The Think Media Podcast: Episode 398 – How She Built an $80K YouTube Business While Raising Kids!
Release Date: March 18, 2025
In Episode 398 of The Think Media Podcast, host Sean Cannell sits down with Christina Patterson, a multifaceted entrepreneur, Bible teacher, and author who has successfully built an $80,000-a-year YouTube business while managing the demands of raising a family. This episode delves deep into Christina's journey, exploring her strategies for content creation, monetization, overcoming personal challenges, and structuring her business effectively. Below is a comprehensive summary capturing all the key points, discussions, insights, and conclusions from their engaging conversation.
1. Christina Patterson's YouTube Journey
Starting Out: Christina launched her YouTube channel, Beloved Women, in 2013. Initially, she struggled with consistency and quality, often recording videos at night while her children slept. Her first video was an impromptu recording at her kitchen table, which she later dismissed due to its low quality.
Turning Point: In 2016, Christina pivoted to creating a Bible study video series, which significantly boosted her channel's growth. This shift towards structured, consistent content led to a surge in subscribers and views, laying the foundation for her thriving YouTube business.
Notable Quote:
"I just thought, like, I can just flip over my camera and just start talking. And I did. But it wasn't very structured or well thought out."
— Christina Patterson [07:31]
2. Diversified Income Streams
Christina emphasizes the importance of multiple revenue streams to sustain her mission-driven content. Her primary income sources include:
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App Membership:
- Beloved Women App: Launched around 2019-2020, this membership service offers deeper engagement for her community.
- Pricing: $14.99/month or just over $100/year.
- Quote:
"Right now, our main source of revenue is our app membership. And it's a beautiful thing because it enables us to serve our community a little bit deeper, but also still generate revenue."
— Christina Patterson [04:02]
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Self-Publishing on Amazon KDP:
- Christina has authored several Bible study guides and books, generating consistent royalties.
- Best Seller: Her book Relentless Joy hit number one on Amazon in two categories.
- Quote:
"We self publish Bible study guides and then we have free video series on the YouTube channel so that people can follow along with us."
— Christina Patterson [16:45]
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AdSense Revenue:
- Initially earned minimal income, but consistent content creation and video ranking significantly increased her AdSense earnings.
- Quote:
"Our average monthly revenue from Amazon KDP is between $500 and $700 when we're not promoting anything."
— Christina Patterson [21:00]
3. Content Creation and Video Ranking Strategies
Christina shares her effective strategies for creating engaging content and ensuring her videos rank well on YouTube:
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Video Series Over One-Offs:
- Developing themed series allows for deeper engagement and consistent viewership.
- Example: A Bible study series that breaks down complex topics into manageable video segments.
- Quote:
"Series are so helpful because I can have one idea and come up with a series around it and just kind of break it up so I don't have to come up with necessarily five different ideas."
— Christina Patterson [45:46]
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Video Ranking Academy:
- Attended Think Media's Video Ranking Academy in 2017, which taught her how to optimize videos for search.
- Focuses on understanding what viewers are searching for and tailoring content accordingly.
- Quote:
"Ranking your video means creating your video in a way where the people that are searching for the topic that you talk about can easily find you."
— Christina Patterson [27:23]
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Hooks and Engagement:
- Importance of a strong hook within the first few seconds to retain viewer interest.
- Utilizes ChatGPT to craft personalized hooks by analyzing successful hooks from other creators.
- Quote:
"I take hooks from other videos, put them in ChatGPT, and then ask it to create a tailored hook based on that template."
— Christina Patterson [29:24]
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YouTube Shorts:
- Uses shorts to funnel viewers to long-form content, enhancing overall channel engagement.
- Clips are strategically selected to complement and promote longer videos.
- Quote:
"I have a video editor now. She'll take two to three shorts out of my long form videos and then I will post them after I posted the long form video."
— Christina Patterson [31:22]
4. Overcoming Personal Challenges and Maintaining Consistency
Christina candidly discusses the hardships she faced, including significant health issues, and how her YouTube channel remained resilient during tough times.
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Health Struggles:
- Experienced a slipped disc and glaucoma, requiring multiple surgeries.
- Produced only 12 videos during a challenging year but still gained 10,000 subscribers.
- Quote:
"Our ranked videos were still getting views for me while I was recovering. And that was like super inspiring for me to just continue YouTube."
— Christina Patterson [24:52]
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Seasons of Life:
- Emphasizes the importance of adapting content creation to fit personal circumstances.
- Believes in the enduring power of prior content to support the channel during inactive periods.
- Quote:
"Life is always uncertain and unpredictable, but you can still be consistent on YouTube."
