FREE Call: Discover how to start UGC (even with 0 experience): Book a Call Now

You're working full-time and grinding on UGC. Is it actually possible to do both?

Host Nate Flake sits down with Joshua Abel, a guy who chased Hollywood in his 20s, spent five years going on auditions, and walked away when life got in the way. He bounced through careers, burned out running his own agency, and ended up hauling steel plates on a factory floor.

A lot of us have taken the long road to figure out what we actually want.

In his fourth month doing UGC, Joshua hit $10K. He was still showing up to work every day. He hadn't quit yet. In this episode, he breaks down what that grind actually looked like. The early morning gym sessions, the outbound emails on lunch breaks, the videos filmed between meetings. And why that season was worth every exhausting minute of it.

Chapters:
00:06:30 - The Small Town Exit Plan
00:08:31 - The Dream He Quietly Gave Up On
00:11:31 - The Fear That Kept Him Playing Safe
00:14:49 - The Job That Started Eating His Life
00:16:22 - One TikTok Scroll Changed the Plan
00:18:30 - The Morning Routine That Built Momentum
00:19:32 - The Month Everything Suddenly Took Off
00:22:02 - The Raise, Remote Work, and Time Back
00:29:07 - Why He Had an Unfair Advantage
00:32:00 - The Second Chance He Refused to Waste
00:34:34 - The Fear That Never Fully Goes Away
00:38:46 - The Community That Felt Completely Different
00:41:24 - The Hardest Part Wasn’t the Work
00:46:30 - Corporate Safety Is an Illusion
00:51:41 - The Shift From Creator to CEO

This one is for you if you feel like you started too late or have too much going on to make this work. Joshua gets into the mindset shift that made staying at his job feel like a choice instead of a trap, and why that one change made him better at UGC, not worse.

Some people find their things early, but Joshua proves you can find it later and still go all in.

Press play and learn what UGC does for you beyond the money. The confidence, the community, the second chance.

Joshua’s Portfolio: www.joshuaaugccreator.com

Attend this week's FREE UGC webinar and learn how you can start today: https://ugcmasteryacademynate.com/webinarsignup

UGC CREATOR CONNECT DALLAS! Join the waitlist here to be notified when tickets become available for UGC Creator Connect in Dallas, Texas -Spring 2027: https://ugcmasteryacademynate.com/waitlist

FREE Call: Discover how to start UGC and land brand deals (even with 0 experience): Book a Call Now

Connect with Nate
Instagram: @nateflakecreates
YouTube: UGC 101 Podcast

Contact / Collabs
For guest pitches, partnerships, or sponsorship inquiries.
https://ugcbynate.com/

UGC 101 is a podcast for creators who want to make real money with user-generated content without a big following, expensive gear, or a background in marketing. Host Nate Flake is a working UGC creator who has partnered with hundreds of brands and built his business from scratch. Each week, he sits down with everyday creators, brand strategists, and freelancers to break down what's actually working in the UGC space right now.

FREE Call: Discover how to start UGC (even with 0 experience): Book a Call Now

You've filmed the script. You edited the video. You delivered the work. So why are you chasing invoices and not getting paid?

Most creators don't think about income protection until they've already been burned.

Nate sits down with Grace Tabib, co-founder of DuPay, to talk about what it actually takes to run your UGC business like a business, starting from the very first deal, not after something goes wrong.

If you've ever wondered whether you need a contract, what to do when a brand ghosts you, or how to stop chasing invoices and start creating, this episode is your answer.

Chapters:
06:38 - Why Contracts Still Scare Creators
07:30 - The Problem Starts Earlier
08:34 - The Saturation Myth Breaks
10:15 - Where Creators Lose Control
11:54 - The Tiny Details That Get You Paid
13:36 - Why AI Can Cost You Money
16:26 - The Demand Letter That Changed Everything
18:39 - The Stamp Brands Recognize
20:30 - The Contract Generator Creators Needed
23:49 - The Watermark Red Flag
24:47 - What Happens When Brands Ghost
27:44 - Where UGC Is Really Headed
30:38 - The Money Creators Forget to Chase
34:27 - The Million Dollar Payoff

Grace breaks down the tools DuPay built after reviewing hundreds of creator contracts, and explains exactly where most unpaid invoice problems actually start. Spoiler: it's not at the end of the project.

Nate and Grace get into the real numbers too. DuPay has recovered over $1 million for more than 750 creators. The part that sticks is this: most of those creators had already given up on ever seeing that money. The conversation shifts from chasing money to building the kind of business that doesn't have to.

