Introduction
What began as a creative outlet in May 2015 turned into an organic YouTube success. Minnie The Stylist—my personal beauty and hair brand—was never created with monetization in mind. I simply wanted to share my skills, inspire others, and document my creative work.
Back then, YouTube didn’t require 1,000 subscribers or 4,000 watch hours to monetize. I wasn’t optimizing titles, thumbnails, or SEO. I was just being myself. Yet with consistency, authenticity, and real value, I grew the channel to over 20,000 subscribers, 2.6M+ views, and earned brand collaborations—all without a single paid ad.
The Humble Beginnings (2015)
I posted my first video, “Easy Natural Hair Tutorial,” on May 29, 2015—a simple but effective style using braids and flexi rods to create a curly mohawk on my sister’s natural hair.
In total, I posted 3 videos that year with no custom thumbnails, minimal descriptions, and no SEO strategy. But I was creating.
📌 By end of 2015:
- Subscribers: +12
- Views: 702
- Watch Time: 35.7 hours
Finding Momentum (2016–2017)
By 2016, I started learning about thumbnails, more descriptive titles, and using SEO keywords—though still very basic. I posted 12 videos that year, with 5 in July alone. That’s when my Feed-In Braid Tutorials gained traction, and the channel began to grow rapidly.
📈 2016 Stats:
- Subscribers: 2.1K
- Views: 240,818
- Watch Hours: 12.9K
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Top Videos:
- Feed-In Braid Tutorial – 143,194 views
- Feed-In Braid Tutorial - Part 2 (Slowed Down) – 55,648 views
- Lace Closure Sew-In (Part 2) – 17,442 views
In 2017, I remained consistent and received my first sponsorship from samsbeauty.com, who sent me a wig in exchange for a review. I began building relationships with brands even though I was still growing.
📈 2017 Stats:
- Subscribers: 4.3K
- Views: 535,567
- Watch Hours: 29.7K
Becoming a Micro-Influencer (2018–2019)
By 2018, I was actively experimenting with affiliate marketing and brand collaborations. I joined both the Amazon Affiliate Program and Amazon Influencer Program and started adding product links in my descriptions.
I also worked with:
- samsbeauty.com
- beautybigbang.com
- firmoo.com
- dolahair.com
- duvolle.com
📈 By end of 2018:
- Subscribers: 5.4K
- Views: 698,209
- Watch Hours: 40.8K
In 2019, I only posted 13 videos, but my channel still flourished. A new breakout video, “HOW TO SILK PRESS AT HOME!!!”, gained major traction and eventually became my top-performing video.
📈 By end of 2019:
- Subscribers: 12.6K
- Views: 1.45M
- Watch Hours: 98.1K
Letting the Content Work (2020–2024)
Over the next few years, I posted fewer videos, but my evergreen content continued to work for me. Despite only posting 1 video in 2020 and none in 2021, 2023, or 2024, I was still gaining views and subscribers.
✅ Top-performing evergreen videos included:
- HOW TO SILK PRESS AT HOME!!! – Over 1.4M views
- TRADITIONAL SEW-IN FT COUTURE IMPORTS VIRGIN HAIR – Over 340K views
- Feed-In Braid Tutorial - Part 2 (Slowed Down) – Over 279K views
📌 By end of 2024:
- Subscribers: 20.5K
- Views: 2.64M+
- Watch Hours: 188K+
Lessons Learned
✨ Consistency Pays Off
Even when I wasn’t posting, my older content kept performing. Creating timeless, searchable videos made a long-lasting impact.
✨ You Don’t Need Paid Ads
Every single view, like, and subscriber was earned organically. No ads. Just strategy, creativity, and community.
✨ SEO Matters—but So Does Heart
I didn’t start with keyword research or polished thumbnails. I started with passion—and refined my process along the way.
Looking Ahead: A 10-Year Milestone
In May 2025, my YouTube channel will celebrate 10 years. I’m planning a full re-launch with fresh content, new tutorials, and a celebration of everything I’ve learned so far.
This milestone is more than numbers. It’s proof that authenticity, passion, and persistence create real growth.
Conclusion
My journey as Minnie The Stylist is proof that you can grow a YouTube channel from scratch, with no ads, and no shortcuts. With intention, authenticity, and heart, I built a brand that reached millions.
🎉 Here’s to 10 years of creativity, connection, and continuous growth—and to inspiring the next generation of creators to do the same.