UGC 101 - Build Your Content Creation Business

By Nate Flake - UGC Creator & Coach

The podcast about all things User Generated Content! Whether you are a seasoned UGC pro or just starting UGC for the first time, this podcast is for you! You will learn from the best in the busines

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The podcast currently has 71 episodes available.

Best of UGC 101 - Build Your Content Creation Business

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Number 1: UGC at 69: 3 Rules He Uses to Get Brands to PAY MORE ft. Dan Hatcher | EP 69
What if the only thing keeping you from your first paid UGC gig is an excuse a 69-year-old creator just proved completely wrong? Nate sits down with Dan Hatcher, a creator based in Arkansas who is nine months into his UGC journey after decades running completely different businesses. This episode breaks down what it actually takes to go from zero video experience to landing paid brand deals, even if you feel like everyone around you already has a head start. If you have ever undercharged for a job because you were scared to lose it, or put off starting because you felt behind, you need to hear this conversation. Dan and Nate get into the mindset shifts around pricing, time management, and rejection that actually change your results, and Dan walks through the specific move he uses every time a brand sends a lowball offer. Chapters: 00:02:03 — He Traded SEO Work for a Business 00:04:58 — His Daughter Found His Next Big Move 00:06:33 — Cheap UGC Jobs Can Trap You 00:07:58 — Why More Rejection Makes You More Money 00:11:58 — Stop Treating UGC Like a Side Hobby 00:13:58 — The Productivity Rule He Swears By 00:16:58 — No Clients? This Is Your Real Job 00:18:58 — Why He Doesn’t Care Who Judges Him 00:21:58 — The UGC Skill That Nearly Broke His Workflow 00:24:23 — This Cut His Filming Time by 80% 00:30:13 — His Secret to Getting Brands to Rehire Him 00:32:48 — What He Does Every Time a Brand Lowballs Him 00:34:53 — Never Accept a Brand’s First Offer 00:39:48 — Think You’re Too Old for UGC? There is also a honest conversation here about time. Dan talks through how he structures his day so he never has to rely on motivation to get the work done. Stay until the end because Dan explains how he cut his shoot time from an hour down to ten minutes, and how he uses AI to reconnect with old brand clients and turn them into repeat business. Press play and learn the small shifts that could change how much you get paid for the exact same amount of work. Dan’s Portfolio: https://boomer-ugc.my.canva.site/ Dan’s Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/boomerugc.dan/ If you love the strategies we break down on UGC 101, you need to be in the room with us live. We’re hosting Creator Connect Dallas—the largest UGC event in the world—bringing 2,000+ creators and 100+ brands together under one roof. April 30 - May 2nd. Stop figuring this out alone and come build your business in person. Grab your tickets here: https://ugccreatorconnectevent.com/ Get $50 off your ticket price with the code UGC101PODCAST (Note: VIP & Elite passes are strictly limited!) FREE Call: Discover how to start UGC and land brand deals (even with 0 experience): Book a Call Now • Instagram: https://instagram.com/nateflakecreates • UGC brand deals: https://www.nateflakecreates.com 🛠️ CREATOR TOOLS PERSONAL BRANDING CHEAT CODE: $25 off PoppyAI - the tool I personally use to come up with content ideas: https://start.getpoppy.ai/nate-H0Ihl UGC PITCHING TOOL - Bento: https://app.onbento.com/?acode=nate (Use code: NATE) ⚖️ AFFILIATE DISCLOSURE: If you sign up or purchase through them, I may earn a small commission at no additional cost to you (and usually gets you a deal).
