Colin & Samir Show | Brittany Broski | Podcast Summary | The Pod Slice
Brittany Broski talks candidly with podcast hosts Colin and Samir, outlining her journey from viral meme sensation to being a comedian and a highly recognized figure within the content creator space. She elaborates on how she transcended the general trend among viral stars, where a quick burst of fame typically fizzles out, and was instead able to broaden her content into diverse formats, all leveraging her charismatic personality and quick wit.
Broski explains that the secret behind her thriving in diverse content formats is the ability to maintain an engaging conversation, whether it’s a dialogue with other personalities or a monologue with herself. She illustrates this point by mentioning, “it takes a special skill to be able to go from short form to long form,” an attribute she apparently possesses. Recognizing her skill in weaving engaging narratives, Broski expanded her content from YouTube videos to podcasting, a move she claims comes naturally and is more liberating as she doesn’t have to worry about the pressures of making her YouTube videos trend.
When asked to describe her work, Broski admits to finding it difficult and cringe-worthy to define herself within the popular connotations of being a content creator. She conveys her struggle with labeling herself as a YouTuber or TikToker due to the assumptions and clichés associated with these roles. Instead, she identifies herself as a comedy content creator, a person who thrives in making her audience laugh, which is the core essence of her content, irrespective of the platform.
The podcast hosts also draw an analogy between Brittany and late-night hosts, likening her role with that of popular TV personalities like James Cordon and Seth Meyers. Broski concurs, adding that although the structure of the late-night shows could seem outdated, her role shares similarities, fostering engagement through conversation and hosting. She also candidly discusses her success on TikTok, mentioning that her initial intention was to make her friends laugh, which eventually garnered her large-scale recognition and millions of views.
Reflecting on her journey, Brittany posits the challenges of having such immense reach and the psychological impact of instant fame. Despite this, she acknowledges that the joy of making people laugh and the addictive thrill of online attention are equally rewarding and exhilarating. Furthermore, Brittany emphasizes her genuine representation in her content, which has largely contributed to her success.
In this continuation of the conversation, Brittany Broski, in her exuberant and frank demeanor, dives into her strategies for authenticity, her early experiences in navigating the content industry, and her decision to pursue a self-built career as a creator after getting fired from her corporate job.
Reflecting on her virality and authenticity, Broski stresses that her content isn’t a strategically planned construct, but simply who she is as a person. She insists that her humor, particularly her visible amusement at her own sketches and accents, wasn’t intended as a premeditated strategy to pull in viewers but arose out of her authentic enjoyment of what she did. Coincidentally, this authenticity made her content relatable, inviting her audience to laugh along with her and creating a bond through mutual amusement.
Continuing, Broski shares the ‘ins and outs’ of her early content creator journey, encompassing the trials and triumphs alike. She genuinely opens up about her initial strategies for content creation, spreading her content across multiple platforms to amass maximum viewership. Even though it began as a necessity for boosting her brand deal numbers, she mentions how it later morphed into a draining routine, leading to burnout.
A turning point in her career unfolded when she was unceremoniously fired from her corporate banking job, primarily due to her uncontrollable viral internet persona. This pushed her toward a full-time creative path. Interestingly, she confesses that she had always harbored a gravitational pull toward a creative career, but practical considerations and societal expectations coaxed her towards a more traditional career path earlier.
Broski transparently articulates how the first brand deal following her termination was a defining moment, both professionally and personally. It gave her a much-needed financial cushion and provided reassurance that her new career direction was viable. She admits that she never dreamt of this type of success when she initially began creating content. Her original intent had been to entertain friends and derive personal joy from her creative pursuits. However, her initial success swiftly snowballed into something far bigger, pushing her onto a path she had never envisioned for herself.
These experiences provided her valuable insights into the workings of the industry, including the realization that good content attracts eyes and should be prioritized over overloading platforms. She also mentions the impact of name recognition from her viral video, subtly shaping her decisions but not dictating them entirely.
Broski’s ability to walk viewers through every stage of her journey, the highs and lows, with stark transparency and humor, further testifies to her charismatic and relatable online persona. It offers a valuable perspective on the relentless realities, yet potentially rewarding uncertainties of the content creation industry, providing inspiration for budding creators.
During her launch into full-time content creation, Broski discusses a vivid transition while being open about her process, and the challenges faced with agency representation. She shares her first viral video which was rooted in her authentic moments of struggles and laughter, depicting what she termed as a ‘depression meal’. It generated an unexpected fan following on TikTok, making her early online presence felt by many.
