirmed: Brands Are Being Scammed by Fake Views ⚠️

💬 SOCIAL STUFF

▸ Instagram: @petematheson

▸ LinkedIn: @petematheson

▸ Website: https://www.petematheson.com/

I've relaunched Aspiring Creator and this time I've outsourced everything except sitting in the chair and talking, so kick back and come behind the scenes 😃

In this episode I talk about why I turned down a $25k sponsorship, how hiring an in-person editor has been game-changing and how I got on LEGO’s radar.

If you're building a creator business and want the unpolished version of what's working (and what's not), this one's for you.

New episodes every Wednesday 🚀

⏰ TIMESTAMPS

00:00 - The Power of Having an In-Person Editor 💪

10:14 - Why We Hired Pros Instead of Buying Gear 🎥

16:27 - Why We Said No to a $25,000 💰

24:45 - How We Got on LEGO’s Radar 🧱

💬 SOCIAL STUFF

▸ Instagram: @petematheson

▸ LinkedIn: @petematheson

▸ Website: https://www.petematheson.com/

I've relaunched Aspiring Creator and this time I've outsourced everything except sitting in the chair and talking, so kick back and come behind the scenes 😃

In this episode I talk about why I turned down a $25k sponsorship, how hiring an in-person editor has been game-changing and how I got on LEGO’s radar.

If you're building a creator business and want the unpolished version of what's working (and what's not), this one's for you.

New episodes every Wednesday 🚀

⏰ TIMESTAMPS

00:00 - The Power of Having an In-Person Editor 💪

10:14 - Why We Hired Pros Instead of Buying Gear 🎥

16:27 - Why We Said No to a $25,000 💰

24:45 - How We Got on LEGO’s Radar 🧱

💬 SOCIAL STUFF

▸ Instagram: @petematheson

▸ LinkedIn: @petematheson

▸ Website: https://www.petematheson.com/

This week on Aspiring Creator, I’m back from a OnePlus press trip in Prague - and it didn’t quite go to plan 😅 From rain-soaked camera tests to awkward brand negotiations, this episode dives into the real behind-the-scenes of creator life.

If you're building a creator business and want the unpolished version of what's working (and what's not), this one's for you.

New episodes every Wednesday 🚀

⏰ TIMESTAMPS

00:00 - What Really Happens on Tech Creator Press Trips 📸

04:09 - Do Creators Really Have to Disclose Everything? 🤔

09:58 - Why I’m Probably Not Going Back to VidSummit 🚫

14:26 - Creators with Kids: You’re Playing a Different Game 🎯

17:49 - How We Use Shorts to Test Video Ideas 💡

22:52 - How I Accidentally Upset a Brand 😬

💬 SOCIAL STUFF

▸ Instagram: @petematheson

▸ LinkedIn: @petematheson

▸ Website: https://www.petematheson.com/

This week on Aspiring Creator, I’m back from a OnePlus press trip in Prague - and it didn’t quite go to plan 😅 From rain-soaked camera tests to awkward brand negotiations, this episode dives into the real behind-the-scenes of creator life.

If you're building a creator business and want the unpolished version of what's working (and what's not), this one's for you.

New episodes every Wednesday 🚀

⏰ TIMESTAMPS

00:00 - What Really Happens on Tech Creator Press Trips 📸

04:09 - Do Creators Really Have to Disclose Everything? 🤔

09:58 - Why I’m Probably Not Going Back to VidSummit 🚫

14:26 - Creators with Kids: You’re Playing a Different Game 🎯

17:49 - How We Use Shorts to Test Video Ideas 💡

22:52 - How I Accidentally Upset a Brand 😬

💬 SOCIAL STUFF

▸ Instagram: @petematheson

▸ LinkedIn: @petematheson

▸ Website: https://www.petematheson.com/