Doin' The Thing w/ Dillan Taylor

Dillan Taylor
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Doin' The Thing w/ Dillan Taylor

Doin' The Thing is a show for creators who want to build their content business better and faster. It's hosted by Dillan Taylor—certified life coach, writer, and CEO of Grindstone. He interviews top creators to share their biggest mistakes and lessons and tells stories from Grindstone, a coaching company for video creators.

  1. 20H AGO

    How to Stand Out in a Sea of A.I. Slop (w/ Michelle Varghese) | 053

    Dillan interviews Michelle Varghese. Michelle is a writing coach who helps creators express themselves online with more honesty, vulnerability, and soul. She’s worked with programs like Write of Passage and now coaches writers full-time. They discuss: how to spot (and avoid writing) AI slop, the rise of performative content on LinkedIn, why vulnerability in writing matters more than ever, how to know when you're ready to share a personal story, the difference between wounds and scars in creative work, the 5-step exercise to help your audience feel 10x more connected to you, and much more. ••• Michelle's links... Substack: https://substack.com/@michellevarghese Twitter / X: https://x.com/mvarghoose Writing Coaching: https://michellevarghoose.gumroad.com/l/writingcoaching/ ••• Follow Dillan on the interwebs... Twitter / X: https://x.com/dillanroytaylor  Newsletter: https://grindstone.coach/newsletter Apply for Grindstone Coaching: https://www.grindstone.coach/ Music by myboy.scoochy: https://www.instagram.com/myboy.scoochy/  ••• 0:00 Intro 0:45 Best and worst things about AI writing 7:57 The “dead internet theory” 18:04 How AI fails to replicate human error 29:40 Can you even tell when writing is AI? 35:42 The power of stories in content 39:35 Michelle’s advice for creating vulnerably 52:30 Being human is the whole point 55:31 A 5-finger framework for connection 1:04:22 Michelle’s turn: her 5-finger reflection 1:17:24 Bye bye bye

    1h 19m

  2. 6D AGO

    The Systems That Got This Middle School Teacher 400K Subs (w/ CPreds) | 052

    Dillan interviews CPreds. CPreds is a full-time Call of Duty content creator with over 400,000 YouTube subscribers. He built his audience from scratch while working full-time as a middle school teacher, editing videos on NYC subways, and uploading daily. They discuss: the harsh realities of going full-time, how to build a sustainable content system, what still surprises him at 400k subs, evergreen content strategies, how to package viral videos, why copying won't get you far, and much more. CPreds’s links... Website: https://linktr.ee/cpreds Twitter / X: https://x.com/CPreds_ YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@CPreds ••• Follow Dillan on the interwebs... Twitter / X: https://x.com/dillanroytaylor  Newsletter: https://grindstone.coach/newsletter Apply for Grindstone Coaching: https://www.grindstone.coach/ Music by myboy.scoochy: https://www.instagram.com/myboy.scoochy/  ••• 0:00 Intro 0:43 The CPreds tagline 3:18 What's different & the same at 400K subs 8:10 Evergreen content explained 14:25 Looking back at his first videos 20:36 The biggest mistake new creators make 30:21 His early grind while teaching full-time 34:29 His step-by-step plan to grow from 0 to 100k 42:54 Behind his most viral long-form video 51:29 Building connection with your audience  56:53 Breaking down the CPreds content business 1:06:29 Rapid-fire questions 1:12:54 Bye bye bye

    1h 13m

  3. MAY 30

    He Made $0 for 16 Months, Then Hit $107k/Month (w/ Jack Bly) | 051

    Dillan interviews Jack Bly. Jack is a former online fitness coach who scaled his coaching business from zero to $100k/month. Now he runs Acquisition Pilot—a program that helps other coaches scale through client acquisition systems, pricing strategies, and no-BS sales tactics. They discuss: what keeps most coaches broke, how to start making real money online, why lead gen is the most important thing under $50k/month, how to build an offer people actually want, the five steps to landing high-ticket clients, the right way to give your coaching away for free, and much more. ••• Jack's links... Website: https://www.acquisitionpilot.co/opt-in1747914755357 Twitter / X: https://x.com/TheJackBly YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@thejackbly ••• Follow Dillan on the interwebs... Twitter / X: https://x.com/dillanroytaylor  Newsletter: https://grindstone.coach/newsletter Apply for Grindstone Coaching: https://www.grindstone.coach/ Music by myboy.scoochy: https://www.instagram.com/myboy.scoochy/  ••• 0:00 Intro 0:46 Why Jack made $0 for 16 months 5:05 The 2 big shifts that made money 8:11 Jack’s 5-step client acquisition framework 11:22 Cold outreach without being sleazy 18:32 Pricing when you’re just starting out 23:45 Building a high-ticket offer that sells 30:00 How to NEVER get clients 33:40 Finding a niche and a real problem to solve 37:27 Why Jack pivoted to helping coaches 41:09 Content vs. active lead gen 46:01 How to identify your biggest business bottleneck 50:08 How to build a killer course 54:02 The pain of leadership and hiring 59:24 What Jack has sacrificed (and won’t) 1:02:08 Jack's #1 advice 1:04:46 Bye bye bye

