3 Oct 2025
The Farahbakhsh podcast celebrates its YouTube channel's eighth anniversary, reflecting on its journey and offering insights to aspiring content creators. Hosts discuss personal experiences, challenges, and the importance of passion and authenticity in building an online community.
The Farahbakhsh podcast welcomes Kourosh as a special guest, chosen for his comfortable presence as they are at home together, and for the upcoming 8th anniversary of their YouTube channel.
The podcast marks the 8th anniversary of their YouTube channel, prompting a reflection on their journey, sharing memories, and offering tips, tricks, and advice for aspiring content creators.
A question box was posted, inviting audience questions, including a controversial one, to be answered during the episode.
The host shares a personal update about abstaining from coffee for a month, triggered by negative physical reactions like dizziness and stomach acid issues after consuming multiple cups before an early morning conference interview.
The host recounted their interview with the head of YouTube at the Digital First conference, where the story of their YouTube channel's beginning garnered significant interest from foreign attendees, despite personal stress from lack of sleep and early timing.
The discussion contrasts coffee, which provides sudden energy followed by fatigue and physical discomfort, with matcha, a green tea derivative offering slow, sustained energy without the same harsh effects, despite some finding its taste bitter.
The host admits to struggling with getting out of bed without external motivators like work, as they lack an interest in caffeine or matcha for morning energy.
The host explains the current podcast setup with a single camera, which necessitates focusing on the camera to avoid appearing to ignore Kourosh, a situation that caused viewer feedback in previous episodes.
The hosts express disbelief at the channel's 8-year duration, feeling 'old' but proud of their continuous journey and collaborative effort, emphasizing the importance of not giving up.
The hosts reflect on the evolving nature of their audience, acknowledging that many viewers are new, contrary to an internal perception that everyone has followed them for all eight years, and recall how older viewers remember obscure details like a turtle's name.
The hosts reminisce about obsolete entertainment formats like VHS tapes, particularly an old system for rating films with 'dots,' and recording music from satellite onto cassettes for family members.
The host recalls their early interest in music, particularly metal, and an initial shyness or embarrassment about expressing this passion, often hiding it from family members.
The host details their journey of music discovery, from taking CDs from a Tajrish vendor to developing a deep love for blues music after being captivated by a 16-bit version of Moonlight Sonata in a game.
Regarding what content to start with (games, vlogs, humor), the best approach is to align with personal interests, as forcing content without genuine passion is counterproductive.
There is immense, untapped potential in Persian-language YouTube, with ample opportunities for new creators to emerge and succeed, dispelling the notion that it's 'too late' to start.
Creators should find their specific interests, no matter how unusual, because passion attracts both those with similar interests and those who simply appreciate enthusiastic explanation.
Aspiring YouTubers should simply 'start' by creating a few videos without the pressure of the first one going viral, aiming for uniqueness and improvement in later videos, thereby overcoming the initial hurdle.
The host's motivation for starting YouTube stemmed from a frustration with circumstances that limited creative expression, seeking a personal space for their interests, such as singing or graphic design.
The host admits to moments of wanting to give up, particularly during immigration and periods of mental confusion, due to the constant demands of recording, editing, and facing one-sided judgments and negative comments.
Negative and untrue judgments on social media significantly affect the host, leading to frustration, ruined days, and a desire to refine communication to avoid misinterpretations, although constructive criticism is welcomed.
The host expresses years of boredom and self-criticism regarding their own appearance and voice in videos, often feeling awkward during editing and perceiving themselves as less appealing on camera than in real life.
A key piece of advice for new YouTubers is to hire an editor from the start to avoid the difficulty and psychological toll of self-editing, though personal vlog content may be an exception.
The host's favorite video memories include testing Japanese products, a 'Sasquatch hunt,' a forest book reading, and the difficult but memorable Seattle and camping videos, particularly enjoying those that involve going out and trying new experiences.
While Instagram is acknowledged for wider visibility in Iran and a mix of platforms is ideal for growth, the hosts primarily focus on YouTube due to their preference for long-form, horizontal videos and the time commitment required for music production.
Consistency is crucial for YouTubers, with a minimum of weekly uploads recommended, and treating content creation as a serious job rather than a casual hobby is essential for long-term success.
The greatest pride comes from building a 'cool community' of people with shared interests, rather than chasing views or going viral by jumping on trends, as a strong community provides motivation and support.
Every person possesses a unique and special energy that, when understood and expressed in videos, is far more attractive to an audience than creating entirely new or viral content.
The hosts reflect on initial parental trust and later societal skepticism towards artistic careers, recalling criticism when shifting from traditional academic paths to art, highlighting a prevalent view that artistic work is less valuable.
Art is emphasized as a fundamental and essential aspect of life, providing meaning and emotional richness, and encouraging everyone to keep artistic interests alive, even simple ones like cooking or appreciating beautiful films and music, despite external ridicule.
The host expresses an aversion to public drama or fights with other YouTubers, advocating for privacy in personal conflicts and maintaining a positive, non-dramatic online presence for the audience's benefit.
The hosts conclude by encouraging listeners to pursue their passions without needing to prove anything to others, embrace learning and mistakes, and express deep gratitude to their audience for 8 years of support.
When you do something with passion, people who don't even like that job become interested in it.
| InsightCategory | KeyInsight | Detail |
|---|---|---|
| YouTube Growth Strategy | Start with Passion, Not Trends | Focus on personal interests rather than current trends or perceived successful content to build a genuine audience and sustain engagement. |
| Content Creator Mindset | Embrace Starting and Consistency | Don't delay; just start creating content and maintain a consistent upload schedule (at least weekly) to treat it as a serious commitment. |
| Production Efficiency | Delegate Editing Early | Hire an editor from the outset to avoid the psychological and time-consuming burden of self-editing, which can lead to self-criticism and burnout. |
| Audience Engagement | Build a Genuine Community | Prioritize fostering a community with shared interests over chasing viral views, as a supportive audience provides lasting motivation. |
| Dealing with Challenges | Manage Criticism and Avoid Drama | Accept constructive feedback but disregard unkind or irrelevant judgments; avoid public conflicts with other creators to maintain a positive online environment. |
| Personal Fulfillment | Keep Art Alive in Your Life | Integrate art into daily life, whether through creation or appreciation, as it enriches the soul and prevents monotony, regardless of societal validation. |