Press play and learn how to stop chasing invoices and start getting paid.

Protect your contracts, invoices, and payments: https://dupayme.com/
Use code NATE25 for annual plan or NATE10 for 1st Month

Attend this week's FREE UGC webinar and learn how you can start today: https://ugcmasteryacademynate.com/webinarsignup

UGC CREATOR CONNECT DALLAS! Join the waitlist here to be notified when tickets become available for UGC Creator Connect in Dallas, Texas -Spring 2027: https://ugcmasteryacademynate.com/waitlist

FREE Call: Discover how to start UGC and land brand deals (even with 0 experience): Book a Call Now

Connect with Nate
Instagram: @nateflakecreates
YouTube: UGC 101 Podcast

Contact / Collabs
For guest pitches, partnerships, or sponsorship inquiries.
https://ugcbynate.com/

UGC 101 is a podcast for creators who want to make real money with user-generated content without a big following, expensive gear, or a background in marketing. Host Nate Flake is a working UGC creator who has partnered with hundreds of brands and built his business from scratch. Each week, he sits down with everyday creators, brand strategists, and freelancers to break down what's actually working in the UGC space right now.

FREE Call: Discover how to start UGC (even with 0 experience): Book a Call Now

Are you spending more time on emails and invoices than actually making content?

Host Nate Flake sits down with Nia and Tanner, a professional model-turned-UGC creator and her software engineer co-founder, for one of the most grounded conversations about what it actually takes to run UGC like a real business.

Nia brings 14 years of modeling experience and a firsthand look at how UGC opened up a new path beyond traditional modeling. Tanner brings the systems thinking, product background, and AI-powered tool they built to solve a problem almost every creator quietly deals with: Admin Overload.

You’ll hear what brands are really complaining about when they work with creators, and it’s probably not what you think. Nia breaks down the mistakes that cost creators repeat bookings, from inconsistent content quality to unclear communication, and the simple habits that make brands want to keep working with you.

If you’ve ever felt overwhelmed juggling pitches, invoices, revisions, follow-ups, and content all at once, this episode speaks directly to that chaos. Nia and Tanner built Beeasy.ai after seeing how much time creators lose to admin and after Nia realized she had thousands of dollars tied up in invoices she forgot to send or follow up on.

Chapters:
05:26 - The Accidental Start That Became UGC
06:22 - The Skims Strategy Nobody Sees
08:49 - How She Started Pitching Brands
10:22 - The Relationship That Keeps Paying
12:30 - The Moment UGC Finally Felt Real
14:54 - Why Influencers Are Losing Ground
19:30 - The Portfolio Mistake Costing Creators Deals
23:21 - The $15,000 Invoice Problem
29:30 - When Creators Started Pulling Out Credit Cards
35:52 - The Admin Secret Everyone Breaks On
42:00 - What Brands Actually Hate
46:52 - The Question That Saves Every Reshoot
54:52 - The Advice Every New Creator Needs

You’ll learn why admin is the silent killer of most UGC careers and what you can do about it before it starts costing you time, money, and repeat work.

Pay close attention to Nia’s advice around briefs and communication. One simple habit that can save you from reshoots, protect your time, and make brands trust you more.

Press play and learn how to stop running your UGC business like a hobby and start treating it like the real career it can be.

Stop Chasing Invoices. Start Cashing Them: www.beeasy.ai/

Nia's portfolio: https://alegriaaa.co/

Attend this week's FREE UGC webinar and learn how you can start today: https://ugcmasteryacademynate.com/webinarsignup

UGC CREATOR CONNECT DALLAS! Join the waitlist here to be notified when tickets become available for UGC Creator Connect in Dallas, Texas -Spring 2027: https://ugcmasteryacademynate.com/waitlist

FREE Call: Discover how to start UGC and land brand deals (even with 0 experience): Book a Call Now

Connect with Nate
Instagram: @nateflakecreates
YouTube: UGC 101 Podcast

Contact / Collabs
For guest pitches, partnerships, or sponsorship inquiries.
https://ugcbynate.com/

UGC 101 is a podcast for creators who want to make real money with user-generated content without a big following, expensive gear, or a background in marketing. Host Nate Flake is a working UGC creator who has partnered with hundreds of brands and built his business from scratch. Each week, he sits down with everyday creators, brand strategists, and freelancers to break down what's actually working in the UGC space right now.

What if the skills you already have are worth more in UGC than anything you could learn from scratch?

The skills Casey Leigh already used every day in the classroom gave her a head start in UGC that most creators never realize they already have. Host Nate Flake and Casey break down exactly how teaching translated into brand deals, persuasive content, and long-term creator success.