    1h 5m

  4. MAY 23

    How Creators Can Stay Healthy While Growing Online (w/ TCaptainX) | 050

    Dillan interviews Tyler Cook—aka TCaptainX, aka TFitX. Tyler is a full-time Call of Duty creator and former registered nurse turned personal trainer, who’s built thriving online businesses around gaming content and fitness coaching. They discuss: how storytelling made his basic gaming clips go viral, what creators can learn from his pivot into online personal training, how to turn your audience into clients, building a two-business flywheel, balancing burnout with well-being, creator-friendly health habits, and much more. ••• TCaptainX's links... Website: https://pillar.io/tcaptainx Twitter / X: https://x.com/TCaptainX_ YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@TCaptainX ••• Follow Dillan on the interwebs... Twitter / X: https://x.com/dillanroytaylor Newsletter: https://grindstone.coach/newsletter Apply for Grindstone Coaching: https://www.grindstone.coach/ Music by myboy.scoochy: https://www.instagram.com/myboy.scoochy/  ••• 0:00 Intro 0:38 From nurse to full-time COD creator 3:38 Why his early content sucked 7:20 Good storytelling = curiosity + stakes 12:30 Pivoting from gaming to fitness 20:35 Using content to grow a service business 41:16 Creating "flywheel" content 45:04 What creators can do to improve their health now 1:03:38 Tyler's creator revenue streams 1:16:04 Tyler's #1 creator advice 1:18:36 Bye bye bye

    1h 19m

  5. MAY 16

    34 Lessons Streamers Learn the Hard Way (w/ Katliente) | 049

    Dillan interviews Katliente. Kat is a full-time creator known for her Twitch streams, viral TikToks, and YouTube channel where she shares candid creator advice and commentary. She’s built a loyal following by blending humor, hustle, and brutal honesty about life as a content creator. They discuss: how she grew from 0 to Twitch Partner, the harsh realities of being a female streamer, how to stop being boring on stream, what makes or breaks creators, how to pivot content without killing your channel, the business behind her $13k/month creator income, how to build real community, and much more. ••• Katliente's links... Twitter / X: https://x.com/katlienteee YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@katnchat Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/katliente.ttv/ TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@katliente Twitch: https://www.twitch.tv/katliente Sponsor Guide: https://katliente.notion.site/SPONSORSHIP-GUIDE-v2-34073f2fec2644b1b83bd9df0e1b70c0 ••• Follow Dillan on the interwebs... Twitter / X: https://x.com/dillanroytaylor Newsletter: https://www.grindstone.coach/newsletter Apply for Grindstone Coaching: https://www.grindstone.coach/ Music by myboy.scoochy: https://www.instagram.com/myboy.scoochy/  ••• 0:00 Intro 0:39 Why “being a cute girl” didn’t grow Kat’s Twitch 6:31 Specific improvements she made to stop being boring 11:16 Why she pivoted from gaming to streaming advice 15:43 How to pivot content without killing your channel 22:29 What’s getting easier and harder? 28:44 How Kat builds community and trust 33:07 3 big mistakes streamers make  40:42 Dillan's coaching career 44:57 Her most damaging vs. most valuable mistake 51:40 How Kat makes $13k+/month as a creator 1:11:18 How to get sponsors with a small audience 1:15:50 Kat's systems for sponsors 1:25:50 Talent agency vs. management agency 1:28:49 Kat's #1 advice for a stuck creator 1:32:01 Bye bye bye

    1h 34m

  6. MAY 9

    How This Dad Built a 100K Chess Channel (w/ Epic Chess) | 048

    Dillan interviews James Gardner—the man behind Epic Chess. James is a British YouTuber who’s built a comedic and high-skill chess analysis channel with over 100,000 subscribers. His videos blend educational game breakdowns, storytelling, and humor, making chess entertaining for enthusiasts and casual fans. They discuss: how to build long-term success on YouTube without burning out, the power of storytelling in thumbnails and titles, the challenge of idea generation, finding your unfair advantages as a creator, monetization beyond AdSense, how to create consistently without losing your soul, and much more. Epic Chess's links... YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@epicchess2021 ••• Follow Dillan on the interwebs... Twitter / X: https://x.com/dillanroytaylor Newsletter: https://www.grindstone.coach/newsletter Apply for Grindstone Coaching: https://www.grindstone.coach/ Music by myboy.scoochy: https://www.instagram.com/myboy.scoochy/  ••• 0:00 Intro 1:04 Why James started Epic Chess 13:44 Breaking down the early Epic Chess channel 18:14 How James has improved his content over 3 years  27:24 The value of just getting started 30:05 When to push vs when to pivot 36:05 James’s creative system for posting every day 39:18 Why he makes the thumbnail first 40:19 Polished vs authentic content 46:09 Thumbnail strategies and AI tools 52:52 Sponsorships, revenue breakdown, and boundaries 1:04:41 Sustainable success and reframing burnout 1:15:41 Epic Chess links & Dillan's tattoo 1:19:06 Dillan vs. James blitz game 1:29:49 Bye bye bye

