Can you believe it’s already September? It feels like just yesterday we were coming into 2024 and now the exit is already coming up ahead. To say this year has been rough would be an understatement. Some of you already know the story, but for those who don’t I’ll keep it as brief as possible.
My Story
We lost my father the week before Easter. It wasn’t unexpected as he had been diagnosed with cancer at the start of the pandemic but there’s nothing that prepares you for losing a parent. I’ll admit that my father and I didn’t always have the best relationship, due at least in part to our combative personalities. For what it’s worth, he wasn’t my friend like my mother was, but he was always my dad. We always had a pretty solid relationship when I didn’t live at home. I always figured when I moved out for real, we’d finally get around to fixing our relationship. It seems that wasn’t meant to be.
Since then life has been full of ups and downs. I got a promotion at work I was pretty happy about but my mental health also tanked from years of stress, depression, bullying in my younger years, and now grief. These two things didn’t mesh well at all. But I saw a doctor, I got a referral for therapy and put on some medication, and I tried. The truth was that my therapist and I didn’t mesh like I thought we did. While I saw myself as healing, it was a lie I was telling myself so I didn’t see the truth. But people around me did. And they found a way to tell me.
Now I’m in a strange position. Mentally, I’m in no position to lead or even really be a part of a team but I also have another month to go before I’ll be able to see my doctor again…so what am I supposed to do? Feel useless and broken and cry? Well yeah….But I also need something to get me out of bed in the morning. Something to help me get through the day, because the truth is some days are really hard.
Anyone who knows me knows that I’ve always loved to create. I suspect there’s a lot of people reading this in the time immediately after it goes up who have a memory of me performing in a show or posting a YouTube video or geeking out about the next iPhone or expressing a desire to create. I think you’re also the people I’m speaking to the most right now, because you’re the ones who know me and can match the passion to the desire. I’ve spent close to 15 years creating content on and off online across several blogs, YouTube channels, social media accounts, and more. Life always got in the way though. I’d be stressed or drained or exhausted from covering so many shifts that I could never focus on what I need to. Even when I was unemployed, the constant stream of rejection letters for jobs left me so stressed I wasn’t able to do much else. And now I find myself in that same boat again.
This time is a little different though. My mother’s given me her blessing to focus on my content full-time right now…a chance to finally build my brand and a shot to have my way I get by in the world be the things I’m most passionate about. The new iPhones release next Friday and this coming Monday is the new iOS release. This moment could come at a better time. A busy time in the space to create lots of content? And the first day of me creating full time being my father’s birthday? Coincidences? Maybe. But who says a coincidence can’t be inspiring!
Read on to learn about what my plan is and how you can help support me.
The Plan
I’ve had a lot of time to think about what I would do if I went full-time as a creator, so I have a number of plans and ideas that I want to bring into the world.
First and foremost, my technology blog is my primary focus for the time being. I’m currently focusing on Apple hardware and software but once I’m able to start taking brand deals I would be very interested in reviewing devices from other companies as well. At the start, I need to focus on Apple as I’ve used their hardware and software in some form or another since the iPhone 3GS was a thing. Again, if you know me, you now I’m the Apple guy.
But I absolutely want to start taking sponsorships from brands in and adjacent to the tech space and more. In addition, I’ll be creating some video content to go alongside content on the blog. I’ll be primarily focusing this effort on TikTok for the time being, due in part to the short form nature of the platform. Once I’m earring a proper income doing this, I hope to be a regularly uploading content to YouTube in the tech, gaming, vlog, and geek culture spaces primarily, allowing me to make a variety of content ranging from fun and entertaining to informative and helpful. I also intend to start a paid membership with exclusive content once my base has grown in size. As for my gaming blog, That Jersey Gamer, I’d like to create more content for that blog as well, though right now I’m primarily seeking content I can use for content on both the tech and gaming side, but I’ll happily work with sponsors for stuff.
Right now I’m working with the site as is, but I intend to rebuild and customize the site in time, alongside getting a proper logo, avatar, and kit of brand assets made for the various outlets I’ll be creating content on. But I need to take it one step at a time. For now I need to worry about writing my blog posts, making my accompanying videos, and growing my audience. That brings me to how you can help.
How You Can Support My Work
Supporting the creators you love can come in a variety of forms. If you’re reading my content and sharing it if you get something useful out of it, you’re already doing more than enough. But the reality is that it is 2024 and this is a world where some people want to be able to financially support the creators they love. I want this bad enough, I’m willing to open that flood gate, as uncomfortable as it makes me.
If you want to financially support my work, either through a donation of money or equipment, I’m giving two options. The first is that I set up a Ko-fi account. There’s a link to that in the sidebar and I’m going to keep a sort of “project log” running over there, so people can see how things are growing and the impact their support has on me. If you don’t like Ko-fi or just don’t wanna send me random money, I get it. Over the weekend I’ll be setting up an Amazon wishlist with a variety of things ranging from items for content production (think green screen, pop filter, key light, mic stand, etc), content to review, to content for project ideas I have. I want to be clear: donations aren’t expected, but they are appreciated more than words can ever express.
If you’re a developer, brand, or individual that wants to wants to work together or sponsor content on the site, please get in touch through my contact form, email me, or reach out on Threads.
I don’t want this to fail. In some ways, I feel like this is what I’m meant to do more than anything. So please, if you see my content, give it read, a like, a comment, a share. Help me get my content in front of more eyes so that I can grow my audience. Thank you. From the bottom of my heart….thank you.
Dan Stransky 