A little while back I asked you something simple: “Where do you most want to travel in 2027?”

I want to tell you why I asked, because it is not how most of this industry works.

The usual approach is to pick the destinations that photograph well, build the trip, and then go hunting for people to fill it. I have watched a lot of beautiful itineraries sit empty that way. The trip was never the problem. Nobody asked the people who would actually be going.

So I asked. And then I read every single response.

Here are the four that rose to the top.

1. Cape Town, South Africa - 19.4%
2. Accra, Ghana - 16.1%
3. Thailand - 14.2%
4. Zanzibar and Tanzania - 14.2%

That last one was a tie for third, and honestly, no surprise to me at all.

Now here is the part I have been sitting on.

I am not choosing one of them. Every single one is going on the 2027 calendar. Cape Town, Accra, Thailand, Zanzibar. All four. We are preparing all of them.

These are not maybes on a wish list. The planning is already underway. Five-star stays, fully curated experiences, and the kind of trip where you can finally put the phone down and just enjoy the ride. There are a few more surprises in the works that I cannot wait to show you.

I want to say something about that phrase, because it is the whole reason I do this.

Every trip I host, I am chasing the same five seconds. It is the moment somewhere around day three when the whole group finally exhales. Shoulders drop. Phones go face down on the table. Somebody laughs at something that was not that funny. That is the moment. Everything else I plan is in service of getting a room full of people to that exhale.

You cannot survey your way to that moment. But you can absolutely survey your way to the right places, with the right people, and that is what you just did for me.

Here is what matters for you right now. Dates and details go out to this list first, before I announce anything anywhere else. So stay close to your inbox over the next few weeks. Also join the exclusive list for first dibs on each trip - as our mailing list gets things as a sneak peek and typically are the ones who sell out the trips. Join here: https://skyeboundtravel.com

Also, we’ve already set up a group trip for Bali in October of 2027 for a private group that has requested that I host a special event for them. So if that is something you wish to do, please contact me directly at bookings@djrichieskye.com.

And if one of these four is already calling your name, tell me in the comments which one it is. I genuinely want to know who I am traveling with next year.

2027 is going to be a year. Let’s go.

Richie

P.S. If someone forwarded this to you and one of these trips is speaking to you, get on the list at skyeboundtravel.com. That is where the dates land first.

I’ve been getting asked for this ever since I posted on Instagram that the actor playing Jonasi in The Polygamist needs to be arrested. Arrest him right this very instant so he can no longer terrorize us with his menacing evil ways. And yes, I know he’s an actor playing a part. He just played it a little too well.

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The Backstory

Friends had been trying to get me to watch this for a while, and I kept putting it off because I honestly thought it was going to be another Beauty in Black. No disrespect, that show is a worldwide Netflix phenomenon, but everybody in it seems so angry, and I keep thinking, “You are that rich; why are you so mad?” So I said not right now.

Then I was in New Jersey for a speaking engagement; the event planner suggested I watch it in my hotel room, and I couldn’t get Netflix on the TV. That is a pet peeve of mine. When I can’t get Netflix in a hotel room, I am writing a formal complaint to management. I deserve the same luxuries I have at home. What is this?

So that weekend came and went without me watching it. Fast forward to this past week, a friend suggested it again, we sat down, and within minutes of episode one I was hooked. Hooked because of Joyce.

Joyce Is the Whole Show

Joyce is our wealthy protagonist, married to a man, Jonas, who grew up poor and, we learn, was put in position to become rich and powerful with her father’s help. Which makes me wonder in hindsight what Joyce was even fighting for in this marriage, because episode one opens with her visiting the house Jonas bought for his mistress Matipa, all to protect a brand deal for some potion called Ivory Skin. She’s the wholesome brand ambassador; he runs the corporate side, and they’ve got two or three kids in the mix somewhere.

What actually drew me in was Joyce’s utter delusion. There’s something so endearing and so hilarious about how she flips the switch between misery and the full Joyce-brand extravaganza. Living the life of luxury while quietly planning a vow renewal purely to convince the brand she’s still worth re-signing. “We’re doing something big to celebrate our love.” Girl. You came from wealth. What do you need him for?

I get it, though. When you build a life with someone, it stops being just a marriage and becomes an institution: equity, houses, kids, family. So I get the teammate logic. But there’s still a part of me yelling “just leave, he doesn’t want you” the whole time.

Matipa tries to convince Jonasi to divorce Joyce. Doesn’t work. He goes through with the vow renewal, has a change of heart, and stays with Joyce, leaving Matipa out in the cold. Which should be a relief, except the kids have already seen what their father is capable of. And mind you, by the end of episode one, Joyce has already tried to burn the house down with him and Matipa in it and gone to jail for it. That’s episode one.

My friend warned me episode nine was going to leave me shocked, gagged, and gooped. I thought, “He’s back with Joyce now; what could go wrong?” Everything. Everything could go wrong.

The Spoiler of Spoilers

Okay, here it is. It’s not just the affairs, although there are a lot of those. Jonas has full-blown second families. There’s an entire second wife, Essie, who has been cosplaying as an in-law this whole time, his own brother pretending to be married to her so nobody finds out her child is actually Jonas’s. She spends most of the series being aggy and chaotic trying to get his attention without blowing the secret. And on top of all that, he sleeps with his son’s crush, who already had a boyfriend. Every time I think this show has hit its ceiling, it takes it up another level.

But honestly, the affairs aren’t even why I think he should be arrested. It’s the way he beats these women. He blacks Joyce’s eye. He blacks Matipa’s eye, and I could not stand Matipa at the start of this show, but by the end I genuinely felt for her. He beats her so badly she drops her twins off at Joyce’s house, says “I’ll be back,” and disappears out of the city entirely.

By the time he’s moved on to his son’s crush, who is barely of legal age, he has done everything humanly possible to destroy Joyce. And she keeps coming back. A lot of the women in this show make some deeply questionable choices, and I don’t fully understand the pull. But don’t let Joyce’s naivety fool you, because she has hatched one of the best revenge plans I’ve seen on television.

Joyce’s Plan

While in jail, Joyce meets a woman who has HIV. She sends this woman to seduce Jonasi, posing as a friend of Matipa’s after Matipa fled. Next thing you know, Jonas is sick. And the wildest part is he still doesn’t take his medication. I don’t know if it’s ego or what, but it’s genuinely just taking medicine, my guy. That’s it. That’s the whole task.

He deteriorates, and nobody finds out Joyce orchestrated it until the very last episode. And even in death, this man causes chaos, because Essie steals his body from the funeral home. Yes. She steals the body. Joyce has to go collect it back mid-burial, and the scene is unhinged in the best way, it reminded me of that Tyler Perry movie with Meagan Good where the family yanks a body out of a funeral home. But it’s earned here, because the buildup to it has been so thorough. This man is causing chaos from beyond the grave.

The Son Twist

Here’s the part that got me. All series long, Jonasi calls his son Menzi weak. It’s a through line. And to prove he’s not weak, Menzie starts mirroring his father’s behavior, to the point where Joyce refuses to see what’s happening right in front of her. The kicker: Jonas never realizes the woman Joyce hired gave him HIV while he was sleeping with his son’s crush, and by the end, Menzi ends up with that same crush, who by then is just chasing money and power.

It’s such an interesting show; it makes you sit with the ripple effects of this level of trauma. I kept thinking, if Joyce had just walked away sooner, would any of this have happened at all? Maybe not. But then there’d be no show.

Loose Ends I’m Still Mad About

They never found that phone. Mpume’s phone is gone and never addressed, and I am still mad about it. I did not like Sarah. I did not like who Menzie became by the end. I hated Mpume’s wig in the final stretch. Why did they throw a shag wig on her when the short hair was working? I don’t understand the decision. I liked Freedom. I felt for Essie right up until she stole the body, and then it was just “girl.” I felt for Matipa by the end too, until she said “f them kids,” and then I didn’t know what to do with that.

Final Verdict

Absolutely outstanding. You must watch. There are some dubbing issues; it’s clearly filmed in another language and dubbed into English, but you get used to it fast, and it stops registering after a couple episodes.