September 09, 202642min
Number 2: Over 40? Don't START UGC Without Hearing This First ft. Canadian Creator Jennifer Aquila | EP 67
What happens when the one income stream you built everything on disappears overnight? Nate sits down with Jennifer Aquila, a Canadian creator who has stacked side hustles since 2007, from teaching to photography to network marketing, before UGC ever entered the picture. They get into the real math behind pricing your work, why walking away from a lowball offer is often the move that gets you paid more, and why being based outside the US is not the dealbreaker so many creators assume it is. You will hear exactly how those conversations play out in real time. If you have ever second guessed starting something because you do not have a portfolio yet, or you are nervous that leaning on one client or one platform is too risky, this conversation speaks straight to that fear. Jennifer lays out what it actually looked like when one of her income sources shut down without warning, and how having more than one option kept her steady. Chapters: 00:02:21 - When Photography Hit Its Ceiling 00:05:00 - Why One Income Stream Wasn’t Enough 00:11:30 - The Part of UGC She Still Struggles With 00:14:14 - When It’s Time to Raise Your Rates 00:18:17 - Can Canadian Creators Really Make UGC Work? 00:22:22 - The Platform She Forgot Was Sending Jobs 00:24:30 - Why Relying on Fiverr Backfired 00:27:14 - The UGC Skill You Don’t Need to Master 00:29:49 - When Too Many Side Hustles Catch Up 00:31:20 - The $275 UGC Job That Became a Nightmare 00:34:02 - When a Brand Asked Her to Copy Herself 00:37:30 - How She Landed a $4,000-a-Night Stay 00:40:09 - Why She Pitched Without a Portfolio 00:41:55 - The Advice She Gives Every New Creator Stay through to the end for the moment Jennifer explains how she landed high dollar travel stays with no travel portfolio at all. It will change what you actually need before you start pitching. Press play and learn how to build a UGC business that keeps working even when one part of it stops. Jennifer’s Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/ugcwithjennyjo/ Jennifer’s Portfolio: https://jenaquila.my.canva.site/jen-aquila-ugc-portfolio-website Gold UGC (Platform for 45+): https://www.goldugc.com/creator-signup/ If you love the strategies we break down on UGC 101, you need to be in the room with us live. We’re hosting Creator Connect Dallas—the largest UGC event in the world—bringing 2,000+ creators and 100+ brands together under one roof. April 30 - May 2nd. Stop figuring this out alone and come build your business in person. Grab your tickets here: https://ugccreatorconnectevent.com/ Get $50 off your ticket price with the code UGC101PODCAST (Note: VIP & Elite passes are strictly limited!) FREE Call: Discover how to start UGC and land brand deals (even with 0 experience): Book a Call Now • Instagram: https://instagram.com/nateflakecreates • UGC brand deals: https://www.nateflakecreates.com 🛠️ CREATOR TOOLS PERSONAL BRANDING CHEAT CODE: $25 off PoppyAI - the tool I personally use to come up with content ideas: https://start.getpoppy.ai/nate-H0Ihl UGC PITCHING TOOL - Bento: https://app.onbento.com/?acode=nate (Use code: NATE) ⚖️ AFFILIATE DISCLOSURE: If you sign up or purchase through them, I may earn a small commission at no additional cost to you (and usually gets you a deal).
August 26, 202645min
Number 3: Reality TV Made Him Famous But UGC PAYS Him ft. Kenyada Anthony | EP 68
How many free videos have you already handed to brands that were making real money off your face while you waited on exposure to pay you back? Nate Flake sits down with Kenyada Anthony, a reality TV alum who spent years doing exactly that before a single question from a friend changed how he ran his whole business. Kenyada started as a blogger trying on clothes in fitting rooms, ended up on Revenge Body with Khloé Kardashian, and came out the other side with brands filling his inbox. They sent products, gift cards and even sent revision notes. But they never sent a rate. He posted it all to his own page because he liked the brands and nobody had told him there was another way. Kenyada walks through what tripped him up coming over: the different video formats brands ask for, the usage and contract language he had never needed before, and why he is rebuilding his entire portfolio from zero even though it already has big logos on it. Chapters: 00:02:00 — From Homeless to Reality TV 00:04:05 — The Casting Ad That Changed Everything 00:05:12 — What Happened After the Revenge Body with Khloé Kardashian. 