Podcast Summary: The Think Media Podcast – Ep. 437
"How She Makes $2,800/Month on YouTube (Full Strategy)"
Host: Sean Cannell
Guests: Ali & Kevin (Ali's Organic Garden and Homestead)
Published: August 19, 2025
Episode Overview
In this insightful episode, Sean Cannell sits down with Ali and Kevin from Ali's Organic Garden and Homestead, a YouTube channel that's grown to over 96,000 subscribers and recently started earning consistent monthly revenue of $2,800. The episode serves as a deep dive into their journey—detailing what changed after 13 years on the platform, critical mindset shifts, their content workflow, monetization strategies, and the hard-won lessons of building an authentic channel. Ali and Kevin share candid advice for creators at every stage, highlighting the importance of intent, quality, and perseverance, as well as behind-the-scenes realities of creating content when life is busy.
Key Discussion Points & Insights
1. Revenue Streams and YouTube Monetization
[00:26 – 04:36]
- Ali’s channel generates ~$2,800/month, mostly from AdSense, but diversifying income is vital.
- Success with affiliate links for gardening products (VGo Gardening raised beds, Vevo for food preserving tools).
- The affiliate partnership was initially vendor-driven—companies reached out to them.
- Integrating affiliate products works because they’re naturally used in Ali’s niche, raising authenticity and credibility.
Quote:
"It mostly comes from AdSense at this point. Now, we have learned through joining VRA that you can't rely on AdSense fully. So we've been getting some affiliate links...Each month we're just kind of growing what we...what works into our YouTube channel the best." (Ali, 01:26)
2. Channel Growth and Content Evolution
[04:36 – 09:46]
- For the first 13 years, content was sporadic, unfocused, with very slow growth.
- Huge turning point in 2022: Consistent uploads, intentional focus, joining Video Ranking Academy, and seeking education.
- Intent—matching titles and content—brought their best results.
- They realized copying other creators was a misstep; being themselves paid off.
Quote:
"I was trying to be somebody else, too...once I quit, knock the crap off, and started just being me, then I think that's where it started to change and be better." (Ali, 09:22)
3. Family and Community Perceptions
[04:36 – 06:19]
- Friends/family initially misunderstood their efforts, often dismissing their YouTube work.
- Over time, as the channel grew, critics became supporters.
- Creators often face isolation, especially when pursuing an unconventional path; community and internal motivation are essential.
4. Workflow, Production, and Collaboration
[11:17 – 15:19]
- Ali: Responsible for scripting, ideation, and research. ~4 hours per video on prep, more if forced to rewrite.
- Kevin: Handles all filming and editing, using Final Cut Pro on Apple laptops and storing media on a NAS.
- Typical video:
- 1 upload every week, sometimes fewer for quality
- 4 hours on research, 2–3 hours filming, 4–6 hours editing
- Total: 10 to 20 hours per video
- Staying organized with media files is a big time-saver (or time-drain if neglected).
5. The Power of Intentional Content
[15:19 – 18:35]
- Key lesson: Every video must have a clear intent matching its title.
- Breakout video: How to Grow Great Garlic—strict focus on delivering what the title promised boosted views and subs.
- If video content meanders from its core intent, viewers disengage; focused, intent-driven videos retain audiences.
Quote:
"If you keep what the intent of that title was and what you want to deliver and don't veer off, I think that's when we create our best videos. Those are the ones that get the biggest views and the biggest view durations." (Ali, 16:13)
6. Case Study: Their Breakout Video
[19:31 – 22:51]
- How We Produce 80% of Our Food on Half an Acre Homestead—820,000+ views, over 60 hours invested in creation.
- Included personal/family moments, faith, and generational bonding.
- Initial slow start (500 views in 24hrs) but blew up over the next days.
- Emotional connection and authenticity made it special both to creators and audience.
Quote:
"That video actually means a lot to me...we included our grandkids...and we’re so lucky to have these grandkids of ours...I wanted to share how special it can be when you live a life that’s so wholesome and include God in it...That’s when it was like, this is the true us." (Ali, 20:30)
7. Quality vs Quantity & The Power of ‘Letting Videos Simmer’
[25:35 – 27:16]
- Learned to value quality over quantity—even if posting less.
- Letting a finished video “sit” overnight before publishing often reveals tweaks that make a significant difference.
- Rushing to publish usually sacrifices quality.
Quote:
"We want to be proud of everything that we put out there. We don't want stuff that's not so great...slowing up actually was really good for us." (Ali, 25:39–26:41)
"Sleep on it, let it simmer...Those small tweaks can be absolutely the difference between the video getting a hundred views, a thousand views, or a hundred thousand views." (Sean, 27:16)
8. Value of Coaching, Feedback & Community
[30:50 – 32:19]
- One-on-one coaching in the Video Ranking Academy provided vital feedback—helped them focus on CTAs, authentic hooks, and authoritative presentation.