Broski then moves on to discuss her early attempts at diversifying her content on YouTube which began with a sequel to her viral kombucha video. This was followed by a makeup tutorial that went viral, marking her transition from TikTok-exclusive content to a more multi-platform presence. She vividly describes grappling with her on-screen persona which at times, felt unrelatable to her off-screen self. This highlights the complexities of content creation where creators grapple with staying authentic while evolving their public personas.
Diving more into the business aspects of content creation, she expresses her regret over signing with a management company that unfortunately clashed with her already established agency, UTA. Broski was left navigating a heated internal struggle while trying to focus on creating content. She faced challenges tinged with inexperience and naivety, shot through with bouts of fear regarding financial stability, as she was still waiting for a significant portion of income from brand deals.
Detailing her distressing experience with her management company, she reveals the mishandling of funds allocated to her from brand deals which eventually spurred her into legal action. While the lawsuit ended in her favor, she was unable to recoup the lost funds as her manager had squandered them. Following this experience, she found herself some $45,000 out of pocket, carrying a harsh revelation about the realities of Hollywood.
Despite these fiascos, Broski reflects on the silver lining – the advent of the pandemic led to an upswing in digital advertising deals coming her way. Companies were forced to adjust their advertising strategies which turned towards digital creators, representing an unexpected financial lifeline during a challenging time.
These insights shared by Broski bear valuable lessons for upcoming creators regarding the business aspects of content creation and the possible pitfalls experienced while navigating the digital landscape. It’s a candid glimpse into the realities behind the curated online personas that reinforces the understanding of social media content creation being a profession, that comes with its unique set of risks and rewards.
Brittany Broski candidly dives into the essential reality of building a successful career in content creation and social media, emphasizing that choosing the right representation is crucial. She reflects on a debilitating incident early on in her career where she was the main client for her management company. This not only resulted in financial loss due to unsound advice but also disturbed Brittany’s working rhythm. She underlines that the stakes get high when a single creator becomes a company’s sole source of income.
Broski then expresses the importance of being the center of one’s business operations – a reality for many independent creators. Although it might be daunting, she argues that creators must understand their unique value and seize control of their business ventures instead of handing over agency to a third party. This translates to being judicious regarding representation and operational support.
Brittany also discusses the transition from being a TikTok creator to long-form YouTube content. She expresses how the oversaturation of TikTok with creators makes it difficult to become a top performer and believes the key to success is diversifying content off TikTok. YouTube, with its subscriber base and notifications, encourages a loyal and dedicated viewership, unlike the fleeting fame TikTok sometimes offers.
She recalls how she seamlessly transitioned her audience from short-form to long-form content, giving them what they initially loved and then introducing them to different content types, thus enlarging her content repertoire.
Broski emphasizes that the ability to create successful long-form content, branded content, and having transferable skills are essential for longevity in the content creation business. She suggests that many creators who’ve built millions of subscribers based on short-form content like TikTok or YouTube shorts might struggle if they cannot adapt to long-form content.
Throughout her discussion, Broski calls for a level of awareness and adaptability in understanding and navigating the social media landscape for a successful and sustainable career. She prompts creators not to just become content with ‘moments of success’ but seek to consistently hold people’s attention through evolving content.
Within the podcast realm, Brittany Broski paves her way through productions such as ‘Royal Court’ and ‘The Broski Report’, each innovative both in concept and execution. Broski, along with her friend, Stanley, took inspiration from renowned talk shows like ‘Hot Ones’ and ‘Chicken Shop Date’. Laying a foundation based on personal interests such as medieval times, medieval-themed talk shows and ‘Game of Thrones’, Broski proceeded to design her show ‘Royal Court’ – a medieval-themed celebrity talk show.
Broski emphasizes that the whole format emerged through trial and error, taking attempts and utilizing them as learning experiences. The first filmed pilot was a miss, but the second evolved into an astounding hit. It moved from being a subpar piece to an impressive production that infused fantasy elements with real-life celebrities.
Meanwhile, ‘The Broski Report’ takes a more academic turn, diving into commentary and analysis of art history. She meticulously crafts a compelling piece by writing an essay that is transformed into an engaging narrative. She believes that teaching is a form of learning and through her art-focused commentary, she hopes to inspire a newfound appreciation for art in her viewers. This format demonstrates her multifaceted personality, showing viewers that she, like them, can be more than just one thing.
Across all her work, Broski realizes the importance of deliberately weaving a digital tapestry of content showcasing her diverse interests. In a society that often pressures women and creators alike to pigeonhole themselves to a single brand or personality, Broski boldly steps outside of this mold and offers a multifaceted approach to her content. She emphasizes preserving the essence of being human through diversification in creativity, linking it not only to surviving in the digital world but also in aiding mental health.