— Sean Cannell [00:00]
5. Productivity Tips for Busy Creators
Balancing a thriving YouTube business with family responsibilities requires effective productivity strategies:
-
Structured Daily Routine:
- Deep Work Blocks: Allocates 9 AM to 12 PM for uninterrupted content creation.
- Planner Usage: Utilizes a Beloved Women Planner to prioritize daily tasks, focusing on top priorities first.
- Quote:
"From 9 to 12, every day, I'm at this computer and I'm writing something. I'm creating some sort of script or Bible study guide or something like that."
— Christina Patterson [35:36]
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Minimizing Distractions:
- Eliminates unnecessary screen time by removing Instagram from her phone and limiting TV watching.
- Uses specific apps to manage social media postings, reducing the temptation to scroll aimlessly.
- Quote:
"I don't have Instagram on my phone because it distracts me. So I would be scrolling all day."
— Christina Patterson [35:36]
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Incorporating Exercise:
- Daily walks help clear her mind and generate new ideas.
- Shares a mutual enthusiasm for walking pads as a tool for maintaining physical health while working.
- Quote:
"Exercise. I walk, I try to get two miles in every day. It's been hard because it's been snowing here."
— Christina Patterson [42:13]
6. Leveraging Technology and AI
Christina harnesses modern technologies and AI to streamline her content creation process:
-
Voice Memo and Transcription:
- Uses the iPhone’s voice memo app to capture ideas on the go, leveraging automatic transcription for efficiency.
- Quote:
"I can create content probably 10 times faster than I could 10 years ago."
— Christina Patterson [19:23]
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ChatGPT for Script Writing:
- Inputs transcribed ideas into ChatGPT to refine scripts while maintaining her authentic voice and tone.
- Quote:
"ChatGPT will kind of give me like a really rough draft and then I will go in and kind of craft it to really make it my own."
— Christina Patterson [18:40]
7. Business Structure: Nonprofit and S Corporation
Christina provides valuable insights into structuring a mission-driven business, particularly for faith-based creators:
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Starting as a Nonprofit:
- Initially formed a 501(c)(3) nonprofit to focus on mission over profit.
- Faced challenges with funding, realizing that revenue generation is essential for sustainability.
- Quote:
"A nonprofit is still a business and you have to have some sort of structure, whether it's a nonprofit or business."
— Christina Patterson [53:01]
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Transition to S Corporation:
- Converted to an S Corp to better manage personal and business finances, especially after an IRS audit.
- Believes a for-profit structure can better support mission-driven goals without excessive red tape.
- Quote:
"A lot of people start nonprofits and they don't have money and that becomes a distraction because you still need money."
— Christina Patterson [53:01]
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Dual Structure Benefits:
- Maintains both nonprofit and for-profit entities to handle donations and revenue-generating activities separately.
- Provides tax benefits and credibility through the nonprofit status while enabling efficient income management via the S Corp.
- Quote:
"If people want to support and make donations to the ministry work you're doing, they can do that. You have the credibility of that and that's a write-off for them."
— Sean Cannell [57:27]
8. Final Thoughts and Key Takeaways
Christina Patterson's journey showcases the power of consistency, strategic content creation, and diversified income streams in building a successful YouTube business. Her ability to adapt to life's challenges, leverage technology, and thoughtfully structure her business demonstrates a comprehensive approach to sustainable growth.
Key Takeaways:
- Consistency is Crucial: Regular, structured content creation fosters steady growth and retains audience engagement.
- Diversify Income Streams: Relying on multiple revenue sources ensures financial stability and supports mission-driven goals.
- Leverage Technology: Utilize tools like AI and efficient workflows to maximize productivity, especially when balancing personal responsibilities.
- Strategic Business Structuring: Understanding and implementing the right business entities can enhance operational efficiency and financial benefits.
- Adapt and Overcome: Embrace seasons of life’s unpredictability, using existing content and adaptable strategies to maintain momentum.
Closing Notes: Sean and Christina encourage listeners to explore additional resources such as Think Media’s Video Ranking Academy and the free YouTube strategy class available at thinkmasterclass.com. Listeners are also invited to connect with Christina through her YouTube channels Beloved Women and Beloved Studio, as well as her website christinapatterson.com.
Connect with Christina Patterson:
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YouTube Channels:
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Website: christinapatterson.com
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App: Beloved Women App available on Apple and Google Play Stores.
Thank you for tuning in to The Think Media Podcast. Don’t forget to rate, share, and review if you found this episode valuable. Stay tuned for more insightful conversations to help you grow and scale your business with online video.