00:07:03 — When Big Brands Started Calling 00:10:55 — The Moment He Realized Brands Should Pay 00:12:56 — How He Discovered UGC 00:16:41 — Why Influencers Are Moving Into UGC 00:18:34 — What Changed When He Started Charging 00:22:33 — The UGC Deal He Likes Better 00:24:13 — The Skill He Had to Learn Fast 00:28:29 — Why UGC Suddenly Felt More Freeing 00:33:17 — The Hardest Part of His UGC Pivot 00:35:55 — Which Influencers Are Making the Shift 00:40:18 — What He Wants From UGC Next 00:41:51 — What Brands Are Desperate to Find Stay to the end for what happened at a live brand event in Salt Lake City. Kenyada was one of only two creators in the room, and brands surrounded them asking what to pay, how to reach out, and what creators hate being asked to do. What he saw there does not line up with what you keep hearing about this space being too crowded. There were creators in that building with almost no following making real money, and one brand owner said something to him that changed how he decides who to work with. Press play and learn what separates a free collab from a paid deal, so the next brand that slides into your inbox gets your rate instead of your time. Kenyada’s Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/kenyadaanthony/ If you love the strategies we break down on UGC 101, you need to be in the room with us live. We’re hosting Creator Connect Dallas—the largest UGC event in the world—bringing 2,000+ creators and 100+ brands together under one roof. April 30 - May 2nd. Stop figuring this out alone and come build your business in person. Grab your tickets here: https://ugccreatorconnectevent.com/ Get $50 off your ticket price with the code UGC101PODCAST (Note: VIP & Elite passes are strictly limited!) FREE Call: Discover how to start UGC and land brand deals (even with 0 experience): Book a Call Now • Instagram: https://instagram.com/nateflakecreates • UGC brand deals: https://www.nateflakecreates.com 🛠️ CREATOR TOOLS PERSONAL BRANDING CHEAT CODE: $25 off PoppyAI - the tool I personally use to come up with content ideas: https://start.getpoppy.ai/nate-H0Ihl UGC PITCHING TOOL - Bento: https://app.onbento.com/?acode=nate (Use code: NATE) ⚖️ AFFILIATE DISCLOSURE: If you sign up or purchase through them, I may earn a small commission at no additional cost to you (and usually gets you a deal).
September 02, 202648min
Number 4: UGC Brands WANT Men Over 50 (Here's Why) ft. Kelly Archer | EP 66
What if the reason you think you are too old, too average, or too late for UGC is actually the exact thing a brand is searching for right now? Nate Flake sits down with Kelly Archer, a former college softball coach in Texas who only tried UGC to prove to his wife that nobody makes money online. He lost that argument in about thirty days. Kelly threw a portfolio together, got hired 13 times in his first month, and he and his wife turned a part time side gig into a number neither of them planned for. He was 57 at the time. He had no video background, no following, and no idea what UGC even stood for. They got into his first job that paid $300 and ate 30 hours. The brand that kept sending it back for revision after revision because Kelly was too new to push back. The moment you have to look a client in the eye and say your rate went up, even though you like them and they were easy to say yes to. If you are waiting until you look better, sound better, or own better gear, this one takes that excuse off the table. Kelly explains how he searches for briefs where he is the obvious pick instead of one of two hundred. Chapters: 00:01:30 - The First Month That Changed Everything 00:14:16 - The Boundary New Creators Are Afraid to Set 00:18:11 - The Rate Increase That Tests Your Confidence 00:22:35 - What Brands Are Actually Hiring For 00:26:31 - When Revisions Cross the Line 00:30:38 - The Brands You Actually Want to Keep 00:33:07 - How One-Off Clients Become Repeat Work 00:41:00 - The Fastest Way to Burn Your Reputation 00:43:10 - Why AI Isn’t the Biggest Threat 00:48:27 - Why Helping Other Creators is a Win-Win Stay through the end for the retainer conversation and the reason Kelly barely has to pitch anymore. Press play and learn how the parts of yourself you were hiding turn into the reason you get booked. Kelly's Portfolio: www.kellyugc.net Kelly's Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/kellytxugc?igsh=bnRkN3htc2doY3Js If you love the strategies we break down on UGC 101, you need to be in the room with us live. We’re hosting Creator Connect Dallas—the largest UGC event in the world—bringing 2,000+ creators and 100+ brands together under one roof. April 30 - May 2nd. Stop figuring this out alone and come build your business in person. Grab your tickets here: https://ugccreatorconnectevent.com/ Get $50 off your ticket price with the code UGC101PODCAST (Note: VIP & Elite passes are strictly limited!) FREE Call: Discover how to start UGC and land brand deals (even with 0 experience): Book a Call Now • Instagram: https://instagram.com/nateflakecreates • UGC brand deals: https://www.nateflakecreates.com 🛠️ CREATOR TOOLS PERSONAL BRANDING CHEAT CODE: $25 off PoppyAI - the tool I personally use to come up with content ideas: https://start.getpoppy.ai/nate-H0Ihl UGC PITCHING TOOL - Bento: https://app.onbento.com/?acode=nate (Use code: NATE) ⚖️ AFFILIATE DISCLOSURE: If you sign up or purchase through them, I may earn a small commission at no additional cost to you (and usually gets you a deal).