Learn how to handle difficult clients without burning out, when to walk away from lowball offers, and how Casey turned a $200 offer into a $950 deal. If you’ve ever lowered your rates because you were scared the work would dry up, this episode will change how you think about your value.

Chapters:
00:03:02 - Why Teachers Are Secretly Built for This
00:04:08 - The Skill She Didn’t Realize Was Valuable
00:05:08 - The Part Nobody Warns You About
00:06:42 - The Red Flags That Cost Creators Money
00:08:04 - The Lesson Bad Clients Teach Fast
00:09:27 - The $200 Deal That Changed Everything
00:11:08 - Why Most Creators Stay Stuck Charging Low Rates
00:12:14 - The Saturation Lie Everyone Believes
00:17:14 - Why Teaching Feels Exactly Like UGC
00:20:31 - The Hook Strategy That Stops People Instantly
00:29:18 - The Teleprompter Trick That Makes Scripts Feel Natural
00:33:27 - The Hidden Advantage Teachers Already Have
00:40:18 - The AI Tool Changing How She Lands Deals
00:45:02 - The Pitch That Landed a Major Brand
00:47:23 - The Creator Shortcut She Wishes Existed Earlier

Most creators spend too much time wondering whether their past experience even matters in this industry. Casey explains how to turn the skills you already have whether from teaching, corporate work, or another career into content brands actually want to pay for.

Stay until the end because Casey shares the AI tool she built called Unscripted Creator. It researches brands, identifies gaps in their marketing, and helps creators write scripts that sound natural to their own voice.

Press play and learn how to build the kind of creator skillset that turns one-off gigs into long-term retainer clients.

Connect with Casey:
https://caseyleighcreatives.com/

Try Brand Intelligence for FREE: unscripted.caseyleighugc.com

The Complete Unscripted Creator System: (Discount code: UGC101): HERE

Attend this week's FREE UGC webinar and learn how you can start today: https://ugcmasteryacademynate.com/webinarsignup

UGC CREATOR CONNECT DALLAS! Join the waitlist here to be notified when tickets become available for UGC Creator Connect in Dallas, Texas -Spring 2027: https://ugcmasteryacademynate.com/waitlist

FREE Call: Discover how to start UGC and land brand deals (even with 0 experience): Book a Call Now

Connect with Nate
Instagram: @nateflakecreates
YouTube: UGC 101 Podcast

Contact / Collabs
For guest pitches, partnerships, or sponsorship inquiries.
https://ugcbynate.com/

UGC 101 is a podcast for creators who want to make real money with user-generated content without a big following, expensive gear, or a background in marketing. Host Nate Flake is a working UGC creator who has partnered with hundreds of brands and built his business from scratch. Each week, he sits down with everyday creators, brand strategists, and freelancers to break down what's actually working in the UGC space right now.

Join the FREE UGC Webinar: Learn how you can start today

Never posted a video in your life and think you're too late to start?

Host Nate Flake welcomes Brenda Seider, a 51-year-old creator who had no video experience, no portfolio, and no clue what UGC was when she started. 14 months later, she had replaced her corporate job with a full-time creator business powered largely by inbound brand deals.

Both Nate and Brenda came from corporate jobs that were quietly draining them dry. This conversation is brutally honest about what the leap actually costs and what it gives back.

Chapters:
00:02:12 - The Job That Broke Her
00:03:11 - The Anonymous TikTok Secret
00:08:21 - Why Her First Brand Video Failed
00:10:18 - The Mistake Most New Creators Make
00:11:46 - The $50 Video That Took 5 Hours
00:13:18 - The Confidence Nobody Talks About
00:15:07 - The Corporate Wake-Up Call
00:21:27 - The Inbounds Finally Started
00:26:18 - The 60-Day Gamble
00:27:55 - The Month Everything Went Quiet
00:28:51 - The Toxic Fallout After Quitting
00:35:48 - Why Brands Kept Messaging Her
00:42:31 - The Truth About $10K Months

Brenda spent five hours filming her first $50 Fiverr video. She never went viral, she just kept showing up every single day and learning in public. Eventually, brands started flooding her inbox.

Press play and learn what consistency over perfection actually looks like in real life.

