The Dos and Don'ts of Being a Content Creator

Me smiling at the people hating on me for making content

Being a content creator is a wild ride—equal parts strategy, creativity, and throwing things at the internet to see what sticks. Whether you're just starting or scaling up, here’s your essential guide to what works (and what absolutely doesn’t).

✅ The DOs:

🔥 Pitch Yourself Hard (at First!) – No one will do it for you. Brands don’t magically appear in your inbox (until they do), so make it happen for yourself. Cold emails (LeadLeaper, RocketReach), DMs, networking—be relentless.

🎨 Build a Portfolio That Pops – Your work should speak for itself. Canva is killer for building a free portfolio/website to showcase your content, rates, etc. Pin some IG and TikTok posts that highlight your storytelling or content capabilities (not just your most viral).

📈 Post a Minimum of Twice a Day – Yes, it sounds like a lot. But frequency = visibility. The more you post, the more data you collect on what actually works. Keep that content machine running.

📖 Stories Are More Crucial Than You Think – Stories don’t go viral, but they do keep your audience engaged. Think of them as the daily check-in that builds connection and trust.

🏢 Treat Content as a Business, and It Becomes One – You’re not just a creator; you’re a brand. Set up an LLC (ZenBusiness makes it stupid easy) and save money on taxes instead of freelancing aimlessly.

📹 Not Sure Where to Start? Film Everything – Your daily routine is more interesting than you think. Hell…hubs life gained 1.5M followers filming the most ordinary day-to-day content. Document workouts, meals, coffee orders, what you're working on—people connect with the mundane when it’s done right.

😂 Humor and Wit Are Your Best Friend – Being funny is an underrated hack. People love entertainment more than anything else. Inject personality into your content, even if you’re in a ‘serious’ niche - like this.

🦸 Be Brave. No One’s Watching as Closely as You Think – You’re not cringey, you’re learning. The sooner you embrace discomfort, the faster you grow.

📱 Narrow Your Focus When Starting Out – Don’t spread yourself thin trying to master five platforms at once. Stick to 1-2 (TikTok and IG are a great start), and only expand once you’re seeing significant growth. Otherwise, you’ll burn out fast.

🔍 Pull Inspiration from Doom Scrolling – There’s gold in the endless scroll. See what’s working, what trends are popping, and how you can put your own spin on it. You don’t need to reinvent the wheel—there’s room for your niche, trust me.

❌ The DON’Ts:

🧐 Don’t Get Analysis Paralysis – You don’t need the perfect niche, brand aesthetic, or strategy to start. The truth? Your audience will tell you what works once you start posting. Trial and error wins.

🔄 Don’t Overcomplicate Content—Iterate Instead – Virality = tweaking, refining, doubling down. What flopped? What gained traction? Adjust, don’t restart.

🤖 Don’t Try to Be Someone You’re Not – Viewers are smart. They can smell inauthenticity a mile away. Be you—it’s the one thing no one else can copy.

⏳ Don’t Skip a Posting Schedule – Think about how glued you are to your friends' IG stories. Regular posts = trust = growth. Make it a non-negotiable habit.

🚀 Don’t Expect Overnight Success – Most ‘overnight’ successes? Years in the making. Keep showing up, keep experimenting, and keep going when it feels like nothing is happening. That’s when the magic kicks in - it did for me.

🗣 Don’t Give a Damn What People Think – People will judge you. They’ll talk behind your back. But the second it starts working, they’ll be asking how you did it…the reason I’m writing this newsletter in the first place! Block out the noise and keep moving forward.

Stay creative,

Josh Hublitz

📩 [email protected]

🌐 joshhublitz.com