Welcome 2024
2023 was a big year for me. Here are some highlights.
I wrote 110 blog posts (83% increase)
I created 21 long form YouTube videos (133% increase)
I delivered 8 client projects (60% increase) and 9 for my family (200% increase)
The thing I cut out in 2023 were the craft shows. in 2022 I participated in two, but at the end of 2022 I decided to lean into bigger projects, producing far more furniture this year than I ever have resulting in half of my projects being furniture.
Projects
Let’s start with the fun stuff, the pictures of what I built in 2023, all in chronological order.
The best part about all these builds is the skills I’ve learned along the way. This year I was able to try so many new things.
Sliding Dovetails
Bridle Joints
Glass Doors
Installing Lazy Susan Hardware
Angled Tenons
French Polishing
Compound Angled Tenons
Trapped Sliding Dovetails
Wooden Drawer Slides
Each project was a new, exciting challenge and a test of my skills. Looking back I can see each project getting bigger and more complex but coming together faster with fewer problems and higher quality giving me confidence as I move into another year with hopefully even more projects on my plate.
YouTube
I launched my first video in October, 2022 and ended the year with 9,357 long form views. It was a test and a trial in learning how to make videos, which continued into 2023 until roughly halfway through the year when I started to see some major improvements.
In 2023 I created 21 videos with over 100,000 long form views bringing my lifetime view total, including shorts, to over 300,000.
More important than the numbers is the progress and realization of what my content should be. This year I went to school, diversifying what I watched on YouTube as a way to study what works and what doesn’t. I’ve found new tools and tricks, changed the way I film and edit, and most importantly, have poured effort into planning and scripting.
I owe a lot of this to a group of small creators who I connect with regularly. We share ideas, give feedback, and encourage each other to keep going. Without them I’d be far behind where I am today so I have to thank them for all the hours they’ve spent helping each of us get better.
If you want to check them out they are:
A note on shorts. While I was seeing success with them, I made a decision to stop posting shorts on YouTube. I do still make them for Instagram, but I want YouTube to be a place for my long form content to thrive, and what I’ve found is if I post shorts my shorts audience grows, but that doesn’t necessarily translate to growth in the long form videos.
A Look Back to Move Forward
2023 was an exciting year and my best, most productive Keaton Beyer Woodworking year on record, but it was tough. I had some hard decisions which are leading me down a new life path that’s fraught with uncertainty. I’m not sure where this is going to go, but I am dedicated to making it work. Looking back at 2023 I see the progress and I’m watching the shift happen but the weight is still heavy.
As I look forward to 2024 I can’t help but look at what I set out to do in 2023. My three goals were to post two blogs a week, increase my video quality and output, and to take on bigger projects.
I delivered those three things by slowing down the small projects and stopping the craft shows.
This year I’m doubling down on the big projects, making more furniture and experimenting with new designs all while I film and continue improving my videos.
But something has to give, and that’s the blog. I’m still writing, I’m still posting, but I’m slowing it down. It’s not that I want to, but that I have to in order to free up time to design furniture and script videos.
I’m at the stage where I have to focus on making the right business decisions which will result in the best financial output to enable this side hustle to become my full time focus. Unfortunately, the blog’s earning potential is lower than other streams and with limited time, something has to give.
But you can still expect posts and updates from me, just on a less frequent basis. And if you want to stay connected, go follow me on Instagram where I share stories about my shop activity and projects.