I followed Joyce’s actress on Instagram; her name is Gugu. I could not bring myself to follow the man who plays Jonasi. Somebody online mentioned he’s in another show called The Four of Us wreaking similar havoc, and I might watch it eventually, or I might not, because I’m not sure I can handle the sight of him for one more second.

Did y’all watch this one? Tell me everything in the comments.

Porsha. Porsha, the storm is over now.

Okay, let’s get into it, because I know y’all want the tea. We’re talking Porsha and Simon, then we’re heading straight into the Belle Collective reunion, so don’t go anywhere. (Also: I did an audio version of my Polygamy recap and I’m figuring out how to get it uploaded. It’s giving cinema, if I do say so myself. Stay tuned.)

Porsha Scores Big

This dropped last night, shoutout to The Neighborhood Talk and TMZ for the intel. The headline: Porsha scores a big win in the divorce settlement. Simon signed over all his interest in the Atlanta mansion, handed over the title to the Rolls-Royce, and owes her 1.5 million in reimbursement.

Here’s what actually happened: Simon did a quitclaim deed and transferred his remaining interest in the house to Porsha. From his part of the home’s equity, he owes her that 1.5 million. And he threw in the Rolls. So she’s got the house, she’s got the car, and she’s free to sell the place whenever she wants, no permission needed. The terms were agreed to under oath on August 5th. Saga closed. Porsha can celebrate.

My take: I don’t know her full financial picture, but I’d bet she doesn’t sell this year. They’re heading back into filming in two to three weeks, so there’s no real upside to making moves now, unless she wants “looking for a new house” to be her storyline, which, fair, that’s an option too if the memories in that house aren’t it for her. But my money says she’s staying put for at least the next year.

Meanwhile, over in wherever Simon is, he’s out here two-stepping and toasting to freedom with this quote: “They forgot to mention they also inherited 8 million in debt and still got to pay me. Being debt-free is my flex.”

My question: what exactly are we talking about here? Is this just the house, or are we including taxes and other business ventures? And if he’s paying her 1.5 million, does she owe him anything back? Genuinely confused on the math. But also, my man is in a whole different country. You really worried about paying somebody’s bills from over there? I wouldn’t be. No shade to anybody involved, I’m just saying, you can’t come back, so what’s the incentive? Y’all tell me in the comments if that’s even how any of this works, because I’m just speculating based on vibes at this point.

Kelli Potter Sets “The Standard”

Y’all remember The Standard? Kelly Potter It has officially been set. She’s selling T-shirts now. I say start a podcast, but hey, T-shirts might be the next best move.

Look, I know the T-shirt game is booming. I do. But maybe I just work too hard, because when I started my brand back in 2021, I was literally shipping sea moss to my parents during the panorama because I didn’t trust the process of the person I was buying it from, and I thought, “if this came in a packet, I could travel with it too.” Ding ding ding. Took the complicated route apparently, when I could’ve just done a white tee that says Sky Squad on it.

Anyway, Kelly went with the white tee, the confessional chair, and a caption about her Netflix documentary on how she set the standard. Marlo responded with laughing emojis and a heart. Kelly clapped back with “hey sis, the MF standard,” seemingly agreeing Marlo was in fact the fashion standard of Real Housewives of Atlanta.

Do you agree? Because here’s the thing: some people are into fashion without ever announcing it, they just have a distinct sense of style. But Marlo was always intentional about it, always putting people on, always styling others on the show. From everything we know now, I have to give her that award. And she’s still out here doing the doggone thing.

Belle Collective Part 2: They Did Not Disappoint

The Belles are back for part two of the season 8 reunion, titled “Three’s a Crowd.” Before we get into it, some pre-reunion questions the cast answered that I need to flag:

Who is going to interrogate who tonight? Who started the rumor that Marie’s business was closing? (Spoiler: we still don’t find out.) Where did loyalty become optional in this group? When did lies become truth, like, if you say something enough times does it just become fact? When did double standards become a thing in this collective? And who brought up that somebody’s fiancé had a baby on the way, in the collective, of all places?

Questions that need answers, indeed.

Overall take: I was thoroughly entertained. This is the reunion to watch if you haven’t seen it yet, and it reminded me why I like this show in the first place. The men are present, but they’re not out here stirring drama the way you might see on something like Love & Marriage: Huntsville. No shade to them, we like that energy for that show. But with the Belles, the men sit back and let the wives run it while still being woven into the mix naturally. It felt effortless. There were little reveals throughout, real tension, real arguing, and I’m hoping Atlanta brings that same energy back, even though the family dynamic will hit differently since it’s a different set of marriages entirely.

Should Chanté be a Belle? If she’s getting the invite, Amanda needs one too, because they represent completely different energies. Chanté spent this whole reunion invested in what Tamra was doing, even after Tamra called the juice man live, on speakerphone, and he emphatically confirmed he and Tamra were never together. He was actually offended it kept coming up. Tamra didn’t flinch through any of it. Meanwhile Tamra is very clearly with Demond, they have a baby, they’re co-parenting. At that point, girl, let it go. And Chanté’s answers were giving long-tail keyword energy, you know, when you type a bunch of extra words into Google to get a more specific result. A lot of words, not a lot of substance.

Amanda, on the other hand, says less and it hits harder. When Leticia asked if Amanda’s husband ever propositioned her for a threesome, Amanda’s response was basically one sentence: yes, he did. Short, direct, credible. Now, whether all the logic behind her other statements tracks is a separate question (she said she always felt fake around Leticia, and my question is then why be around her), but the delivery itself carries weight. And then Latrice, bless her, casually reveals that Leticia and Amanda have actually had threesomes before, and it was Leticia’s idea. Girl, you just spilled this woman’s whole tea. What I did appreciate is that nobody in the group performed shock about it. These are grown people having grown conversations about a marriage that’s lasted 20-plus years. No fake gasping. I respect that. What we still don’t get, though, is Glenn actually addressing what happened between him and Amanda. We know they sat in a car together at some point. We don’t know what that means. Not my business, but since it made it to the show, I’m allowed to wonder.

Nobody copped to starting the rumor about Marie’s business closing. Only ten people liked the comment that might have the answer, so, someone in that group of ten needs to speak up.

The Selena’s-husband-had-an-outside-baby rumor did get addressed, and here’s the thing about a rumor like that hitting the TV: it’s not about whether the women in the group believe it, it’s about whether the audience believes it. And audiences hold onto scandal longer than they hold onto “actually, nothing happened,” because scandal is just more fun to believe. From what I can piece together, Marie warned Selena that the rumor might come up at Kerry’s party, Tamra and/or Kerry overheard that warning, it got back to the men, and Mike had already talked to Cliff about it separately. So there were a lot of paths for this thing to travel. Kerry ultimately said it on camera, and Tamra got very rah-rah trying to prove she wasn’t the source, but the onus lands on whoever actually said it on camera, and that was Kerry.

Cliff and Latrice’s baby debate: I say go for it. He’s not into it, which, fair, he’s a little older and might not be trying to run around doing diaper duty. They’re rich, so yes, you can hire help, but you’re still going to be hands-on to some degree no matter how much staff you have. It just is what it is.

Leticia’s postnuptial agreement got some real discussion. Tamra mostly conceded she was wrong to push back on it the way she did, and Carlos pointed out it’s a little suspicious that the postnup showed up right after Leticia got famous, given how supportive her husband had been for years. I think there’s more nuance there than “he took care of her, so how dare she.” I think it’s just as likely she’s protecting her heart and her finances in case things ever go sideways, so she’s not left exposed if she ever needs to leave. That doesn’t feel unreasonable to me.

And then, Carrie’s mom Eleanor versus Matt’s mom Marlene. They did not disappoint. Ms. Eleanor basically told Ms. Marlene she wasn’t going to let her have the final say today, called her out for meddling in both her sons’ marriages, and pointed out that for someone who meddles this much, she sure isn’t around the grandkids more. Ms. Eleanor was sitting on red tea, and it was good. Ms. Marlene gives diva villain, but the fun kind, the kind where you can tell she knows exactly what she’s doing for the cameras. Still, she left feeling like Carrie blames her for Carrie’s own shortcomings, and mama, mama, mama, mama, I felt that.