Connect with Brenda: https://brendaunfolded.com

Attend this week's FREE UGC webinar and learn how you can start today: https://ugcmasteryacademynate.com/webinarsignup

UGC CREATOR CONNECT DALLAS! Join the waitlist here to be notified when tickets become available for UGC Creator Connect in Dallas, Texas -Spring 2027: https://ugcmasteryacademynate.com/waitlist

FREE Call: Discover how to start UGC and land brand deals (even with 0 experience): Book a Call Now

Connect with Nate
Instagram: @nateflakecreates
YouTube: UGC 101 Podcast

Contact / Collabs
For guest pitches, partnerships, or sponsorship inquiries.
https://ugcbynate.com/

UGC 101 is a podcast for creators who want to make real money with user-generated content without a big following, expensive gear, or a background in marketing. Host Nate Flake is a working UGC creator who has partnered with hundreds of brands and built his business from scratch. Each week, he sits down with everyday creators, brand strategists, and freelancers to break down what's actually working in the UGC space right now.

FREE call - Start UGC and land brand deals with 0 experience: HERE

Busy does not have to mean stuck. What if there was a system that made UGC actually fit into your life the way it already is, not the life you wish you had?

Today's guest had to shut down her six-figure photography studio overnight when her daughter was diagnosed with a serious autoimmune disease. With no income and no plan, she had to figure out a way to build her UGC business that worked around her life, not the other way around.

Nate Flake sits down with Brooke Embry, a mom and co-founder of Creator Desk. You will learn the system she built now lets her film just one or two days a week, and still be present for her family. And why the brands keep coming back.

Chapters:
00:02:11 – The Diagnosis That Changed Everything
00:06:12 – The Biggest Difference Between Amazon and UGC
00:07:42 – The Creator Who Changed Her Entire Approach
00:08:47 – The Pitching Strategy That Got Early Replies
00:10:04 – When UGC Finally Felt Sustainable
00:16:02 – The Unexpected Opportunities UGC Created
00:18:05 – The Scheduling Mistake That Nearly Burned Her Out
00:24:06 – The Red Flag Most New Creators Ignore
00:31:02 – How She Turns Repeat Clients Into Retainers
00:42:03 – Why AI Might Actually Help UGC Creators

They get into the questions new creators are too scared to ask out loud. What do you say to a brand when you can't film for two more weeks? How do you set boundaries without losing the client? When do you stop waiting to be invited into a retainer and just go get one?

Her answers are practical, honest, and not what most people expect.

Press play and learn one specific freebie she offers retainer clients that makes brands say yes almost every time.

Brooke's Portfolio: www.theblissfulbrooke.com

Sign-up for Creator Desk: www.thecreatordesk.com

Attend this week's FREE UGC webinar and learn how you can start today: https://ugcmasteryacademynate.com/webinarsignup

UGC CREATOR CONNECT DALLAS! Join the waitlist here to be notified when tickets become available for UGC Creator Connect in Dallas, Texas -Spring 2027: https://ugcmasteryacademynate.com/waitlist

FREE Call: Discover how to start UGC and land brand deals (even with 0 experience): Book a Call Now

Connect with Nate
Instagram: @nateflakecreates
YouTube: UGC 101 Podcast

Contact / Collabs
For guest pitches, partnerships, or sponsorship inquiries.
https://ugcbynate.com/

UGC 101 is a podcast for creators who want to make real money with user-generated content without a big following, expensive gear, or a background in marketing. Host Nate Flake is a working UGC creator who has partnered with hundreds of brands and built his business from scratch. Each week, he sits down with everyday creators, brand strategists, and freelancers to break down what's actually working in the UGC space right now.

Are you exhausted spending hours hopping between platforms just to find UGC jobs?

There's a creator who got tired of the same grind and built the solution herself.

Host Nate Flake sits down with Paula Hlavacek, co-founder of Wovvo and a UGC creator who's been in the game for four years. She's built a platform that pulls opportunities from X, Reddit, Backstage, Coley, Vidova, and more into one dashboard.

They get into why your X profile is your first impression, and brands are judging it before they ever watch your video. Paula breaks down what a strong profile actually looks like, why your wins need to be framed for brands not other creators, and what skills are quietly separating good UGC creators from great ones.

Chapters:
00:04:55 – Burnout From Platform Hopping
00:05:32 – The WhatsApp Group That Scaled Quietly
00:06:20 – Turning Free Value Into a Business
00:07:02 – What is Wovvo?
00:08:28 – Monetizing an Idea Before It Exists
00:11:10 – Quitting the Job and Going All In
00:12:45 – The Effort Most Creators Skip
00:16:12 – Why Your Profile Is Costing You Deals
00:18:02 – Posting for Brands vs Creators
00:20:18 – Content That Actually Converts
00:23:10 – How Wovvo Finds Opportunities
00:25:05 – Why Searching Jobs Wastes Time
00:29:05 – Fixing the Application Process
00:34:08 – Why Quality Matters More Now
00:36:02 – Treating Rejection Like Data
00:41:02 – What’s Coming in Wovvo 3.0

If you've been stuck in the cycle of applying and hearing nothing back, this episode gets at why. Paula talks through how to evaluate what's not working, how to think like a brand, and why showing up consistently matters more than showing up perfectly.

