From Side Hustle to Six Figures: How I Turned Premiere Gal Into My Dream Job

From Side Hustle to Six Figures: How I Turned Premiere Gal Into My Dream Job

Hi, I’m Kelsey — you might know me as Premiere Gal. Almost nine years ago, I uploaded a simple captioning tutorial in Adobe Premiere Pro. At the time, I didn’t know if anyone would watch. I just knew I wanted to make video education less dry, more practical, and actually fun. That one video ended up getting 50,000 views. And it unlocked something I never expected: a whole new path.

Today, I run a business that generates close to half a million dollars a year through content, partnerships, digital products, and more. But what really excites me is how this space keeps evolving — and how creators are redefining what it means to build a career on your own terms.

Why I Started: The Missing Piece in Video Education

Back in 2016, most online tutorials felt either too corporate or too clunky. I had just come out of film school, and I was working a 9-to-5 video editing job. But I wanted to share what I knew in a way that made people feel like they were learning from a friend — not a faceless brand.

So I started uploading. Nights. Weekends. I’d stay up until 3 a.m. making videos, then show up to work at 9. It was a lot. But I felt more alive working on Premiere Gal than I ever did at my day job. A year and a half later, I quit my job and I made the leap to full-time creator.

Growing the Channel — and the Business

The creative part is what most people see — the tutorials, the thumbnails, the voiceovers. But what most don’t see is the business behind it.

I make revenue through a mix of affiliate partnerships, sponsored content, digital products (e.g. my Gal Toolkit Extension ), and my YouTube channel Adsense. Over the years, I’ve also grown a team of editors and collaborators to help scale what we do.

I’ve learned to think beyond just what video to make next. Now I think like a small media company: What’s our revenue mix? What’s our launch calendar? Where are we investing next? That mindset shift — from creator to operator — was huge for me. This shift helped me turn YouTube from being just a moment in my life into a career. 

Why I Still Love This Work

Even with a team, I still touch almost everything — I write scripts, review cuts, and respond to comments. I’m a believer in staying close to the audience. But I’ve also had to learn to let go in order to grow.

That’s part of why I love being in this space. You have to keep evolving. You can’t just set a strategy and coast. Platforms change. Formats change. People change. But when you lean into that, it becomes energizing — not scary.

That’s also why I love tools like Spotter Studio. They don’t replace the work. They help you do it smarter — showing what’s working, where the opportunities are, and what your next hit might be.

One Thing I Wish Creators Knew

You don’t need the perfect gear, setup, or strategy to get started. You need consistency, curiosity, and clarity on why you’re doing it. People don’t remember how polished your video was. They remember how you made them feel, or what you helped them do.

I always say: be helpful, be human, and don’t wait to feel ready.

Where I’m Headed

Right now I’m thinking about what’s next for the Premiere Gal brand. Do I stay the sole face of the channel? Or do I start building out something bigger — like a network of “Gals” for different platforms or tools? I don’t know the answer yet, but I’m exploring.

Long term, I want to build something that scales beyond me — so I can have the option to step back, take breaks, and still see the brand thrive. That’s the dream.

BIG Ideas

Over the years, I’ve noticed it’s not just tools or trends that shape your journey — it’s the ideas you choose to hold onto. Here are a few of mine:

💡 One idea that’s helped me grow:

“Respect your audience’s time, but don’t underestimate their curiosity.”
That’s guided almost every video I’ve made. I want every tutorial to be tight and useful, but I also want to make space for a little wonder — something unexpected that sparks a smile or an “oh wow, I didn’t know that.”

💭 One idea I wish more creators internalized early:

“Perfection is the enemy of progress.”
I can’t tell you how many creators I’ve met who’ve sat on great video ideas for weeks (or months) because they were waiting for perfect lighting or a better mic. Meanwhile, their audience is just waiting for them. Hit publish. Learn. Repeat.

🤔 One idea I’m still wrestling with:

“How do I scale without losing the voice and trust I’ve built?”
I actually am exploring creating multiple channels related to specific software needs. On Premiere Gal, my legacy was always Premiere Pro Tutorials, but I post far more than Premiere Pro, such as Ai Generation Tools, After Effects, CapCut, and more. Does it make sense to create separate channels for each specific software?  (e.g. "Ai Gal") Or should I just keep doing what I've been doing. My idea with this is that people who originally subscribed to my channel for Premiere Pro content, but don't like Ai, don't have to watch that stuff. All the ai videos can go on the Ai channel. My reasoning is that this will make my audiences happier and it builds creative trust. I would love to hear thoughts from you, the creative community, on this!

That’s my journey — and I’m still writing it. If you’re just starting out or if you’ve been creating for years, my biggest encouragement is this: keep showing up. The ideas will come. The momentum will build. And before you know it, your side project might just become your dream job.

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