Small detail I loved: Dr. Marie’s non-alcoholic Cola with her face on the can. That’s so neat. I’ve been cutting back on drinking myself lately (tried to finish a drink last night and just couldn’t), so I appreciated seeing Marie normalize the “just give me a Coke” move. And real talk, that’s the move, because nobody at a party can tell what’s actually in your cup. You say “I got a Jack and Coke,” nobody’s checking. I’m sipping my Coke, smiling, nodding, and I’m the only one who knows.

Overall, this season hit the sweet spot. Not too dark, not too light, just enough drama and chaos to keep me coming back. Belle Collective knocked it out of the park, and this is exactly the kind of TV I want to be reviewing right now.

The Polygamy audio recap is coming, probably tonight or tomorrow morning, once I figure out the photo-over-audio situation. Catch you in the next one.

Two weeks ago I stood on stage at the Garden State Bar Association’s 51st Annual Scholarship Gala as the master of ceremonies. The room was full of honorable judges, seasoned attorneys, and future law practitioners. People with decades of legal expertise. People who argue in front of the Supreme Court of New Jersey.

And they hired me. A pop culture commentator with a DJ background. (Note: I am purposely minimizing my level of experience for the sake of brevity here).

I want to tell you what I learned in that room, because it changed how I think about qualification, and I suspect it will change how you think about yours.

The question that kept me up

The part of the night I contemplated most was the opening monologue. How do you open a room like that? What do you say to a ballroom of people whose entire careers are built on precise language, on knowing exactly what to say and when to say it?

The question that kept reverberating in my mind was simple: how do I do my job as the master of ceremonies to the best of my ability for these people?

And somewhere in the middle of turning that question over, it hit me. That is the exact question every single person in that room asks themselves every day. The judge asks it before she takes the bench. The attorney asks it before he calls a client back with hard news. The law student asks it before her first internship interview.

How do I do the best job I can for the people I serve? (This is what I ask myself before I film each and every video, and I’m quite certain many of you ask yourselves the same thing.)

That was the commonality. I wasn’t an outsider in a room of lawyers. I was a service professional in a room of service professionals. My client that night happened to be the room itself, and the moment I understood that, the monologue wrote itself. We were all on the same page. When the people we serve become the focus, that is when we dig in and do the best work of our lives.

How I actually got the booking

Here is where things get really interesting…

I didn’t pitch this gig. It came as a referral. My aunt was the incoming president of the association, and she had heard me speak once before. At my father’s memorial service.

Sit with that for a second. The performance that earned me a paid stage in front of hundreds of legal professionals was the hardest speaking engagement of my life. I stood up that day without a script and without an audience to win over, and I said what needed to be said for the people in that room, as the truest version of myself.

She saw that and knew I could represent her and the association on their most important night of the year.

That is what I mean when I say the thing that qualifies you is rarely the thing on your resume. What booked that stage was me being fully myself in a room, on one of the hardest days of my life, while someone was paying attention.

The mirror question

Most people spend years trying to become qualified for the rooms they want to enter. Another certification, another degree, another rebrand. Meanwhile, the thing that will actually open the door is something they already do naturally, something so common to them they don’t even count it as a skill.

For me it was holding a room and making people feel something. For you it might be the way you explain complicated things simply. The way people calm down when you walk in. The way you organize chaos. The thing your friends call you for at 11pm.

You don’t need to become someone new to earn differently. You need to recognize what is already true about you and let people see it, especially in the rooms you’re already standing in.

It can be really easy to miss the very things you already have at your disposal - the skillset that you undervalue. So I always ask clients, friends, and associates, “Have you studied mirror yet?”

The question generally stops them in their tracks. It forces people to take stock of their own unique skills and abilities.

Every room is an audition for a room you haven’t seen yet

I did not know, standing at my father’s memorial, that I was auditioning for a ballroom in New Jersey. There was no way to know. Which is exactly the point.

You never know who is watching or what stage they hold the keys to. So the move is to show up as your full self in every room, the small ones, the hard ones, the ones that don’t pay. Serve the people in front of you like they’re the only audience that matters. Because someone in that room is connected to the next one.

The gala taught me that service is the common language between a judge and a DJ. And it reminded me that the version of you that already exists is more bookable than the version you keep postponing.

Be that person in the room you’re in today.

I speak on turning who you already are into stages, income, and rooms you never expected. If your organization or conference wants that message live, reach me at bookings@djrichieskye.com. And if this landed, subscribe so the next one finds you.

The brutal truth is that a) I’m under the weather this week (sinuses or flu, I don’t really know) and b) I nearly said EFF THIS WORK!

Let’s get into it.

Said work involves watching The Real Housewives of Atlanta and recapping the episodes right after. And in all fairness, my “job” sounds quite easy and simple, right? Watch the reality tv show, open the computer, turn on the webcam, and go live. The easiest “job” in the world, right? So why would I quit?

In order to answer this question, I’ve got to tell you about the rest of my weekend - the days before watching this past Sunday’s episode of the Real Housewives of Atlanta…

Just briefly - Thursday, I traveled from the DC area to Richmond, VA, having been invited to the TBEX (Travel Blog Exchange) conference. It was stellar; I got everything I needed to propel my work in travel in 2026 and beyond (we’re headed to Bali for two separate weeks, late September - October 15th). Riding the high from that event, it was on to the next location…

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New Jersey on Friday to MC the Garden State Bar Association’s Annual Scholarship and Awards Gala. I’ll discuss both events in a second and third post, but needless to say both experiences were stellar and almost identity-shifting. The vibes were so high, and the frequency both events propelled me into showcased for me the higher levels I’m being called towards.

So, as I sit down to watch what I’m hoping will be a lighthearted watch, it turns into what I fear most reality shows these days somehow devolve into: low vibrational plate energy. This week’s episode (RHOA Season 17 Episode 13) focused on how 1 cast member, Angela Oakley, tracked down her neighbors in search of information to utilize against fellow cast mate Shamea Morton in what felt like revenge-filled obsession.

Note: This was the FEELING I got from the episode. (Watch the full recap here)

Photo: Bravo TV

Now, I’m used to much of this with regards to reality television. I’m no stranger to producer-driven plots and schemes, often manufactured by cast members who are attempting to “produce” moments vs. allowing life and conflict to unfold naturally.

I couldn’t help but think to myself, Angela, you’re better than this. I wanted to scream at the television.

Then I found myself lingering in the energy of the mess for far too long, pondering how far off the rails the show felt in comparison to the events I’d just attended. The comparison was shocking.

To be in rooms filled with people who are aspiring for new heights (via travel) or fighting for social justice and ushering in new judges and the next wave of young lawyers and attorneys - to then having to discuss how one cast member is secretly investigating another, it just felt like too big of a disparity to comprehend.

And for a second, I wanted to quit.

Quit the recaps. Quit reporting the news.

But then, I remembered my why.

I love my community. I started this community of reality television lovers, and it has blossomed into something I would never have dreamed.

Yet, there’s still a challenge that remains: how to maintain that high level of vibration in the face of such low-vibrational behavior on these shows.

I’m not going to lie, it’s a constant battle I face. However, what I do know is that I’m not quite out of the game yet. But I am quite disappointed in this week’s shenanigans.

Perhaps it’s good that the show is on a pause for the week. It’ll allow me some time to decompress, as well as shake whatever sinus/allergy/flu I’m currently battling.

So let’s see how this goes.

In the meantime expect more writing…

Before I tell you what I said on that stage, I want to tell you what I almost didn’t say.

I came to the American Black Film Festival back in 2018 as an ambassador. I left that year with a gig, a seat on a daily talk show called Daily Flash. Then the network moved from Miami to Orlando, and my role moved right out from under me. That is the part of the story people skip when they tell you how careers get built. There is always a season where the thing you were counting on relocates, folds, or quietly stops returning your calls.

So I built my own. I started a podcast. And the work I did on that show, day after day, is the reason news organizations call me now instead of the other way around.