Press play and learn how one creator stopped waiting for the right platform and built it herself and what that mindset can do for your UGC career starting today.

Link to Resources Footnote for Every Podcast

Join: https://www.wovvo.ai/

Attend the Live Event June 17th in Vancouver: https://creatorscollab.ca/

Paula's Socials:

https://www.instagram.com/thisgirlpppaula/

https://www.tiktok.com/@thisgirlpppaula

Attend this week's FREE UGC webinar and learn how you can start today: https://ugcmasteryacademynate.com/webinarsignup

UGC CREATOR CONNECT DALLAS! Join the waitlist here to be notified when tickets become available for UGC Creator Connect in Dallas, Texas -Spring 2027: https://ugcmasteryacademynate.com/waitlist

FREE Call: Discover how to start UGC and land brand deals (even with 0 experience): Book a Call Now

Connect with Nate
Instagram: @nateflakecreates
YouTube: UGC 101 Podcast

Contact / Collabs
For guest pitches, partnerships, or sponsorship inquiries.
https://ugcbynate.com/

UGC 101 is a podcast for creators who want to make real money with user-generated content without a big following, expensive gear, or a background in marketing. Host Nate Flake is a working UGC creator who has partnered with hundreds of brands and built his business from scratch. Each week, he sits down with everyday creators, brand strategists, and freelancers to break down what's actually working in the UGC space right now.

What if your accent, your background, or starting from zero actually made you more desirable to brands?

Host Nate Flake welcomes Luiz Walters, who moved from Brazil with limited resources and turned UGC into a full-time business. How he got there is a story you don’t want to miss.

He did not grow up dreaming of making brand videos. He came to the US as a camp counselor, worked multiple jobs to stay afloat, and eventually landed the kind of corporate role everyone tells you to want. Then everything changed, and the path that opened up was one he never saw coming.

If you have ever felt like your accent, your story, or your starting point puts you at a disadvantage, this episode challenges that directly. Luiz shows how those differences can become your edge.

Chapters:
00:02:06 – Arriving in the U.S. With No Plan
00:03:12 – Randomly Sent to Oklahoma
00:06:02 – Family Pressure and Identity Struggles
00:08:05 – Leaving Brazil Without a Return Plan
00:13:02 – Working Two Jobs Just to Survive
00:14:05 – Finding Love While Struggling
00:16:08 – Discovering UGC by Accident
00:18:10 – First Big Deal Changes Everything
00:21:52 – Deciding to Go All In on UGC
00:22:45 – Learning Pitching and Taking Action
00:25:18 – Learning Negotiation and Follow-Up
00:26:05 – Getting Laid Off at the Right Time
00:29:38 – Turning an Accent Into an Advantage
00:34:18 – Becoming a UGC Coach
00:37:05 – Why Brands Will Hire You

Luiz gets honest about the moments that almost stopped him before he ever got started. You will hear what it actually looks like to rebuild confidence, step away when needed, and come back with more clarity.

There is a moment toward the end of this conversation that reframes how you think about consistency and results. It is worth sticking around for.

Press play and learn from someone who bet on himself and made it work.

Work with Luiz: https://ugcluizwalters.my.canva.site

Attend this week's FREE UGC webinar and learn how you can start today: https://ugcmasteryacademynate.com/webinarsignup

UGC CREATOR CONNECT DALLAS! Join the waitlist here to be notified when tickets become available for UGC Creator Connect in Dallas, Texas -Spring 2027: https://ugcmasteryacademynate.com/waitlist

FREE Call: Discover how to start UGC and land brand deals (even with 0 experience): Book a Call Now

Connect with Nate
Instagram: @nateflakecreates
YouTube: UGC 101 Podcast

Contact / Collabs
For guest pitches, partnerships, or sponsorship inquiries.
https://ugcbynate.com/

UGC 101 is a podcast for creators who want to make real money with user-generated content without a big following, expensive gear, or a background in marketing. Host Nate Flake is a working UGC creator who has partnered with hundreds of brands and built his business from scratch. Each week, he sits down with everyday creators, brand strategists, and freelancers to break down what's actually working in the UGC space right now.