Friends of Build Magazine

How Essential Craftsman Creates Purpose Driven Content Receiving Millions of YouTube Views with Nate Wadsworth

Episode Summary

Today Ted speaks with Nate Wadsworth, second-generation owner of Essential Craftsman. The company was founded in 2007 as a blacksmithing “hobby” business by Scott Wadsworth⁠—a craftsman who got his start in the trades in 1974⁠—alongside his son Nate, who has a background in real estate investment and development. Today, he handles all production aspects of the business.

Episode Notes

Since 2016, Essential Craftsman has continued to build its brand largely through video content. Their videos have received tens of millions of views, inspiring hundreds of thousands of people to think differently about work, tools, and craftsmanship.

Listen in as Nate shares the story behind Essential Craftsman and a behind-the-scenes look at the creation of its entertaining and educational videos. He breaks down common myths about building a strong brand and a large audience online, and explains why content creation is one of the best ways to inspire and provide value to the next generation of tradespeople.

Topics Discussed:

• [01:56] The power of branding and marketing via video
• [09:48] Creating video content without being “tech savvy”
• [14:49] Why Nate and Scott started making training videos
• [22:12] Overcoming fear of criticism from putting out content
• [25:34] Nate and Scott’s initial goal for their brand
• [31:16] Deciding which footage to cut and which to keep
• [33:43] How the next five years will look for Essential Craftsman
• [38:51] Why you don’t need to be a big name to been seen as an authority
• [41:10] How to build your followership organically
• [45:42] About Reddit and dealing with internet hate
• [49:10] Inspiring young people to go into the trades
• [55:05] How Scott regards Nate’s success
• [58:32] The rewards and challenges of working in a family business

Connect with Nate Wadsworth & Essential Craftsman:

• Website - https://essentialcraftsman.com/
• Podcast - https://essentialcraftsman.podbean.com/
• YouTube - https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCzr30osBdTmuFUS8IfXtXmg
• Podcast - https://essentialcraftsman.com/podcast
• Instagram - https://www.instagram.com/essentialcraftsman/
• Facebook - https://www.facebook.com/Essentialcraftsman/

Connect with Build Magazine:

• Website - https://rebrand.ly/bmweb
• Instagram - https://rebrand.ly/bmigweb
• Facebook - https://rebrand.ly/bmfbweb

Key Quotes by Nate:

• I try to get the message across in the least amount of minutes as possible. I’m not interested in wasting people’s time. I’m really not interested in entertaining them, per se. I’m interested in making valuable content.
• If I’m making good content and putting it out as often as possible, the road that we’re on will lead somewhere good.
• It’s not about becoming an influencer and getting your name far and wide. It’s just about creating value for people.