August 19, 202647min
Number 5: Get Paid to TRAVEL With UGC (Here's How) ft. Nicholas Cicio | EP 65
What if the only thing between you and getting paid to travel is a one-way ticket you keep putting off? Host Nate Flake sits down with Nicholas Cicio, who is on day 445 of the digital nomad life, calling in from Albania. Before any of that, he drove Uber for cash, and moved in as a live-in caretaker. Then he booked a one-way ticket with $900 and a backpack. He does not hide the hard parts, so you get the wins and the real downsides that most travel videos leave out. They dig into travel UGC, one of the most requested topics on the show. You will hear how to earn steady income on the road with Canvas UGC, how to pitch Airbnbs, hotels, and tours for free stays and comped meals, and why apps and services can be a smarter bet than chasing physical products. There is also a simple portfolio trick that most creators never think to try. Chapters: 00:03:05 — The UGC Income That Kept Him Traveling 00:07:30 — The Reality Behind the Digital Nomad Dream 00:09:22 — How Travel Content Opens New Income Streams 00:12:44 — How He Actually Moves Country to Country 00:14:06 — Why Going Back to the U.S. Paid Off 00:18:21 — Losing Everything Changed His Priorities 00:21:30 — The Trip That Turned Into Buying Property 00:24:27 — Why UGC Isn’t As Saturated As You Think 00:26:12 — The Travel Problem That Killed His Views 00:29:54 — The UGC Work That Travels Best 00:31:43 — How to Land Your First Airbnb Collaboration 00:34:01 — The Shot Most Travel Creators Forget 00:36:36 — What He’d Tell Anyone Ready to Leave 00:38:24 — Why Traveling Can Actually Cost Less 00:42:02 — His Advice for Future Travel Creators If you have ever wondered whether travel UGC is truly possible or just a pretty highlight reel, this one gives you a straight answer. Nicholas walks you through the income streams, the gear, and the daily habits that keep him going. He also shares what to skip so you do not burn through your money or your energy in the first month. Stay until the end, when Nicholas talks about what really pushed him to take the leap. Press play and learn how one creator turned a phone and a backpack into a business that pays for the trip. Nicholas Cicio Portfolio: https://nicholasnomad.com/ugc If you love the strategies we break down on UGC 101, you need to be in the room with us live. We’re hosting Creator Connect Dallas—the largest UGC event in the world—bringing 2,000+ creators and 100+ brands together under one roof. April 30 - May 2nd. Stop figuring this out alone and come build your business in person. Grab your tickets here: https://ugccreatorconnectevent.com/ Get $50 off your ticket price with the code UGC101PODCAST (Note: VIP & Elite passes are strictly limited!) FREE Call: Discover how to start UGC and land brand deals (even with 0 experience): Book a Call Now • Instagram: https://instagram.com/nateflakecreates • UGC brand deals: https://www.nateflakecreates.com 🛠️ CREATOR TOOLS PERSONAL BRANDING CHEAT CODE: $25 off PoppyAI - the tool I personally use to come up with content ideas: https://start.getpoppy.ai/nate-H0Ihl UGC PITCHING TOOL - Bento: https://app.onbento.com/?acode=nate (Use code: NATE) ⚖️ AFFILIATE DISCLOSURE: If you sign up or purchase through them, I may earn a small commission at no additional cost to you (and usually gets you a deal).
August 12, 202643min