This year I came back to ABFF in Miami for a different reason. I was asked to speak on a panel sponsored by the Motion Picture Association, moderated by John Gibson, the MPA’s Vice President of Public Affairs and Industry Relations. The panel was called “DC as a Creative Capital: Pathways to Production and Power.” On stage with me were Priscilla Clark of Clark PR, who lives in the entertainment publicity world; Latoya Foster, DC’s Film Commissioner and Director of the DC Office of Film, Media and Entertainment, who also serves as Communications Director for the Mayor; and Cam Lawson, creator and host of The Opening Scene, the DMV podcast built around community, conversation, collaboration, and creation.

The session was about how Washington and the broader DMV are becoming a real home for creative industries. How policy, workforce development, and collaboration build sustainable creative economies. How production pipelines and investment open up for Black storytellers in markets that have been overlooked for a long time. Everyone on that panel brought something true. Latoya brought the institutional view, the funds, and the infrastructure the District is actually putting in place. Priscilla brought the relationships. Cam brought the community.

I brought a slightly different message, and I knew it was different while I was saying it.

What DC actually teaches you

Here is the thing I have come to believe about this region. In a lot of cities, the door opens based on who you know. In DC, the door opens based on the work you’ve done. The work shows up before you do. It speaks in the room before you’ve finished introducing yourself. That is not a small distinction. It changes what you spend your energy on.

A client and now business partner Tia Santiago said something to me right before I walked out on that stage. She told me to remember that I was the prize. Not the person asking for a seat at the table, but the prize at the table. I have value, and my value lives in the work I’ve already done.

That reframe is everything. When you walk into a funding conversation as the petitioner, you are asking someone to believe in a maybe. When you walk in as the prize, you are showing them a thing that already works. By the time you ask anyone for money, they can see four things at once: that you are serious, that you have done the work, that you can gather an audience, and that you can already generate revenue. That last one quietly makes your name marketable, because a name that already moves money is a name worth investing in.

I will be honest about my own receipts, because they are part of why I can say this with a straight face. When I moved my podcast onto YouTube, I doubled my revenue in the first month. The next month, I doubled it again. My highest month brought in sixty-seven thousand dollars from ad revenue alone. I do not say that to impress you. I say it because every dollar of it came from work I owned, on a platform I controlled, for an audience I built myself. None of it required permission.

The point where I diverged from the room

When it was my turn, I said the thing out loud: build your own.

While you are waiting on a network, a sponsor, an investor, or a grant, build the thing yourself. Build it so well that the people with the budgets start coming to you. And here is the practical reason, the one nobody likes to say on a conference stage: you have to eat in the meantime. You have to monetize yourself in the interim, while the institutional money makes up its mind. The good news is that you can, and you do not have to wait for anyone to hand you a check before you start earning.

That was a small act of defiance, sitting next to the MPA and a sitting film commissioner and saying the quiet part. The institutional path is real, and it matters. It also runs on someone else’s timeline, but the thing you build runs on yours.

The black licorice test

I asked the room a question. In a space at about ninety-eight percent capacity, packed, I asked who in the audience loves black licorice. Black licorice is an acquired taste, so only a few hands went up.

Good, I said. Now I am only talking to you.

That is the whole lesson. Your work has to speak to one specific person before it can speak to everyone. For me, that person was the reality TV lover. Once I knew exactly who I was building for, I could double down and become their go-to source for the one thing they cared about, and then build everything else out from there. The people who try to talk to the entire room end up reaching no one. The people who find their few raised hands build something real.

If you take one thing from this essay, let it be that. Find your black licorice people. Serve them better than anyone else will. The audience is the asset. The audience is what turns you into the prize.

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What’s actually available to you in the DMV

I promised the room something specific, so let me give you the same thing here. The region has real money and real on-ramps. Some of it rewards scale you have to build toward. Some of it is accessible right now. Figures shift year to year, so confirm the current numbers with each office before you build a budget around them, but as of this writing, here is the map.

If you are producing at scale, the tax incentives are serious.

• DC offers a rebate through the Office of Cable Television, Film, Music, and Entertainment of up to 35 percent of qualified production spending that is taxable in the District, with additional rebates for in-District vendors and for hiring resident cast and crew. It carries a minimum spend of $250,000.

• Maryland offers a refundable film production tax credit of 28 percent for most projects and 30 percent for series, with a $250,000 minimum. The number that matters most for independent creators is the Maryland Small Films track: a $25,000 minimum in-state spend, a credit up to a $125,000 cap, and open to entities that have been organized in Maryland for at least three months and have fewer than 25 full-time employees. That is a door an independent producer can actually walk through.

• Virginia runs two programs through the Virginia Film Office. The refundable tax credit starts at 15 percent of qualifying spend and climbs to 20 percent in an economically distressed area, with bonuses for hiring Virginia residents. Alongside it sits the Governor’s Motion Picture Opportunity Fund, a discretionary grant with no minimum spend, which makes it worth a conversation even for smaller projects.

If you are building before you are producing at scale, these are the on-ramps.

• The DC Commission on the Arts and Humanities funds individual artists directly through its Arts and Humanities Fellowship Program, and past grantees have included filmmakers, producers, and podcasters. If you live and work in the District, this is a fellowship that exists for exactly who you are.

• Fiscal sponsorship, through an organization like Fractured Atlas, lets an individual creator or a small LLC receive tax-deductible donations, apply for grants you could not otherwise touch as an individual, and run a crowdfunding campaign with nonprofit backing. It is one of the most overlooked tools for a creator who has the work but not yet the institution behind it.

Again, also do your due diligence as you’re researching these opportunities to ensure the figures remain the same - or at least be aware of additional requirements.

However, the pattern in all of it is the same. The institutional money rewards proof. The proof is the audience and the body of work you build on your own first, which brings us back to where we started.

Walk in as the prize

The festival reminded me of something I needed to hear in 2018 and would have paid for then. You are the prize, and your work is the evidence. Build it for your specific people, monetize it while the bigger money decides, and let the thing you made do the talking when you finally walk into that room.

I learned this the slow way so you don’t have to.

If you want to map out exactly what your own content revenue model looks like, the audience you should be serving, the offer that turns attention into income, and the path from where you are now to funded, I do that work one-on-one. You can book a 1:1 breakthrough strategy call with me here: Book Now

Come to the table with your work in hand. That has always been the move. Boom.

As always, I’m forever grateful to the John Gibson and the Motion Picture Association for the many opportunities to collaborate and continue to “do the work.”

Follow along: @djrichieskye

Look, I know this isn’t the polished content you were expecting. But honestly? That’s why it matters.

I’m literally on the road right now, stopped at a rest area, filming because the thought hit me and I couldn’t wait. And that right there—that urgency to share value regardless of conditions—is exactly what separates people who build content empires from people who stay stuck “waiting for the right time.”

Let me tell you about the three things you’re probably not going to do. And how those three things are going to keep you from ever seeing the success you’re capable of.

Thing #1: You Won’t Be Consistent (And You’ll Convince Yourself It’s Okay)

This is the killer. The dream-ender. The thing that stops 99% of people before they even get started.

You’re going to do a couple of videos. Maybe five. Maybe ten if you’re really committed.

And you won’t see traction.

So that voice in your head - the one that sounds very reasonable and protective - is going to start talking:

“This isn’t working for you. It worked for everyone else, but not for you. This whole thing is probably a scam anyway. You’re just not one of the lucky ones.”

Here’s what I need you to understand: That voice is lying.

It’s not protecting you. It’s keeping you small. Comfortable. Safe in your current situation.

The discomfort you feel? The newness of it all? That’s not a sign you’re doing it wrong. That’s the exact feeling that comes before breakthrough.

Here’s the thing about YouTube (and really, any content platform): you have to learn to feed the algorithm. And the only way to feed it is consistency.

You know what my first viral video was?

A video I shot on a Friday night. On my phone. Didn’t overthink it. Didn’t plan it out. Just hit record and talked.

100,000+ views.

Changed my entire trajectory.

If I’d stopped at video 3, I would have never known that video 7 was the one.

You have no idea which video will pop off. None. So the strategy is simple: keep showing up until one does.

