About WeConnect Forum

WeConnect Forum is a core segment of our WeConnect Brand Day, carrying forward the spirit of connection that defines our brand. Through a series of curated topics, we invite creators from around the world to engage in discussions and share their perspectives on content creation and related issues. Here, there are no standard answers—only authentic experiences and mutual inspiration. The purpose of the Forum is to transform individual growth journeys into shared insights, further underscoring the importance of connection in the creative process.

The Creator’s Journey

As part of WeConnect Forum, we introduced The Creator’s Journey as a series that highlights the evolving landscape of content creation. The series focuses on where creativity begins, how it adapts to technology, the challenges that shape it, and the perspectives that guide its future, sharing authentic insights that connect individual stories with broader cultural and technological shifts. Through this effort, we wish to empower creators, especially those just starting out, by offering practical insights as well as the inspiration to pursue their own creative journeys with greater courage and imagination.

At our WeConnect 2025 Open Day, we invited a group of super cool creators to our Hollyland headquarters to revisit the very beginning of their journeys. As the opening chapter of The Creator’s Journey, this piece focuses on first steps: their very first projects, the excitement and struggles of early growth, and the lessons they wish they had known when starting out.

The creators shared stories about what sparked their first projects, how many views their earliest videos received, and the advice they would give both to their younger selves and to anyone launching a channel today. Their reflections reminded us that behind every big audience or viral hit, there is always a humble beginning, often filled with trial, error, and persistence.

What Was the First Project About?

Every creator starts somewhere—and often, those first steps feel small but unforgettable. For one of the creators we invited, the journey began with travel photography and filmmaking. His very first project was a simple travel vlog: documenting a trip with nothing more than a camera, some scenic locations, and the desire to capture authentic moments on the road.

The content was raw—short clips of street views, candid photos of locals, and a few edited sequences stitched together into a vlog. It wasn’t fancy, but it carried his curiosity and enthusiasm for discovering new places. What mattered most was not the production value, but the feeling of sharing a personal perspective with an audience, however small.

How Many Views Did the First Video Get?

The honest answer: not many. That very first travel vlog barely reached 20 views, hardly enough to make a dent online. It could have been discouraging, but instead it fueled his drive to keep going.

Rather than giving up, the creator started polishing the content: narrowing the focus from broad travel diaries to specific themes like food routes, must-see photo spots, and practical tips that travelers could actually use. By defining a clearer niche and presenting it in a more targeted way, the videos began to resonate with a much larger audience.

The results came quickly. After only a handful of uploads, the channel started to gain serious traction. Part of it was timing, platforms were rewarding fresh content in that niche. Part of it was the sheer scale of the audience. And part of it came from refining the content and sticking with it.

The lesson? Don’t underestimate humble beginnings. With focus and persistence, even 20 views can be the spark for something much bigger.

Advice to a Younger Self

Looking back, the advice was short and clear: learn more, and learn faster. The world of content creation moves at an incredible pace. Trends change overnight, platforms evolve quickly, and opportunities don’t always wait around. If you hesitate until “tomorrow,” the chance may already be gone. Staying curious, working consistently, and adapting fast are what make long-term growth possible.

Advice for New Creators Today

For anyone starting out today, the advice is surprisingly simple yet powerful: just start. Creating doesn’t require a big budget, and the earlier you get moving, the faster you can build momentum. Keep your content short, simple, and real—authenticity is what makes you stand out in a crowded space.

And don’t let negativity hold you back. Yes, some people might call your work “cringe,” but those voices fade quickly. What lasts is persistence, passion, and the unique personality you bring to your content, something no one else can copy.

Where Stories Begin, Connections Endure

The message from our creators is clear: every journey begins with small, uncertain steps, but those moments carry the spark of everything that follows. These can be moments big or small, extraordinary or everyday, a fleeting spark of inspiration or a milestone worth remembering. Each of them holds the potential to become the start of a story, or even the breakthrough that resonates far beyond its origin.

This is why Hollyland is here: to help creators discover and embrace those moments, and to turn them into expressions marked by greater reach, lasting impact, and deeper connection.

And we put this belief into action through initiatives like WeConnect Forum, where experienced voices share insights with those just beginning their journeys, and WonderLand, our global sponsorship program that helps creators expand bold ideas into impactful projects with both financial and creative support.

Because in the end, it is these moments, captured, shared, and remembered, that define not only the stories we tell, but the connections we build.

This is just the beginning. The Creator’s Journey will continue with new chapters exploring how creativity evolves alongside technology, how challenges shape resilience, and how diverse perspectives inspire future possibilities. Each step in the series will connect personal stories with the broader shifts that define the future of creation—reminding us that where stories begin is only the first spark.