#36: Paintball Ruined His Life with Brad Johnson

In this episode of the Shellda Podcast, I sit down with Brad from Paintball Ruined My Life, one of the biggest paintball creators on YouTube. We dive deep into what it takes to turn content creation into a full-time career in the paintball industry: from growing a niche audience to navigating burnout, sponsorships, and algorithm changes. Brad shares how his channel evolved, why he shifted from product reviews to evergreen storytelling, and the real-life struggles behind the scenes of being a creator.

We also talk about self-worth as a content creator, how to value your work, and building long-term partnerships in the paintball world. If you're a fan of paintball, content creation, or just want a peek behind the curtain of YouTube, this one’s for you.

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🎯 Topics Covered:
Making YouTube a full-time job
Growing a niche channel to 100K subs
The shift from reviews to storytelling
Monetization strategies (memberships, affiliates, sponsors)
Creator burnout and maintaining passion
Why Brad never signs contracts
The dream vs. the job of being a creator
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📸 Follow @shelldaphotos for behind-the-scenes content.