Despite the challenge of revealing her authentic self online and the subsequent drain of her personal space, Brittany Broski remains steadfast in her commitment to proactively create a range of content that bridges humor, seriousness, intellect, and creativity. She believes that by embracing different facets of her personality and interests, she helps her audience navigate their own identity quests, struggles, and joys in their lives.
Her philosophy extends beyond simply being a successful content creator on YouTube, TikTok, or Podcasts. Instead, she roots for a cultural shift acknowledging the diverse identities and interests of creators. This range of content, she argues, also helps create more profound connections with her audience resonating with these ‘gray areas’, thereby redefining the concept of personal branding in the digital space.
Building on their discussion with Brittany Broski, hosts Colin and Samir get an insider’s glimpse into the chemistry and wit between the team working on the medieval themed celebrity talk show, ‘Royal Court’. Broski elaborates on how she, along with her quick-witted and comedic collaborators, create content that’s not only guest-centric but genuinely engaging and fun-filled, using unusual props like thrones and capes to immerse their guests into the show’s medieval world. But Broski doesn’t stop at one genre or format. She also hosts a podcast called ‘The Broski Report’, a one-person commentary where she literally talks to the wall.
She reveals her creative process, which involves transforming bullet-point ideas into engaging content. The DIY nature of the podcast contrasts sharply with the structure, editing, and planning that go into her YouTube videos, which require more time and effort. Despite the labor-intensive nature of the latter, Broski takes pleasure in showcasing the diverse facets of her personality and interests within her YouTube content.
Recognizing the parasocial relationship her audience has formed with her, she presses on, even during less entertaining episodes, confident that the bond she has with her audience will bolster her creative endeavors. She also takes time to express the sustainability issues she faces, dynamically juggling her commitments from content creation to hosting gigs and adherence to her podcast contract. The constant output and an overlapping schedule, she agrees, can feel exhausting and at times extraneous.
When questioned about her transition from being content at her bank job to becoming a full-time content creator, Broski admits the goals are ever-expanding. Though initially, a TikTok following of a million seemed like the pinnacle of success, she quickly realized that the platform was fleeting – her real satisfaction came from reaching the million milestone on YouTube. It’s an achievement that made all the gruelling work worthwhile.
Referencing the progress of fellow creators Cody and Noell, she laments the lack of a similar blueprint from successful women creators. Broski acknowledges the significance of her role in the content creation world as a woman and affirms her committed stance towards building an empire on the YouTube platform. This commitment enables her to not only provide a range of successful content but also to continually reach new audiences and maintain her robust fan base.
In this stage of their conversation, Brittany Broski explores various facets of her professional life with hosts Colin and Samir. Commencing with her experience at ‘Royal Court’, she details how the crew maintains the medieval charm of the show and creates the script to fit that narrative.
Having previously mentioned her transition from a conventional job to becoming an internet sensation, Brittany gives an almost prophetic caution about the dangers of trading the comfort and protective ring of your own creative world for the toxic and abusive environments that often mark mainstream television production houses.
Honing on her passion and surmounting the struggles of her journey to success, Broski figures the key to having a winning edge lies in the love for development and writing, which can deliver a product that is authentically yours. Further, she touches upon the painful disconnect of branded posts when the brand’s direction doesn’t align with her creative vision, resulting in content that feels unlike her.
She puts great emphasis on the integrity of her content. To her, content creators care meticulously about the end product in a way that no one else does. And when in collaboration with traditional production houses, that kind of care and authenticity often gets lost in translation, consequently reflecting negatively on the creators’ personas and their relationship with the audience.
Comparatively, having total artistic control allows creators to ensure the quality and authenticity of their content while also wearing the hat of network executives by making critical distribution decisions. And despite the waters being muddied sometimes with brand collaborations, she always returns to the warm embrace of her YouTube channel – her safe haven and consistent haven of revenue.
In addition, she diversifies her income through a plethora of channels, like hosting gigs, live shows for colleges, MCing events, and of course, her podcast ‘The Broski Report’. She candidly shares that the brand’s insistence to change aspects she proposes often results in videos that feel alien to her style, which progressively affects her passion projects and personal brand negatively.
However, through it all, Brittany Broski remains an influential force in the YouTube community. She has turned her craft into a successful career, becoming a media executive in her own right, further proving her commitment to create an empire of her own and to challenge the traditional framework of content creation.
Brittany Broski delves into the technicalities and behind-the-scenes of content creation on YouTube. She speaks about the puzzling aspects of YouTube, such as the significance of thumbnails and the function of the trending system. Despite some confusions regarding the platform functions, she praises her YouTube partner manager, Reed, for being supportive and for providing access to beta features, which have increased her interest in the platform’s algorithmic details.