I can offer you the same value in a high-tech studio as I can from my phone at a rest stop. Sometimes, from my phone, it actually feels more personal. More real. More like something you can actually do too.

Thing #2: You Think You Need to Go Viral (You Don’t)

Let me blow your mind real quick:

You don’t need to go viral to make serious money.

I know creators pulling in five and six figures annually who’ve never had a viral video. Never.

How? They found an audience that loves their content. That binges it. That wants more of them specifically.

Then they offered that audience:

• Courses

• Coaching

• Memberships

• Communities

• Products

In niches you wouldn’t even expect. Knitting. Woodworking. Calligraphy.

Low views. High bank accounts.

See, here’s what most people don’t understand about subscriber counts: they’re a vanity metric.

I have 206,000 subscribers. You know what? Not all of them see every video. The algorithm doesn’t work like that. It never has.

Some people with 3,000 subscribers make more money than people with 300,000.

The difference? Strategy.

When I had less than 5,000 subscribers, I made $5,000 my first month. Not JUST because I went viral. I grew to later understood that views convert to clients, community, and paid services - not just ad revenue.

Ad revenue views equal one thing.

Views that convert to clients, products, services? They equal something entirely different.

Stop conflating the two.

You can make money with high subscribers or low subscribers. With viral videos or steady, valuable content. The key is understanding that content is your marketing, not your business.

Once you get that? Everything changes.

Thing #3: You Haven’t Put Enough Numbers on the Board

If you can’t give me 30 videos, we can’t have a real conversation about your strategy.

I know that sounds harsh. But here’s why it’s true:

Before 30 videos, you don’t have enough data.

You haven’t discovered what draws people to you. You haven’t seen patterns. You haven’t given yourself enough shots to figure out what actually works.

My first viral video hit in my first week. Luck? Maybe. But I doubled and tripled down on that momentum because I had the reps in. I knew how to keep going.

You get better at this by doing it. Period.

I’ve worked in news. I’ve worked in radio. Talking is literally my thing - I’ve done over 3,000 videos at this point.

But you know why I got good? Not just because I had some special talent. Because I put the reps in.

I’ve filmed in bathrooms. Hotel bathrooms. My car (like right now). Big studios. Outside. In the craziest places you can imagine.

I got it done because it needed to be done.

You will get better the more numbers you put on the board.

Look around YouTube right now. You’ll see people walking through forests, filming on their phones, just talking to the camera.

That could be you. That could absolutely be you.

The only difference between them and you? They started. They stayed consistent. They put up the numbers.

The Real vs. The Perfect

I’m filming this at a rest stop because I wanted to show you something:

You don’t need perfect conditions to create valuable content.

Sometimes the real, the raw, the unedited, the unfiltered - that’s what actually drives your point home.

People don’t connect with perfection. They connect with authenticity. With someone who’s willing to show up even when conditions aren’t ideal.

If you’re waiting for:

• The perfect equipment

• The perfect lighting

• The perfect environment

• The perfect moment

• The perfect anything

You’re going to be waiting forever.

Treat this like a business. Show up like it’s your job. Because if you want it to pay you like a business, you have to work it like one.

Say It With Me

Right now, I want you to say this out loud:

“$60,000 to $100,000 per month is my normal.”

Not someday. Not if you’re lucky. Not when conditions are perfect.

Your normal.

A lot of you are on the precipice of that reality. You’re at the $5,000 per month mark. But you’re looking toward $10,000 mark. Maybe even the $100,000 mark.

But you’re not treating this the way you treat your job. You go to your job every day, whether you feel like it or not.

What if you brought that same energy to your content?

What if you put in the numbers every single day?

What changes?

Everything.

Where This Leads

If you’ve read this far, you’re feeling something.

Maybe it’s recognition. Maybe it’s conviction. Maybe it’s that quiet voice saying, “I could actually do this.”

That feeling? Listen to it.

I’ve made $67,000 in a single month. I’ve helped clients make $7,000 from one video. I’ve built content ecosystems that fund travel, freedom, and life on my terms.

None of it happened because I waited for perfect conditions.

It happened because I started. I stayed consistent. I put the numbers on the board.

And then—when I had enough data, enough experience, enough proof—I built the systems and strategies that made it sustainable.

That’s what I teach now. Not theory. Not motivational fluff.

The actual mechanics of building a content business that pays you while you sleep.

If you’re done waiting. Done overthinking. Done sitting on the sidelines while everyone else builds their empires...

The next step is simple:

Start putting numbers on the board. Film on your phone. Show up even when it’s not perfect. Feed the algorithm with consistency.

And when you’re ready for the strategy that turns those numbers into income—the frameworks, the positioning, the monetization models that actually work—you know where to find me.

The Creator Starter Kit has the roadmap I wish I’d had when I started:

• How I went from 252 to 100K subscribers in 12 months

• The exact strategy my client used to make $7K in 30 minutes

• The PSE Viral Framework that turns content into cash

• The monetization models that work with small audiences

It’s in my bio (and here) when you’re ready.

But first? Go film a video. Even if it’s from a rest stop. Even if the lighting sucks. Even if you think no one will watch.

Someone will. And that someone might change everything.

Now get out there and put a number on the board.

— Richie

P.S. - I’m about to get back on the road. But before I do, drop a comment and tell me: What’s video #1 going to be about? Make it real. Make it raw. Make it happen.

And remember: $60K-$100K months are your normal. Start speaking it. Start believing it. Start building it.

The time to start was yesterday. The second-best time is right now.

Let’s go.

I recently filmed a youtube video from a rest stop. No studio. No fancy equipment. Just my phone and the truth you need to hear. I’ll share the link below…

But here’s what you need to know.

Most people starting on YouTube are already failing. They just don’t know it yet.

Not because they lack talent. Not because the algorithm hates them. Not because they chose the wrong niche.

They’re failing because they’re not doing the three things that separate six-figure creators from everyone else still “trying to figure it out.”

Let me show you what I mean.

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Reason #1: You Won’t Be Consistent (And You’ll Justify Quitting)

Here’s what’s going to happen:

You’ll do a few videos. Maybe five. Maybe ten. You’ll pour your heart into them. You’ll wait for the views to roll in.

They won’t.

Then that voice in your head will start: “This isn’t working. It worked for everyone else, but not for me. I’m not one of the lucky ones. This whole thing is a scam.”

That voice? It’s lying to you.

It’s your brain trying to keep you comfortable. Safe. Small.

The uncomfortable truth is this: You have no idea which video will change everything.

My first viral video on my reality TV channel? I filmed it on a Friday night. Didn’t overthink it. Shot it on my phone. No special editing. No studio lighting.

It hit 100,000+ views and changed my entire trajectory.

But here’s the kicker: I had no idea it would be THAT video.

If I’d stopped at video 3, 5, or even 15, I would’ve never known what was possible.

The algorithm doesn’t reward talent. It rewards consistency. Feed it, and it feeds you back.

Stop feeding it, and you disappear.

Reason #2: You’re Chasing Vanity Metrics Instead of Value

On the flip side, let me destroy a myth right now:

You don’t need to go viral to make serious money with your content or brand.

I know creators with 3,000 subscribers making $10K-$20K per month. I know others with 200,000 subscribers barely clearing $2K.

The difference? What they’re monetizing.

High-subscriber creators chasing ad revenue are leaving 90% of potential income on the table.

Smart creators? They’re building:

• Coaching programs

• Digital products

• Courses and communities

• Premium memberships

• Services people actually pay for

They’re adding value to the RIGHT people, not chasing views from EVERYONE.

Here’s what most people don’t understand: Subscriber count is a vanity metric.

I have 206,000 subscribers. You know what? Not all of them see my videos. The algorithm doesn’t work that way. It never has.

What matters isn’t how many people follow you. It’s how many people would pay you.

When I had less than 5,000 subscribers, I made $5,000 in my first month. From there I learned that views can convert to clients, community, and paid services.

Ad revenue is a perk. Not a plan.

If you’re only thinking about AdSense, you’re thinking too small.

Reason #3: You Haven’t Put Enough Numbers on the Board

If you can’t give me 30 videos, we can’t have a real conversation about your YouTube strategy.

