Elijah: The story of my ventures began when I was a high school student during the COVID-19 pandemic. I was bored and started exploring ways to make money, which led me to stocks and crypto. Through that journey, I started a community on Discord, which quickly grew to 30,000 people. I realized the power of social media when I started posting videos on TikTok, and they blew up. This experience showed me that social media was much more than just posting with friends—it was a powerful tool that I wanted to stay involved with.
Before Vidovo, I ran an agency called Valo Media, which focused on e-commerce, but it wasn’t working out as I had hoped. Then I discovered the impact of user-generated content (UGC) when a video I purchased for a product got 14 million views and brought in significant sales. I knew this was something powerful, and I had to be part of this industry. After emailing 600 influencers in a week, only about 20 responded, and I moved forward with eight of them. Although I don’t work with them now, this experience taught me a lot.
One of my clients, who was also a software engineer, was impressed with how I pitched and ran the agency. Knowing that I always wanted to build a marketplace, he suggested we partner up to make it happen. In just two days, he had a working landing page ready, and at that moment, I knew we had to work together. We’ve been partners ever since, and that was the beginning of Vidovo. We’ve been around for a year now, and it's been an exciting journey.
Elijah: Being a young founder has been both challenging and rewarding. At first, I was very intimidated because I didn’t think people would take me seriously due to my age. When we launched Vidovo, I was just 19 years old, and I was new to the industry compared to competitors who had been in the game for years. I didn’t know many people, and the few connections I had were from my previous, faceless work in high school, so networking was a challenge.
However, I learned to turn this perceived disadvantage into an advantage. Over time, I realized that people actually want to help, and many enjoy working with me. Being young and part of Gen Z, I believe our generation has a deep understanding of the creator economy, and this has been a key strength. If you asked me a year ago, I would have been stressed out by this question, but now I see being a young founder as one of my greatest assets. I’ve learned that by being myself and being honest, people respect what I’m building, and that’s been crucial to our success.
Elijah: The brands that perform well on Vidovo, like Opal Camera, excel because they have a streamlined process for working with creators. For example, Opal signed up, created a campaign on the first day, and collaborated with over 25 creators right off the bat. They were able to gather content in under 10 days, which their growth team used to run ads, leading to a better return on ad spend, higher click-through rates, and lower customer acquisition costs.
What sets them apart is their focus on getting quality content from creators. We’ve put a lot of effort into building a strong creator ecosystem because we know that better creators lead to better results for brands. I took calls with creators almost every day in our earliest stages to understand their needs and what they wanted from a platform like ours. By focusing on attracting top-tier crea
tors, we've been able to help brands like Opal achieve great results and stay on our platform. Other brands could learn from this by prioritizing the quality of their creators and ensuring they have a smooth, efficient process for getting content and using it effectively in their marketing.
Elijah: From a creator's perspective, payment is definitely a big factor, but it’s not the only one. Creators get excited when they see that a brand aligns with their values and interests. I always advise creators to only work with brands they would genuinely use or support even if they weren’t creating UGC. When creators see that they’re working with reputable brands—especially big names—they feel a sense of pride and connection.
We also make sure to highlight the quality and reputation of the brands we work with, whether through newsletters, social media, or direct communication. This not only attracts more creators to our platform but also ensures that the ones who join are genuinely interested and passionate about the campaigns they’re working on. Ultimately, when a creator sees a brand they can resonate with, and the compensation is fair, they’re much more likely to produce high-quality content that performs well.
Elijah: When I first encountered AI in the context of photo and video generation, I was initially worried. My agency at the time was built on the authenticity and relatability of human creators, and I wondered if AI would disrupt that. But over time, I realized that while AI is powerful and can generate a lot of content quickly, it’s still just a buzzword in many cases.
At the end of the day, consumers want to see someone they can relate to—a real person who looks and acts like them, not an AI model or a celebrity like Kim Kardashian. Genuine connection is what drives engagement, and I believe that people will always prefer seeing real creators on the other side of the camera. AI has its place, but when it comes to actual video content, authenticity and human connection are irreplaceable.
Vidovo facilitates connections between brands and creators to leverage user-generated content (UGC) for marketing. It offers a platform for brands to easily find and collaborate with a diverse network of content creators to produce relatable and trust-driven campaigns. Vidovo emphasizes a simplified process to enhance content marketing, enabling access to quality content and creators while ensuring fair payouts and transparent pricing.
Elijah: I don’t always get direct insight into our brands’ ad accounts, but from what I’ve gathered, the content mix typically involves a strong focus on UGC. Many brands are finding that UGC offers the authenticity and relatability that resonates well with their audience. For example, one brand shared that they dedicate a significant portion of their week to testing and optimizing UGC and static ads, not much of studio-produced content.
While I can’t give an exact percentage, it seems that brands are increasingly leaning towards UGC, often balancing it with static-produced content to maintain a blend of authenticity and polished visuals. The key is continuous testing and optimization. Brands are discovering that integrating UGC with their overall content strategy allows them to connect more effectively with their audience while still benefiting from the high production value of studio content when needed.
Elijah: My dream for Vidovo isn’t just about financial success; it’s about making a lasting impact in the creator economy, something meaningful. In three to five years, I envision a team that’s truly passionate about helping both brands and creators as well as raising the bar for content in the industry. But more importantly, I want to know that the creators we work with are getting better opportunities and that the content in the creator economy is constantly improving.
Whether we exit, fail, or continue growing, my goal is to stay in this industry and contribute to its evolution. I’m passionate about e-commerce and the creator economy, and I want to keep advocating for creators, helping them produce better content, and supporting their journeys. That’s what drives me, and that’s the future I see for Vidovo.
Elijah: One big misconception brands have is that they don’t need to test enough when working with creators and getting UGC. Many brands believe that spending a small amount is sufficient to determine what works. However, the most successful brands on Vidovo are those that consistently test and iterate. They don’t just run one campaign and give up if the ads don’t perform well. Instead, they keep experimenting with different creators, angles, and hooks.
For example, one of our top-performing brands has generated over seven figures in revenue since they’ve signed on just by continuously testing new ideas every week. They try different hooks, angles, and even formats like horizontal video. This level of commitment to testing is what sets them apart and leads to their success. Brands need to understand that testing is crucial to finding what resonates with their audience and maximizing the effectiveness of their UGC campaigns.
Elijah: If I had to attribute my success to one trait, it would be stamina. It’s a bit unconventional, but I believe stamina—both mental and physical—has been key to my journey. There have been countless times when I thought things weren’t going to work out, when I felt stressed and overwhelmed. But I kept pushing forward, working late nights, and putting in the effort even when it was tough.
This stamina, this ability to keep going no matter what, is something I take pride in. It’s not just about discipline; it’s about having the energy and determination to see things through, to keep moving forward despite the challenges. I’ve always had faith in myself, my partner, and the product we’re building, and that belief has fueled my stamina. It’s what’s allowed me to continue growing Vidovo and what I believe will carry us forward in the future.
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