When determining good content, Brittany confesses that things often surprise her. Some videos she predicts will go over well with the audience fail to gain expected traction, while others unexpectedly trend. She specifically points out her art history video series, which was a major departure from her regular content. While it initially didn’t have high views, the engagement was off the charts, encouraging her to produce more of such content.
Expanding on her team structure and roles, she outlines her team that comprises a manager, a lawyer, a business manager, her sole salaried employee Stanley, a podcast editor, writers for Royal Court, and production team members. She differentiates the role of a manager and agent, explaining that an agent assists with brand deals and funding for projects, while a manager focuses on the execution and day-to-day operation, like booking guests for Royal Court. Managing branded and unbranded content and interfacing with publicists also fall within the manager’s role.
Notwithstanding, she confesses how her personal laziness and need for clearly defined tasks necessitate a manager. Most male creators, she observed, felt they could manage themselves, unlike herself and her female colleagues who prefer a support system. Brittany has set up her team around her like traditional talent, whereas many creators see themselves as independent media companies.
Looking to the future, Brittany reveals that she is contemplating taking her brand to the next level with Broski Productions, creating a more expansive production unit. She recalls the moment she elevated her best friend Stanley to an employee status as the catalyst for her decision to expand, despite the challenges of conflating personal relationships and business. Her team is gradually moving from contracted members to full-time employees to keep up with her growing empire. In this sphere, she is inspired by the structure of TMG (Tiny Meat Gang), particularly their implementation of full-time producers.
Brittany discusses her future goal of having a full-time producer to elevate her content. She is currently engaged in this role alongside Stanley, her sole salaried employee. Although there has been a night-and-day difference in the brand from 2020 to 2021, she is excited to speculate about what her brand might look like in three years.
Brittany explored the concept of validation in creators, specifically highlighting her previous dependence on TikTok numbers for self-worth. Now, she draws validation primarily from comments, preferring those that focus more on her as a person rather than the content she produces.
She touched on the struggles that can come with being a personality online. Brittany mentions her parasocial relationship with her audience, stating that most creators speak about it from the audience to the creator perspective while she feels a similar attachment from creator to audience. Brittany explains that every decision she makes is for her audience and with them in mind, rendering them the key stakeholders in these decisions.
She also raises concerns about the younger generation wanting to be YouTubers due to unrealistic expectations of popularity and how this might lead them to a misunderstood concept of what being a celebrity entails.
On asking Brittany about the downsides of her career, she prefaces that while she adores her job, there are aspects of it she dislikes, like the intense parasocial relationship she maintains with her audience. She speaks of the necessity of this closeness in her line of work, but it also comes with a fair share of negatives, such as being directly affected by the audience’s reactions and opinions.
Brittany also reflects on past collaborations with brands that offered a large budget but did not align with her values or the standards of her audience. Brittany has learned that her audience expects her to work with brands that are ethical and sustainable, so she now takes care to only partner with brands that meet these criteria, ensuring her content remains authentic to her identity and her audience’s expectations.
In this section of the podcast, Brittany Broski shares her aspirations for a career in voiceover work, positing that her next career steps involve increasing her personal brand recognition to become more of a household name. She even mentions seeking a similar career trajectory as Josh Gad, known for his role as Olaf in the Disney movie Frozen. Josh Gad’s distinctive voice is immediately associated with his character Olaf and Brittany hopes to achieve this with her own voice and character in the future. She acknowledges that this objective is attainable but does require a few more steps to realize.
Brittany also weighs in on the complexities of transitioning into different areas of the entertainment industry, arguing that success in one area, like online content creation, does not necessarily guarantee success in another, like voice acting or music. Transitioning must be done tastefully and correctly to be successful.
As the conversation continues, hosts Colin and Samir note increasing distribution of both Brittany’s name and voice over the next couple of years is crucial. This strategy will enable Mass Appeal and the continuation of growth with her current audience. It’s a nerve-wracking but exciting prospect for Brittany as she considers just how far she’s come in a short amount of time.
The hosts also bring attention to Brittany’s existing catalog of alternative voice work, noting her use of filters in her current content where she speaks like a Cheeto, potato, and various other characters. These efforts might point to her capability and appeal for potential voiceover work in animation. Brittany jests about getting noticed by someone from Disney while discussing the idea with the hosts.
The hosts wrap up their discussion by expressing appreciation for Brittany’s openness throughout the conversation. They recognized her innate talent as a creator and appreciated her exploration of how existing traditional systems could support the creative ideas of digital creators. Brittany also emphasizes the invaluable support she receives from her team, helping alleviate stress and support her creatively. In the end, they all express gratitude for the benefits they have access to as creators, including expanded opportunities, helpful insights, and invaluable learning experiences.
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