The best-edited video I saw this month had motion graphics, animated captions, b-roll, and sound design. It got 400 views. A shaky phone video from a founder saying something I disagreed with got 40,000. Editing is packaging. Opinion is product. No amount of packaging fixes a product nobody wants, and viewers can smell the difference in the first three seconds. The platforms do not reward production value, they reward watch time and shares, and people share videos that say something. This is the uncomfortable part. Most creators avoid opinions because opinions cost followers. So they post tips everyone agrees with, tutorials everyone has seen, and motivation everyone forgets. Safe content is invisible content. The creators building real audiences in 2026 are the ones with a stance: they say the thing, they name the enemy, they take the side. You do not need better editing. You need a point of view strong enough that the editing becomes irrelevant. Film it on your phone if you want. But say something. What is one opinion your videos keep avoiding?

Hi everyone! Could you please take a look at these options and tell me which one you like best? Please and thank you🥰

In this episode of The Dept. I sat back down with Graham Cochrane for a conversation on how to build a business that makes more money without taking over your entire life. Graham shares the philosophy behind his book The Effortless Business and explains why business does not have to be as hard, heavy, or high-maintenance as most entrepreneurs make it. Instead, the goal is to build a business around constraints, value, leverage, and the gifts that already come naturally to you. If you’ve been overcomplicating your business, undercharging for your value, or ignoring the thing that comes easy to you, this episode will help you rethink what it actually means to build a high-income, low-maintenance business.

I'm excited to share a special milestone with you! 💙 My second book, The Alignment Advantage, launches this Wednesday, September 23, at 11 AM! This book represents years of lessons learned, experiences shared, and my passion for helping others succeed. I'd be honored to have you join me for a short Zoom celebration. Your friendship and support mean more than you know! 👉 Register here: https://us02web.zoom.us/webinar/register/WN_qHGfFaJlQg6YSkbxNf0gTQ  Hope to see you there! Mike

I'm having Phil M. Jones BACK on The Dept. podcast! And it's going to be an absolute masterclass of a conversation about how you can monetize what you already know! We're going live today on Zoom for the recording at 3:30PM PST and we're taking Q&A at the end. So bring a question for either me or Phil! https://luma.com/va2jpngt