Quick Answer:
To get more YouTube subscribers, treat your channel like a startup. This means defining a clear niche (your business plan), creating consistent value on a budget (your product), and engaging with your audience as your first team members. Growth is not about viral luck; it’s about building a system that attracts the right people, one video at a time.
I was talking to a founder last week who was frustrated. They had poured months into their YouTube channel, but the subscriber count was stuck. “I’m making good content,” they said. “Why isn’t it working?” I hear this all the time. The problem is the same one I see with new entrepreneurs: they’re focused on the wrong metric. Chasing subscribers feels like chasing funding—it’s an outcome, not a strategy. Your channel isn’t just a hobby; it’s a media business. And the principles for building it are the same ones I wrote about for launching any venture from scratch.
Your Niche is Your Business Plan
One thing I wrote about in Entrepreneurship Secrets for Beginners that keeps proving true is that a vague business plan leads to a vague business. The same is brutally true for YouTube. “Gaming,” “cooking,” or “business tips” is not a niche; it’s a category. A niche is “retro PC game restoration” or “15-minute Filipino dinners for students.” Your niche is your strategic plan. It tells the algorithm who to show your videos to, and it tells viewers why they should commit to you, specifically. It’s your first and most important marketing decision. Without it, you’re shouting into a crowded room.
Consistency is Your Funding Round
In the book, I talk about bootstrapping—using your own resources to build momentum before seeking external capital. On YouTube, your “funding” is viewer trust and algorithmic favor. You don’t get that with one great video. You earn it through consistent deposits. A regular upload schedule is your revenue model. It’s proof you’re a reliable business. The algorithm rewards channels it can predict and depend on. When you post consistently, you’re not just making content; you’re building credit with the platform that will, in time, “invest” more impressions into your channel.
Your Audience is Your First Hire
The chapter on team building came from a painful lesson I learned early on: you can’t do it alone, but your first hire shouldn’t be an employee. On YouTube, your first team members are your subscribers. They are your beta testers, your focus group, and your marketing department. When someone comments, that’s a job application. Engage with them. Ask them questions in your videos. Their feedback is your most valuable R&D. Building a community isn’t a nice-to-have; it’s how you scale a solo operation into a sustainable channel. You’re not building an audience; you’re recruiting a team.
I once advised a young entrepreneur who wanted to start a sustainable clothing line. She had a beautiful vision but kept changing her target customer every week—one day it was luxury buyers, the next it was college students. Her messaging was all over the place, and no one connected with it. We worked on defining one specific person she wanted to serve. That focus changed everything. Her YouTube channel, which she used to document the process, shifted too. Instead of “fashion videos,” she made content for “ethical minimalists on a budget.” Her subscriber growth was slow for two months, but then it tripled. She found her team. That experience directly inspired the section in the book on the power of a focused mission, whether it’s for a product or a channel.
Step 1: Conduct Your “Market Research”
Before you film another video, spend a week as a detective. Use YouTube search. Type in keywords related to your interest and see what autocomplete suggests. Look at the channels that come up. Who are the top three? What are their best-performing videos? Don’t copy them. Instead, identify the gap. What are they not covering? What questions are unanswered in their comments? This is your low-budget market research. It will reveal the unmet need your channel can fill.
Step 2: Build a “Minimum Viable” Content Engine
You don’t need a studio. You need a system. Plan your next 10 video titles based on your research. Can you film them with what you have right now? Your phone, a window for light, and free editing software is a complete startup kit. Batch-record two or three videos in an afternoon. This is your production line. The goal is to remove the friction of “what do I make today?” so you can focus on the only thing that matters: delivering value consistently.
Step 3: Treat Every Video as a Product Launch
When you publish, your job is only half done. The launch is key. In the first hour, share it to any relevant community you’re part of (respectfully, where it’s allowed). Pin a thoughtful question in the comments to spark conversation. Respond to every early comment. This initial engagement signals to YouTube that people are interacting with your “product,” which boosts its chances of being recommended. This is marketing on a budget—using effort and hustle instead of money.
“A business plan is not a document for investors; it is a compass for the founder. It answers the simple, terrifying question: ‘What are we actually doing here?’ Without that answer, every effort is wasted motion.”
— From “Entrepreneurship Secrets for Beginners” by Abdul Vasi
- Subscribers are a lagging indicator. Focus on the leading indicators: watch time, engagement, and consistent publishing.
- Your thumbnail and title are your storefront. They need to stop a scroll and make a clear promise.
- The first 30 seconds of your video is your elevator pitch. Use it to hook the viewer by stating the value they’ll get.
- Collaboration is a force multiplier. Partnering with a channel in a related niche is like a strategic business alliance.
- Analytics are your financial statements. Review them weekly not to obsess over numbers, but to understand what your “team” (your audience) responds to.
Get the Full Guide
The mindset shifts above are just the beginning. “Entrepreneurship Secrets for Beginners” breaks down the foundational systems for planning, executing, and growing any venture—principles that apply directly to building your YouTube business.
Frequently Asked Questions
How long does it realistically take to get to 1,000 subscribers?
There’s no universal timeline, but with a tight niche and consistent weekly uploads, many focused channels reach it in 6-12 months. The key is to measure progress by the quality of your content and community engagement, not just the count. Hitting 1k is a milestone, but it’s the system you build to get there that matters for long-term growth.
Is it too late to start a YouTube channel in 2024?
It’s never too late to solve a problem or serve a community. The question isn’t about the platform’s age; it’s about whether you have a clear, focused offering. New, underserved niches emerge constantly. The barrier to entry is low, but the barrier to success—clarity and consistency—remains high, which is an advantage for those willing to do the work.
Do I need expensive equipment to start?
Absolutely not. This is a classic startup trap: over-investing in tools before validating the idea. Your phone’s camera, good natural light, and clear audio (even a basic lavalier mic) are more than enough. Viewers subscribe for value and personality, not 4K resolution. Upgrade your equipment only when your process is proven and the limits of your current gear are actively holding you back.
How important are YouTube Shorts for channel growth?
Shorts are a powerful discovery tool, like a billboard for your main channel. They can bring in new eyes, but they often don’t lead to deep subscriber loyalty on their own. Use Shorts to tease topics from your long-form videos, answer quick questions, or showcase your personality. Think of them as your marketing department, while your long-form content is your core product.
What’s the one thing I should do today if I’m stuck?
Go to your analytics and find your video with the highest “average view duration.” Make your next video a direct follow-up or deeper dive on that exact topic. Your audience has already told you what they want from you. This is the essence of building a business: listen to your customers and give them more of what they value.
The journey of growing a YouTube channel mirrors the entrepreneurial journey so closely it’s uncanny. There will be slow periods that feel like nothing is working. You’ll question your niche. You’ll be tempted to chase trends. The foundational business principles in my book—clarity of purpose, resourceful execution, and community-building—aren’t just for brick-and-mortar stores. They are the framework for building anything of value in a noisy world. Your channel is a startup. Start treating it like one, and the subscribers will follow the value you create.