I know that sounds harsh. But here’s why it’s true:

30 videos is a minimum data set to understand what actually works.

Videos 1-10: You’re finding your voice
Videos 11-20: You’re seeing patterns
Videos 21-30: You have enough information to double down on what resonates

Before 30 videos, you’re guessing. After 30, you’re strategizing.

I’ve done over 3,000 videos. News segments. Radio spots. YouTube content in hotel bathrooms, studios, cars, forests, literally anywhere and everywhere.

You know why I got good? Reps.

Not because I’m special (well - technically we all are). Not because I had perfect equipment. Because I showed up and did the work when I didn’t feel like it.

The more videos you create, the better you get at:

• Understanding your audience

• Refining your message

• Identifying what converts

• Building trust at scale

You will not figure this out in 5 videos. Or even 10. You need volume.

The Real vs. The Polished (What Actually Converts)

I filmed a video talking about this from my car at a rest stop. You can watch it here!

No ring light. No microphone. Honestly, not even great lighting.

But people will watch…and do you know why?

Because authenticity beats production value when you have something worth saying.

People don’t connect with perfection. They connect with realness. With someone who understands their struggle. With someone who’s been where they are and knows the way out.

Some of my highest-performing content? Shot on my phone. No editing. Just raw value.

The studio setup is nice. But it’s not what builds trust. Consistency, value, and showing up—that’s what builds empires.

What This Actually Looks Like in Practice

Here’s the framework that works:

Week 1-4: Commit to consistency
Pick your schedule. 2-3 videos per week minimum. More if you have time and no budget. If you’re broke but have hours, use them. Talk to your phone. Start yapping. Find your audience.

Week 5-8: Start tracking what resonates
Which videos get watched longer? Which topics get more engagement? What feels natural to create? Double down on those signals.

Week 9-12: Build your monetization beyond ads
What can you offer beyond content? Coaching? Products? Services? Affiliate recommendations? Map it out. Test it. Refine it.

After 30 videos: Assess and scale
Now you have data. Real data. Not assumptions. Not hope. Evidence of what your audience wants and what you can deliver.

The Mindset Shift That Changes Everything

Say this out loud right now:

“$60,000 to $100,000 months are my norm.”

Not someday. Not if you’re lucky. Your norm.

You have to speak it into existence before you see it in your bank account.

Many people are on the precipice of breakthrough. They’re looking for $5K months. $10K months. Maybe even $50K months.

But they’re treating YouTube like a hobby, not a business.

If you treated your YouTube channel the way you treat your job - showing up every day, putting in the work, being consistent…what would change?

Everything.

Why Most People Won’t Do This (And Why You Should)

Let me be honest: Most people reading this won’t implement any of it.

They’ll nod along. They’ll agree. They’ll say “that makes sense.”

Then they’ll go back to inconsistency, chasing vanity metrics, and quitting after 7 videos.

That’s fine. That just means less competition for you.

The ones who will succeed? They’re the ones who understand:

• Consistency beats perfection

• Value beats virality

• Volume creates visibility

• Strategy beats luck

They’re the ones who will still be here in 6 months, 12 months, 3 years—building empires while everyone else is still “thinking about starting.”

The Raw Truth

I’ve made $67,000 in a single month. I’ve worked with clients who generated $7,000 from one video. I’ve built multiple revenue streams that create actual freedom.

None of it happened because I got lucky.

It happened because I was consistent when it was hard. I put numbers on the board when I didn’t feel like it. I monetized strategically instead of hoping ad revenue would save me.

And I’m still filming videos in my car at rest stops because the message matters more than the setup.

If you can embrace that, like really embrace it…you’re already ahead of 90% of creators.

Your Move

You have three choices:

1. Do nothing. Keep consuming content about YouTube success while never building your own.

2. Start, but quit early. Do 5-10 videos, see no traction, convince yourself it doesn’t work.

3. Commit. Show up consistently. Put 30+ videos on the board. Build real value. Monetize strategically. Become the creator who actually makes it.

Which one will you choose?

If You’re Serious About Building This Right

Most people need more than information. They need strategy. Direction. Someone who’s been there and knows the shortcuts.

I work with a select group of entrepreneurs and creators who are ready to build content empires the sustainable way.

Not guessing. Not hoping. Strategic execution that compresses 12 months of trial and error into weeks.

If you’re at that place where you’re done figuring it out alone, my DMs are open.

Not for tire-kickers. Not for people who need convincing.

For builders ready to execute.

Now say it again:

“$60,000 to $100,000 months are my norm.”

And go put a number on the board.

Richie Skye
Currently at a rest stop, still building

P.S. - The creators making real money aren’t waiting for perfect conditions. They’re creating from car, bathrooms, forests, wherever. They understand that done beats perfect. Every. Single. Time. If you get that, you’re already ahead.

Work With Me

90-Minute Monetization Intensive
Your complete content-to-cash roadmap in one focused session. Click here to get started!

You’ve seen the screenshots (see my last post on this very topic). The revenue dashboards. The “I made X in one month” posts.

But no one shows you the math that matters.

Let me change that.

The Numbers Everyone Wants (And No One Explains)

The reality: $67,000 in YouTube ad revenue.

38 videos. 31 days. Nearly $70,000.

But here’s what the analytics don’t show:

RPM: $20 (what I earned per 1,000 views after YouTube’s cut)
CPM: $30.90 (what advertisers paid to run ads on my content)
Watch Time: 488,000 hours (in one month)
Average View Duration: 8-17 minutes
Top Video Views: 145,000

These numbers unlock everything. Once you understand them, you can replicate the income without replicating the burnout.

Why Most Creators Are Leaving Money on the Table

Here’s what I wish someone had told me:

CPM varies wildly by niche.

Reality TV (my niche then)? $30 CPM.
Finance content? $50-100+ CPM.
Tech reviews? $40-60 CPM.
Personal vlogs? $5-15 CPM.

Translation: Two creators with identical view counts can earn 10x different revenue based solely on topic choice.

The cheat code? Finance, wealth, health, and business content pays premium rates. Advertisers in these spaces have deep pockets and high customer lifetime values.

If you’re starting from scratch and revenue matters, choose your niche accordingly. If you already have an audience, understand your earning ceiling—and plan to break through it.

The Burnout Tax (And How It Nearly Destroyed Me)

Let me show you a comment from someone who gets it:

“Burnout is exactly what happened to me, coupled with marital issues, postpartum depression back in 2021. My RPMs were double yours—minimum of $44. But that burnout is no joke. I am still trying to get myself back years later.” — Ikaniesha

She was earning MORE per 1,000 views than I was. But the cost? Her marriage. Her mental health. Years of recovery.

This is the part they don’t put in the thumbnail.

38 videos in one month meant:

• Some days filming 3 videos

• 30-45 minute live streams requiring extreme focus

• Editing, uploading, optimizing—all while tracking trending topics in real-time

• Zero boundaries between work and life

I hit $67K. Then I crashed.

The real question isn’t “Can you make this much?” It’s “Can you sustain it without sacrificing everything that matters?”

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The Model That Actually Works (And Scales)

After that burnout month, everything changed.

I realized: Ad revenue is a perk, not a plan.

Here’s what I built instead:

The Content Ecosystem Model

1. Content as Marketing (not monetization)

2. Products & Services (your real revenue)

3. Community Building (your competitive moat)

4. Multiple Streams (your freedom fund)

Take my client Karen. She came to me wanting to sell and leave her salon and promote her natural haircare products.

We built her YouTube presence. Now she has:

• Viral videos generating brand awareness

• Thousands in ad revenue (bonus income)

• Thousands in product sales (primary income)

• Her own courses teaching women her methods

• A community that trusts her implicitly

One viral video generated $7,000 in product sales. Thirty minutes of work.

That’s the difference between content-as-hustle and content-as-ecosystem.

The 30-Video Commitment (Your Real Barrier to Entry)

When I work with someone privately, I ask one question:

“Can you commit to 30 videos?”

If they hesitate, I know they’re not ready.