    1h 30m

  7. MAY 5

    How This Creator Made $30K/Month Making TikTok Ads (w/ Tyler Lang) | 047

    Dillan interviews Tyler Lang—aka FatalGlytch. Tyler is a full-time content creator and UGC (user-generated content) strategist who has made over $30,000 in a single month creating viral ads for brands through programs like TikTok One. They discuss: how Tyler transitioned from gaming content to UGC ads, how to make $20k/month creating UGC, what makes a great ad, beginner steps to break into the UGC industry, how to price and package brand deals, key legal terms like “perpetuity” and “likeness,” and how to avoid burnout while building a full-time creator career, and much more. Tyler's links... Twitter / X: https://x.com/FatalGlytch YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@FatalGlytch ••• Follow Dillan on the interwebs... Twitter / X: https://x.com/dillanroytaylor Newsletter: https://www.grindstone.coach/newsletter Apply for Grindstone Coaching: https://www.grindstone.coach/ Music by myboy.scoochy: https://www.instagram.com/myboy.scoochy/  ••• 0:00 Intro 1:00 What is UGC content?  3:49 Tyler’s creator journey  10:16 Beginner tips for breaking into UGC  21:25 Step-by-step of a UGC brand deal  26:33 How to package and price your content 32:54 Why creators should avoid perpetuity 33:44 What are Spark Ads? 36:29 Explaining likeness, exclusivity, and legal rights 42:39 How and when creators get paid  46:57 Hardest parts of being a UGC creator 50:46 What makes a great ad   55:34 Tyler’s experience in the Grindstone program 58:24 Bye bye bye

    59 min

  8. APR 25

    How to Build the Perfect Content System (w/ Giana Cambria) | 046

    Dillan interviews Giana Cambria—founder of Upper Hand Creative. UHC is a company that helps coaches, consultants, and agency owners scale their content while saving massive amounts of time. Giana shares her journey building the business, her insights on systemizing content workflows, how AI is changing the game, and what separates the creators who thrive from those who don't. They discuss: Giana's journey building the Upper Hand Creative, her insights on systemizing content workflows, what separates the creators who thrive from those who don't, the biggest pain points creators face, building a brand playbook, batching systems for content creation, creating viral content, using AI to save time and improve output, human vs AI content trends, why audience size isn’t everything for monetization, traits of Giana's top-performing clients, tactical advice for creators starting with $0, and much more. Giana's links... Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/gianacambria91/ Website: https://www.upperhandcreative.com/ YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@GianaCambria ••• Follow Dillan on the interwebs... Twitter / X: https://x.com/dillanroytaylor Newsletter: https://www.grindstone.coach/newsletter Apply for Grindstone Coaching: https://www.grindstone.coach/ Music by myboy.scoochy: https://www.instagram.com/myboy.scoochy/  ••• 0:00 Intro 0:52 What is Upper Hand Creative? 4:23 The pain creators experience 9:07 The power of core stories and the “Big Domino” 13:12 Building a viral content library 14:39 Passive vs active creating 17:48 Which platform to post on? 20:07 Building a content system 30:41 Traits of successful creators vs those who struggle 40:49 Do you need a big audience to make money? 45:59 Ways to systematize content creation for $0 49:20 Pulling inspiration from outside your niche 53:05 Trends creators are sleeping on 56:23 Favorite A.I. tools and how to use them 1:02:30 Will A.I. replace human content? 1:06:06 Giana’s #1 advice 1:10:05 Bye bye bye

    1h 11m
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5
out of 5
17 Ratings

About

Doin' The Thing is a show for creators who want to build their content business better and faster. It's hosted by Dillan Taylor—certified life coach, writer, and CEO of Grindstone. He interviews top creators to share their biggest mistakes and lessons and tells stories from Grindstone, a coaching company for video creators.

Information

  • Creator
    Dillan Taylor
  • Years Active
    2022 - 2025
  • Episodes
    53
  • Rating
    Explicit
  • Copyright
    © 2025 Doin' The Thing w/ Dillan Taylor
  • Show Website
    Doin' The Thing w/ Dillan Taylor

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