BIG Ideas with David Drobik
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From a Czech blogger curious about life in America to a YouTuber building an international audience, Studio’s very own, David Drobik joined in on the fun to share his BIG Ideas with the community. His creator journey is grounded in persistence and simplicity. In this piece, David shares the lessons behind flops and breakthroughs, his go-to creative tools, and the mindset shift that helped him grow from zero views to a loyal global following.
Q: Let’s start at the beginning: why did you first start creating YouTube videos? What inspired you to hit publish for the first time?
A: I’ve always enjoyed creating content even back in college, I used to write a blog. But it was really after I moved to the U.S. that the inspiration to start filming hit me. I wanted to share what life was like here with people back home in Europe. That perspective of showing the American experience through my eyes felt worth capturing. So in 2016, I started uploading.
Most of those early videos are not public anymore. I’m honestly too ashamed to let people see them now. But that’s where it began. And while I’ve been posting for a while, it’s only in the last four years that I really got serious about it. That’s when I started consistently publishing and leaning into YouTube as a platform to grow something meaningful.
Q: What’s the journey been like since then? How has your life changed over the course of your YouTube journey?
A:The biggest change is that I actually have an audience now. When I first started, nobody was watching. For the first two, maybe even three years, I was posting videos and it felt like they were going out into the void. Nobody cared.
That was before the algorithm really started promoting smaller channels more widely. But I kept going. And now, people are watching. They’re commenting, liking, engaging. And that just feels incredible. It’s a totally different experience creating when you know there’s someone on the other side who cares.
Q: If you achieved everything you’ve ever wanted with your channel, what would that look like?
A:Honestly, it would mean the channel grows to a point where it can fully sustain my life. That I could do this full-time. That’s the dream. I’d love to not only keep creating in my native language, Czech, but also launch a second channel in English and scale that. The goal is to build something big enough that I can really operate as a full-time creator across languages and audiences. That would be it.
Q: Help us fill in the blank: “The best ideas come when I’m______”
A: It’s very random when the best ideas come. Almost never when I sit behind a laptop and start thinking of ideas.
Usually, it’s when I’m out and about or when I’m in bed at night. A lot of times, I’ll start thinking about videos as I’m falling asleep, and then I’ll wake up in the middle of the night with a new idea. That just happens to me.
So now I try to be really good about taking notes whenever those ideas hit. Another big one is when I’m running or doing something physical like running when I can switch my brain off and just let it flow. That’s when they come.
Q: How has Spotter Studio helped your channel? What do you love most about it?
A: I use Spotter Studio for every single video that I publish. And I use it in two main ways.
First is ideating on packaging, specifically titles. A lot of times, I already have the idea for a video, or I’ve even filmed it, but I’m still figuring out the right angle: how to wrap it up so it has the best shot at performing. Packaging is half the battle on YouTube, and I know titles are something I’ve struggled with. Spotter Studio really helps me get better at that.
Second is testing what the packaging will actually look like on the YouTube homepage. Once I’ve got a few thumbnails and title options, I want to see how it all comes together. Spotter Studio makes it super easy to preview that and get a real feel for how it’s going to land.
The 10 BIG Ideas:
1) Q: What book, resource or creator expert have you recommended most to other creators, and why?
A: I’ll give you two names. These two people who really helped me out early on, back when not many creators were talking about YouTube strategy on YouTube.
First is Roberto Blake. He’s been doing this for a long time. In the past he’d run these three-hour livestreams digging deep into analytics, channel strategy, and showing the behind-the-scenes of his YouTube Studio. I found that fascinating and would just soak it all in.
Second is Daniel Batal, who does something similar. Both of them were like my go-to resources when I was getting started. These days I follow folks like Aprilynne Alter, Jon, and Colin and Samir but Daniel and Roberto were the OGs who really laid the groundwork for me.
2) Q: What $100-or-less creator tool or purchase has made a surprising impact on your channel?
A: Frame.io. it’s $30 a month, and it’s been a game-changer.
I’ve been working with an editor for a little while now, and this tool makes the whole back-and-forth so much easier. I can leave comments on specific parts of the video, mark things up directly, and keep everything organized. It’s made the editing process way more seamless and helps me get videos over the finish line faster. Definitely a recent addition to my toolset that I really enjoy.
3) Q: What’s a video flop that taught you an important lesson on your creator journey?
A: I had a tragic 10 out of 10 video recently. Total flop.