Here’s why 30 matters:

Videos 1-10: You’re figuring out your voice, testing topics, learning the tools
Videos 11-20: You’re starting to see patterns in what resonates
Videos 21-30: You have enough data to make strategic pivots

After 30 videos, you’re not experimenting anymore. You’re executing strategy.

Plus, you’ve built a content library. When someone discovers you, they don’t just watch one video - they go down the rabbit hole. They spend an hour (or three) consuming your ecosystem. They move from stranger to customer without you lifting a finger.

That’s when YouTube becomes your 24/7 sales team.

What I’d Do Differently (Your Blueprint)

If I were starting today with what I know now:

1. Product First, Content Second

Don’t build an audience and hope to monetize later. Know what you’re selling from day one. Every video should move people closer to that purchase.

2. Choose High-CPM Niches (If Revenue Matters)

Finance, business, wealth-building, health optimization—these topics pay 3-5x more in ad revenue while also attracting high-ticket buyers.

3. Build for Binge-Watching

Create series. Reference previous videos. Design your channel like a Netflix show where people want to watch everything.

4. Monetize Multiple Ways Simultaneously

• Ad revenue (passive)

• Digital products (scalable)

• Services/coaching (premium)

• Affiliate partnerships (leveraged)

• Travel experiences (lifestyle integration)

5. Plan for Sustainability from Day One

Two videos per week beats 38 videos in one month. Consistency compounds. Burnout destroys.

The Real Metric That Matters

Not views. Not subscribers. Not even revenue.

Watch time.

488,000 hours of watch time in one month is what generated $67K.

But watch time doesn’t just earn ad revenue. It builds trust. And trust converts to sales.

When someone watches 8-17 minutes of your content (my average view duration), they’re not just consuming—they’re evaluating. Deciding if you’re worth their time, money, attention.

Long watch time = deep trust = premium sales.

This is why I focus on 10-15 minute videos, not 60-second clips. Depth beats breadth when you’re selling transformation, not entertainment.

The $1M Math You Need to Understand

Let’s be direct: $67,000/month is 80% of the way to $1 million annually.

$84,000/month × 12 months = $1,008,000

You’re closer than you think.

But here’s what most people miss: You don’t need to scale ad revenue to hit seven figures. You need to diversify revenue streams.

My breakdown now:

• Ad revenue: 30%

• Coaching/consulting: 40%

• Travel experiences: 20%

• Digital products: 10%

Multiple streams = sustainable seven figures.

One algorithm change can’t destroy you. One platform shift can’t bankrupt you. One bad month doesn’t kill momentum.

Your Next Move (If You’re Serious)

Reading this, you’re in one of three places:

1. You’re just starting - You need positioning, niche clarity, and a 90-day content roadmap

2. You’re stuck - You’re posting consistently but not seeing traction or revenue

3. You’re scaling - You’re making money but burning out or hitting a ceiling

The move is the same for all three: Stop building in the dark.

One strategic conversation can collapse months of trial and error. I’ve seen it happen dozens of times.

Karen made $7K from one video after we mapped her strategy.

Another client went from zero to first paid offer in 3 weeks.

Another tripled their RPM by pivoting their content angle.

The difference? They stopped guessing and started executing with strategy.

The Invitation

I don’t work with everyone. I work with people who:

• Value strategy over information

• Are willing to commit to 30+ videos

• Understand that sustainable success beats viral burnout

• Want to build content ecosystems, not just channels

• Are ready to invest in themselves at a premium level

If that’s you, I have limited spots for private intensives where we build your entire monetization roadmap in 90 minutes or over the course of 4 weeks.

We map your niche, your offers, your content strategy, your revenue streams, and your 90-day execution plan.

You walk away with clarity that would take 6 months to figure out alone.

This is for serious builders only.

Not tire-kickers. Not information collectors. Not people hoping for magic formulas.

If you’re ready to stop spinning your wheels and start building an actual content empire, let’s talk.

The Math Doesn’t Lie

$67,000 is possible. $100,000 months are possible. Seven figures annually is possible.

But not by doing what everyone else is doing.

Not by chasing trends without strategy.

Not by burning yourself out for ad revenue alone.

You build it by understanding the math, choosing the right model, and executing with intention.

The question is: Are you ready to build this the right way?

Say it with me:

“$60,000 to $100,000 months are my norm.”

Not someday. Not if you’re lucky. Your norm.

Now go build it.

Work With Me

90-Minute Monetization Intensive - $395

Walk away with:

• Your complete content-to-cash strategy

• Niche positioning that attracts premium clients

• Revenue stream architecture mapped to your goals

• 90-day execution roadmap

• AI-powered marketing plan

• Creator Starter Kit (includes my Zero to Six Figures guide + Karen’s $7K Strategy breakdown)

Book Your Intensive →: Click Here

4-Week Transformation Program - $1,200

For those who want ongoing support:

• Four 60-minute private strategy sessions (weekly)

• Custom frameworks and templates

• 4-week Voxer access for momentum and accountability

• Complete content ecosystem blueprint

• Multiple revenue stream development

• Sustainable scaling strategy

Reserve Your Spot → Click Here

Only working with action-takers this month. If this resonated, you know what to do.

— Richie Skye

P.S. - The difference between six-figure creators and struggling ones isn’t talent or luck. It’s strategy. And strategy can be taught in one conversation. The question is: will you have that conversation this month or waste another 6 months figuring it out alone?

P.S.S. - Want the full video breakdown? Watch it here!

The screenshot doesn’t lie: $67,000 in ad revenue. One month. (Also viewed in this video here).

But here’s what the analytics dashboard doesn’t show you: me, hunched over my laptop in a Dubai hotel bathroom at 2 AM, filming my third video of the day. The panic that kept me working through what should have been a dream vacation. The pattern I was creating that would eventually lead to complete burnout.

I’m Richie Skye, and I need to tell you something important: yes, you can make $60,000+ per month as a content creator. But the way I did it? That’s exactly what you should NOT do.

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The Fall That Started Everything

Picture this: I’d just moved from Los Angeles to Miami for a news job. A fresh start. New opportunities. Then the show relocated to Orlando - without me. Fired. Broke. Rent due. That familiar panic you know all too well if you’ve ever lost your income suddenly.

I’d spent my adult life in news and communications - technical writing, event planning, production. I even went to film school in LA. But the news industry? It was far more cutthroat than I’d anticipated. I wasn’t happy. And now I wasn’t employed.

Then my friend Funky Dineva said something that changed everything: “You need to get on YouTube.”

The Week That Changed My Life

I started making content about reality TV. One week later, I had a viral video. Within that same week, I got monetized.

That first month? $5,000 in ad revenue.

I was hooked. And that’s when I made my first critical mistake.

The Dubai Bathroom Tapes

Remember that trip I mentioned? I couldn’t cancel it despite being unemployed - it was already booked. So instead of enjoying Dubai, I worked. I filmed videos in hotel bathrooms. I was in full hustle mode, convinced this was what success required.

“This is working,” I told myself. “I need to build this thing up.”

What I didn’t understand then was that I was encoding a dangerous pattern into my nervous system. I was teaching myself that rest was optional. That vacation meant “work from a different location.” That success required exhaustion.

By December 2020, I was a content machine: 38 videos in one month. Some days, I published three videos. Three. The algorithm loved it. My bank account loved it. My body and mind? Not so much.

The $67,000 Reality Check

Let me show you the proof, because I know some of you are skeptical:

Revenue: December 1, 2020 - January 5, 2021: $67,000

Nearly $70,000 in ad revenue. During a pandemic. It’s possible. It’s real. People are doing this all over YouTube and Facebook right this very second!

But here’s what that number actually cost me:

• Working through what should have been rest days

• Creating non-evergreen, news-based content that kept me trapped in a constant churn cycle

• Producing salient content that was only relevant “right now,” forcing me to stay perpetually plugged in

• Building an unsustainable sprint that I mistook for a marathon pace

This wasn’t just hard work. This was trauma-informed work. I was running on the fumes of PTSD from financial instability—a repossessed car in LA, the reality TV appearance, all of it. I was operating from a wounded place that said: “Work by any means necessary. Never let yourself be vulnerable again.”

What I Wish I’d Known (And What You Need to Know Now)

Here’s the truth they don’t tell you about content creation: Ad revenue should be a byproduct, not the goal.

