Randy Dreammaker's YouTuber shout out page.
I decided I would give a public shout out to my fellow YouTube Creator friends channels on YouTube.Michael Stone (aka LavaKiller69)
I met Michael entirely by accident in 2015 on YouTube. I wasn't on Facebook at the time. He and another YouTuber had followed my channel back then after I did a few videos about how to sell online on my Hiking With Randy YouTube channel. I used to make goofy videos about hiking in California.
I had been trying to reach the requirements to become a YouTube partner at the time, and right when I did, I had no energy or motivation left. I was entirely burned out. Doing videos for YouTube was the last thing I wanted to do.
I don't know if I did a video about being burned out, or what, but somehow, Michael and the other person began talking with me. Michael kept encouraging me to hang in there and keep pressing forward. I really didn't want to, I was ready to quiet. I was only getting about 30 to 50 views on a video after five years. Michael kept encouraging me.
At some point, I decided to turn one of my YouTube channels into a channel where I would talk about marketplaces to sell things on. I had been selling on eBay since 2006, and eBay's Half since 2001. I had also been a top rated product reviewer for Epinions up until 2014. I knew how to articulate my thoughts in written form, I just didn't have any experience talking in person or in front of a camera.
Michael and I decided to do a live streaming video together. (The only live stream video I've done) and doing that video helped me decide to keep making videos.
I clearly recall Michael as a key pivot point for my direction on YouTube. I am absolutely positive that i would have stopped making videos and helping people on YouTube, if my path hadn't crossed with his. I am really thankful for his timely injection into my paradigm.
Reselling on the Side with Esme
(Click to view channel)
I met Esme on a Facebook Group. She had reached out to ask me some questions and we started talking. When I met her, I told her, "I'm single, so you'll need to check with your husband and let him know you want to interact with me, and make sure he's o.k. with it." I'd seen a lot of marriages ruined when married women became "Friends" with men online. First they became emotionally involved, then things went from there. I didn't want to go down that journey with anyone. I wouldn't want anyone to take that journey with my wife, if I had one. So I made her ask her husband for permission to talk with me. He said, o.k. and we became friends and are still friends. That was in 2017.
After a big shakeup in the Facebook Group we participated in for Mercari Sellers, the two of us started a Mercari Facebook Group together. Before long it began growing, and we had a very active and growing community. We kept it focused on helping the community learn how to sell on Mercari and make more money. I refused to exploit the group or allow anyone on our team to exploit the group to grow our YouTube channels or businesses. Not everyone agreed with that model, but I was tired of YouTubers and Facebook users trying to sell their e-books about how to make money as an online reseller. I already knew a lot of the YouTubers who were doing that. One of them wasn't even selling online anymore, but was still making videos acting like he was. My goal had been and has always been to lift up other people and help them lift themselves up. "Give a person a fish and they'll eat for a day, teach a person how to fish, and they'll eat for a lifetime." I don't know who said that, but I believe it.
After a year of running the Facebook Group we needed a larger team to support it. I made a really bad decision and invited a former moderator of the Facebook group we had left, to become an Admin in our group. Esme and I had formed the group and were Admins of the group, but we had different skills. Esme was the light and energy of the group, the face of the group. I was the technical guy, but I was burned out on life at the time.
Esme didn't feel comfortable taking on more administration duties. She didn't want to be the bad guy, and I don't blame her. But what happened is, the person I brought in to help Admin from the former group had their own ideas and agenda's. They were not aligned with the goals and objectives of our group, and before long, our group started to have the strife of the group we left.
My mistake was that in bringing that person in, I now see I undermined Esme's role as co-founder.
As tensions grew in the group, Esme and I had a falling out and she left the group. I was devastated, because I knew that no one could replace her presence. Other members of our team could and did try to engage the group, but Esme is one of those people who enter a room and it's like the sun comes through the ceiling and lights up a rainy day.
So I eventually closed the group, helped some of the key founding members get better situated with their own stores and businesses and focused my energy on helping others on YouTube.