It was probably the video I spent the most time on. 20 hours editing, building out the storyline, voiceover, all of it. I went all in. We had a full production day out in the California desert with a Cybertruck, a Jeep, multiple cameras, a whole crew. I woke up at 4 a.m. and we filmed until nighttime.
And it absolutely tanked. It was the least viewed video I’ve posted in years.
What I learned from that is none of that stuff matters as much as you think. The fancy edit, the voiceover, the big shoot… it doesn’t guarantee success. What really matters is authenticity, showing up, and giving your audience something valuable. That’s what connects.
4) Q: If you could have a gigantic billboard anywhere with anything on it, metaphorically speaking, getting a message out to millions of Creators, what would it say and why?
A: It would say: “Have you posted this week?”
That’s it. Simple. A little guilt trip for creators.
Because the truth is you just have to show up. That’s the game. It is a bit of a hamster wheel, and if you want to play it, you’ve got to keep posting. Don’t be a perfectionist. Don’t overthink it. Just hit publish and keep going.
5) Q: What’s a unique aspect in your creative process that works for you even if no one else gets it?
A: I keep it insanely simple when it comes to gear. For most of my videos, I only use a GoPro or my iPhone if the GoPro dies. That’s it.
My rule is: if it doesn’t fit in my pocket, it’s not in my toolbox. I don’t use mics, tripods, or fancy rigs. I want to stay light and nimble so I can film anytime, anywhere. People always ask me what gear I use, and honestly it’s whatever’s in my pocket.
Post-production tools are powerful enough now that you can make almost anything work. So why overcomplicate it.
6) Q: What idea, habit, or mindset shift that had the biggest impact on your channel growth?
A: For a long time, I was afraid to post longer videos. I thought no one would watch.
But over time, I started increasing the length. First to 15 to 20 minutes, then eventually to 45 to 60 minutes. Now, most of my videos are close to an hour long, sometimes even longer. And honestly, it’s been a great move.
YouTube TV is growing fast, and that’s where I want to be. I want people to throw on my videos in their living room while they cook, relax, hang out with family. That’s the space I’m aiming for and going long has helped me get there.
7) Q: What’s the BEST advice you'd give to a smart, serious creator just starting to post consistently? What’s the WORST advice?
A: Best advice? Don’t look at the metrics. Just post.
In the beginning, no one’s watching anyway. For me, the first 2 to 3 years were like that. But that early body of work became super valuable later, once people did start watching. They had something to dig into.
So if you’re under 50 videos, don’t overanalyze. Don’t stress about AVD or CTR or any of it. Just focus on making valuable stuff and publishing consistently.
Worst advice? “Buy an expensive camera.”
You don’t need it. You already have a phone and the camera in that phone is amazing. Even if it’s not the newest model, you can create great videos. Don’t overspend or overcomplicate things. Just start.
8) Q: What's the biggest challenge you’re facing in your creative journey right now? How can the Spotter Studio community help support?
A: Honestly, it’s time.
I just don’t have enough time to create the volume of videos I want to. A lot of what I do requires travel, and those kinds of shoots take a while. It’s hard to keep up with the pace I’d like to be posting at.
As for how the community could help, maybe something like crowdsourced A/B testing on titles and thumbnails before I post could be cool. Just having a little extra input like that might go a long way.
9) Q: What idea are you most excited to create next?
A: I’m heading to Chicago next week to visit a good friend, and I’m super excited to film there.
Chicago has a lot of European roots and a really rich history, so it’s the perfect city for my audience. We’re planning to explore the city with a local who’s lived there for a long time, and I can’t wait to capture that perspective. I always love traveling for videos and this one’s going to be exactly that. Fun, insightful, and full of great moments.
10) Q: If you had a million dollars to make your dream video, what would it be?
A: I’d love to create a content series that encourages Europeans to be more entrepreneurial.
With a million dollars, I’d run a kind of contest to use the money to find one person with a great business idea, and then fund them to start building it. The video series would follow their journey from day one.
It’d be inspiring, high-stakes, and hopefully life-changing. Not just for them, but for everyone watching.
Final Note
Whether it’s filming with a GoPro or ideating titles in the middle of the night, David’s process proves that success doesn’t require fancy gear, just consistency, curiosity, and the courage to keep posting. We’re stoked to keep following his journey and cheering him on as he builds the life of a full-time creator, one BIG idea at a time. If you want to follow his journey, subscribe to his channel here.
