What editing software do you use for YouTube? Bonus question: Are you happy with it or considering a switch? 🎬

I started my channel sometime in 2019. I played around with a few different topics and themes. I couldn't settle on what I wanted to do and I didn't know who my audience would be - all I knew was "midlife women". But I had fun learning to film and edit. I was very erratic in my posting and sometimes gave up on it for many, many months at a time. But, as my career is coming to an end, I knew I wanted to grow this channel into something I could work on when I retire. I enjoy it and I love to share. So, in the summer of 2024 I started posting videos on a more regular basis. I really wanted to figure out what specifically I wanted to post. I've taken courses in the past and I was actually taking another course during this time and realized that wasn't it! I found Alexa's videos and watched a bunch. I felt her authenticity through the videos and it didn't hurt that she's living in my home country! I had several sessions with @Alexa Saarenoja and she helped me find my "special sauce", my unique selling proposition and the rest is history. I finally hit 1k subs in the summer of 2024 and now 5 months later I've more than doubled that! I was monetized in mid December and I'm hopeful that I have finally found my niche that will continue to grow. I'm so excited and grateful for all the help I've received throughout this long road. I'm so glad I found Alexa's channel when she was just starting out and full of so much enthusiasm for the process!

It took 117 days and 17 videos to reach 1000 subscribers yesterday. I still have a long way to go in terms of watch time though. I'm very grateful for the people who have subscribed, watch my videos and leave comments. Especially considering I still haven't nailed down a real niche just yet. My very first video still remains my popular, which is frustrating. I've been trying to recapture the magic of that one, but it hasn't been easy. Looking at the numbers it seems people watch more of my videos when I'm talking about YouTube. It seems people don't care as much about me talking about my life (lol) or anything not related to YouTube. That said, I'm still going to make the videos I want to make. As I've said on some of my videos, a big reason I'm doing this is to leave my legacy for my kids to watch down the road. That's also why I've included them in some of my videos. Here's to a great 2025 for all of us and thank you to everyone in this community!

Hey everyone! I’ve been getting a lot of questions about starting a closer-knit group via a paid community with more exclusive content, personalized support, and extra chances to connect. Your input on the price range would help me shape this option to fit what you want! I’d love to hear your thoughts—please take a moment to vote in the poll, and feel free to drop any comments or suggestions below! **This would be a monthly membership fee.**

I started my YouTube channel about two weeks ago, with one video uploaded and another in editing. I followed the advice to name the channel around my niche, but now it feels impersonal and might push me into a role I don’t feel ready for. While I have deep knowledge in the topic, I wouldn't call myself an 'expert' and want to take a more personal, raw approach—more like documenting my journey rather than positioning myself as an authority. Given this, do you think sticking with a niche name is best, or should I lean towards a more personal brand name?