I had been encouraging Esme to start a YouTube channel. I knew she would bring her energy and light to people who want to learn how to sell online through YouTube. Eventually she did, and her channel has been growing every since.
In 2021, after three years of thinking about leaving Facebook for good. I finally did. So, YouTube continues to be our platform to help others, and remain connected. Take a look at her channel and see if you like her vibe.
After a big shakeup in the Facebook Group we participated in for Mercari Sellers, the two of us started a Mercari Facebook Group together. Before long it began growing, and we had a very active and growing community. We kept it focused on helping the community learn how to sell on Mercari and make more money. I refused to exploit the group or allow anyone on our team to exploit the group to grow our YouTube channels or businesses. Not everyone agreed with that model, but I was tired of YouTubers and Facebook users trying to sell their e-books about how to make money as an online reseller. I already knew a lot of the YouTubers who were doing that. One of them wasn't even selling online anymore, but was still making videos acting like he was. My goal had been and has always been to lift up other people and help them lift themselves up. "Give a person a fish and they'll eat for a day, teach a person how to fish, and they'll eat for a lifetime." I don't know who said that, but I believe it.
After a year of running the Facebook Group we needed a larger team to support it. I made a really bad decision and invited a former moderator of the Facebook group we had left, to become an Admin in our group. Esme and I had formed the group and were Admins of the group, but we had different skills. Esme was the light and energy of the group, the face of the group. I was the technical guy, but I was burned out on life at the time.
Esme didn't feel comfortable taking on more administration duties. She didn't want to be the bad guy, and I don't blame her. But what happened is, the person I brought in to help Admin from the former group had their own ideas and agenda's. They were not aligned with the goals and objectives of our group, and before long, our group started to have the strife of the group we left.
My mistake was that in bringing that person in, I now see I undermined Esme's role as co-founder.
As tensions grew in the group, Esme and I had a falling out and she left the group. I was devastated, because I knew that no one could replace her presence. Other members of our team could and did try to engage the group, but Esme is one of those people who enter a room and it's like the sun comes through the ceiling and lights up a rainy day.
So I eventually closed the group, helped some of the key founding members get better situated with their own stores and businesses and focused my energy on helping others on YouTube.
I had been encouraging Esme to start a YouTube channel. I knew she would bring her energy and light to people who want to learn how to sell online through YouTube. Eventually she did, and her channel has been growing every since.
In 2021, after three years of thinking about leaving Facebook for good. I finally did. So, YouTube continues to be our platform to help others, and remain connected. Take a look at her channel and see if you like her vibe.
Yukinko Akira
Yukinko Akira and I meet in 2001. We are both musicians and fan's of a series of keyboards and instruments Yamaha corporation released in the late 1990's called the Yamaha DJX.
At the time I was running the Yamaha DJX Users Group. He and I have kept in touch every since, and our paths have often crossed online.
Akira lives in Japan (I lived in Japan in the 1990's and have been there three times). We never met in person yet.
Akira used a Yamaha DJX IIB called the "Groove Box", as part of his early public street performance painting. He called it "Rhythm Painting". In 2020 when the world locked down due to the corona virus, he wasn't able to do any public performances, and began showing his work doing commercial art. As a result, he has gained a reputation as a serious and highly talented artist in Japan, which ultimate has benefited him. I have enjoyed watching him grow as a fellow artist and musician.
Randy Dreammaker's Favorite Yukinko Akira Painting
At the time I was running the Yamaha DJX Users Group. He and I have kept in touch every since, and our paths have often crossed online.
Akira lives in Japan (I lived in Japan in the 1990's and have been there three times). We never met in person yet.
Akira used a Yamaha DJX IIB called the "Groove Box", as part of his early public street performance painting. He called it "Rhythm Painting". In 2020 when the world locked down due to the corona virus, he wasn't able to do any public performances, and began showing his work doing commercial art. As a result, he has gained a reputation as a serious and highly talented artist in Japan, which ultimate has benefited him. I have enjoyed watching him grow as a fellow artist and musician.
Randy Dreammaker's Favorite Yukinko Akira Painting