In a recent interview on Jalang’o TV, YouTuber Big Man Stevo, aka Comrades Flavour, disclosed that he receives 300-400 daily subscriptions to his YouTube channel.
He attests to the meteoric growth of his YouTube channel to constant improvement, flexibility, and unpredictability. Currently, his is one of the channels with the highest engagement rates in the country.
“My fans love me because I am not rigid or predictable,” he said.
The content creator, who started his YouTube channel – Comrades Flavor – in September 2021, says he hadn’t considered YouTubing as his thing. He says that although loyalty test videos were trending on YouTube then, he didn’t like how they were being done. Most were coated with immoral captions and click baits to attract views.
The trending content creators at the time were banking on the nudity aspect of loyalty test videos to sell. Stevo decided to approach the niche intellectually, applying the skills he had acquired as a sociology student at Kenyatta University.
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Despite heavy competition from other “sanitisers”, Comrade’s first loyalty test video accrued over 500 views within an hour. This was a significant milestone in his content creation Journey, a far cry from when he used to beg his fellow residents in Kasarani to watch his videos.
Since then, the content creator has kept evolving, so his fans would not get tired of his loyalty test videos. Following his success, Flavor convinced his parents to accept his YouTubing career, although they had other plans for him.
Rather than uploading content for the mere sake of views, Stevo says his goal is always to educate and pass a particular message to his viewers. He attributes his success to being non-material, saying he does not do the videos for money.
“I am authentic and consistent on YouTube, which is why people love me. I am there to educate, entertain, and empower,” he says.
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He says he watches his content to spot mistakes, adding that his parents are also ardent supporters of his work. He says he wouldn’t quit his job if offered lots of money, saying he does it from passion.
When asked about his challenges, the ‘Chief Sanitizer’ cited the risk brought by breaking people’s marriages, haters who spam his channel with spiteful comments, and scripting allegations, among other challenges.
The content creator added that he has other businesses besides YouTube and, unlike most content creators, would not be affected much by an internet crash.
Following his success as a sanitiser, the Youtuber says he deferred his studies, saying he treats YouTube as a full-time business.
“If you treat YouTube as a part-time project, it will reciprocate the favour. I understood the risk and decided to focus on the platform fully as my business,” he says.
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He adds that his channel is his office and that his subscribers, fans, and the people he sanitizes are his clients. Therefore, he values them as business colleagues.
When asked his opinion on why most people don’t succeed as YouTubers, Comrade says that perhaps it’s not their time, or they might be doing the wrong thing. He attests to the hard work needed to succeed in the industry, claiming he and his team rarely sleep in a bid to produce fresh content.
Unlike most content creators, the self-proclaimed bachelor prefers keeping his life private, especially his business and relationships. Although he says he makes ‘good’ money, the content creator says he wants peace of mind. He prefers a cool and private life, focusing on his happiness and priorities.
His advice to youngsters is to work hard, avoid shortcuts, focus on priorities, and live their own life. “Be you” should be your guiding principle, he says.
He says he does not mind being compared to Thee Pluto, a fellow sanitiser, citing their close friendship. “Ours is like working in the same office but in different departments. We compare notes and encourage each other to work on our work,” he says.
He is mentored by content creators like Steve Harvey, Wode Maya, Churchill, Jalang’o, and Lyn Ngugi.