- Encouragement and being part of a creator community countered isolation and self-doubt.
Quote:
"One of the things that when I used to do a video, we never had a CTA...Nathan said, do not make any more videos without a CTA. And I'm like—but that's all I do!" (Ali, 30:50)
9. Authenticity: The Ultimate Differentiator
[33:50 – 38:08]
- Attempting to imitate successful creators backfired; authenticity resonated more with viewers.
- Realizing their unique persona attracted their unique audience; copying others felt like “wearing someone else’s armor.”
Quote:
"When you try to be somebody else, it's so obvious. People can see right through that...it's so much easier just being you." (Ali, 34:52) "Authenticity is where it's at." (Kevin, 38:01)
10. Perseverance, Mindset, and Overcoming Discouragement
[41:01 – 43:19]
- After years of struggle, often wanted to quit; having a supportive partner was pivotal.
- Community support, systems, and learning from setbacks are crucial.
- Emotional ups and downs are expected; ignore negative comments and focus on staying consistent.
Quote:
"I wanted to quit all the time. Kevin's my great encourager...There I would go, well, when is enough?" (Ali, 41:01)
11. Life Balance & Making Sacrifices
[45:13 – 52:09]
- Juggling homestead life, family care, full-time jobs, and YouTube is challenging.
- Major life events (loss of a loved one) prompted re-prioritization and resulted in closing their brick and mortar nursery to focus on YouTube and family.
- Strong boundaries on distractions (e.g., no TV) and making family a priority.
- Do what you can, with what you have, even in small increments—consistency trumps intensity.
Quote:
"We may only have five minutes here and there and you use that time wisely...Five minutes here and there can actually add up a lot both ways. You know, wasting time or using it wisely. So just, just doing it, just putting your head looking forward and going, I'm gonna do this. No matter what, I'm gonna do this and nobody's gonna get in my way." (Ali, 51:07)
12. Advice for New and Struggling Creators
[50:34 – 54:15]
- Everyone faces obstacles—family, jobs, self-doubt—but pushing through is essential.
- Sacrifices and trade-offs are necessary; find your ‘Kevin’ (someone to lean on).
- It’s okay to slow down, take breaks, and regroup; progress isn't always consistent.
13. If They Had to Start Over
[55:13 – 56:07]
- Emotional honesty: The thought of losing everything is crushing, but with their current knowledge, they’d start over—smarter and faster.
- The journey taught them resilience, the value of persistence, and that knowledge is priceless.
Quote:
"If everything disappears tomorrow...I'd throw my hands up in the air and go, I give up. And then Kevin would go, well, we know how to do it better the next time. And then the next morning, I would wake up and go, you're right, honey. Let's get going. So, yeah, we would probably do it again." (Ali, 55:33)
Notable Quotes & Memorable Moments
- On doing YouTube for 13 years:
"We once we kind of started figuring out our true niche...we were kind of throwing everything out." (Ali, 02:31)
- On intent and audience focus:
"But what's the intent? ...Because if you keep what the intent of that title was and what you want to deliver and don't veer off, I think that's when we create our best videos." (Ali, 16:13)
- On authenticity:
"When you try to be somebody else, it's so obvious. People can see right through that...they know you're you." (Ali, 34:52)
- On perseverance:
"I wanted to quit all the time. Kevin's my great encourager...There I would go, well, when is enough?" (Ali, 41:01)
- On quality vs. quantity:
"Quality all the way." (Kevin, 25:35) "Let it simmer...Those small tweaks can be absolutely the difference between the video getting a hundred views, a thousand views, or a hundred thousand views." (Sean, 27:16)
Useful Timestamps
- Revenue Sources & Timeline: 00:26–02:58
- Affiliate Success Stories: 03:07–04:36
- Struggles & Mindset Early On: 04:36–06:19, 06:19–08:39
- Breakout Video & Content Shift: 16:13–22:51
- Workflow & Collaboration: 11:17–15:19
- Quality vs. Quantity: 25:35–27:16
- Authenticity & Finding Your Voice: 33:50–38:08
- Dealing with Discouragement: 41:01–43:19
- Life Balance & Time Management: 45:13–52:09
- Starting Over, if Needed: 55:13–56:07
Final Words
This episode is a must-listen for both new and veteran creators—brimming with actionable insights, honest reflections, and encouragement. Ali and Kevin’s journey illustrates that success on YouTube is rarely overnight, but the rewards—financial, emotional, creative, and legacy—await those who focus on quality, align with their true selves, and simply keep going. And above all, remember: we all need a Kevin in our corner.
Follow Ali & Kevin:
- Website: alliesorganics.com
- YouTube: Ali's Organic Garden and Homestead
- Specialty Products: handcraftfromthefarm.com