The smartest creators aren’t chasing the algorithm. They’re building worlds.

Think about it this way: YouTube isn’t your business. YouTube is your storefront. Your business is what you invite people into once they know, like, and trust you.

For me, that evolved into:

• Leading travel experiences to Bali, Vietnam, Cape Town, Zanzibar, Thailand

• Introducing my community to travel memberships and alternative ways to explore the world

• My book series (because I love to write)

• Coaching for people who want to monetize their skills through content

Take my client Karen. She wanted to sell to salons and focus on her natural haircare products. We strategically established her branded YouTube presence. Now she has viral videos, thousands in ad revenue, AND thousands in product sales. She’s even launched her own courses. (Because we like receipts - here you go.) I break down our entire strategy here in this starter series.

This is the model: Build community. Provide transformation. Circulate income.

The Shift Everything Changed

My dad’s death forced me to confront the unsustainability of what I’d built. If I’d been relying solely on ad revenue, I would have had to choose between grieving and income. Between being present for my family and feeding the content beast.

That’s when I realized: there’s a smarter way to do this.

Your Content Should Create Freedom, Not Prison

Every piece of content you create should help your audience transform. Take them from Point A to Point Z. Add value. Entertain. Educate. But do it in a way that serves your nervous system, not destroys it.

When I travel now? I actually travel. I film content because I want to share experiences, not because I’m enslaved to a posting schedule. I can take vacations. I own my time. I’ve leveled up my life in ways that aren’t visible in an analytics dashboard.

The New Model for $60K+ Months

Here’s what I want you to say to yourself right now:

“$60,000 to $100,000 months are my norm.”

Say it. Mean it. Believe it in your bones first, and then you’ll start to see it.

But get there the smart way:

1. Don’t chase ad revenue—chase community. Build the know-like-trust factor that turns viewers into a loyal audience.

2. Leverage your content to showcase what you’re good at. Whether that’s products, services, experiences, or expertise - YouTube (long-form content) is your introduction, not your endgame.

3. Create transformation. Everything you make should help someone get from where they are to where they want to be.

4. Protect your nervous system. Success built on burnout isn’t success. It’s a ticking time bomb.

5. Build multiple revenue streams. Coaching, products, experiences, memberships - diversify (but don’t overwhelm yourself - we’ll discuss this later) so you’re never dependent on the algorithm’s mood swings.

The Real Talk

I’m not special. Well, we’re all special, but you know what I mean—I’m not uniquely gifted in ways you aren’t. I came from struggle. Financial instability. Job loss. A repossessed car. Reality TV (yes, I was on a show called Stripped on Bravo Tv in 2018) drama. The whole messy journey. But we’ve all got our own mess that we can leverage as a MESSage.

What got me to $67,000 in one month was hustle, yes. But also trauma response. Fear. The desperate need to never feel financially vulnerable again.

What will sustain you beyond that one big month is different: it’s understanding your worth, regulating your nervous system to expect more (and deserve more and appreciate more), and building a business model that doesn’t require you to sacrifice your humanity.

Your Turn

You can do this. The $60,000 months are achievable. But please, learn from someone who’s been there: do it smarter than I did.

Build the world. Invite your community in. Provide value that transforms. And for the love of everything, don’t film videos in hotel bathrooms when you should be enjoying Dubai (unless it’s a vlog about your fabulous trip lol).

Ready to level up your content strategy without burning out? Drop a comment and tell me: What’s your biggest takeaway from this? Your answer will help me know what to talk about next.

Remember to show up for yourself today. Be safe out there.

And if working together feels right, let’s talk about how to build your sustainable content empire.

The links are in my bio. If we’re a good fit, let’s make it happen.

This is a conversation space exclusively for subscribers—kind of like a group chat or live hangout. I’ll post questions and updates that come my way, and you can jump into the discussion.

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1. Get the Substack app by clicking this link or the button below. New chat threads won’t be sent sent via email, so turn on push notifications so you don’t miss conversation as it happens. You can also access chat on the web.

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2. Open the app and tap the Chat icon. It looks like two bubbles in the bottom bar, and you’ll see a row for my chat inside.

3. That’s it! Jump into my thread to say hi, and if you have any issues, check out Substack’s FAQ.

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Hopefully this brings you some level of joy as your favorite reality tv show MAY not be on today due to the holiday. Fear not, you can sink your teeth into THIS story…

Chapter 4 picks up on the action with another member of the cast reacting to the anonymous blog, The Wicked Watch, spilling more tea on how the season 2 of the hit show Filthy Rich Dynasty is shaping up to start filming.

Take a listen.

And for more information on how to get your hands on a copy, click here!

Until then, have a safe and enjoyable holiday!

Richie

You ever seen a housewife just do a little too much? Like for the sake of good - but it just falls flat?

And we’re actually rooting for her. But she just can’t seem to find her footing?

Well, let’s just jump all the way in, and of course, let us know WHAT you think!

Click here to watch the latest!

Who knows?

But what I do know is. Monique Samuels, Chris Samuels and Stacey Rusch are NOT the love triangle any of us are looking for on the current season of the Real Housewives Of Potomac. We know this. Mostly because we know that Monique and Chris are SOOOOOO not together and additionally quite divorced. As a matter of fact - Stacy’s latest story arc is her reconnection with Thiemo (sp?)… right?

Well for those of you who want a deeper dive - you’ll want to watch today’s LIVE right here!

Ah, and Cape Town yall! It’s been an amazing experience. I never know what to expect when hosting (or co-hosting) these trips. I wonder who’s coming? And what energy they will bring…and spoiler alert: THE ENERGY IS PERFECT!

So many different types of personalities that are literally as I type this - bonding over loss, connection, food, love of travel and for some, even moving to Cape Town!

I’ll tell you all about it in the upcoming Cape Town Vlog. So stay tuned for that one!

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But in the meantime, if you need something to tide you over until it comes - take a look my very FIRST Cape Town Vlog here!

More to come…

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Click here to watch!

I have so many questions, and yet do I really want to know? That’s the question we face this week as newcomer Angel reveals a shocking scandal - that a) wasn’t true and b) doesn’t matter.

We discuss this - and how real and Keiarna’s feelings are about the group (whether they agitate us or not), as well as Gizelle’s response and what is probably one of her most vulnerable moments ever…

Her own vulnerability hit home for a lot of us in our discussion. Get into it here.

And feel free to share your thoughts!

Next week, Monique Samuels returns!

Except, that we must discuss the idea of emotional authenticity.

Look, I know that Angel has been put through the ringer. I loathe to use the word “haze” in this context as I think it minimizes the ACTUAL idea of hazing and the dangers that lie therein…

But she HAS definitely been put through the paces on this show.

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So as Gizelle Bryant, apologizes for confronting, in front of the group, about the “heavily filtered” images on Angel’s Instagram - Angel is breaking down in tears over how hard it is, as a mother to experiences the transition of motherhood and the toll it can take on one’s body.

To those who view her tears as a sign of weakness, I’d encourage you to take a step back and listen to what the true issue is.

Although I think there’s a slight misalignment with Gizelle’s ACTUAL questions were about Angel’s face in the posts in question - I think, maybe, just maybe - it actually reveals a deeper insecurity as expressed BY ANGEL in the scene in question.

Let’s discuss it all LIVE at 10:15 am EST on Youtube here! If you miss the live feel free to catch the replay!

Richie

It was explosive!

Does anyone really win when the family feuds?

Or does everybody?

Tamar just unleashed a new musical/movie featuring all new music! Toni just announced a new tour with Boyz II Men and New Edition.

Maybe everybody really is winning…

But are WE?

Tap in to get in on the live discussion or watch the replay here!

If you haven’t had a chance to dive into this series yet, trust, you’ll want to start now. It has all the drama of a Real Housewives show, with a touch of Scandal and a Bridgerton flare.

Dram…

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That’s the question at the heart of my debut book series The Wickedest Wives. Book 1 finds our naive, yet determined Desiree fighting to revive her struggling career as a disgraced journalist by joining a reality tv show.

Isn’t that usuall…

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